Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-08-23
Letter from Madison-Up the Father of
Waters-Some Reflections.

Letter from Madison-Up the Father of |
Waters Some Reflections.
DEAR HERALD.-You know, and |
we might modestly add the whole
world knows, Of the celebrity our
lake girdled city has acquired as
summer resort how it's favored citi-
zens calmly watch the mercury rise
to ninety in the shade, and hear the
world cry "away to my cottage at
Long Branch" with enviable cool
ness. But this season even our
capital has followed the fashion and
got itself into such a fever that we
were necessitated to obey Madame
Grundy and indulge in summer
trip.
Perhaps the excavation of the
cellar TO the new Park Hotel i'm
pressed us with the idea that Madison
was becoming too much of a metrop-
oils, in which to spend summer
whatever the cause, we made our
travelling purchases which consisted
of two fans, and on warm night in
August took the fowl train" for the
"Father Of Waters" on nautical
voyage intent. Our susceptible nasal
protuberences being met at the door
of the sleeping car with all the
distinct odors OF cologne, reinforced
by powerful allies, we were obliged
| to seat ourselves in o day coach,
ardently wishing we could express
the above mentioned features for
ward by themselves. As novelty,
we would like to note our apprecia-
ton Of the fine views in the Wiscon-
sin valley, but on reference to "mem-
ory's tablets" we find such a chow
chow Of sunbeams, kerosene, twists
and fragments of dreams, that we
conclude to leave it in the haze we
found it.
Seven o'clock in the morning
brings us to Prairie du Chen, the
great Mississippi River, and-break-
fast. Refreshed, as only meal at
the Dousman House can refresh, we
sailed forth to improve the time
that interviewed before the coming of
the next boat. We bent our steps
toward Fort Crawford, but when
within stones throw of that scene
of historic interest we heard the
shrill shrek of boat whistle SO
leaving Clio TO fill her page as best
she could we beat a hasty, | wish |
might add graceful, retreat to the
levee.
Meeting with disappointment in
stead of the boat, we passed tedious
morning, and at half past twelve
o'clock boarded the steamer "Su cker
State" bound for st. Paul.
With the taking up of the planks,
every tie which binds to the hurry
ing world is broken. If you are not
a patient man, or bound on business,
do not choose Mississippi steam
boat. The lotus eaters alone to
whom "there is no joy but calm, "
can fully appreciate the superiority
of this over every other known
method of lomotion. Gliding along
quietly on our serpentine course
under the frowning brows of lofty
bluffs, our imagination converts them
into those nights on the banks of that
"bone.of contention" the Rhine, or
; the fantastic rocks assume the form
of some grim feudal castle, at whose
portals we seem to see the pale face
Of some vigilant Rebecca anxiously
watching the contending barbarians
laundering at the gates below. Our
emotions cry presto, and from war
like associations our fancy wings its
way through the delights of absolute
beauty, unmarried by any thoughts
or traces of that iconoclast innovator
man. Shall we hope then here to
enjoy nature in her normal condi.
ton ? Yon water mark over fifty
feet from the level of the river, clear
ly tells US that change, aye mighty
change has been wrought here.
For sunset lovers, here is Elysium.
This we boldly say though never
having witnessed one of Italia's
famed sunsets, or possessed with the
rare gift of description to prove our
assertion. The brilliancy and fan
tastic forms Of the cloud scenery
portrayed in the heavens, were re-
Elected with added lustre and beauty
from the liquid surface of the mirror.
Huge boulders, precipitous crags and
woody glens blush with the evening
magnificence, the better to proclaim
"His handiwork." And now the full
faced moon peers over a rocky bluff
to gaze at her own beauty in the
FURNISHED surface of the river and
invest the scene with her own pecu-
liar loneliness. The gairish light Of
MONDAY, the softened splendor of
sunset and the mystic moonlight
hours have each their charm and
with them we wish they might new
er leave us. While the pale glory
of the queen of night invests the
rugged banks and even those unsen-
timental black-a-moors of smoke
stacks with new wonders, we wish
for cycle of moons and to journey
through them on the great river.
But though devoted to you with
our eyes, fair luna, our gaping mouths
are murmnring with Sancho Panza,
"God bless the man who first invent
ted sleep" So sacrificing Venus and
Diana to Morpheus, we repair to our
respective shelves to meet next
morning at breakfast. Each counte-
nance bending over the fragrant cup
of coffee at this matin repast, cries
out in the language of Shakespeare
"oh have passed miserable night
So full of fearful dreams and ugly sights
That as 1 am Christian, faithful man
would not spend another such night
Though 'twere to buy world of happy days"
But personalities being tabooed by
our considerable party, no comments
were made until the grave head of
I ha ahln loaa<.:alI-- - =