The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1877-08-18
4 "TRIP WEST.
Insrsdprse~y 10 sesies OF L-sser- ON
the sIpg, which PROMISES 30 be
shassy sna fuii .f the Hap- and
Nishnps 80 CONNIE retail 1rnsesrr'~
Companion.

tire AIpg. which Promises 10 be
shasty aaa fun Of the uap- and
Nishap> so u Commercial 1r.sei~r's
Csmpaston.
To the Editor IL The Herald:
Near the last DAYS IN July. after many
Intellectual efforts 70 cool or at Bogels
and the st. Louis cellar, ! stood upon
Main street painting like sufioostipg
bird ! had been TO all the good places,
aud my soul began TO despair OF escape
from the tropical wrath. when some
one tapped me on the shoulder. #
was my friend Jef, commercial tray.
eler, who weeks ago had invited me 10
accompany him on four weeks trip
TO the Prairies of the far west
Are you ready" said he, "for that
trip ? when do YOU start, said J.
Tomorrow. said he Ia Gods name
YES. said j., and let's go TO Boeel's to
commemorate the occasion, Tor feel
saved and blest" We went
That night latter many comnemora-
tions) ! dreamed, and in my dreams I
felt upon INV brow the cooling 'caress
Of the sweet south blowing across grand
prsiriss, where dwelt. in silence. soil
tnde and beauty. aud independence.
Next morning was rea,ly. had a
splendid double-barreied hreach-loader
borrowed from Joe Crosby, who swore
that IL was the best gun in the United
States one frying pan. one coffee pot
two tin cups, knives and forks and
one key
About ten o'clock jeff pranccd up
with his team Such a team Two
well matched sorrels shiloh and Jim.
that esvorted rs if they didn't at all
understand that two thousand mile
trip lay before them. Nobody but Jeii
could drive them. aud nobody but
Tompkins, the great implement man OF
north Texas. could FURNISH such an out
tit for has salesman We loaded and
started turning first IN the direction OF
WaXahachie, or route, "a laid out
embraced some twenty counties,
extending into the far west, whore
the hostiles dwell We notified
friends Of this fact. Tut they seemed To
be wanting in sympathy and didn't
start Us with brass band or anything
Of that sort. 50 much the better for
the keg
During the day, our course being
southerly, We passed through country
richer in promise than any | had ever
seen. The soil was black waxy. Rain
sufficient had fallen everywhere, and
the corn and cotton. by their healthy
appearance, sileneed the doubts even
Of the granger Corn enough to do the
next year and three fourths of bale OF
cotton per acre were regarded as secure
jeff who is q constant Traveller and
every day familiar with the country.
tells me that wonderful change has
been effected within the last year. In
Dallas. Ellis, liill aud johnson the
grand ocean.like prairie no longer
exists. 1t has been fenced in. Where
very recently ii stretched its plains to
the far horizon with an unobstructel,
sweeping view, now are 10 be found
comfortable houses and cultivated farms
teeming with the growing crops that
promise wealth and prosperity to our
section
Because Of the local option, we pass
ed Lancaster the home OF Bob Guy.
without halt About five o'clock we
reached Red Oak, in Ellis county. a
town with three inhabitants Here we
bought. from an old French lady two
bottles of native wine and loaf Of
bread. and went on. We proposed to
camp near Waxahachie. on the north
an 90 into town next morning, and we
began 10 look for wood to cook our sup
per. but We looked in vain Not even
spare fence rail could be found. So
We drove on, in the dark, through the
town. and camped under "a tree, in the
creek bottom. south Of the prosperous
little city Here our camp life began.
The cunning jeff. said: ! Iii unniteh
and ieed and build fire There Is a
house suppose you take the bucket
aud get some water 10 make coffee
Just follow the fence till you find a
gate. and go in. He said this In a
sweet. low voice. such as he uses
to induce people to buy plsws
and things. and | seized the bucket
and started went up that fence
about two hundred yards without find
ing the gate. Then ! saw house and
heard voices. and concluded TO climb
tho fence Evidently had missed the
gate. got over the fence and found
myself in a hog pen. Then climbed
another fence and found myself in a
COW yard. Then | climbed another
renee and reached the horse lot, where
men were feeding the farm stock.
Said ." ! want some water 10 make
coffee" Very well. sir, said voice,
for ! saw no one Just follow the road
till YOU come To little house on the
hill you viii lind there spring and
plenty Of water" Now, | hadn seen
any road, and didn't believe there was
one. but marched on. and ran against
gate ! climcd The gate and marched
on. A voice followed me shouting:
Look out for the gully." But that
voice came toe, late. | was heels over
head in the gully Then / picked me
up and saw the little house where
dwelt the spring. many furiopgs ahead
! struggled on and reached that spring I;
tut how did it, and how ! rot back
90 camp with the water, and how we
made coffee ard slept on a bed OF oats,
mean to tell you in my next letter
J <t-AA