The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1889-07-24

lhppluB VI bho "o'Oo 'h oho Saw y
soothe the tired nerves and cool the fever.
brow with delicious sense OF peace ana
rest; in fact we're / in almost any other
place than on this sun-scorched and
drouth-stricken prairie, | might be able to
write you something interesting. | have
put it off from day to day until they have
dragged themselves into weeks, hoping
that the morrow would bring the bounti-
full rains SO long desired, but our worst
fears are realized, end should they come
now, they would be too late to save the
crops and could only benefit the pasturage
(which is very shor0 and meadows, and
perhaps bring on late sown millet and
potatoes.
If any of your readers imagine they
could write an interesting article as re
freshing as the sight of "scarlet and pink
flowers" with the mercury a. 1922 and a
hot wind blowing from the south, l
extend to them a cordial invitation to
come here. Sit at the desk as l
now am and look out upon the parched
ground, brown and bare in places, fairly
glistening under the scorching sunlight
See the fields and fields OF dying and dead
grain, remembering the expense II has
been to put it in, and the hopes 1t has
blasted by its death. Look where the
meadow hay was wont TO wave in billows
of darkest green, standing three feet high,
and see the short, yellow-fringed sickly
grass. Beyond this l see Charlie driving
the herd TO the river for water, and the
thought is forced upon my mind, where
will the winters feed, with 30 little hay
and straw, come fromH see more "black
and blue" than scarlet and pink"
l think the failure of the crop this
season is the more of disappointment on
account of the high hopes entertained
universally by the people here Of an
unusually prosperous season. Wheat was
sure to be firm in price. After the heavy
rains OF last summer, the fall was very
dry, and very little snow duriug the
winter. The spring was dry and very
windy, though the winds did not create
the havoc here that they did in the Red
River valley, where one friend said he
put in seed on the same ground four
times, and Dalrymple, the famous wheat
raiser, reseeded 10000 acres; but we had
1t windy enough to dry the soil out, and
have only had two or three light showers
since. Naturally people looked for rains
in June and July, which are really the
rains most essential, but-we are still
looking.
We do not doubt the wisdom of our
Creator, but could we have shared the
Surplus moisture" Of theimountainous
district Of Pennsylvania, what Joy it
would have brought to deserving people
here, and perhaps averted that most ter
rible Of calamities. Fortunately for us
we are In grazing district not equaled
by any other part Of the county, but the
outlook for winters supply is anything
but bright Itis said that all signs fail In
a dry time, and can verify It, Clouds In
the east and In the west to the north and
to the south Of us, but they would be
scattered by closely following wind, or
be blown swiftly over. Moons would
wax and wane without sprinkle Of rain.
All the whims and signs Of my grand.
fathers days, which considered infalli-
Bile in Ohio, fail In this drouth.
A picnic was held in the grove on the
river bank at Grand Rapids, July 4th,
which was largely attended by people
from all parts Of the county. Good
speeches, good music and good dinner
made. the day pass very pleasantly. For
a time the drouth and Its discouragements
were forgotten, and all gave themselves
up TO the enjoyments Of the day. l heard
several replies to the question "How is
your wheat lookingT One man said my
name is Dennis" another, "My goose is
cooked" and third, "pm euchred, that's
ALL" Could foreigner have told how
their wheat lookedi inferred from
their manner that their wheat was poor.
In answer to the queries. "am l sickf"
Yes; heart sick. And yet we ought TO be
grateful tLat we have suffered no greater
loss than crop, when 50 many direful
calamities are befalling other places.
With life and health what may not await
us in the futurei It is too dry and windy
even for the imagination to soar with
safety. II I don't contract some spinal
disease or become "moon eyed" from
watching overhead to see which way the
clouds are going, I'll write soon again.
BLANCHE.