The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1883-04-24
A TRIP TO KANSAS,

DeiOIe leaving OutO VIC pfOiuioeu tuo-
nv OF our friends 10 write 10 them. Sew.
eral letters have been written and still
there is a long list: II has occurred 70
me that If sgreeable to TIE SPIRiT We
d ght through it make some general obs
servations which would not be unin,er.
esling TO Its readers. and Would also do
in lieu of so many letters.
presune our trip did not differ from
all such trips, hut this was ottr trip, and
for us at least a peculiar inter-
est. There we're twenty five in our ar
", all Kansas bodnd. We fefl BelIsire
at 4 P. M. on the 2Sth Of March, and for
many miles We we're all too busy with
our own thoughts to take much notice OF
things or places outside of the train
The children growing sleepy al length
reminded US that We had not been to
supper Tue lunch baskets were opened,
hui, had i, not been for the Juveniles this
tea would have been failure.
The next question was, How shall We
sleepp At Atleneth Mr.. R.. who is an ex-
perienced traveller, suggested the idea of
taking out the bottom OF two seats (the
frame which contains The cushion and
putting them across two seals wh;cn had
previously been thrown together. This
made a good bed for three children, but
the happy three had hsrdly become set-4
tied before lot Of passengers came in
from another road and every seat had To
be adjusted and crowded to its utrno't
capacity; after that we slept just any
wav," that Is those that slept at all a,
The morning of the % b broke and
found Us steaniDg through Northern'In
diana The ground was slightly covered
with snow, and bleaker looking pros
pect would be hard to conceive of. We
passed but few towns and they were
small and without regular streets or sny
attempt at form or symmetry. The
country houses we're small and uncom
Portable in appearance. with few out
buildings, and but few cattle or other
animals we're to be seen. The face of
the country was hat on either side OF
the road. Where the dirt bad been thro wn
up to elevate the track was sluggish
stream OF water; whether there was .
current or not we wele unable to deter
mine. In many places low, kcrubby
trees and thick underbrush stood in great
ponds or sloughs. The whole thing was
suggestive Of ague and frogs, and our
entire party was most unfavorsbly i'm;
pressed with the portion of Indiana
passed through.
As We neared the Illinois line a mark
ed Improvement was discernible. AS
We neared Chicago onr track was fire.
quently crossed hy other roads. Arrived
ut Chicago little after 9 Thursday NOR
mig Mt much time 10 see the great
city, as we are off in an hour or the
Chicago and Rock Island road just
after we were seated in the train Ssllie
discovered that she had left her satchel
10 the depot. 1t bad heen presented to
her just before leaving BeJlaire and con-
tanned several memenios which she pr z.
ed highly. No one was willing to at
tempt a return in search Of it. Carl
slipped out before any one was aware Of
it and was hardly through the gate be
fore the long train began to mo esiowly
of. There were some "hig eyes" and
"iong faces" just then. hu, just as We got
fairly under way and were contemplating
telegraphing back from the first station,
Gale walked serenely in soith the satehel
He was quite the coolest one in The paf-
ty; said IS he dashed past the gate keep
er be called ont to him to, look at him as
be would be hack In minute; then into
the waiting-room, which was. full, and.
asked loud enough to be heard by all te Z
the missing satchel. Every one sprang
up ard looked on the seat, and a, man
picked it up and handed it 10 him. Rush
ing out he saw the tram gliding out of
The depot and was told he could not get
aboard, hut his proverhial reckle>sness
served him q good turn here, for rur-
ming to the steps OF the hini car he
grasped the rail and receiving "boost"
from an employe be landed on the pla' :
form, whence he leisurely made his wav
through the sleeping, dining and several
other cars to US.
The ride through Illinois was delight
ful in the extreme. AS we lett CMca!
60 beautiful suburban residences sur
rounded by tasty and we'll kept grounds
greeed the eye for many miles Then
. gra aual change to more rural scenery.
but the dwellings, although more rustic
in appea ance we're still com noiious- and
often gelegant. Alter a ride of fortv
miles We arrived at the beautiful little
city of Joliet which contains the State
Penitentlary and many fine public bull
dings Most of these are OF brick AMI
stone and are very handsome Immense
stone quarries Just outside of the place
show where much OF the building mate
rial comes from Allthrongh the State.
great herds OF cattle ranging through
stock fields, immense yards OF hogs
7grunting q greasy satisfaction at their
own iatness, large, we'll kept orchards,
together with the general air Of thrift
plainly perceptible. is calculated TO make
YOU feel comfortable even, as you ride
past. Minorka, Morris. o, ,iaws. "a place
,ofeonsiderable size) U lea. LaSslle. Pc
ru, DaPue, &C., we glide through on the
'straightest, snoothest track imaginable,
until lste W ednesiay evening We reach
Rock Island and cross the far famed
Mississippi Slowly aud carefully the
immense train appears to feel its way
over this mighty achievement of mans
ingenuity. We are for many minutes
poised in mid air with little that we can
see between as and the mighty waters
and nothing above as but the "azure
blue !" What thoughts crowd our minds!
At Davenport. Iowa. we procure hot
coffee and open a fresh lunch basket for
tea. Here Mr.. McMasters and family
stopped OF for q few days to visit
friends. before proceeding on to Sedg4
wick county, Kis.. where they expect to
reside. We passed through the south
eastern corner Of Iowa during the night
and when morning dawned we're far into
Missouri. Neither OF the James bows
nor any Of their followers, nor their
ghosts, arrested our journey and, SO Al,
nine o'clock Friday morning We arrived
at Kansas City where we were met by
Mr.. John briggs and Mr. John Nc.
Ha,ty both forn,or oyti,one - hn..ox