New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-30

from his revolver few placldly away Often a
cOvey of dainty, delicatey marked young quail was
led across the road, and now and then fat prairie
chicken raised itself from the grass with short quick
strokes and then scared down the wind with WIDE
extended wings. Graceful plover luttered along
the roadside, lowering close to the strangers IN
order TO call of attention from their young: white.
slate OlOrcd wild pigeons caressed each other after
the tnrte-dOve fashion prevalent at Niagara Falls.
in almost every field meadow larks rose along the
waysde. the male bearing a black coat of-arms on
the bright yellow OF his breast and occasionally
small snuff cOlOred owls flew away on the crack OF
the revolver with a knowing look that limited they
could have done much better shooting had tho
situations been reversed. Suddenly there WAS a
shout from the carriage as a curious quadruped
was discovered just ahead, which bore striking
likeness TO the burTO- mule, with the body cOnsld-
erably dlmlr lshed but the ears retaining their full
and glorious amplitude. This was The indigenous
product of the pralTes, the ack-rabbt, or az tho
younger Count Andrassy on his last years visit
ddbbed the BRUTE the L" Jack bass hare The jlck
sat up, fured his ears and awaited the course Of
events AT the report Of the revolver me shook tho
reels ont OF his remarkable hearing apDendages and
!oled away for few rods. when he paused again IS
II he rather enjoyed the proceedings. "Ned.' tho
pointer, excited by the sound OF the shots, leaped
from the carriage and set out IN what he perhaps
considered pursuit. Now Ned was dog of years
and experience, and should have known better, but
he allowed himself TO be carried away by his en-.
disguised look upon the dog. evidently astOnshed
by his eiirOnterv and regrettIng the absence OF
wJrthler competitor; but as the pointer came lum-
berlng along mp, Dir. Jack raised hls ears. Dlrted
his hind legs IN air, and recalling an engagement at
the other end Of the PRAIRIE proceeded TO transform
himself into vanishing point. In i've seconds the
tips OF two shooting across a distant field and
a sheepsh and much ashamed dog crawling back 10
the carriage plainly told that canine sagacty IS no
match for gO-as-you please jack rabbit when tho
jack peases travel at the rate of Kansas light
ming When run by two thoroughbred greyhounds,
however the Jacks are forced to succumb and theD
COurslng affords excellent sport
A MENNONITE Al HOME.
Several times | stopped to chat with the farmen
at work in their wheat fields. and without excep-
ton / found them enthusiastic over Kansas
"boOm and exutant in their prosperity. After
visiting several Mennonite farms | drove to the
house of of their lay preachers for dinner.
UiVk0mmen." said the sturdy, substantial old
farmer who came 10 the door, and he at once de-
voted himself entirely to his guests. The place was
an interesting one. Well trimmed mulberry hedges
bordercd the walk to the front door ana lined the
gardens. On side was grove OF peach trees
and on the other a nursery OF young cottonwood.
The walls of his story and half frame house were
some two feet thick, built up on The inside with q
kind of adobe clay carefully whitewashcd. The
flooring was of plain boards and the rditcrs oil tie
ceiling were left bare but not cobweb nor speck
of dirt was anywhere t. be seen. Everything was
plain. but faultlessy neat and clean. few feet
from the house was small clay building used as
the kitchen. The clay had been wet worked with
horses feet mixed with chopped straw and was
built up into substantial walls two OF three feet
thick. In one corner of the kitchen was fireplace
a high cooking range also made OF TINS cay IN
which the fuel used was straw. Behind the house
were the barn and two sheds both covered with
straw One was OF stone with rails laid across the
tops of the walls, branches placed over these AMI
straw piled upon the whole, making warm sals
shelterage for calves and colts. The Old Mennonite
escorted his visitors about the place, showing
huge delight in his frulttrees and eApauatlngm
German and broken English upon the splendid
crops. Then came dinner, while pretty shy Men
nonito maiden waved green bOueh over tho
visitors heads to keep away the flies. 49,
AfteTward when settled IA the best room inc
bronzed pater ta0iias began TO talk about himself
and his people. IL will be remembered mat az
though these MennonItes are from kussia the iol-
lowers of Mennon came originally from uerihahy'
and from the latter country are many OF these set
tiers in the Lehigh Valley Penn, and IN Illinois
Like the Quakers they refuse 70 bear arms LeaN-
ing Germany to avoid military consumption, they
settled in southern Russia under ASSURANCES thaI
they should be exempt from military service anu
allowed entire freedom. But some twelve years
axo these assurances recalled, ana an act was
passed providing that after the lapse OF ten years
they should be subject to military duty. Meantime
the Mennonites had become the most successful
wheat Iaisers and silk growers ID hus'a here ri
their interests were centred. But they uihesltAt-
lhgy sacrificed their material welfare 10 question
of conscience. In 1871 the FIST came to Kansas
almost without means for they were unable 10
leave Russia without losing most of Their property
Every obstacle was thrown III the way al Their
emigration 10y the Russian Government foreign
agent of the Atchis0n Topeka and Santa Re Kali
road was chased through Russia for i've days by
mounted COssacks with order Tor lis arrest be-
cause he was inducing people to leave the country.
Notwithstanding all their hardshlps the MennOn-
ties aba 1dOned their wheat fields and came 10
In-Ia %.
in Marion and Macpherson counties with some III
the counties OF Harvey and Keno. Ihey own oe-
tween 5000 and 100000 acres OF iahd, Oh Whlcu
over 100000 were purchased rom me lailNay
company and the remainder from the Governments
Almost penniess at first as many were they "ero
ass ted by loans from their brethren III fennsyl-
wanna and Illinois, and now most OF them have
repaid their indebtedness aud hold some of tho
finest wheat farms in the state Ny host SAID thdt
he had 5000 when be brought his family % Kansas
in 1876 This was used up IN making the Hist
PAYMENT On the 100 acres that he toOk ana ia Duu-
ing his house. lie borrowed enough To begin latlh
ing from OF his brethren giving ms note anu
by exchanging work with bis neighb9rs ne sue
ceeded in getting his crops IN anu MS heases
started. Farming carefully, "ofhihg c1Ily any
late frugal TO a fault, he soon began To gam enough
returns from his rich lands so that he could com
mence paving OF his Indebtedness Now, he t0lu
me he has 200 acres of improved lana when no
owns outright and he has recently gwen 10 us W.
Sous-in-law eighty acres each. ms year ne uas
100 acres IN wheat and he estimates III, aNeraSo
yield per acre mt twenty-five bushels ~ ne 6 6e1'
this for 50 cents buShel his crop VIII yleH q-oUo,
and at tine usual estimate OF The expense OF raising
an acre of wheat-abOut $7-thls Will give hma
clear profit of over 81 200 on his wheat alone. ne
owns several horses cattle and hogs, end ali0setnoi
is considered worth $4,000 or TlOOoV' heue'n
herring the start that he made only six years ago IL
was amusing to hear the Old gentleman Iemaih III
hi, broken English " DIS IS good enough ior poor
man" ~
A SIMPLE FRUGAL IIFE
The little library in the hOuse was made up
LARGELY of Mennonite Bible Commentaries ana
HYMN books The members of the sect elect DIeth-
rrn from among themselves to preach ON SUNDAY III
their churches and my host was one OF these lay
clergy TO these preachers and TO the bishops arc
referred all matters of dispute IN the community