Mexico weekly ledger., 1879-08-07

DEAR Ledger: This is the season
for recreation, refreshments and re-
frain from business. Our ex-Gov.
Hardin is breathing the pure air of
the snow-capped mountains of Colo
RADIO; your eccentric Robert has drop
ped his quill and scissors and is
blocking his form" on Long Island,
which if he had done before he left
us, would probably have ended the
editorial career of the White-est news
paper man in Mexico, and made ''pi"
of his social happiness; our scientific
wealth er-guager and popular druggist,
j. F. Llewellyn, is sailing on northern
waters and enjoying the Alaska-like
luxurie.s of St. Paul while our Ches-
terfeld in manners, Col. Hutton, is
quafing the health-giwng waters Of
Elk Lick springs. But we-where
have we gone? Why, we are in Gods
countryside Eldorado of Northeast
Missouri-the land that flows with
milk and honey; the land of fair wo-
men, fine stock an d fat men-where
the bald-eagle and wild turkey now
make their nests on corn-stalks;
where bats and beatle,S at mid-day
flop their wings in wild confusion.
protected by the eternal da rkness OF
these corn fields; where b ewes OF
birds and droves of doves whistle ana
COO, secure amid the gorgeous growth
of the oat and wheat fields. Never
before, within the experience of ISr
oldest citizens, has this section at its
earth upheaved such a gorge of .vege-
tables, fruit and grain as now meet
the eye on every side. It is simply
enormous. We will not give the es-
timated yield per acre for fear you
will accuse us of exageration. Every
acre of tillable land seems to have
been brought into requisition by this
enterprising, pushing people. And
such immense droves of cattle, and
stock of all kinds, that lazily Craze
upon the broad pastures-many of
which contain a thousand acres, and
rival in fertility and beauty the his
toric pastures of Jacob of old, whose
ring-streaked and striped cattle fed
upon a thousand hills. This country
seems tributary to no other; its peo-
pie are independent sovereigns who
make no o~beisance, acknowledge no
superiors, ask no favors nor fear no
frowns from any land or people. No
mart nor market presents a more eX-
citing scene of busting men, trading
boys and eager adventures-each and
all having been raised from infancy
to trade and traffic, and are ready
at all times to wage their all, from
a jack-knife to a steamboat, upon the
weight, age Or market value of any.
thing that carries hair. Perry is the
metropolis of this county, and made
up Of men fully up with the times.
Here VIZ find doctors and dentists,
merchants and mechanics, timers
and thinkers, mills and coal mines,
traders and taverns, groceries and
cobblers-in fact,a little of everything
found in America Except lawyers
Here is where our genial friend and
townsman, B. f. Tomlinson, some
forty years ago kept q trading-post,
and exchanged coffee and "corn es-
sence'' for coon-skins and cow-hides.
What a change! He is now connect
ed with the grocery house of Null &
Williams of your city and the county
of which he was once the chief nabob
now blossoms like a rose. Away
with your tabled, far-fetched fiction
of the beauty of the handicapped
mountains /; away from my vision and
memory, you prarie-dogs, rattle
snakes, owls and sage-hens of Colo
RADIO. Keep the cool air and cooler
hearts of Minnesota for yours, 60
drink at the we'll of St. Cline or the
springs of Elk Lick, but give me the
true Kentucky hospitality of this
glorious home-country, for
When Deaths dark stream ! ferry o'er,
A time that surely will come;
In heaven itself III ask no more
Than just this country's welcome. W.
Perry, Mo-, Aug. l, 1879.