The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1881-04-28

know something Of Texas, ito people.
their habits, etc., I concluded to dot
down \ few general items that have
come under my observation during four
mouths travel in the State. which YOU
may publish il you think them worthy
u pace in your most valuable col.
uml,S. >$E
We opened the season Sept, /. and af.
ter doing several Of the principal towns
Of Central Illinois, crossed Missouri.
stopping at st. Louis, Springfield, Car.
image ard Joplin. At Carthage was
pleased to meet Mr.. J. Ames, whose
name is familiar to most Of your read.
ers is an old citizen OF Mobiles county.
found himself aud family much pleas.
ed with their new home and vowinq
that jasper county was far ahead OF
Mobiles, lin which did not exactly a.
gree with them, however, l think that
part Of Missouri flne.) Mr.. A. Is en-.
gagged in the sheep business and is doina
well.
Other Mobiles county families have a.
so located there, but did not have al
opportunity Of calling upon them.
Leaving Joplin Nov IA, we struck IN
to Kansas. made two stops and lief,
Chetopa Nov. 81, on the NJ. K. & r. X
r.. bound for Texas. where We arrived
after weary ride of 10 hours acros.
the Indian T'y.
We opened in Denison, Nov. %, 70,
one week, at the end of which fell
myself rretty far from home; not on ac
count of the distance between US. bu>
because OF the difference in the people
their habits, modes of living, etc.
which are very striking to a Nozther,
man.
Of course man from Minnesota j,
at home among the eastern aud north
ern people, Of which the population o
Denison is mostly composed. but it j.
the queer habits and customs of tn
native Texans that make one feel on
of place.
After seeing two or three boxin,
matches in which six shooter revolver
were used for gloves, arrived at TIN
conclusion that I would about rs 500,
pass four months in some other Stat,
as in Texas.
But when we reached Gainesville, ,
new town on the western frontier,
found that using man for target j,
the practice of the trigger, was locke,
upon by the inhabitants as a matter o
very little Importance.
A stranger might get along very pei,
ceably in Gainesville by minding only
his own business if the natives knew
when he was doing the same. The,
think they 10, but their ideas abou
such matters are very queer. Will,
there l ventured to say ''yood morning
to one man, and lie blurted out, ",Vall
by Cd l kno,ced it, l saw him agai,
next day coming towards me. rs I VA.
walking down street, and I thcuyh
that this time would keep quiet. Al
we met he said in 4 snpering tone
''Hop are ye, good n,orning?" Th,nkin,
that when in Rome it is hest to do a;
Rome does, said Wall, / kno-'
that was rs far rs 1 got with the sen
tence, when he brandished the Texa,
stereotyped six shooter and command
ed silence. Iacas silent for ten min,
utes.
On another OCCASION Mr.. Golden. oul
manager, had his hat knocked down
over his eyes, as he was walking quiet
ly down the street. by one of a party Of
rut1ians that were assembled in front oI
a saloon. lie lifted his hat and looked
around when the six shooter again
cleaned il the sunlight. He thought
best not to argue the question with thu
party, 80 went his way.
This state of affairs xists only on The
frontier, but Texas as yet is mostl,
frontier. Texas is indeed great State
and no doubt would soon he the great
stronghold of the United States, had il
an industrious population to develops
its resources. But its people a,e too
indOlent and non-enterprlsing, live
from hand to mouth. and care for moth
ing except fun. good horses, huge sad
dies and spurs, fine hats, and the afore
said six shooter revolvers.
The native farmers are rough, ignor
ant and idle. They are seldom found al
work, and require fourteen months tt
grow and harvest ten acres Of corn ant
cotton, which is about the extent u
their crop.
The soil is good and will grow every
thing except wheat aud Irish potatoes
1t is especially adapted to fruits of al
kinds which grow in great abundance
where the people have the energy t
properly cultivate it.
The climate is generally warm bu>
subject to sudden changes to freezing
cold. The water is very poor, conse
quently the State is very unhealthy
While engaged in conversation with ar
Iowa man, who has resided in Texa.
for two years, 1 said, IL suppose yot
are well pleased with this State" III
replied, "Well, l would be, if it had thu
air Of Minnesota and the ,catcr o.
Io,ca.'
The State has very strict laws. bu,
the people have u queer way of enforc
',g them. 1t is the next thing to i'm
possible to get Grand Jury to hang a
n,an for first degree murder, but if tie
same man was to steal u mule and Skin
the country, that same jury would pnr'
sue, catch and hang him to \ sapling
and leave him to dry III the sun. If il