Litchfield enquirer., 1870-03-24

there are few as compared with Brooklyn. NY. bade adieu to my friends after few
 days of pleasant rambling. proceeded to Cedar Rapid via. Chicago and Northwest
 ern via. Clinton where I crossed the Father of Waters, and entered the most country that 1t was my pleasure to see on the whole route. For miles on both sides of the track the country was 2 beautiful rolling prairie, dotted here and there with villages indicating thrift and comfort. I noticed fields of corn. some containing 170 acres,
 which when compared to the patches in
 Connecticut made us feel the insignifl-
 canoe of farming there, and wonder why
 more did not migrate out of the rocks to
 the broad. unoccupied acres beyond the
 Missouri. After spending some time view
 ing the beauties of Iowa and adjacent
 states and visiting another old resident of Mount Tom, was gratifsd and delighted one morning on awakening from sleep, to find myself in sight of Council Bluffs and Omaha, with the Missouri between them. I had travelled West over 1900 miles, still I saw that trains would 'leave for the west at 12 m.," leaving me hours to perambu- late the former cities. Council BlufA, named. as the country for miles east of it consists of Sugar Loaf Hills" beautiful and pioturesque-isa neat tasty little town of some Il, 900 inhabitants on the east bank of the Missouri four miles from Omaha, with which it will soon be by bridge. was. with oth. CTS, carried of on ferry boat, which drove her bows into the mud sufficiently to al- low eight four horse teams to drive on it. It was the first'mu wharf I had ever seen and I confess had some suspicious of it. After ride of about eight minutes we found ourselves in the great city of Omaha situated on the bank of the Missouri. Tn 1854 few squatters located here; it is now 3 city of 15.000 inhabitants. I was told that at that time a man named Jones was appointed postmaster (now one of tn e''sol- id" men of the place. and being very &C., ,ommodating man improvised a post-of- Ice by using his hat for that purpose. The mail was light, consequently the old plug hat" answered every purpose, and when he met neighbor, of came the hat to look for long expected letters. .Talhoaks from
 little acorns grow" The '.plug hat post office has given way to one of beautiful di- mensions which employs six clerks besides the assistant postmaster. The hotels are good, and after partaking of hasty meal he whistle sounded, we step in the cars and away we go still bound for the "far vest" The Mississippi, Missouri, and the beautiful prairies are behind us, between 1s and home. One now begins to feel that ae is truly away from home and friends. md with Yankee instinct begins to look sharply about him in quest of knowl sdge; or in other words to make the &C., 1uaintance of all in the coach, and as the ,ountry from Omaha west for few hours ride was 'tame prairie," will introduce 'ome of the characters of the coach Pacific md its interior. It was the most elegant ,ar l had ever seen and so arranged that you could sectionize, or have in drawing room style, at the will of the occupants. As all seemed by this tima to realize that they were in for long journey the latter way was proposed, and all seemed to feel in measure their dependence upon one another. All formality was laid aside, the gentlemen ventured to make remarks, &c. It seemed very different from the Eastern style of closing doors and showing by ac. sions. 'you take care of yourself and I will take care of myself. &c." I was met at this place by party of four: one gentle man and three ladies who occupied the centre section. The car contained IA gen. tiemen and ladies; the whole train some 76 passengers. There were four coaches; one
 ordinary. and smoking car. next to my
 section were party of five returning Cal
 ifornia "'49e,s' who had been home on
 visit, the first time in twenty years, and
 had all erased the plains when it took
 from four to six months instead of as many
 days. All old bachelors, and as good
 hearted men as I ever met, only not as
 polished in their language as some. I soon
 made up my mind as to ''my men" and ex-
 cusing myself to the ladies propos.
 ed retiring to the smoking car. They
 readily acquiesced and taking the lead we
 soon found ourselves out of restraint of la-
 dies presence, when one remarked, "My
 name is D. R., for short, ':Dave" of Shasta
 County, Gal, what's yours?" replied. He then introduced me to Charlie. Black Bill,
 Long Tom, and Straight-edge, remarking that it was custom they had acquired in early days of California life, of giving ev- cry one c nickname, and still retain. found they knew my uncle in California
 whom I was going to see &c., still they preferred to call me "New York" which name I retained the whole trip. After in- dulging in . pleasant chat. smoke and here's to your good health &c.," it was decided, as had ladies in my party, that