The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-10-07

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places, and what to me seems nice, easy
roads, they would hardly ride over i
they could helpit. Let them imagine s
road with a deep wheel rut on each side
/ and a big rough ridge in the middle
with about twelve inches of space where
the horses walk on each side Of the ridge
full of hoof holes, and they have a fac
smile of the roads have to travel
There is no room to pass teams, conse-
quently dismount must be made every
time team is met whose driver is not
accommodating enough to turn out.
And it is a difficult matter to mount
again on twelve or fourteen inch width
| of rough road, too; and also hard on
the arms holding the machine straight
ahead over holes, Jumps, etc, to keep it
from running into one of the afore-
mentioned rnts or the lumpy ridge in the
middle of the road and giving you a
"header." I think when at last strike
! good thoroughfares, will feel SO good I
| will not know what to do with myself
Yet person must take the bitter and
the sweet, and perhaps it is good thing
for me that most of my bitter comes in
the opening chapters.
The country passed through until /
got to Geneseo was very fine, and crops
heavy, but from Geneseo to this point
the country is sandy and broken, and
the farmers. complaining. Considerable
IS done through this part of the coun-.
try, however, in the way of coal mining.
The old Mississippi is now at its usual
depth, and looks grand with its skiffs and
sail boats, ferry and teamboats, big
boats and little boats, and boats Of all
descriptions. But a few hours since was
down to the river and saw the :" Noun
tain Belle" Stern wheel steamer, go by
with great raft of logs, probably $50 or
800 feet square. The river hardly seems
us wide here as at Quincy, yet it is broad
enough to look grand and to take several
seconds for a ferry boat to cross.
Much as love the water, shall be
glad to depart from hero tomorrow,
because, as yet, have enjoyed but little
sleep o'nights OIL account of tue dingna-
ton E" slzeeters." This is Il grand part Of
the world for flies and mosquitoes, and
all kinds Of bugs that bite you and make
you paw around and say irreligious
things. ought to have gone to church |
yesterday, but didn't; Ionly sat around |
all day and dozed, aud felt mean, and |
didn't want to be a missionary OF any
body that was good, because the night |
before the plagued mosquitoes clewed
me till looked like smallpox patient
just breaking out. The mosquitoes here
are Of enormous. size, and have bills
about as large as horseshoe nails. You
can't catch 'em aud mast, 'ein; have
tried it for hours. wanted to spend a
day OH the old Mississippi and catch a
fish, but | will not have time, and the
ever patient pcrusers of the. CHIEF will
be saved the horrors Of another fish
story.
Rock Island is quite a nice old town,
and has some pretty places within its
gates. In Court-House Square is q fine
monument erected to tho honor of the
fallen heroes of Rock Island county,
TIE court house itselflookcd grim, quaint
and qneer. I was out Saturday night
listening to the baud playing at the park.
They made good music, and it didn't
cost cent. They give free open air
music every Saturday night. Rock
Island is provided with water-works,
gas and the electric light and puts on
other city airs. It contains between
1900 and $4,000 souls and from the
of liquor saloons about,
[ would judge that some of them were
= lost souls"
I visit Moline, the great manuf;lctur-
ng town of Western Illinois, to-day, and
Davenport, Iowa, tomorrow. Will tell
1ou about it next week. My next letter
will probably be dated at Des Moines
iowa. Ia, ta. Yours truly,
WILL ROSE.