Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-07-04
An ILLINOIS LETTER.
To the Editor Of the Eagle 1:

JENA -, H., ousiC w. 1907.
Who, in great. bustling. crowded
city, knows anything about "Sab-
bath stiffness 2" But here, away from
the din and turmoil, in village,
which during the six days allotted to
toll, is as busy as enterprise can make
it, the full meaning of the term is
realized. The hum of business is
hushed, and only the sound Of the
church-going bell breaks the stiffness.
To-day nature seems in n languid
mood. Old Soils rays are scorching,
and there is so little stir in the air
that the leaves on the trees appear
motionless, and there is no per-
ceptible "wave" in the still grass.
How peaceful and how restful seems
the quiet of this Sunday afternoon.
Seneca is Il pretty place, not SO COM
pactly built up as to shut out glimpses
of rural scenery. so dear to the hearts
of those who worship at natures
shrine. Groves, we are told. were
Gods first temples and here We
have plenty of them.
This town which is just scventy-two
miles from Chicago, borders Oh the
Illinois river, has the Illinois Il Michi-
gan canal running through it, center,
and the Rock Island Il Pacific railroad
for its north limit. a line of rail to
Kankakee connects Seneca with the
Illinois Central and now ihcl;urlington
4 Quincy proposes TO run II road from
Screens here. TO iniersect the kanka-
kee line. Boosting "A population Of a
thousand souls, three large elevators,
Il goodly number of pros orous bust
ness firms, bank, and new brick
block and ten thousand dollar school
house now in process of erection, this
may be called thriving town. l
gricve to state that there are seven sa-
looms paying a license of five hundred
dollars each. Oh! when will the traf-
tic cease? But | must not digress,
though when that subject pre-
sents itself it is hard to
control my pen. Seneca still contin
ues to support a knight of the quill
and shears.
Among the readers of the EAGLE
there may be those who take an inter-
est in items from this place, as it has
been the home of number who now
reside in Sedgwick county. The
Adams and Howes, Of Viola. for
merly lived here. and whenever pass
Mrs. Howe's old home-which looks
exactly as it did when she was hostess
there-I almost expect TO catch a
glimpse of her or some of the children.
But alas! With sigh | remember
what changes time has wrought.
have been back here so short a
time that ! have had no opportuni-
ty to hunt up my niche in society,
but there will be plenty of leisure for
that, after | have become settled in
my niche at home. Just now, here as
the great topic of interest
is politics. Everywhere it is "Blaine
aud Logan" and all the newspapers
teen with verses laudatory of these
heroes. heard quite prominent
a few days ago, express the
opinion that Illinois could loan TWEEN
ty thousand TO the state of New York
and then give Blaine and Logan ma
iority of twenty to thirty thousand.
must speak of little in
cident on .he train coming
down from Chicago. A copy of the
EAGLE in NV hani attracted the no.
lice of Il gentleman near me, aud he
wished to look over it. He told me
ne had passed through Wichita num-
Der of years age, and on my speaking
Of the improvements made there in
he last three years, he considered il |
almost incredible An old lady hail
ng from Indiana had overheard some
IF our conversation, and seemed deep
y Interested. Leaning over aud tap
ping my shoulder. she said, "Say, did |
you ever live in Kansas?' told her
lived there two years. "And didn't
you see mighty hard times? I've
heard SO much about folks
most starvin' out there, less they
,arried mint o. money with them,
Dr. had friends to send them suthin'."
She seemed surprised when told her
had never seen any sign of s'arva.
ion, and that had enjoyed living on
them bare pra'ries"'as she was pleas
ID to term them. She thought it was
pest TO remain where we are sure of a
,rop. | spoke of last years failure
lerc, and mentioned the fact that |,
,edgwick comfy alone had sent thirty
me carloads of corn To- the food suffer-
RS in Ohio: and then the good old lady
flied her hands in amazement. told
Ter further that il was highly prOoa-
lie that should at some time return
o my prairie, and she did not advise
ne to stay where I'D abe sure of liv-
n" Now, in these days of newspa-
,ers without number, it seems an odd
hing to find any one so poorly "post-
d" as my friend from Indiana.
UNA.
FOR SECRETARY OF STATE.