The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-03-10
MY LAST TRIP.


NY LAST TRIP.
left home for Wichita Friday, Feb
ruary 18th. stopped over Sunday on
the Verdigris, near Quincy P. o. Mon
day went to West Branch Tuesday to
Eureka. This town goes ahead. l. at
tended concert in the evening. 1t was
well attended and the people seemed to
their musical talent. The
preacher brought down the house with
his violin.
On Wednesday / drove up Spring
creek, over the flint hills, passed Quito,
on the head of Little Walnut, then
down Bird creek and across the Walnut
to Eldorado. Spring creek is one of
the most beautiful streams in the State.
1t heads up in the flint hills and winds
along among the romantic hills, leaving
some beautiful and fertile little valleys
on the north, and empties into Fall riv-
er, nearly opposite Eureka. Quito is
an embryo town OH the head waters of
the Little Walnut. Whether it will ev-
er be brought to the birth or not this
deponent saith not.
Thursday morning started for Park
City, but failed to reach it. We had a
strong wind from the south nearly all
day. About o'clock, p. M, heavy
cloud raised up in the west and began
to push its way against the wind, and
for while the contest between them
was uncertBin. thought once the wind
would beat the cloud back; but at
length the cloud appeared to receive
reinforcements and began to roll I'D in
great black columns against the fierce
wind, and prevailed. The wind was
turned back and in very madness rush
ed over the prairie as though it would
turn every thing upside down. The
cloud assumed green appearance, and
seemed TO come down to the very
ground and pelted us numerically for
awhile with hailstones about the size of
marbles. "Jim" wanted to run away
but couldn't. Then the rain came and
for about one hour came down in sheets
all over the face of the earth. 1t was
literal flood. AS soon as possible we
pushed on, hoping to reach the settle
ments before the creeks should rise,
but were disappointed. The ravines
were great rivers. We could not go
any way without keeping on the divide
between White Water and Little Ar
kansas. IL was nearly night, and we
were thinking of stay on the beautiful
prairie. Old night was fast spreading
her sable wings over the earth, and a
poor wet half frozen preacher COM
menced hunting bank to shelter him
self and jaded horse from stiff north
west wind. To our surprise we spied a
tent, and driving up to it found it in
habited by two men, one woman and a
baby. They kindly promised to do the
best they could for US, but everything
in the tent was wet. After taking
some bread and tea we set about the
work of drying before the stove, but it
was no go-couldn'r raise fire enough.
At last we went to bed; we were all
wet; the wet beds were made down on
wetter ground, and covered with the
wettest clothes, we sought in vain the
kind embraces of Morpheus. Our bed
was as good as packed sheet" But
poor "Jim" had the worst of it. He
had to stand out all night without any
thing to eat.
On Friday morning we set out for
Wichita f; found man and fed my horse
about 10 O'Clock, a. m. When we reach
ed Chism creek the bridge was almost
afloat, but as the waters were rising
we crossed over. In a few minutes af-
ter one of the abutments of the bridge
gave way and two steers were drown
ed. We reached Wichita about noon
wet, muddy and hungry. A rougher
specimen for P. E. was never saw in
Wichita. staid here over Sunday. We
had another awful storm Saturday
night, but 1 had good roof over
head.
Wichita continues to grow, and they
say they are going to make a town
whether they get a railroad or not.
They have "real grit" in Wichita. We
had good congregations to preach to
Sunday morning and evening, and re-
ceived several persons into the church.
We stopped with the most royal family
in town.
Monday morning VIC started for FL
dorado but could not cross the White
Water. Staid all night at Mr.. Priests.
Tuesday set out again, found the White
Water full, but attempted to ford it,
got into the quick sand, and my horse
in his efforts to get out broke both of
the shafts of the buggy. 1 then got out
into the creek, unloosened my horse
and got him out. Left my buggy in
the creek, went and obtained a team
and some chains, waded into the creek,
fastened on to the buggy and it was
dragged out. / then cut some poles
and with ropes spliced them to the
shafts and drove into Eldorado about
noon in a worse plight, if possible, than
when 1 drove into Wichita. Such is
itinerancy in southern Kansas.
Eldorado is improving faster, 1 be-
lieve, than any of the towns which /
have visited. The new courthouse is
going up as fast as the nature of the
case will admit. They need some
churches. We appointed building
committee in our Q. C. this afternoon,
who viii look after these matters in a
short time. We are having good con-
gregations every evening with increas-
ing interest. G. r. r.
-
Olive Logan was Kissed in western
city the other evening while delivering
her Charles Dickens lecture. An ex-
change says: ''She had just acclaimed