The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-05-14
fFOr The Advanced
H0lFE,NTEADTNH.

more than TWO years since L le1C the
State of Pennsylvania, and, after
spending some time by the way, arrived
at what 1 then thought must be the
- far West.>' But / soon became aware
of my mistake, for Tout West " is
talked of quite us much here rs back !
East, and instead of being on the FROM
tier, as supposed, found that was an
point hundreds of miles be-
yond us. l used to fancy how the
broad rolling prairie would seem to one
accustomed to the hills and forests of
the Keystone State, but the realization
far exceeds the imagination. I think
there can he no lovelier sight than this
treeleSS prairie III summer, when, like
green ocean, it stretches away III the
distance, and seems to dissolve and in
termingle with the blue horizon.
/ said treeless, and SO it is, for rs far
as the eye can reach in every direction
is one vast expanse Of country, which,
in my opinion, must be one of the finest
farming regions in America. Years
ago, when our forefathers began to
make themselves home III the wilder
ness, they spent the best years Of their
life in doing what nature has already
done here. Instead Of working life
time Telling timber and preparing Il
hundred acres for the plow, that
amount can he broken the first year,
and the third, at the farthest, it is ready
to yield Il bountiful harvest.
Why is it that so many in our eastern
cities are content to toll unremittingly,
day after day and year after year, barely
procuring the necessaries OF life, when
''Uncle Sam is rich enough to give us
all farm" and not only able but will
ing to do so. It is II great mistake,
however, for any to think they can
come here and, with but little exertion
OIL their part, get rich Immediately.
There never was better country for Il
poor man than this, but he must not
sit down with folded hands, waiting for
something to "turn up" lie must
labor, and with but little pec,niary
benefit for that labor, the first year a.
least. lie may raise Il good crop on
sod, but the chances are that he will
not but after the soil is once subdued
it will yield so abundantly as to aston
ish those not acquainted with it's depth
and richness, and it one has Il firm de-
termination to overcome I'LL obstacles
and not be disheartened at slight dis
couagenlents, looking forward to the
future when he will have a beautiful
home in us BEAUTIFUL q Country as the
sun lV.r shOne upon, he will surely
succeed.
Of course, there are disadvantages to
be met with, in this demonstrating BUSH
ness, and one is our ''dreadful winters. y
I presume we are all familiar with the
old saying about giving his Satanic
majesty his due. SO [ say concerning
Minnesota. Although we have had
such severe cold weather and several
bad billiards., we have really had but
three months winter. Perhaps some of
my readers may draw II long breath at
this, but it they will stop and think they
will soon recover themselves, for did
we not have Il splendid fall which lasted
till Christmas, and heard Il gentleman
remark yesterday, the frost was out of
the ground two feet. And that reminds
me Of another thing. In the East it
commences thaWing way down to the
extreme depth it is frozen, and farmers
have to wait till it ''breaks up'' before
they begin seeding. Here nature is
more sensible, for it commences at the
top and goes downward, 50 that by the
time the frost is out the seed is in. An.
other great disadvantage is the grum.
blers, those who make it a point not t.
he satisfied with anything, who get dis
c0nragel ut the outset, and, if the truth
were known, would not amount tc
much anywhere. l do not wish to he
misunderstood. There are some who
left good situations elsewhere and came
here hoping to do much better, and
have not succeeded us yet; l do not
mean those by any means, but that
certain class who are doing just us wei
or better than they ever did, have just
as much society, and could live without
the relief quite us comfortably us be
fore, and yet they are the very ones who
are uttering the most complaints.
a little story | remember reading
some time ago, will illustrate my mean.
ing. A little boy was III Accomplishing
mood his dinner did not suit him. 81
that was made right. Then his cup die
not suit, and one was brought that did
Then his chair was not right, so his
father took him OH his lap, saying, "Art
you all right noW?" He looked arounC
the room and SEEING the cat crossing
the floor with tail erect, he said, in !;
vexed voice, ''There, the old cats tai
sticks up" and burst out crying. Tho
old cats tail, in his case, was tile straw
that broke the camel's back, but man,
of the complaints of older persons ARK
just about us reasonable.
There are always people who arr
ready to rush blindly after any new ex
element without stopping to think
and so it is with some of our home
steaders. They have come here and be-
cause they have not found all gold that
glitters, are ready to give up, and lay
I'LL the blame to the country, the eli
mate, etc, when it is their own fault
Now fancy hear some one say. as; !
lave heard it remarked, ooh! whoever
wrote that lives in town and has plent,
OF money. He doesn't know What liz
is talking ;.bout.'' That is a ms
take. Although we are rot 50 ia,
off but that we can see iVortiington OF
some of our fine winter mornings. vel
the distance is sufficient to he callel
from the country, when we visit it, ;lnt
our money-well any one acquainted
with the residents of Mobiles Count,
vii! know none of us have to sit III
nights to count it. But for I'LL that.
see only one thing that can hinder til,
growth and prosperity of the Colony
and that is the grasshoppers, and I d.
not believe they will. Worthington
our county seat. a thriving town will
more business life and finer building
than many All Eastern town of twelit,
years growth, will soon he Il city, al,
Southwestern Minnesota, with it
groves and well cultivated farms, vii
be one OF, lit not qnite), the finest coull
H tries in the Union, while tile intelli
n gence and refinement of its inllabitant!
& OannOt he surpassed, Some may tllinl
4 the picture slightly OverdraWn.. but III