Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-12-19
A Missionary Report.

A Missionary Report.
"Mac" of the Sioux City Journaltwas
here dong missionary work the other
day. This is a part of his report:
"After leaving Woonsockett the coun-
try for several miles was rough. owing
to Il range of small hills which are. too
stony for successful agticulture,. at
least here in the west wha'e there are
SO many millions of acres of mellow
soil. Many farmers wele observed
blowing. Think of plowinA on tile 4th
OF December in this n orthe,p latitude,
where the country is suppose tofreeze
up in September. Some ye(rs ago
heard disgusted pilgrim declare that
in October he saw people han frozen
Indians into Tlerre and sell tlesmI for
cordwood. This year and all 4ksrs 1
have seen in this latitude con salict
}'tiat visionary statement II. u llasi \ lSsluIaS
hardly think winter had begun IN THIS
section were it not for the yellow gras-
ses, and particularly cool winds that
start from Bismarck and vicinity,
These winds are sure reminders that
we have stepped away from summer.
There is also no dearth in these breezes.
Scarcely day passes but that there is
air enough to make fellow sigh for
heavy clothing.
A. about 1886 we reached The
Springs. Since my last visit in August
this pretty little town has added a few
buildings to its number. A skating
rink is the very newest sensation. Ev-
cry man, woman and child, except a
few ministers, is lame and bruised from
sudden and unexpected contact with
the floor OF the rink. noticed one
verdant pre-emptor who carried his
;irln in il sling. He had set down the
other night on his arm. and he lbokel
like the kind of skaters who make a
bhsihess Of surprising themselves. The
people of Washington Springs are ex-
elusive. They live in their pretty little
town so cozily nestled at the foot of
hills that towet high above them to the
west, amt ask that they be let alone in
the beauty Of their seclusion. The, do
not allow a saloon-keeper tb open a
nose-painting establishment iii their
town, and thus you can bet on seeing
no drunken men, unless they have wan
dered in from WoonsocRet or some
other lubricating point. The people all
attend church, they say. n pretty
structure on the side-hill looks invit-
ing, and on Sunday mornings when the
humble hell creates echoes in tie hills
the ehtire pop,,lace meandgs meekly
to pay homage to their creator. It is
pleasant to contemplate such commit
nifty. Nowhere else in the west can it
he found. The surroundings are such
that a man would have to make a ter
rible effort to be sinner. In looking
over the pretty little town I saw no de-
cent openings for men to go to the bad.
OF course, in business relations the
people drive sharp bargains, but as
success in life is a duty, they do not
even neglect that part of lite. | have
often thought that man is held as
much accountable for his failure to use
hls chances as though he failed to be a
Christian. Hence can overlook the
rate. of interest the brokers .'f the
Springs charge the needy granger. But.
WITHOUT Joking, the Inhabitants OF that
interior metropolis are exceptionally
moral people, 'vho do, as a community,
about as near right as people can.
On olr return home observed case
OF farmer life in the west new to me.
1t was nothing less than Il pair of ,hux-
ON damsels with harness over their
shoulders hauling a small sledge on
which. was q barrel. On further inves-;
tigation 1 learned that they were going
to well, some forty rods. distant, to.
get water. How they intended getting
the barrel Back when full ef water l.
could not see, but the novelty, of the
situation caused me to give it more.
than passing. GLANCE. The lnaidens
were rather pretty, and blushed as we
drove by. To see them tugging ut that
sled caused the further thought that
people with the .conveniences of city
lite little realize the labor and neon:
venipnces endured by the peopletrying
to get Il foothold on the .prairies of the
west. Those young ladies saw going
TO the well no doubt had as tender
hearts, as deep ambition, and are as
nonest .ano pure in their lives as their
more fortunate sister who would sneer
at such. primitive life and Labor of
drudgery.
Some day the country through which
l passed yesterday will be rich and
pretty. The, people now SO lily, sur
rounded with comforts. will have rret-
ty houses and enjoy a prosperity that
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