Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1884-02-13

to see. This section Of country il
settled principally by swedeQ and
the progress which they havesanade
in recent years in improving their
farms and building up good sdkstan-
tial houses and barns is simply sur
prising. While passing through
this settlement we saw q hQy OF
about twelve summers hurfying
across the prairie toward OUT yehi.
Gle, dinner pail in hand. W. knew
he wanted a ride, so we invit him
to Jump in" This he seeme 70 do
with delight, bat scarcely III he
seated himself when a deep Foan
was heard to emanate from cor
ner. Our travelling eompaff3o be-
ing a very sympathetic gen &man
inquired what was the matte and
the boy informed him in guage
that could scarcely be minder-
stood that his abdomen was n pain.
Groan after groan ensued, VIII was
only interrupted by our con3f6nion
asking the name of the boy each
er, and on being informed ut it
was John Ring, perpetrating wick
ed pun by asking the boy he
"wrung" the boys, nasal pre- ber-
ances. After riding about mile
the boy alighted to take "a ktber
road, and we shall await AN.
noulTcefnent 81 Ills recovery with
considerable interest. Driving on
we crossed the Northwestern railroad
track just a mile east of Alcester;
going on north until we were within
a mile of the north line of Union
county, which was the place we had
started for. But by this time the
gathering shades of darkness OBJ
structed go that we could not satisfy
ourselves concerning that which we
had gone to see, so we turned toward
Alcester to seek shelter for the night
No hotel has yet been erected in the
little metropolis, so we partook of
the kind hospitality of Franklin
Page, who owns a fine farm and
pleasant home adjoining the town
site.
Alcester is located in the heart of
as fine an agricultural and stock
country as the SUI ever shone up1n,
and. Though the country tributary to
this village is sparsely settled, the
people all seem prosperous. and the
few business men who have availed
themselves of this excellent location
have, by fair dealing, established Eor
the town such an enviable reputa-
ton as to command a splendid trade.
Aside from the residence portion,
the town contains one lumber yard,
n grain elevator, two general stores
and one blacksmith shop; these in
addition to the railroad buildings,
which are good, substantial struct-
ures. Being driven for time, we on
ly had the pleasure of meeting one
business man, Mr.. Rose. This gen
tleman is the genial Nasty of the
town, and if we are any judge of hu-
man nature he richly merits the con-
tidence reposed in him by the peo-
pie of that locality. Here is a splen.
did opening for various lines of bus
mess. and should the town be so for
tunate as to secure a few more bust
ness men possessed of the same ener-
gy and vim as those already located
there, a prosperous future would be
assured.
AS we desired to find the corner
Of a piece of wild land near Alcester
before turning ~homeward, we set out
from the town in a northwesterly d.
rection, but as the fog was dense we
found it difficult to tell the points
of the compass. Meeting an intelli-
gent appearing young gentleman IN
a wagon we enquired as to the loca-
ton of the next section line to our
right, and in a confident manner the
young gentleman informed us that
it was about two miles further on!
We thanked the young gent for this
valued information, and sought out
our location as best we could.
Being on the Brule creek, we con
Guided to follow this stream on our
journey homeward, and passing
down this stream the amount of un-
cut hay on either side was enormous,
and demonstrated that this portion
Of the country is capable of support
ing many hundred head of cattle in
addition TO the large herds already
owned by the farmers along this val
ley. Night overlook us when in the
vicinity of Emmett, and we sought
shelter under the hospitable roof Of
James O'Brien, who owns the Frank
Verzina place, opposite the post-of-
flee. Mr.. O'Brien has a magnificent
stock farm, more than a section in
all, and has it well stocked with cat