The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-08-04
ALONG THE NORTHERN LINE
"Oh, Johnnie. dld you say That you were gwlne away
 To have happy time in CalifornyT

That you were gwine away
 To have happy time in Californyr When one undertakes to leave Chi. cago he is impressed with the idea that the city is something like a church fair in one particular-there is more difficulty in getting out than getting in.
 The day 1 left, about two weeks ago, was sweltering hot, but knowing that there were varying climates in trip across the continent, was laden with winter overcoat, saved from last sea- son and the clutches of "mine uncle." Beside this, Gladstone bag and an umbrella and walking stick, made a good load that there was no pleasure in laying down, three times in five minutes, to exhibit tickets, first to the baggage man, then to the gate man and then to the silhouette at the steps of the cars. But that's what you have to do before you can make start to get out of Chicago, on the cars.
 On the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul we were soon flying through green fields and pastures new, by lux uriant market gardens and away toward the grateful breezes that have been kindly cooled somewhere in the neighborhood of Behring straits. After few hours, next day, in com pany, at St. Paul, with the glorious poet painter, John Antrobus, rode into the wide and wildering west on train of the Northern Pacific. What grand ride that is, with all the comforts of home, on Pullman cars, dining car supplied generously from the markets of the world, hang ing at the rear, all the way across, affording three meals per day "done to turn," and at prices commercially "within the reach of allw
 Thus outfitted, we flew past the falls of St. Anthony, out into the great wheat-growing region of Dakota, then over the fiower-spangled plains, among the great barren buttes, that somehow remind one of the steppes of Arabia, even if he has never seen that march, ing ground of Israel which made the forefathers of our clothing merchants sigh for the fiesh-pots of Egypt.
 From among the buttes we dash into the mountains and along the base of snow- -bonneted monarchs, passing near the ground made historic by Gus ter's last rally, and we see some of the copper -cuticled cusses whom one feels like getting out and kicking as having been privy to the massacre of the fiaxen- haired hero and his gallant comrades. Then we halt at Helena, where there is a graveyard between the railroad and the town, and which being nearer, and hence plainer to the view, impresses one with the idea that the city of the dead is almost as pop ulous as the city of the quick, and yet Helena is live and beautiful place, destined to be s great city between St. Paul and the coast.
 From Helena down the valley of Gallatin river the panorama is kaieido- scopic and charming, embracing a rich agricultural district under the Cnur DAlene mountains. until you reach Spokane Falls, gloriously beautiful place of twenty thousand inhabitants, all alive and pushing. Where Spo- kane river passes through the city long series of cascades keep the stream in an uproar, dashing, swiriing and fosming, and . water power is formed that would run mills enough to do the work of . dozen states.
 Shortly after passing Spokane Falls we arrive upon tho only uninteresting portion of the trip, and even that is interesting to persons who have never