The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-02-01
To Go, or not to Go.

CHICAGO, ILL.,, Jan. 10, 1888.
DEAR INDEPENDENTS:
Since my last communication l have con-
templated a trip to the wilds of Washington.
In discussing the pros and cons with my
better half we have naturally fallen into
comparison of the advantages of life east and
west. We are agreed that Chicago furnishes
unequaled facilities for spending money.
On every hand are Injuries which custom
converts into necessities. No night during
the year is without its amusements. No
SABBATH need be spent away from grand
preaching and glorious music. Schools are
of the best. What more can one ask? No
thing in the way of Injuries, amusements or
advantages of education. And yet there are
things to make the primitive life of the west
attractive. While you have glorious sun
shine and genial temperature during most of
the year, we breathe the smoke of commerce,
gaze upon leaden skies, muffie in furs or
swelter in linen. The sun is no friend to
Chicago. In winter we rarely sec tin
summer we see it too much. We freeze or
we burn The west gives fruit in infinite
variety, fresh and toothsome. Chicago has
fruit, all the year round, but it contains
more collie to the pound than any other
known of men. The west is abundantly
supplied with pure water-at so much per
month in advance or ten per cent. penalty
while Chicago has only Lake Michigan to
draw from, and therefore does not begrudge
its consumers the fish and frogs that fire.
quently come in with it. The west has free
land almost In Chicago one cannot afford
to die, for land is too dear to be buried in.
In the west one can shoulder gun and
tramp around all day in the wet and maybe
find a duck. In Chicago bankers and rich
men can find them ON South Water Street,
and they smell They are undeniably an.
eient The ducks l mean. And fish, too.
After gazing upon the fresh fish" in the
markets ana realizing that time has laid its
softenng hand upon them and their sorrows,
longing is created to seek the salmon or fly
the trout in its native waters. Waters that
with you yield the succulent, but silent oys-
ter. With u.s. alas. only the bull head and
the mud turtle. While you luxuriate in
good COW butter at twenty-five cents pound,
we are glad to get number one oleomarger.
inc, labeled creamery" at fifty. But we
beat you on eggs. We can always feel GER
tain of getting eggs that are perfectly ripe.
Trities? These all trihes? Well, so they are,
but as the head Of family they strike me
as living realities. But there are more seri-
Gus things to consider. For instance, the
other side of the house wants to know what
good piano and Brussels carpet will be in a
shanty on a ranch. | give it up. Unless.
if we failed to raise crop we could ''raise'
something on the truck. And she wants to
know what consolation it would be to a
woman to live in climate so even that she
would not need four kinds of bonnets in
year Well, that has its advantages, but l
wouldn't like to mention them at this end of
the line. Not at home and out loud. And
she wants to know what springs of joy there
would be IN wearing waterproof and gum
shoes all winter. So remind her of the
years ago in Wisconsin when our pioneer
parents had to hold an umbrella over the
bed when it rained o'nights-and that any.
way she would have all summer to dry out
in.
OH I've got it. Not bad yet, but when
l hear the west coast mentioned. can feel
the even pulse bound into quicker action. /
like to hear men praise it and rebel when
hear it adversely criticized fear that as
the weeks 60 on and the livening spring
time comes | can no more resist bursting my
Chicago shell to blossom in Washington,
than can the planted acorn stay within the
dark and noisome soil. when nature moves
the life-springs within. And then, again,
perhaps the other side of the house will have
something to say about it. B.