The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1869-12-03
LETTER FROM MORRIS COUNTY. 1

DEAR NEWS: Don't imagine that be-
cause Morris county has ''gone back" on
the fair promise she gave last fall, and
elected Democratic county ticket, that
she is wholly given over to hardness of
heart and reprobate mind.
When few dozen foreign gentlemen
connected with the railroad, you
know-shall have moved on lower down
the Neosho, there will be different
story to tell and every defeat brings its
own lesson of wisdom, while success is
NOT always 'the measure of success" in
the future. So we make the best of
what is before US, and recollect that
"Billy" Shamleffer is after all pleasant
and honorable gentlemen in his deal
ings; and that the Surveyor is Repub
lican, and n proof of how much person
al worth and fitness may influence
politics-occasionall that there
will be another election sometime.
Meanwhile there is pleasant story to
tell on another subject. Nearly year
ago a gentleman named Phillips bought
small farm on Diamond creek, in the
southern part of this county; to be ex-
act, in range 6 east, township II, and
early last spring removed thither his
large and interesting family. He was
soon followed by other families, his rela-
tives and former neighbOrs from eastern
Illinois. Shortly there was school in
the new settlement taught by daughter
of Mr.. Phillips, while another daughter
was engaged as teacher in the district
next below on Diamond creek, in Chase
county. Religious services were held
in Mr.. Phillips comfortable frame house
from the first arrival of his family, the
Rev. L. Harlow, of Council Grove,
preaching every other Sunday; and
during the summer a log building fur
| Their down the creek was used for Sun
day School room, and quite large
! school, forty or more, was gathered,
partly from the older settlement in Chase
county, children nine or ten years ofage
attending for the first time in their poor
| little ignorant lives. A library was pro-
cured and eagerly read, and the beauti-
full Sunday school papers that all chill
dren love so dearly scattered ''precious
! seed" truly.
! Among the newcomers were mechan-
les of various trades, so that new houses
grew up rapidly, neat and comfortable
and commodious, school house among
them, that has now been occupied fol
sometime.
There are now some twelve families
in the colony, exclusive of two or three
families of old settlers, several of then
young married people, while there Ii
not, think. single specimen of tina
Kansas popularity, an old bachelor
among them but there are some remark
ably pretty girls. Some three weeks
since Congregational church was or
ganiZed, consisting of sixteen members
/ while twelve more are expected soon Il
arrive from Illinois; and the church
there from which these good people anC
good christians come, recently sent GU
TO them a cabinet organ for the use o
their new church and Sunday school
AT present Rev. Mr.. Harlow and Rev
Mr.. Fox, of - are holding series Of
meetings in this promising new field.
1t is so rare a pleasure to be able to
speak of thing as ''done," instead OF
| '.going to be-" that these facts give us
encouragement TO hope that in morals
and religion our county will keep pace
with the advancement of her material
interests; and there is room and a well
come waiting yet for many a settlement
like that flourishing SO vigorously
around the new postoffice of Diamond
Spring. VAYLE VERNON.
Council Grove, Nov. 81.