New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-29
JOHN BREMER.
GROWING UP WITH DAKOTA
JOHN BUILDS HIS HOME AND LOSES IT.

John Bremen has come all the way from germany
20 Dakota with the purpose of growing up with the
country AS preliminary TO that interesting in
verse evolution-foT when he turned cold shoulder
upon the "vaterland" he already well on his way
toward the grand clmacteric and he would never see
forty again until his next incarnation-he pre-
emped a land claim of 100 acres in crook of the
upper Missouri and tncpient civilization repre-
sented IN him began TO stretch itself enghwise and
broadwse so TO come up with the height and
Dther dimensions of his expectations
After reading the mendaciously hight flown
orospectuses of the Dakota land agents. scattered
broadcast the world over entcing. delusive bats
for unwary immigrants Of all nationalties his an
tcpations of forcomng prosperity and wealth were
almost bOundless the vast surface of the broad
gentle undulating plan which he had elected his
new domicile.
AS he gazed on the beautiful carpet of natural
grasses. buffalo, gramma and blue-stem, stretching
bway in vista confined only by the coudess horizon
varegated by the coorng of greenest hue and bloom
of the many flowers peculiar 10 the praries his
mind filled with that admiration Of the grandeur
OF nature one experiences when upon the ocean
or in the presence of mighty mountains and his soul
rejOiced at the pleasing prospect his imagination
unroed before him when his horny industrious hands
should have improved upon nature by adding the
profits Of his toll 70 primeval beauty.
His claim stood about midway between Fort sully
and Fort Bennett; the first aggomeration of monde
script buildings being situated enc side of the
Missouri River and the last, fac-simile OF the oler'
on the further shore some seven miles above. Its
surface like that Of the country extending all round
as far as the eve could see, was free from rocky
deposits and trees and brush and he coulu turn his
furrow from one end to the other with never a
detection for stump stone.
His plan Of operations a combination OF farm
Ing and poultering-a chicken coop surrounded oy a
truck" garden While he raised vegetables the hens
would lay and hatch away, and the chickens would
he
genesis in his vernacular.
A market handy at either hand for the soldiers
al sully were fond of vegetables as those at Bennett
were of eggs and between the two both ends would
meet and Dame Fortune would be cooped up midway
like the chickens. and through their means, for MIN
10 do with her he pleased. And as his brlght
fancy painted her smiling benignantly at him in the
near distance he joyfuly rubbed the cutcle OF his
nose with that of his forefnger, and smiled back at
the hopeful image hard as he could with con-
ldent wink.
II was well concocted plan-Deo volente-fhe only
flaw in il being that John was little TOO ready 10
rount his chickens before they hatched and
that the materials of his aircastles in which he was
10 drink Milwaukee beer ad libtum on the proceeds
Of his scheme, were cemented together in sort OF
Alnaschar process which deprived them OF
cohesion owing to his ignorance Oh
Natures ways and means in country
which she had bent in the twig to grow up to her
will in the tree long before John Bremen had MADE
ND his mind to come and grow up with H.
He went to work with will, and very soon had
n wire fence surrounding quite large lot in the
midst of his claim. In the centre of which he con-
sructed structure Of the composite order OF western
architecture known among the Dakota "rustlers" as
a sod and mud shanty. Its furniture consisted OF q
bank a table and a couple of benches, which he
made out of empty dry goods packing boxes purchased
from the post trader at SILLY for little or nothing
and with the portrait Of his father hung against the
wall in the most conspicuous place of its sole apart
ucnt II presented quite a cOSey appearance ior lhe
abode Of settler in the wilderness
The portrait-an oil daub surrounded by gorgeous
rilt framc-was the only object of German art that
BemeI had brought with him from abroad and 1t
was the apple OF his eye. II represented an ola
gentleman in the full uniform Of the Prussan army
with a pleasant smile upon his lips, and great "ue
OPEN staring eyes, which followed Bremen wherever
he went about the room with the twofod purpose
Of encouraging him in his endeavor TO acquire honest
wealth in the land of his adoption, and of keeping
an eve on him 10 see that he did not trip on the
vav through some obliQuity of moral vision apt 10
generate in new countries in order to make inc
dollars multiply faster.
Bremer was as fond Of the counterfeit preSentneh'
of the author Of his being as he had been OF the hVS
original Every once IN a while he would quit his
vrorl; in The field 10 refresh himself with tin cup
,ul Of cold water and look at The inside OF his
new home and every time he came in he would nou
smilinriy and wink slyly at the eyes with The con
fdentiaI remark Were getting on, old man-you
Just wait awhile and sce-plenty OF beer by ahc Oy'
and everything else we WANT!
lie expended what little money he had brought WIN
him in the purchase of ROSTERS and hens and the ne
eessary garden seeds his claim began TO move on
ward with great strides in the broad and productive
pathway Of advancing civilization across the north
western part Of the American Continent Next TO the
eggs and chickens, he depended upon his onion crop 10
coin the thalers in the early future He had read IN
some old German book that the onion not only con
tanned considerable nuriment but that ii had valuable
medicinal properties. being most useful in couneract
Ing the bad effects of sedentary life.
Now throughout the Dakota winter, the life OF
officers and soldiers at both Bennett and suly was
nothing not sedentary for their time was principally
passed in huggng red hot stoves TO keep themselves
from freezing to death He had been told by people
who knew all about it that during that period their
greatest physical exertions consisted in regular alter
nate twisting Of their bodies 10 the right and left in
coming 70 successive right abouts when side was
Aan cooked and the other half frozen. Let them one
ana an the German, swede and Norwegian blue
coated uphoders Of the American flag eSpecialy-be-
come thoroughly convinced that the onion pre-
venatve and antdote for nearly ALI the ills arising
from too much sitting down and he will hardly be
able 10 raise Z"1eben enough TO supply the demand
and 70 make assurance dOubly sure he devoted whole
acre TO their cultivation.
- 10 the Kohl. he knew how fond his countrvmen
were Of sauerkraut and he understood that the
vhilom subjects Of the Kaiser were 50 ur,oero In the
American army that the officer of the day at sully
generally visited his sentries with German dictionary
under his as TO be that they understood
their instructions properly he devoted another acre 10
The different varieties of the cabbage and rows ~
hpareel Kohl, sprOSsen Kohl, Kopf Kohl and ALI tbe
o'er hohls male and female, alternated in parallel
sho complicated lines that would have rejoiced the
hear' OF Euclid had he been permitted to visit Dakota
In spirit '"
'N "asSef and Fucker MelOnen saaten-water and |
NusA melon Seecs-had been selected with Judgment
uu care with special reference TO the soil in which
nc intended TO plant them. and the climate under |
no CONDITIONS he expected them TO grow. In a |
~ wen adapted 10 the breeding and raising Of
raltlesnakes as southern Dakota ahnitios , 800 =.
Ao thcNncrc, and his NIL y |