Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-11-04
enatGhes by the Way.
NO. FOUR.

Nenah and Manasha, two thriving man j
ufacturing towns They, together with
Appleton, have as fine water power as|
the world affords We came to Oshkosh j
that city within few years past has
grown from small village to number ffi
teen thousand After short stop we
came on to Fond du Lac. Having four
hours here, we wandered about the city,
talking with business men and MAKING
inquiries in general They all complain
of dull times in trade and great search.
ty in money | believe these northern
towns feel the money pressure more than
we do at Mineral Point. The census
has Just been taken in Fond du Lac,
and they number $4,000; more even than
they had claimed for themselves, an ex-
ception among western towns, Fond du
Lac is no longer n mud hoe but beau
tiful, thriving city. -Four hours are soon
passed We are carried to the Sheboy>
gan depot where we get on board bound
for Green Bush, the home of father and
mother The whistle blows and we are
off. We soon pass Faychedah; the place
were they were at first to have built Fond
du Lac, but the property holders drove
business men away with their high pri-
ces, and they moved three miles up the
Lakeland left Faychedah with her misers
to become lonely and dilapidated "rhere
is that which holdeth more than is mete,
but tendeth to proverty
On we roll over the ledge that stretch
es along between timber and the prairies
into the woods beyond. Whirling, buzz
zing dashing on, we shall soon be in
sight of home One more station to pass,
as father lives between stations. We be
gin to ask the conductor to stop and let
US of-don't like to. Halt at this last
station before reaching home The gem
eral ticket agent, an old friend, gets on
board and intercedes with conductor
Here we came by the felds--now oppo-
site the house-train stops-father and
friends come to meet How sad to look
upon the gray locks of father and feel
that they indicate that he is passing to
the tomb. Walked to the house felt
like singing "Home, sweet home BE it
ever so humble, there is no place like
home" Walk in to see mother. This is
more painful than ALL Mother is unable
to walk; not from old age, but because
of sickness tears wet the eyes Mother
you afforded me the first substance of
life; you handled me on your knee 1t
was mother who
Sat and watched my infant head,
When sleeping on my iadle bed.
When think Of it, spontaneous from my
heart it comes, if necessary,
When thou art feeble, old and gray,
My healthful arm shall be tn, stay
And will soothe thy pains away
My mother,
! cannot but reflect upon the thought
expressed by the Saviour Of men, "That
God is more willing to give the Holy Spir.
it to them who ask him than earthly par
ents are to give good gifts to their child-
rem" Can it be? My mother won d.
vide the last slice, and then give me her
part. Who need be without the gift of
salvation when God is so willing to be-
stow it,
Two days at home, leave for Waupun
where many poor fellow goes | had
promised to give some account of the
prison before, but did not happen to meet
with our old friend Hon. Henry Cordicr,
the prison commissioner, who was absent
the other day when we called, but to day
we have no time to call OF the prison
building we say it is magnificent; in.
speeding committee pronounces it the fl.
nest in the Union save Massachusetts. -
The management during the last four
years has been almost perfect Mr. Corr
der took it when it was costing the State
to run it he has built large wing and
made many other Improvements and now
it is nearly self-supporting institution.
1t is the imr ression Of many that if Mr.
Corder had been nominated and elected
for another term he would have made it
self~supporti1g They are making at
present nearly two thousand chairs per
week They have every facility for doing
the best work. There ave 100 male prs
oners and l6 females. Two things that
have been inagurated by Mr. Corders
influence have worked to a charm, one in
reduction Of time for good behavior, five
days on month 1t is II power to stlH.
ulate to good conduct The other il the
establishment of a school for the prisons
ers, giving them so much time each day
for study and recitation. Cultivation
will reiorm more certainly than punish-
lnent
Our team is ready, we start for Fox
Lake pass through the finest country
almost that the sun shines upon. From
Fox Lake 70 Randolph, where we take
the cars for Portage City, the seat of the
West Wisconsin Conference, and the
place whcrethey hang men without .iddse
or jury.
This letter is too long. ScRIBBLEn.