News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-04-20
Letter from Dakota.
MADISON, Lake Co.. d. T., !
March. 81. 1882.
Dear Neecs &c Citizen: :

claiming 10 nave suffered COCO Qea
in many ways in consequence. The
sick man, who was only transient
guest, was carried out into the coun-
try and kept q long time; sick with
many different diseases, according to
report, the last being lung fever
Nearly the whole city was vaccinated
for kine-pox, and several cases were
terribly sick, so the doctors reaped the
greatest harvest, and it is sagely
thought by some that they had an eye
to the main chance when they started
the scare. One child died with the
scarlet fever this week, and the diph-
liberia is coming steadily toward us.
Thus with one thing and another, we
have enough to keep our sympathies in
healthy exercise.
The spring is fairly open now; the
frost is nearly out of the ground, and
business is on the wing. Real estate
both in town and surrounding country,
is changing ownership at lively rates.
New side walks are going down, and
buildings going up, and there is a fail
prospect that r. p. Stuart and wife
will soon occupy new house on Main
St. Wild geese, ducks and brants
make a shifting panorama daily. The
prairie chickens have begun their mus
zeal morning song, and the green fly
his social hum now we are sure that
spring is here. Prairie sGhooners pic
turesquely loaded with household goods
have dotted the landscape for some
time past, and the trains from the east
come loaded with parties intending to
make Dakota their home. [ wish
some enterprising family among my
old friends wanted home in this
fruitful land enough to look in upon
US right early, and could show them
splendid claim, pleasantly situated,
with fifty acres broke on it; good
we'll of water, and buildings ready to
occupy; very near school, and only
a short distance from store and post
office. l hear the owner says it could
be bought for a reasonable price.
Commerce has got on her work-day
clothes long ere this. Our merchants
and business men generally, are doing
well, and there is a sound in the trees
which portends the forming of a fire
company soon. Pleasant, sunshiny
days and balmy weather have tempted
farmers out upon their fallow ground,
at times nearly all winter, when they
would be stopped by cold snap and
slight furry of snow. They certain
ly thought they had commenced work
for good in February, but their fun
was soon spoiled by old Mr.. and Mrs.
Frost, inviting their numerous friends
to their crystal wedding; old Mr..
Sleet and young Miss Snow being
among their most prominent guests !;
and didn't they make it lively for a
while. We had the very hardest biz
zard of the season, week before last,
and that didn't scare healthy folks, al
though it was impossible to view the
beauties of nature many feet fIom the
door. All this is past and the highest
winds here now are trade acinds. The
strongest ripple in the current is the
Uino, the push, the go-ahead-itiUe-neSs
of the element which is filing
up this Eldorado of the West. West
ward no is still the cry, and still they
come The rich lands in advance of
us are as rapidly Being settled as was
our own beautiful county of Lake.
Intelligent, enterprising, thrifty and
well-to-do people are constantly being
attracted here, and almost before we
know it, where the beauties of nature
(and she has scattered them with a
lavish handy were only discernable,
we behold the quiet little village, nest
ling lovingly in the midst of the most
attractive landscape, so suggestive of
peace, rest and every day life, as if
Dame Nature fashioned it particularly
to please, or at just another turn the
spires of a growing CITY, greet the eye
of the weary emigrant at a distance
of many miles. This is the way things
are moving here. This whole broad
land is probably destined to be brought
under the husbandman's subduing arm.
Villages with their hum of busy life
will continue to spring up and dot the
fruitful prairie like a thing of beauty.
Cities with their aspiring towers, with
the turmoil and worry and friction of
clashing interests will continue to grow
up as it were in day, and the end is
not yet. Westward the star of en-
pire still takes its way. While l admire
the enterprise and energy, and would be
quick to recognize and do homage TO
those praise-worthy traits which lead
men and women TO push ahead and
grasp the possibilities which lie all
around them, yet L often get sick
and tired of this everlasting strife and
anxiety to secure earthly possessions,
which after all, are only to be enjoyed
for 4 season, and often take to them
selves wings and fly away. Notwith-
standing the profits which acrue 10 my
husband and son from their business
in town, l am something like the
poor, scared country mouse on Il visit
to her city cousin, and | often wish
myself back in my little sod house,
away from the noise and smoke and
dust Of the town, away in some quiet
place where | could never see or hear
or think of the sorrow, sin and shame
caused By the traffic in strong drink.
When will onr people learn to love
their neighboras themselves, and ban
lsh the Dlocber from the face Of the
earth. Nearly the only drawback /
can see to the prosperity of this beau
tiful country is the rapid spread of in
temperance. We want temperance
men and women here who are not
afraid to stand up straight and speak
for the right, even if it should cripple
their business for a time. Standing
for the right because 1t is right, never
hurts one in the long run, and suppose
the veteran should get battle-scar-
red in lighting for a good cause, what
matters it so long as he is not hit il
the back. But as l am so near the
end Of my sheet L must leave the sub
iect until some more convenient sea
son. Mrs. Il. Z. STUART.
Jumbo.