Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1883-1884, 1883-12-14
A FEMALE FRIEND.
Men are Not the Only Ones who
Love Fair and Famous
Dakota.

Undoubtedly no being on earth is as
unhappy, as restless, or as wretched as
that one who, after living in Dakota a
full twelve-months or more, goes east to
remain for given length of time. No
matter where he may be he misses woe
fully that predominant air of thrift, of
cheerfulness, of success, of anticipation
and Of good feeling he has learned to
love so well in Dakota. If perchance
he has returned to Michigan his friends
have to suffer deriding remarks about
ague swamps, chills, fevers, tickle wealth
er, etc. If he happens to be an old-time
denizen of Wisconsin or Minnesota he
finds his best former neighbors have all
pulled out for Dakota's shore, leaving
only the sluggish. If Massachusetts
chances to be his visiting ground he
finds people painfully contracted in their
knowledge of western affairs and style.
If his lot calls him back to any other
New England state his heart sores with
in him to find how stingy and fogy peo-
pie are. Ohio and New York folks are
too conceited for him. The southern
states are unendurably slow and Penn
sylvania goes in the same category.
Iowa and Illinois are too muddy and the
weather dreadfully uncertain. In short
he pines for the exhilerating breezes of
his new found Eldoratlo and cannot rest.
Women are just as fond as their sterner
brothers of the land of boom, as the fol-
lowing extract from letter received by
DIR. Newell from a lady friend attests:
BosToN, MASS, Nov. q, 1883.
My DEAR FRIEND:-Ruth has lust
finished reading your letter in the Water
ford Post, to which l heartily responded.
Amen! Feeling that you are one of us,
am aroused to drop you line in assur-
tnce OF the fact. You may wonder how
a person writing from the "IIub'' can
claim any sort Of kinship with a loyal
Dakotian, but listen while rise to ex
plain. left Neenah some five weeks
ago. my objective point being Washing
ton, ID. g.. there to attend the general
convention %! of universalists; See Bos-
ton and die, is a saying which has al
ways impressed me with the idea that
sight of the historic city was an absolute
necessity within this life or the one to
come. I preferred to make the pilgrim
age when / had the matter somewhat |
under my own control and could reg,l- /
late the length of the visit. i
And now, hurrah for Dakota of which !
grand and glorious territory claim to
be I; citizen. Hasn't that the true Da-
kota flavor?) left Dakota after a con-
tlnued residence there of eighteen
months last August and expect to return
in the spring. Sister Mate and family
are there ''for life.'' Went two years
ago and looked upon the change as the ,
worst calamity that could have befallen
her, but now feels quite recOnciled and
likes it pretty we'll. Her husband is,
ike all the men-infatuated with the
country, and his faith in it is unbounded
not exceeded even by yours. Am
going to send him your letter. Nothing
70 delights him as words of praise for
,he land of his adoption. With all their
Doasted ''cultah'' the Bostonlans have
Jery crude ideas on some subjects and
hey are really ignorant of many things
quite familiar to ordinary mortals. /
AVE not yet met person who knows
low many acres in a quarter section. l
I'm continually being asked what kind
It timber we have on our tree claims
md their surprise is amusing when an
Wer that we have whatever we prefer
by planting it. l do wish some of
hese eastern old fogies would go west
md get their eyes opened. Olive is ut
erly disgusted with the whole Dakota
'roject because it has broken up and
catered the family. | too regret that,
'ut think the move has been a good
me for us. IWish you
would write me and set out the country
inc, for Olives benefit. She will be dis
:usted to hear that your wife likes it
here, for she is firmly persuaded that no
ne does but the men. With love to
a, l remain your old-time friend,
DOLLIE 8. LEWIS.