The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-09-14


 togsphs of suss@ sad plasss vixlsd that will - soon Ads or bsooms dim.
 
 To the stranger, unAoquainted with the topog- raphy of the Hoosisr State, tho term Wild Oct would be somewhat puuling. A Abrisf explanation will make 1t clear. First, then, there ars two streams of this name; one, the larger, is known locally as Big Wild Cat the other as Little Wna Cat. The former has three branches, and in tho districts through which they run are called, re- spectively, South Fork, Middle Fork and North Fork. The country of which these form the drain age system embraces many counties in the most beautiful and fertile portions of the state Tn early days the country was heavily timbered with oak, ash and walnut and the pioneer settlers of this part of the new west literally chopped, hewed and burned their farms from out the primevAl forests.
 To-day this same portion of Indiana is a verita- be garden-spot of beauty. Every farmer, in clear ing up his land, wisely left goodly portion of his farm stand In woods. The surface of the country is undulating, an alternate succession of pictur- esque hills and wales; this with well-cleared farms, whose broad fields of waving corn and wheat shim- mer and nod in tho sunshine forming outlines, the foreground for the rich, green woods behind, the beautiful farmhouses, surrounded with orchards and gardens, make picture that any great hnd- scape painter would do himself proud to transfer to canvas.
 Such is the picture to-day; goodly land whose people are honest, happy and intelligent. Should you be 90 fortunate to share the hospitality of one of these Indiana homes you will find in 1t far more intelligence and refinement than, perhaps, your preconceived ideas of "the Hoosiers" would lead you to expect. The average Hoosier farmer to-day manages to give his children good academic education, and in many instances even better. His sons are gentlemen fArmers his daughters ladies; but both know how to work. They are taught to uphold the dignity of honest toll, and at the same time are keen to seize every opportunity for thair moral and intellectual advancement
 There Is, however, another class to whom the appellation "Hoosier" still applies with its most generous construction.
 There old timers who have stood still while everything around them has gone forward, and whose primitive ideas of the world and its arrange ment, whose crude conceptions of life and it's aims prevented them, those over whom they have control from keeping pace with the onward and upward progress of humanity. But think not that the above Is said wholly to their disparage- ment; flag from 1t; for most of these people have many qualities to admire They are honest, warm hearted, industrious and contented and in their speech, manners and dress are pleasant reminders of old times-a sort of connecting link between a romantic past and the practica! present.
 h what are known as the "back districts these people still live; sometimes within few hours, drive of a modern little city having gas, electric lights, street cars, and many other metropolitan appurtenances but their quickening influences arc not felt in the simple home life of these primitive Hoosier farmers In vine-covered log cabin, located sometimes on the banks of the picturesque