Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-01-17
Minnesota.
Lrnom AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT

AUSTIN, Mimi. Jan. II, 1871.
Dear Spg:-Again in Minnesota; over its
broad and seemingly ever widening prairies,
through some of its picturesque scenery of fer
tile table lands dotted with groves and belts of
timber, and once more nestled among the much
respected oak openings of l'etoile du Nord;
which, notwithstanding the fact that its unsur-
passed campagna contains no Appian way, no
Trojan tumuli, or pyramidal beacons and guar
dian sphinx of ages past, its unpretending ham,
lets no miraculously fascinating fountain of
Trevi to WOO, or mysterious mosques of Omar
and Sophia to win our return; yet an indescrib-
able attraction brings a wanderer back to the
civilized border life of this grand western COM
monwealth, to view the places of old associa-
tons, to enter the arena of brisk western life and
to breath the crisp, pure air, of Egyptian purity,
but true American freedom.
Surely the contrast between the rock bound
coast of our Pilgrim Fathers and the primitive
freshness of a new growing country, is almost
as great, though somewhat different, as that be-
tween Judea's dull heights and Sharon's fruitful
plains, or Sinai's rugged mountains and Go
shen's lovely valley. 1t is true, there is a same
ness in every champaign or open country,
but the monotony is overlooked in
thinking of its possible beauties, and when
more than mere sentiment is desired,
a change from uniformity of scene to the pleas.
inc varieties of nature we have only a short
ride, comparatively, before one is brought face
to face with scenes of grandeur and natural
beauty, and sublime enough for the most artis-
tic taste.
1t is surprising to observe what very great i'm
provements have taken place in three short
years; not only in the general welfare and con-
dition of the people, but in an evident advance
ment in the Intellectual character of the inhabi-
tants School houses, mills, shops, stores and
well ordered farms, business thrift and daily
activity, how truly they are the tests and key
notes of healthful, happy civilization, and
what commentary on the feudal systems of
Europe and the east, is our comparison with the
down-trodden, priest-ridden plebeians of the old
world, for whom scarcely thought is enter
tanned except as it might be the means of pam
dering TO the luxuries of kings or the worse
vices of princes; while here "a mans man."
whether rich or poor, and every neighbor good
Samaritan.
Apropos of education in this state, our own
city fathers may take courage and endeavor to
emulate the example here of remarkable public
enterprise and spirit. Austin, with popula-
ton in the town of only two thousand, is now
just finishing high school building at an ex-
pense of forty thousand dollars, and a house
creditable to a much larger town in the east or
west.
Other towns near here and in various parts Of
the state are erecting school houses in like
proportion; and soon the land of the Dakotas,
of sparkling Minneinneopa and "laughing Min
nehaha," the forest abodes of many savage
band and haunts on the plains of countless
buffalo droves will be entirely transformed; and
in exchange for wilderness we shall behold
garden, the home of millions of women and
men, the numberless dwellingplaces of purity
and happiness, through which shall rise up
magnificent and truly successful state, worthy
Of the motto, w'etoile du Nord." Jim.