Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-12-26
Annie Sohmer'S Christmas
WESTERN KANSAS SKETCH.
BY COL. HENRY INMAN.

but persistent specuiavoi
in the New York Stock Exchange; by
one unfortunate venture in Enc BONDS,
in three short hours was reduced from
affluence to poverty and despair.
His magnificent residence with Its
wealth of pictures, books and rare ap |
nointments, carriages, horses and rich
furniture he turned over intact to his
greedy al d soullesss creditors-tor he
was a man ofupblemished honor
His pride, now 80 completely humbied,
determined him to leave the scene OF
his daring moneyed transactions and
seek the absolute quiet which his COM
nl-tely shattered nerves demanded
somewhere-anyw here-away from the
vortex of Wall street and its damnable
From the wreck of bis large fortune
he managed to scrape together about
eipht.hundred dollars, with which his
faithful wife, a sen fifteen years old, and
mis- daughter Annie, baby OF three, In
sheer despel alton, broken-hearted and
almost hopeless, he came to the young
state of K ansas, whose advantages to poor
men with families, were pictured so elo-
1nently and glowingly by the land-agents
of the K. p. road, through the medium
of attractive pamphlets, posters. and
Deyspaper advertisements. After lnnu-
nnerable hardships, incident to the early
DAYS of our settlement, and weary hours
of monotonous riding over roadless pra-
ries. he took up homestead on the re-
mole frontier near where the Smoky
hill enters what is now the western
boundary of Ellis county.
Here aided by the kind offices OF some
neighbors, who had settled IN that local
lty the previous year, he fashioned
small sod house, containing but Two
rooms, and with only DIRT root.
The landscape surrounding theirprlml-
tive ouarters was dreary beyond descrlp-
tjon and utter silence reigned supreme,
which to these people OF culture, used to
the hustle and pleasures of a great clty's
civilization, was wearisome and oppres-
sive to the last degree of endurance.
Not a tree relieved the vast expaDse OF
wilderness surrounding, and the scofch-
ing RAYS of the summers sun was, at
times almost insufierable. The south
wind, sometimes as gentle and balmy as
the soothing zephyr, but oftener, IN facS
for months, bowling and shrieking In Its
violence as it whirlCd over the intermln
able sea of grass formed greater picture
OF desolation, TO these good people. who
had not learned to love the pralrle5 from
childhood, than can be imagined or ces
cribed.
Once only each year was there re-
deeming feature to the world Of mo-
notony and ACKNOWLEDGMENT was
in early springtiHe when the modest
yiolets fiecked the scattered punches Of
willows on theriver's margin Stimulating
as it we're, the rich cerulean hue of the
ever clear sky above them. Then too,
great patches of purple and. white Gnem
ones. in the midst of which, here and
there, the flaming red cactus blossomed
or the creamy petals of the giant yuccs
lifted it's tall spines-matted the mo-
tionless prairie every where, making the
air radiant with sweet perfume which
permeated every nook and Granny o.
the little cabin.
1t was then that Annie just able tt
toddle, learned to love her modest pralrit
home, and as her little mind expanded
under the refining guidance of her lady
mother she became acquainted with al
that is lovely in nature-the stars and The
clouds, the magnificent solitude of the
great plains; the river in its quletel
moods, and when turbulent and wrathfu
during the June freshets, scorning thu
restraint of its shs low banks, tbecame
stormy lake reaching almost to the doc
of the cottage. The consultations too
which no where shine so brilliantly a
in the pure air of our western atmos
phere-like gems on rich velvet-wer
her earliest friends and the patter of tn
rain drops on the flint roof of her littl
room and the signing of the wind wa
perfect rhythm to her ears.
She grew up to be veritable child o
nature-a diamond of the purest waite
there was never manifested at an
time the slightest roughness in her man
Ders. for the lady-like instincts and cul
ture of her mother were mirrored in tn,
child.
She was an apt pupil and Learned
RAPIDLY all that was so carefully laugh
her, having for her other teacher only
the great circle Of nature surrounding
her isolated home. How could she hell
being innocent and ingenious, and Al
FRANK and untainted as the air of hel
own "echoless prairies."
The remote little cabin was very plain
~ furnished, there was even no carpe
on the floor, for it wss necessarily of thu
primitive earth. Scrupulously neat
however, thanks to the refined training o
the patient woman who was queen, i
was model in its simple appointment
and matronly care, and worthy tn,
emulation OF our pioneers, whose fat,
was that of privation and impecuniosity
but not necessarily, as was too often tn,
case OF the states primitive civilization
lntidy and slovenly.
A team of fair-looking horses, a plaiI
farm wagon, three COWS, half a dozer
pigs, and a small, we'll broken pony, con
stituted the wealth of this primitiv,
Kansas home The first year abou
Gwenty acres of the stubborn prairie wa
turned over and devoted to that neces
sarily subduing crop-sod.corp. Thu
proceeds of this, together with the fruit
ola well cared for little garden, near tn
bank of the river, and the efforts of ,
and life tolerable.
Terribly slow, but certainly, the year
rolled on, our excellent little famil,
adding something more each season t,
their worlds wealth, and now LITTLE
porch was built on to the simple 500
house, the roof had been shingled, an.
other room added. q few cottonwoods ant
box elders shaded q neat lawn which
enclosed by plain stone wall, divestet
the modest home of its former bald, fla
and monotonous aspect. Little parterre
of simple indigenous flowers, the VERDE
na, cactus, ssclepias and sensitive rose
adorned the neat dooryard, and tn
trellised porch was perfect involvement
of morning glories, ampelopsis and wilt
cucumber, forming perfect bower o
grateful shade and sweet perfume. AL
this was the work of Annie's ever bus,
hands, who had reached the first com
plement of her young womanhood, 70