Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1871-11-18
A Letter from Kansas.
PAoLA, Kansas, Oct. "a, Is

Eprrons FREE PRESS: A morbid and un-
conttollablc desire to say something through
the columns of a newspaper, is my only apollo
gy for this malice aforethought upon your edi-
torial standing, and as Josh Billings was wont
to say. chopin" that the "winnin ways"
and pursllasiveness of the enclosed years
subscription will so soften your moral edto-
rial heart that your literary rgidity will relax
its stiffness, and you will suffer prcsumptive
youth and ex-resident to talk to those people
Of antiquity in the land Of steady habits and
Presbyterian ways about the Bordcr-Tier
Country" in the BLEEDING State there,
after all this metaphorical confusion come at
last to the subject of this letterAs,hc State Of
Kansas or rather that part of it wherein your
correspondent dwelleth aud walketh in the
"paths of righteousness.
The State of Kansas, with her mild health
full climate, rich prareS and smiling valleys
equal to the Shenandoah-th embryo us
vet is already too well known to require
description from this feeble pen The rapidi-
ty of her settlement; the astonishing develop
ment of Railroads aud manufactures; our So
cial and educational advantages; and-to be
brief-the enterprise and go-a-headitiyeness of
her people generally, all combine to form a
march civilizations ward that is unprecedented
in the history of any State, and the wonder
and admiration Of the world. But all this you
must have heard even in that far of sunny
land. so we will glance at the historic Border
Tier Country, now bashiug in the sunnest
smiles of peace and prosperity, but once the
scene of terror and bloodshed; as horror-struck
settlers and women pale with fear watched
af,r-off the lurid light Of burning cabins and
apxiously listened to the midnight echoing DER
prairie and valley of hoarse shouts Of the
hercely contending Border-Tier Ruihans and
hardy settlers, in the ever-to-be-remembered
{" Border-Iier Wars" But this is dream of
the long ago an item from the great book OF
the past! Far down in the tide now! and
many of the participants have voyaged with
the Gray Boatman," aud received their re-
ward for things done upon earth. SO mote it
be.
Paola, County-seat Of Miami county, has a
census population of 1900 and odd but by
those reliable embodiments of Kansas shrewd
ness and ingenuity" State Guides and Direc-
tors would tell the Down Easter F" who
is verdaut enough to carry them, of some thr-
ty-six or seven hundred souls scattered around
over this corporated prairie; but, be that as
it may. it is beautiful thriving town, situated
about A miles south of Kansas City, Mo-, and
~ miles west of Missouri State line, on high
rolling prairie, and is bounded on the West,
one-half mile distant, and on the East, one
mile distant, by two large creeks of very clear
running Notwithstanding in fish OF ell kinds
from which the town is bouutiiully supplied
during the fishing season. aud heavily timber
ed intersecting and flowing on as one at
point one mile South Of the " CITY,, as our
Moroughly-K Kansas Mayor blandly says
E" Thoroughly-Kansas means kind of an
inflated mania or pulling the wool over
prospectors eyes on all home subjects such as
= mid climate" prolific soil, &C., &C.
Years ago this country was the home OF the
Miami. Wea and paola tribes of Indians, and
this spot the camping grounds OF the Paoas,
from which our town derives its name. Aud
TO see her now in all her wide-awake business
thrift-her streets constantly echolng the sound
of the hammer and the saw, and anon, the
scream of the Locomotive in the distance, 1t is
difficult to realize the wild uncivilised scene /.
that was once here That S5, 900 lot across on
the corner, with its stately brick Hotel and
crowded verandah Of gaily dressed ladies' aud
gentlemen promenadiug back and forth, in the
endowment of an evening sunset, was once
graced by lowly Wigwam, with its venera-
Die warrior sitting in the doorway. and placid
Is smoking HE pipe, in view Of the flying Buff
falo chased by the younger men Of the tribe.
But, poor 81 Lo" has departed; his ways were
not the ways Of those richly dressed gentlemen
on the verandah-he had not deffauded Go
vernment or black-mailed the weary tillers Of
the soil because Of their defective titles, and his
rude Questionable innocence was out of place
here. Civilization, lis greatest scourge, and
like their forefathers before them, he and his
diminished race are driven farther aud farther,
and farther, nearer aud nearer to the barren
plains.
At this point experience a relief from this
aifiiction to bless a reading pub
lie with choice literature and out of humane
regard for your readers will subside. In these
days of everybody, newspaper-writers, too
much originality sometimes becomes painfully
fnonotonous, so close in the good old way Of
if this should meet your favor there may be
more anon. Yours Profusely,
"SSIDER."