The Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1869-1872, 1869-11-13
Eastern Correspondence.
CANros, MAINE, October Goth,


EDrToR INDErENDENr: Home again, after an
absence of more than thirteen years! You can
have no idea of the changes even so short "a
time viii work. A few, IA very few knew me,
and could only find familiar face now and
again among the men and women who were
thirty and forty when left. You have no
conception OF the feelings that chased each
other through my mind AZ / walked down the
main street of the old village, the next morn
ing after my arrival, Men looked nt me little
hard and passed on; big boys, or rather young
men. went their way without SO much as turn
ing their heads. The men were, many of them
old neighbors, and the young fellows, now AS
tall as / am, were children when ! left. 1t
made me feel older than / ever felt before.
Ont Of the troops of young men and women
with whom l used to associate, not one is left
Tor me. Some are married and settled down;
many have moved away to distant parts of the
country; and many, very many are laying out
city up on the hillside beyond the old church
"A beloved sister among the last, Now and
then. when ask for some youth whom lcf,
in the full pride of his early manhood, am
told ha was killed in the war, and the old pco-
,pIc look sad. but almost always add, "hc was
a brave boy, aud never finchcd." But cnOugh.
1t is quite enough for me TO see and feel those
things, without trying to cas-. shadow over
your days by relating them.
NV last letter gave you my Impressions
of the country to Omaha. We arrived 1T this
city at two, p. ~, and had three hours to "do"
the place in. The first thing was To purchase
n hat, having lost my own ovcrbourd, day or
two before. Four dollars in currency did il,
and got n good hat, too. Now came some
lot H., lk.r dol lnr
the weaZcn- faced madam who kept the store.
"Not much, my dear, | cnn buy as good ones
for fifty cents tn Nevada" This appeal to her
pride brought her down to six bits, mt which
price bought two, and was cheated then. \
poor dinner cost one dollar; whisky, fifteen
cents n snort-jBst fair article. After cross
ing the Missouri river we struck into u low,
flint country with but few signs Of prosperity
mt first, but after an hours run the scenery
began to change; pleasant little towns were
passed every few miles, and the large, fine
.hougcs of the fnrms that stood upon each side
of the road, bespoke plenty of this world :
goods, and, consequently, taste and refine
ment. In the morning VIC were whiring over
the rolling prnirics of Illinois, through great
fields Of sill-standing corn, past little villages
of elegant houses, fine stores, and oil the
church spires pointed to heaven, and the school
house bell called together crowds of we'll
dressed children. The old fnrncrsdrOrc around
the stations in comfortable wagons drawn by
fine, big horses, M fat AZ seals; and the young
chaps in nobby turn-outs, that spoke of plenty
of coin in the pockets of "Bad." | never
hnyc seen any part of the land where the buld.
ings were so universally good, the people sO
well dressed, and the appearances Of taste
and wealth 10 abundant a. the part of Illinois
through which the Chicago and Northwestern
Railroad runs. 1t must bo land flowing with
milk and honey. At three, +. NJ, we were in
Chicago, looked at its big buildings, listened
TO the noise and din of its business commerce
eat n bad dinner, (scyonty.fve cents), and nj
five o'clock were off on tho Michigan Central
for Boston. Night soon cheated me ont OF
any view Of the country, 80 / rolled myself uJ
on seat, in way that would astonish you
and slept until morning. Soon after daylight
We arrived Mt Detroit, and quickly crossed ovo
TO Windsor. l had two hours in which e
breakfast and see the town. The former wa,
good, the latter ms dull ns n post but had M
mir of comfort and plcasuntncss in it's bront
streets, which arc lined on each side with nobl,
cms, that we never sec in California towns
From this place TO Niagara Falls, there Il
hardly q docontlooking house; everything
looks M though the inhabitants had prepared
years ago, To move away, but had never gone
though still living in hopes that the day 70
their dcllvcranco would come
The land does not look poor but the peopl
nrc poor. London, the principal town throug
which we passed, has many fine buildings, In
is rs silent rs u deserted city; "Sundny soyc
days in the week, remarked my companion
We were cheated ont of tho pleasure oi scoin
Tho great falls, as that portion Of our jouno
was performed at night but we aw plent
evidences OF being on American soil as "
crossed the suspension bridge, in the bnstl
ma activity on every side. We arrived /
boston on Saturday evening, having made th
"'P IN hno days from Elko. From begin