Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-08-19
LETTER FROM IOWA.
wisconsin Ridge"-Reminded of
Lancaster--The Crops No Carpets,
but Sewing Machines NO Timber
and No Rock Laughable Grass
hopper S.ory-The Herald-Like
Getting Letter from Home.

WALNUT, Iowa, August IA.
EDITOR HERALD:-This is a very
fine country, and the people are
generous and kind as a rule Many
Wisconsin people are settled here, and
the locality where | make my head
quarters is called wisconsin Ridge"
This is about 40 miles from Omaha
Y esterdey | went to Harlan, the
county seat of Shelby county, and
was not little reminded of Lancaster.
The town wore its Sunday clothes
and presented very quiet appearance
| generally. This was due, | suppose,
to the fact that farmers are busy bar
vesting, and Harlan is an inland town.
Crops arc looking very well. Corn
is ahead of anything | ever saw in
Wisconsin. Small grain was much
injured by the hoppers in parts of
Western Iowa. | think the soil is
not well adapted for the cultivation
of wheat. The country here is very
lately settled and most of the inhabit
ants are poor, which is a drawback to
rapid improvements in buildings.
One scarcely ever sees barn and
nearly all the houses are small and
poorly furnished. A carpet is a luxury
beyond the reach of nearly all. Not
withstanding this, there is an abund-
ance of all kinds of farm machinery.
Much of the grain is headed. l no.
ticed sewing machine in nearly every
house. Thousands Of acres in this
country are still uncultivated Some
of the land is very rolling, but all can
be farmed. There is no timber and
no rock Wild land sells from St to
SIS per acre, according to its situa-
ton and nearness 10 market. The
farmers seem to take delight in telling
about the grasshoppers. verify be-
leve they would not hesitate to i'm
pose upon an unsophisticated chap.
Perhaps am mistaken, but I'll give
you an example of some facts related
to me by an old settler. | met this
man the other day, and when he
learned that | came from beyond
grasshopper limits, he assumed an at
titude by elevating his chin, throwing
his weight upon one leg and resting
his hands upon his hips. He looked
out from under his broad brimmed
hat with a knowing squint, rolled his
quid of tobacco into one side of his
mouth and said: stranger, | suppose
there's one curiosity in this country
| which you never see, and them's the
hoppers. | tell you, sir, you couldn't
see the sun for them, let alone the
moon and all the rest of the planets,
and when they lit it would a done you
good to SEQ EN- eat, sir, just like pigs,
and smacked their lips till you could
hear them mile My wheat looked
like hazel brush patch and the
whole earth seemed to move Just like
river waves. Some folks will tell you
that hoppers can't fly fur, but | know
they can fly 1000 miles, for I've see
'em; and I'll tell you they are stout;
they can kick, sir. just like mule,
and three of 'em carried off my old
SOW Maybe you don't believe this,
but | tell you its 50, for | see it my
self. One took hold of each ear and
tother grabbed her by the tail and
away they went, she just more
than squeain.' They went right
north and 'spose they've stopped
and ct her up before this time" l
babe the fellow good day. being in a
hurry, and went along rejecting upon
the wonders of nature as revealed to
the human eye. OF course | did not
doubt his word; who could, when he
told me nothing but what he had seen?
1t seems like getting letter from two
thirds Of my correspondents, the re.
ceiving of the HERALD. | trust the
village of Lancaster still affords its
inhabitants an abundance of quiet
unalloyed happiness. OMAHA.