Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-09-11
A Sabbath on the Frontier.
From the Interior (Chicago.)

oihCe, 10 Spcnu SaODatn on the IRON
tier, at Larned though so lately has
this Little village been named, or even
: settled, that few of your readers will
/ know where to look for it. But follow
out the line of the Atchison, Topeka
n and Santa Fe Railroad, $50 miles from
Topeka; and few miles east from Fort
!, Larned, gou will find one Of the lovli-
est places in our Western prairie coun-
try. And here. within very few
months, has gathered the nucleus Of a
/ little village the ''claims'' for miles
around have been taken, and most
t1attering future seems assured
Here little Presbyterian church has
been organized of about dozen men,
bers, and Sabbath-school and weekly
prayer-meeting started under most IA
vorable auspices.
Arriving Saturday afternoon, -e
found the little hotel crowded with GET
tlemen, the advance guard of a colony
from Illinois, who have decided to To-
cate here but, with genuine hospitaFi-
ty we were kindly welcomed and, IS
we entered the tiny parlor, and caught
a glimpse Of the fine cabinet-organ it
contained, and noted the pictures on
the walls, and the piles of books and
papers, we forgot we were so fas from
home.
Just as the sun was setting, we walk
ed to the top of Lockout Hill, which
rises with a gentle slope, just west of
the town, and were rewarded with a
view Of miles in extent and unsur-
passed, we firmly believe, in our West
ern country. To the south and south
east flows the broad Arkansas, with its
border OF greenest meadows, while be-
yond is line Of sandhills, now clothed
with thin growth Of grass and small
trees. To the north and west, you can
trace for miles the graceful windings of
| Pawnee Greek, while beyond, to the
northeast, the course of Ash Creek Is
plainly marked by the trees and under
growth on its banks. Beyond a hill in
tie west. we could just discern the
flag of the fort, seven miles distant
while to the northeast lay spread out a
broad, rolling prairie, with its covering
Of short buffalo-grass, with one abrupt
Hill about nine miles distant, known as
pawnee Rock, the scene of some of the
terrible encounters of our troops with
the wild Indians This few miles of
country, over which we were gazing
was, until very few years past, the
very stronghold of the savage Pawnees
and their allies. The steep bluffs of
Pawnee and Ash Greeks, with their
tangled growth Of vines and shrubs,
served as hiding places for innumerable
bands and woe to the lucklcss travel
er who ventured alone outside the pro-
lection of the fort.
On the Sabbath, little company of
about forty persons gathered in the
building used for courthouse. Seats
were brought In, and desk impro'yised
Of plum table with pile Of law-books
But the ''sVeet story Of Old" that is
the same, whether told IN palace or
cottage. in wealth-adorncd church, or
rude cabin on the prairie, fell from the
lips of the speaker; the earnest pray
er ascended to the same loving ear, and
at the close, subdued voices, Joined in
those sweet, familiar words:
There is q scene where spirits blend,
| " here friend holds fellowship with frieriG
Tho Sundered far, by faith they meet
! Around one common mercy-:eat.'
As the soft tones Hoated out over the
prairie, and cur thoughts wandered
away to little church far away on the
very shore Of the Atlantic, where those
with whom we had once sung those
words Of comfort, were that day wor-
Shipping, our hearts thrilled with tender
grateful emotions, till the very words Of
that hymn will ever blend in our memo
ry with the soft breath Of the prairie
breeze, As it came in at the open door,
with its delicate perfume Of prairie
flowers and grasses.
Nor could help constrasting this
lovely scene, this peaceful Sabbath,
these holy songs, with the Indian
whoop and savage yells Of triumph that
| 50 lllllc Ilillc dSO tCuocu over tnCSc
same hills.
In the afternoon, small but inter
ested Sabbath-school gathc~ed in the
same place, and number of us spent
the remainder of the day around the
organ, in the little hotel parlor, singing
! Sundav-school songs that we had sung
at home. And whether our homes had
been in New England, in Michigan. or
Illinois, we found all loved and sung
the same hymns and tunes. Though
strangers yesterday, all one family to-
day a little foretaste of the time when
all who love our dear } Jesus here, though
Of different tribes and tongues, will all
unite in, one song, s'Glory to the Lamb
! And so ended our Sabbath on the from
tier, long to be remembered as one OF
our bright days, Urged with golden
light from the very ''Sun of Righteous
ness"
Mrs. S. T. S.