Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-01-10
readers o pretty fair estimate of the wealth
er in Dsko,a during the year.

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Mean winter cold y
NeHn spring heat. ...""'.--..'' =,
Mean fall heat ''i
A few words about society in Dakota.
The desire 10 furnish exciting reading mas
helped 10 encourage the idea thst COW
bows" miners, gamblers, horse thieves and
Indian degperadoes, are to be found in this
country. and thai human life is often in
danger from such sources. This IS great
mistake, even in the most unsettled parts
Of the territory, and the danger from In
dams ia less by far than ore runs IN the
~uufreuuented streets OF Eastern cities.
Cowboys are more frequently maIgned
and misrepresented than they deserve
ior the many il rough, are large hearted
and kindly, and the same may be sald CT
the hunters and miners of the hills. But
the earth does not contain q land equal IN
extent to that lying east Of the Missouri
where lite and property is safer under like
circumstance Of isolation and opportunity.
Scores and hundres Of women have lived
alone on their claims without moiestation
or insult; and in the rare cases when the
reverse is true the people are only too apt
to show in terrible but unmistakable retribu-
ton that outrage, murder or robbery will
not be condoned or overlooked. No man
or woman need fear or expect to find in
Dakota q less peaceable, intelligent or
generous people than be leaves behind
him, or look forward 10 contact with charsc-
tiers and scenes Of violence, such as the
modern melodrama and dime novel writer's
allot to the Western frontier and the
wilds' Of Dakota.
Il STREAMS IN DAKOTA.
We will suppose that the winter has not
been OF unusual severity and snow. About
the middle OF March the cattle are already
grazing on the "gramms bunch or butfa
10 grlss. From the distant coteans the
snow water fills couiie, brook and rivers, the
traveller urges his horses over the solid ice
still fast to the bottom of lake and stream.
The air for days is balmy, warm and mo.
t%ionless, q gentle moisture is perccptible
during the day, and gathers in grass aud
lealess twig ut night; the melting water
fills the sloughs and low deprassions, men
lay aside their heavy winter garb and work
in their shirtslseve9. Then king winter
turf at bay and makes q last desperate
battle for the dominion fast passing from
his grasp. The clouds gather all day from
east and north; they roll together in heavy
banks and threatening Cumuli, the wind
begins TO rise and curves in occasional
gusts and eliies and solitary crystals of
,.C, --h;,, anon, Sron r,.1,;p,, .pG n;,rEpr
down tho blue chasms Of the veXcd heav-
eus. Then often comes the dreaded biz.
zard, q very tiend Of 8intry fury, q Devil
dering chaos Of whlrling snow, q storm cen
tire OF eddying gusts and elemental strife,
To the traveller i. presents the greatest
danger Of frontier life since the prairie Of
fers little 10 guide to safety to the unfortu-
nate one exposed, ana blinded by the driy-
ing, ed6yiDg, relentless elect.
II April, the prairie aatmoue shows It's
opening buds ana breaks into great bunch
es of beautiful blossoms, aud by May most
of the laud is seeded, and o delicate YER
dure begins h cover the fields aud dot the
black expause of the iire swept prairie.
The wagon trOi2s Of Cmigrsuts, herders,
and land seekers, move slowly westward
into the unsettled wilderness. Everyone
is busy, lands change hands rapidly;
town lots iacreasc in value; railroads, nj
u]tactocie7, mills, churches, school houses,
stores. dwellings, all begin to take another,
perhaps i0ai step toward completion;
those who have gone away Tor The winter
come back bringing New iuces with them
Car loads Of horses. mules, stock, farm ma
chinery and general goods, delay the
trains and fill every warehouse and stock
yard.
Summer comes in mild and beautiful,
with myrigds OF nesting birds and bloom.
ing flowers. The wild ducks brood in
every slough the grouse nests in isolated
tufts Of herbage the upland ploytr springs
up underneath the horses feet from his well
hid coy naS. Oh the bare prairie; the OK
ais cogers acres with It's delicate leaves
and pink blossoms; the wood psnsy car,
pets with graceful LEAKAGE and dainty
lowers the wood-shaded river banks. July
brings o fercer neat, but its nights are tor
the most part calm and cool, and flower
succeeds flower as roses Of various :ints;
the flaming blossoms Of the tiger lily and
the purple spike Of the prairie star,
while many other nnmeiess Uowogs OF the
plains develop new forms and novel shapes
OF beauty. In these Gays, too, the rafting
mower winds in endless swalhs around the
the oval Gepressious Of the low marshes,
followed By the busy horse rakes and wag-
ons which carry the fragrant wild hay
TO the huge stacks. In August the heavy
twiue binding harve5ters have already
began their inceEsRnt round of activity,
first among the bailey, then among the
oats, pendent and dropping with their
heavy burden, and then among the wheat
stalks, Silly holding erect their tiny kerr
uels, whose vast aggregate shall I'LL grana-
ries, elevators and storehouses to bursting,
and overflow into miles Of huge freight
cars and Thousands Of waiting canal boats,
ships AID ocean steamers, In the vast
fields acres OF harvesters may be seen at
oHce; and an army seems employed at
the task, and when the last sheat has fallen
TO the earth the work is but half completed.
When the pOndtrous separator and It's no
less heavy engine come slowly into the
field, with its attendant gang Of pitchers,
band.cutters, straw stackers, etc. Like
magic tho stacks mel; away, the huge pile
Of straw becomes a mountain, and q steady
stream OF wheat flows into the measure,
from which bag after bag is filed and
csrted away, either to granary or elsva-
ter
Meanwhile the sporting season has be
gun, and the sportsman lettering to view
the hustle and energy Of the harvest, whis-
ties TO bis dogs and goes forth TO drive the
fsttanipg prairie hen from the stubb!e.
October brings with it q long succession OF
clear, cool, but sunny weather and tran
quill nights. Great ba;taljons OF geese,
clouds Of mallards and Coveys Of grouse
rise and settle upon the stubble.
BIZ the 10th OF November the season is
over, the fierce fros's have hardened the
earth to iron, sealed up lake and river,
sent the hosts of wild fowl far southwark,
aud ended ell labor of plow and harrow,
Often the days glide along with persistent
calm aud pleasant skys, but each day as