The Osceola times., 1883-03-17

water:
FRIEND RoussAs--Just one year
ago, you remember, we wrote you
We were water.bound, and to please
send US a bundle Of exchanges to
help us use up our leasure hours,
which were becoming, like those of
the rich, many and oppressive. You
sent them-we read them and OBJ.
tanned relief. But, alas, our condi-
ton now is much worse than then.
Though the last Springs overflow
was six inches higher in the main
river than this, yet our lands here
are much deeper under water now
than then. This is believed to be
the result Of the Government works
at Plum Point, just above us on the
opposite bank which has so changed
the current as to direct it square
against our levce which has been
caved and washed away for a long
distance during the summer and fall,
thus letting the river sweep directly
through the farms, bearing before it
all fencing, and leaving behind It,
scattered over the fields, all manner
o: drifting logs intertangled with
stumps, roots, vines and willow mat
ting. This may be fun for the steam.
boa: Boys, but it is death to the far
mer (toads). All these fences have
to be rebuilt, and these logs and
other debris piled up and burned af-
ter they get dry, (which will be the
last Of ApriD before another crop can
be commenced. We fear, by the
time the last 100000 appropriated
to be used at that point is used up,
We will be used up too. Do not
think Us complaining at Uncle Sam
for dabbling in the Mississippi river.
Not at all. He has as much right as
any other boy. So send araund your
tax collector-we neither use whis-
key nor tobacco-the two great
sources whence comes the money
with which he is carrying on these
in(0ternal Improvements. He who
uses most tobacco and whiskey is
the largest tax payer and best sup.
porter Of the government which is
encouraging the destruction of all
manner of grain by licensing Its con-
version into worthless spirits that it
may thereby "get money" though
it causes the widows and orphans to
live ON bread made of cornmeal that
costs them more than one dollar u
bushel, "And yet we are not hap
py." Water reigns suprcmely here,
there being little else in sight. II
matters continue thus much longer
Noah's boat.ride story will get all Of
the wind taken out of its sails by lat
ter day achievements.
We did think when we built our
double log cabin, after the other
overflow, one and half stories high,
with ten feet entry between and a
side.show room, we had plenty oi
room for our family, there being on.
ly me and myself in family, But by
the time we gave up one end of il
for the cows and hogs, put the calves
and pigs in the sidc-room, the oxen
in the entry, the mules upstairs, III
is surprising how easy they 60 up),
the fowls ON top, and took all the
supplies, dogs and cats into our own
room, matters became, like money at
present. very close. When the COW.
are all lowing, the hogs squealing,
the chickens cackling, the mules paw.
ing and braying. the dogs barking
and the cats courting, we often think
it is no wonder Noah got drunk when
he got out Of the ark. The great
wonder Is he did not get drunk be-
fore. Perhaps the reason is the same
as given by Jack when asked why
he did not eat his supper; Jack said
he couldn't get it.
Lee, do you reckon the time has
really Gomez We mean the end of it
that awful day? You know it is
predicted that before that day, "the
voice Of the turtle shall be heard in
the land" Itell you things seem to
be fixing for it. The turtles are all
over the land here, That prediction
"The voice Of the turtle shall be
heard in the land" has caused me
much trouble and loss of time. Often
on hot summer days have ! stood for
hours In the burning sun Watching