The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-09
Sailing Nors by West.

Going up the Mississippi is a strange journey.
At first the banks are clothed with rich farms,
and spacious towns look at each other across the
wide river scene; some still bear poetic names,
given by the old French yoyageurs. In these
river towns there is perpetual round of visit
ing a whirling vortex of first circles, a brisk
merry go-round of lunches, dinner parties and
art symposiums and all is hope and pleasure
But the view changes as you sail northward,
and grows weird, unexpored, and northern farms
and towns are done with High cliffs, that have
no names no history and no literature, begin to
show. A rough nautical race appears; fisher
men, or hay-cutters working in the wild water
meadows near their homes. You pass swampy
islands and long sloughs and leaguesof reeds and
water-fags, and snags. logs and RATS from the
immense forests to the northward And you
come to world of woods, of tangled primeval
woods covering the islands and the river shores,
while crimson velvet scarlet, white
and purple flowers grow in their green
underwood. And then you come to
the endless solemnity of the great bluffs,
stretching straight and high. the ocean like
stream flowing between them, asters and golden
rods thick in their crevices, and blue hills seen
afar through their cleftS. But suddenly you
come to new land Again vast cities stand by
the river. Inland from the river are villages
great as those in New England, and cheerful
brick built towns, shaded with young trees, and
having plenty of elegant carriages in their
streets The inhabitants occupy every hour
with profitable toll Needless farms lie along
this cool, northern landscape. Far west Of the
river the view is paved with the rolled gold of
the wheat stubbls, with few patches Of fine
chocolate color, where blowing is begun, and q
few green pastures near the brooks ConicaI
straw stacks dot the clean, sharp golden weed
less stubble. A little lake of purplish blue is
often seen. Boys battle in the clear pebbly
brooks Turquoise is the sky-all other skies
will henceforth look gray-and the exhilarating
air is like WINE No laboFers are seen on the
golden outlines of the hills; the work is finished
and not a grain Of wheat is left orot This is
Minnesota
Driving about the country roads Of Minnesota
you see no shabby wagons, but everybody has
good horses and vehicles The farmers are
bluff and clear.eyed. There are no tumble-down
sheds fences nor houses Farm-houses are
ample, gardens rich. Everyone is working tooth
and nail, Mennonites and all; and s'Esperance'
is their motto They take long steps and quick
ones. The energetic New England minnesota
Yankee population communicates its energy to
every settler who sets foot within the bounds of
Minnesota Swedes and NOrwegans are nu-
meFous here; they are naturally smart and they
quickly pick up Yankee ways and become Shrewd,
temperate. and indefatigably industrious. The
Scandinavian nose is seen in al its srubby
shapes yet their noses get Strengthened out
in their offspring, the Svensk.Ameriean is fair,
STRAIGHTFORWARD and strikingly handsome.
Minneapolis is city with no geese, no cows, no
| gates, no fences and no loafers 1t is city Of
great hotels. banks. warehouses and depots,
some built Of solid blocks Of stone; and it has
big wilderness Of mills, tumbled carelessy along
its river quarter If you're particular about your
| waterfalls you don't want to see the Falls Of
| Saint Anthopy--hig wooden dam, fruit cans
sewage which the cities down stream drink mp.