White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1870-05-26
GcrresponS
(For the Chief)
The Baxter Springs Excursion.
0~ -ur G.n .our Nav Is. 1870.

ON THE Gan Asour. May Is. 1870.
DEAa CmEr:-Au the papers in the State
have had their say shout the recent trip to
Baxter Springs. and I'm going to have mine.
I would he silent, but duty bids me speak
You rccol!eet that, last Monday. yoi gave me
a clean shirt, . paper collar. and one hundred
dollars, and bade me :" do" the Excursion
Ny account ~ill probably differ from Others
you will see: if so. you may attribute it to the
fact that was differently situated from other
writer's. l had no pass. was not an invited
guest. was paid for no puts. did not train with
the correspondents, paid my own way With the
money you gave me, ard, therefore, feel the
spirit Of Bohemia within me saying, Smite,
and spare not!" and somebody will probably
get " smote" before I'm through.
Ofmy trip from White Cloud to St. Joe. and
thence to Kansas City, need not speak. 1t
was like all other tips 10 ne-stals and (par-
ticularly) Improbable. Istaid in Kansas City
one day, and during that time didn't see
single man fall off of a bluff and break his
darned neck. But that's just my luck-I nev-
er did have anysfun there. During nv stay.
put up at the Pacific House, and paid $3.50 for
the days enjoyment thereof. This House is
's "One sfthem big hotels.
Where they 'hi, plates and let 70 live on smells"
If the proprietor considers that a puff, he's
welcome TO tit sha mt cost him cent.
On Thursday morning, we got fairly started
on our trip to fairy land. The cars were crow
ded with the magnates Of the land. Grant AID
his Cabinet, myself and suite, Gov. Harvey
and staff, Web. Wilder and his retinue, Prince
Albert and lis guardian, and an amiable idiot
in barnacles, whs beamcd upon the party with
inefable stupidity, and tortured Us with the
-heezings of an sscorde on in the last stages
of consumption, made up our car load. We
passed a great many thriving towns. each Of
which, am happy to say, is the largest, hand
soonest, mo st prominent town in Southern Kan
sas. The first half Of Our trip was very pleas
ant. Thro ugh the open car windows, We caught
panoramic views Of beaut iful green lawns and
waving trees. Of sparkling streams and bab
bling brooks, Of wheat fields ready for the har
vest, (next Ausust,) and orchards loaded with
all the delicious fruits of the pies-oranscs,
lemons, citrons, dates, prunes, sandwiches,
vatermelons, apples, rum punches. gin-slings,
and-somehow I've got things mixed. my ap-
pies with oranges, lemons with rum punches,
&C.; but we saw all these things somerhere on
the road. Thea. &c had plenty Of fresh air
the sweetest SINE Hing thing on earth-to keep
us from sufficaton; but after We had got half
way to Baxter, the wind became so cold and
boisterous that the windows had TO be put
down. Then our troubles began. Our party
had, in the most unaccountab.c manner, for
gotten something. They had not forgotten
their store clothes, their lunches, their free
tickets, nor any Of the fruits have mentioned
but, in the hurry Of starting, they had ab scent
~ forgotten to wash their feet; and there they
! sat, with windows closed, and feet unbooted
on the backs Of the seats, making the air so
fetid that could not stand it, and SO rushed
into another car. Here new troubles awaited
me. The inspired lunatic with his accursei
accordion wel here. ureathed in imbeci!e
smiles, blowing az his heart broke Ell and ear
splitting noises. lie, the unconscious dolt,
called it music. Well, some people have mu-
sic in their souls, but there are souls have no
music in them. I'm one of the latter, l reck-
on; at any rate, ,if l had had howitzer with
me, or syringe. or any other deadly weapon,
there would have been a corpse Oh that train,
and another funeral in the Damphool family
l have heretofore been doubter in religion
but those feet and that internal wind mill mu.
sic have fetched me. believe there is hell
At about 8, P. NJ. we arrived at Baxter, an
marched up town. Bonfres we're blazing, peo
pie were shouting. breech clouted Indians were
cavorting around on ponies, while above all
could be heard the belching thunder from the
mouths of the numerous anvils loaded to the
muzzlc. Baxter was ablazc with glory! Bax
ter is frame house town of about 1000 soul:
for people, rather: let US not be too partic
ular about a word)-and motley set they are
They may be classified into men Of means ane
mean men. The former include the merchants
land agents, lawyers, doctors, and business
men generally; the latter, the pimps. strum
pets, gamblers. thieves, drunkards, and drunk
ard-ma kers.
After had pre- empted the quarter section
on which to sleep if got sleepy, started out
with minister as my guide, TO see the ele
phans. Ny Rev. philosopher flst took me t.
the
HURDY GURpY.
This institution was known in Athens, in tn.
days of Aspasa, but went By different nam,
then. 1t is simply saloon where fiddle dis
courses pocr music, and painted, bedizzene,
strumpets, yclep. erj.ikers, dispesse poore
| liquors and gratuitous smiles to crowd 0
coarse, bloated, rufIianly. drunken images o
} God! I am not squeamish man, nor, SO ia
as can fad out, particularly virtuous one
but left that place in bury-much to tn
J regret Of my friend, who insisted that it va
just the place to observe life. We went mex
to q I'LL
BAlE SHOW,
which was held in large tent. and was sor
of can-can affair, where stuffed women cam
out in their bare skins and danced. At tbi
show found nearly all the prominent men o
KaDsas; but, strange to say. was the onl.
one who vent TO see the show-the rest wer
all looking for their friends! did not sta.
. long among the bulls and bares-the displa.
vas too lavish for me. The rest Of the even
ing was spent looking at the dance at Lee
Hall. As us staid out doors, they didn'
charge rs anything for the show. The street
we're rerambulated till late hour. BY mum
Der of people whom my Rev. friend seemed Il
} know, and whom be called "cyprians." The.
seemed harmless enough if you didn't punc'