Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-02-25

|EuropeanL iSs aad lGannsrs within . Row
Miles Of 81. Leuia,
Within twenty minutes ride of ST
Louis, in place called Belleville. and
| can readily imagine myself in Europe,
writes correspondent. But then. this
Is not strange, come to think about IL
with st. Louis in the consideration.
Here is town of 19, 600 inhabitants and
they are all Germans am told that
there are few Americans here, but
have not seen, much less heard them.
Everything is German here-the men
with their pipes, their knitted, sailor
like caps their blouses and their baQQy
breeches; the women with coarse
shoes, short wooden dresses, and big
handkerchiefs folded across their
bosoms; the children, with sturdy legs
bright eyes, tow heads, and cheeks so
red that they glitter: the houses with
their queer gables and double Chin
neys; the fat horses, the dog-every-
thing one sees is German. There is
nothing apparent that is American or
progressive. didn't feel at home as
/ rode through the streets of the town, /.
and I haven't got over the feeling.
But this is good town and the in
habitants are good citizens There are
more householders here-more people
who own the home in which they live
than in any other town in the West APP
preaching its size. It is manufacture
ing town. Here is the finest steel plant
in America, and one manufacturer has
a secret smelling process which men
from all over the East have been try
ing to discover.
Here is town larger than Gales
burg, almost as large as Bloomington,
that is virtually without hotel There
are scores of places called hotels. I
stopped at one which I understand is
as good as any.
AS rode into the town I asked o
man on the pavement which was the
best hotel. He named three and told
me to take nv choice. I stopped ct
one and asked man outside where
the hotel Office was. an der saloon
he said. went in. It was forbidding
and smelled bad, and went out.
Invent to another and asked another
man where the hotel Office was. "In
der Saloon" he said. / went in. This
was even less assuring than the first.
Then I went to the third irst-class
house which had been recommended.
Office in the saloon, just the same. No
polite clerk, no picture frame full of
half moons known as an annunciator,
no big safe, noweary bellboy, no as
pect of hotel just German beer
saloon full of smoke and jargon.
stopped here principally because
there is stable in the rear of the
house where I could put my horse.
The hostler is not Joe. He is an old
German peasant, and he is dressed like
one, and he carries Dutch lantern, If
ever there was one. / have never seen
q German peasant where they are
planted and grown, but I have seen
pictures of them, and this hostler was
the subject for all the pictures. He
called my horse Cattle" and had not
been well up in German folk lore I
would have taken this as an insult to
my horse Comanche, and had Com
anche understood him he would have
kicked the daylights out of him, for he
was very sensitive horse. This hos.
tier feeds horse as he would steer.
He asked me if he should feed my
horse peck or half bushel of oats,
and when I told him to give him three
quarts he looked as much astonished as
he was able. He took the cue, how
ever, and asked if he should give the
horse five cents worth of hay. When
I told him to fill the manger jam full"
of hay he looked pleased.
I went in a saloon and registered my
name in book on the desk nailed
against the wall sat down at a beer
table, and had been there perhaps ten
minutes when heard q sharp, COM
handing voice say:
Hull, come 'ere!"
As I am not accustomed to being
summoned in this manner, except
under extraordinary circumstances,
at once thought something unusual had
happened, perhaps Comanche had
kicked the stable down. So turned
quickly toward the voice. 1t was the
barkeeper. He had the register in his
hand. He crooked his finger at me
and beckoned with his head I sprung
toward him with: "What is it?"
"Was you here fer dinner?"
mo"
well, dat's all right, den," and he
slapped the register down on the desk,
hitched up his breeches and staggered
down to the other end of the bar.
I have thought since that perhaps
if this barkeeper had approached me
gently where sat, tapped me on the
shoulder and said softly, "Mr. Hull,
were you here for dinner?" it would
have been in much better form. But
perhaps he was right. He probably
knows his business.
Supper was announced by the open
ing of the dining-room door and the
ringing of bell by the landlord. The
waiting guests stampeded for the din
ing-room. l was the last man of over
thirty to get in and was seated before
the bell ceased ringing. went to bed
by the light of candle. The bedstead
was HIGH at both ends and sides, like q