News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-04-30
ST. CHARLES, Mimi, Apr. 16, 1885

ST. CHARLES MIMI, apr. 10, 1850.
MeSSrs. Editors:
We read the news about old families.
places and friends with good deal of
satisfaction. Cannot very well make re-
turn In kind to our friends, but such as
we have may possibly interest few.
The coolest winter on record in Mime
sofa has gone at last. The solid cold
was unbroken from the first week in De-
cember to the last week in February, eX-
cepting two or three mild days. 1t be-
gan to thaw little the oath of February.
and the snow gradually disappeared. AL
though we had cold nights through the
month of March, the snow melted little
during the day most of the time. and
there has not been any period of impas-
sible roads. Very steady weather, and
the frost is now out of the ground. The
season is a little backward, however.
Seeding ought to be we'll advanced by
this time, whereas they are just begin
ming. West of us the seeding is finished.
We are having good deal of sickness
an epidemic of severe colds, threaten
ing pneumonia in some cases. The death
rate has been larger than usual. A few
weeks more will deliver us from rheuma-
tism and the other ills that Minnesota
flesh is heir to,-at least, we hope so.
A dry goods man who wanted to set up
in business is obliged to build. Could
not find a store to rent. When l came
here in the fall of 'S3 he could have found
half dozen places.
The churches have been warming up
during the cold weather, at least all of
the kinds that believe much in revivals.
In our own church we had an accession
of ten members on Easter Sunday and
look for more in few weeks. The Sun
day school is flourishing and the young
people are taking hold of religious work
with energy.
The pride of our town is the public
school. Last week we had a teachers
institute here for the county. There
were lie teachers enrolled. l attended
most of the sessions. / think Minnesota
Is keeping up with the times in education.
In visiting the primary school, especially,
it is rather wonderful to us who remem-
Der the days of A B G, to notice how it
is all dispensed with. A lesson in writ
ing is given successfully to those who do
not know letter of the alphabet. Schol-
ars five and six years old can write hand
somely-not only few, but all, or near
" all in the primary school can write
legibly after the first year.
| notice there is a steady current of
passengers on our railroad bound for Da-
kota, mostly coming from Europe and
the Eastern States. L think many of them
will be hOmesick. Farming is not the
business for a man without capital in Da-
kOta, at least not for a man who is unwil-
ling to rough it the hardest kind for sew
eral years. The same amount of work
and self denial will enable poor man to
do well in Vermont. AS for this country
where L am located. it is not i'm the west
at all. 1t is an old settled country. The
land is much richer than land ia YER
mont, and there are no mountains. 9th
erwise there is not much choice. Good
rich farms can be bought for $25 an acre,
and now is the time to buy. If you
come to hire out by the month you might
as well stay east. If you bring some
money you can in the end very likely do
better. The dry climate is the attraction
for consumptiyes, There is not much in
ducement for the laborer beyond New
England. More some other time.
d. III. BIeKNELL.