Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-10-20
For the COURIER.
OTrUM WA.
VIVA. !, ,.-wna, i. o"snt TO Isc,

N
MEssns. EpiraHs:-r crave 4 space in
your columns Cor few thoughts which oc-
Cur TO me---thoughts which in themselves
considered, may be nnimportant, but which
may acquire an interest from tho theme
which suggests them. am thinking Just
now Of this hone OF ours, this te,ntifnl,
young, healthy, vigorous, promising city,
where we live, where few of US have lived
comparative ly SO long, an ! where many of
MS expect TO spend the remainder Of our
lives, be the days or years few or many.
occupy now site where have Ii cd
over twenty-six years. 1t is ono OF the
many commanding localities on our bluff
from which prospect is had as varied and
lovely rs human eye ever rested on. |
take in at glance the high grounds spread
iLg in the segment II circle at distance
Of two miles from my point Of observation,
SO beautifully diversified by groves and cu'-
tivascd farms; the bright and crystal Des
Moines, with its windiDgs, it's bends, lite
islands, and its rapids, flowing at my feet !;
it seems if I could almost step on to the
two bridges which span the river, on one
Of which, like the bridge in Psris, where it
is said white horse and priest are al
ways seen, so on our own wagon bridge,
there ia every moment visible, coming and
departing teams, and over the other. across
which, at brief intervals are laundering the
trains Of our Southern Railroad; directly
n front OF me are Richmond, Pick wick, and
ne glorious Krokuk prairie, which las,
mentioued, if not where the Garden Of File
was, is where it ought to have been; At a
,soue's throw, and hugging closely the foo
Of the hill on which / stand, extend eaN
and west the tracks Of those railroads over
which IL constantly flowing tidal wave
Of humanity, and the. great current Of the
worlds commerce !; I look westwardly and
trace the route along which science, labor.
and capital are now SO busily engaged in
perfecting channel along which the Des
Moines, bound, utilized and power, is
soon to greet our ears with the sounds
Of clasling machinery, the grateful hum
of busy labor, aud the music, swester
than the music Of the spheres, which ema-
nate from future palaces Of Industry; l
glance along our busy streets and see pano-
anna Of moving life; listen, and l hear
the murmur which ever and always is
made by busy feet, hnrrying hither and
thither along our sidewalks in eager chase
after pleasure, at the command Of duty, or
in response to the thousand and one calls
which the hour imposes upon every indi.
vidual and responsible agent engaged in
the multifarious duties Of active life turn
to the Bluff and rejoice in the sight of those
steeples piercing the clouds, beneath which
are the affairs reared for the worship Of
God; l dwell with pride, gratitude and
hope upon those stately structures dedicated
to education, where, thanks to the enlieht-
ened. far-reaching and patriotic policy Of
those who laid the foundations of
this glorious Fabric, Temples Of
Freedom, have been established, and
trust, will ever be maintained FREQ
Schools; and finally dwell with de-
light upon the spectacle of those thou
sand beautiful mansions dotting the
Bluff In every part, which wealth, rc-
finement and taste have reared and
dedicated to Sacred Homes.
Such prospect as this which have
above rudely sketchcd, it seems to me,
is we'll calculated to inspire us, who
live here, and who expect always to
live here, and where our children will
live after us, with serions thoughts.
But enough for the present. Ii this
article Is favorably received by you
81 res Fa Sr FHss y1% th
alton Of the subject, by way OF infer
ence and reflection. j. w. N.