Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-02-11
Anoxrille aousnal.
KSo WILLIE. FEBRUARY II. 1875
For tn Knoxville Journal.
Letter from south Carolina.

lpu will remember, Mr.. Editor,
TINT when left you in Knoxville, in
the earlier days of November, IA,
told you I should tarry in Iowa
"The Beautiful, until near Christ
mas unfe.s cid winter should threaten
10 lay his iron hand upon IA. In
that case | should take the car and
roll myself outof his reach into the
ross. gardens OF the South.
{" The best laid scheme. or mice and men.
Gang an sglee, -
Says the poet, and poetry rs. some
times truth.
I visited Pe!la for few days, but a
snow storm kept my crippled limbs
in the house. Butts literary atmes-
phere was brought to me by some Of
its excellent literary ladies, and judy
ing Of the whole Ivy part, Pella
must be a pleasant place to dwell In
and gather knowledge for coming
years.
From Pela to Ottumwa gave us a
birds-eye view Of the progress Of the
years and an opportunity to put on
our wonder cap every few miles. To
particulafze would make our letter
long. Three days in OttumWa served
to impress us with the majesty Of this
city set upon more than seven hills,
and its fresh earnestness. Tarried
month in Pennington no more at
tractive and pleasant place for town,
or more valuable site for water power
lays along the Dies Moines river, and
more, the Improvement is half COM
pieted by the erection of a stone dam
half way across the river 10 years
ago, which stands to-day without a
break or mar--asking to be completed
and utilized for the good OF the south
eastern portion OF Iowa. One need
only to say II was erected by Col. 0.
III. p. Scott, Of Pennington, Iowa, to
have its merits as public work un-
derstood.
From thence 10 the Gate city.
where we found the holidays so
overshadowing the place, that like
Yankee Doodle" we could not see
the town, there was SO much Christ
mas. But we did see enough Of its
social circles and cheerful life to
make US long remember it as one OF
life's bright seasons.
The 24th Of December we crossed
the Father Of Waters - and babe
farewell to Iowa.
Two weeks were then spent near
Carthage on farm of broad acres.
where true friends Were plenty and
hearty welcome ruled the hour, and
made ns, If not forget that winter
WIS lying i'm wait for us, grow heed
less Of his steafthy footsteps. The
9Th Of January was sunny as May.
and the sum made little impression
upon the frozen prairie and all con-
graduated Us on the pleasant weather
on the morning of the sth as
we took our departure with full con-
iidence that steam would outrun frost
in q fair race; we were soon to have
new lesson. Atnoon, at Quincy ii
seemed no colder, and Us we sped on
noting on either hand the immense
farms, the corn on the ground or In
cribs, the hay stacks, and cattle upon
a thousand fields, and all the evi.
dences Of wealth and thrift which
had been developed in the last twenty
years, | marveled greatly. Sudden
~ | felt a chill of cold air sweep
through the CIR. and found we were
backing over the Mississippi river Mt
Louisiana, Missouri. The river was
frozen over and ice carts gathering
blocks OF solid GOODNESS for summer
IL inches thick. The wind blew
hurricane and the joints i'm the wood
parts OF the car were no protection
against the fury Of the storm sharp
points Of snow sifted IN upon US and
soon covered us In our seats. The
steam horse sped on, but old Boreas
howled his blast and CRASHED his
teeth with redoubled fury. People
sllivered and gathered about the
st',ve and the fireman worked Justify.
We seemed to hear the shrek Of
old winter in his wrath as we foll'd
into East st. Louis at 8 p. m, Ye
cart do it," and we gave up belt
aud we're hustled into a carriage by
loving hands, covered with furs, and
In a semi state Of freezing were glad
to stay one whole week and let the
old fellow have his frolic. It Is sell
dom think he gets on such ram
page as to brighten the thermometer
town "A degrees In three hours or
blows his tune at the rate OF 26 miles