The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-02-15
FROM THE SlSSET0N AGENCY.
FROM LETTERS FROM A La
DY TEACHER.

On New Years day Mr.. Kimba]l gave
dinner to the leading Indians. There
were over twenty invited, but only A.
bout fifteen came. The others got an
cry and concluded to play the white
man about it. Their interpreter was 4
half-breed who had light hair and blue
eyes and looked no more like an Indian
than any0 of u.s.. We had four turkeys,
a big roast of beef, mashed potatoes,
boiled onions, custard pie, and fruit
cake. OF all the eating 1 ever saw or
heard of, they did some OF the largest
After dir ner they adjourned to the
schoolroom, smoked and made speeches.
After the dishes were washed and all
cleared away, things quieted down A.
gain and Mr.. - came in and propos-
ed that we all 60 down to the Agency
with III n. OF course we went. Mrs.
Hamilton was sick, 50 we spent the eve
ming with her, after which Mr.. -
came and brought us back up to Tippe-
tonka. The mercury was fifteen de-
grees below zero, but we enjoyed the
evening very much.
THE WORK.
have been wondering if it is not a.
bout time for the novelty to wear off
and for me to begin to shed some of
those tears folks told us about. I be-
lieve that [ like the work just as we'll
us did the first week. To be sure, we
are not sailing through on fowery beds
OF ease, and there are many things
which might he more pleasant, but on
tile other hand there are great many
things which afford me real pleasure,
and have already spent many happy
days here, days to which think can
look back hereafter with considerable
pleasure. feel that whatever do for
these people, be it ever so little, toward
leading them to better or more civil
lized mode Of life, is as bread cast upon
the waters, and though ! may never see
the fruits Of all of my labor, there will
he good results some time. We have
sufficient evidence that they can be el-
eyated above their present condition in
comparing them as they are now with
what they were few years ago. Then
they had no churches, no native teach
ers, no comfortable houses, and could
not be prevailed upon to wear anything
but buffalo robes and blankets.
MORE ABOUT OLIVER.
| handed an envelope, which you had
directed, to him the other day with
some remark about the penmanslIip.-
lie looked at it Il moment and then toss
ed it Oh the table and said, do you
call that good Writing?" I looked ut
him and said, "Why, yes, don't your"
guess he thought he had said some-
thing he ought not to have said, and so
did not make any answer. He under
stands ordinary English very well and
is Il very good Interpreter.
AID FROM THE GENERAL GOVERN.
MENI:
EDITOR ADVANCE: Thirty years ago
some of the Cantons of Switzerland,
wishing to open up a source of self-sus-
tenance for the many poor families who
were gradually and surely increasing
in their midst, sent agents to the Uni
ted States to look up a location with the
view of founding u Colony, to which
these Cartons proposed to transport,
free Of charge, each and every family
that desired to emigrate to America
These agents Travelled ever 4 large por-
ton of Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois
and Iowa. They finally located tie
Colony in Green county, Wisconsin,
and purchased Il large tract of Govern
ment land, money for the payment of
which, having been furnished them by
the Cantons. This tract Of land was
divided up into lots OF twenty acres
each, which was considered IN immense
farm by the families that were to Occu-
py them. These lots were to be sold to
amy one wishing to avail himself Of this
opportunity, at Government price, on
ten years. time without interest. Con-
sequently, in the Spring If 1S47, Il large
number Of families awaited themselves
OF this grand opportunity. After Il
tiresome and tedious journey of three
months, forty-eight days OF which were
spent i'll crossing the Atlantic, t,ey
reached their destination about the
middle Of July Of that year. On arriv-
ing, each family had enough money do
mated them to purchase COW, which
at that time were selling 1T from $8 to
$12. Teams and implements were also
provided with which to commence the
tilling Of the soil. These families and
their posterity could now buy out and
pay for the Cantcns from which they
came. They have paid thousands of
dollars into the public treasury. l know
several of them who pay an annual tax
of over 500. Somuch for the little and
proud Republic of Switzerland, which
is but Il speck OIL the globe compared
to our Grand Old Union.
l have given merely the above sketch
to show what 4 nation can do for it's
citizens, when 50 disposed, and the i'll
calculable benefit that may be derived
from such aid, both by the nation and
its subjects. This brings me to the
subject of this letter. Are we justifia-
ble III appealing to the General Govern
ment to aid lis in the present emergen-
cy? In the Spring Of 1861, there went
through the States Il cry that had not
been heard III them b.fore. 1t was the
thrilling appeal of the Union against its
foes. How it was answered, how t}.ous-
ands of warriors started forth at the
call, all men know. Among those who
responded to the call and distinguished
themselves by their courage and patri-
Otism were Il large number of the pres
ent settlers Of South Western MINES.
ota who have struggled for the last
four years against the ravages of the
grasshoppers, with fortitude second
to that Of no people Oh the face of the
globe. Why may we not, with equal
liberty, call on the Union for aid against
our foes. the grasshoppers? The most
vital and all important question with
our settlers at the present time is how
to procure S. ed with which to sow our
lands the coming Spring. Unless we
can get seed our former labors here will
have been III vain. Unless we can cul.
tiv.te our lands what would be the OBJ.
ject of remaining upon them? An i'm.
mediate appeal should be made to the
General Government for an appropria-
ton of half i million dollars as IL dona.
ton to southwestern Minnesota for tie
nnrnhncn of cns<1 ru,;r, fINl.o !.