West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1890-08-14
POINTING Illinois.
Editor Algds.
Aug. 10th 1890.

ror in which they can see focused on
their own lap all the news of the
week, but it is also expected to have
the loudest voice and throw the
highest hat for their own particular
spot on earth. Therefore if one of
us has found land Of milk and
honey. we should, before giving the
size of the grapes, consider the del
icacy of the editors position, that
truth must be treason, aid so be
honest enough to also record the
deaths which may have occurred
among the booms in the land which
we have spled out.
Illinois is hardly ''out west any
more but it is far enough so to make
West Virginia boy gloriously
homesick, and discover in his moth
ers face as he sees it in his mind q
sweetness that he never noticed ut
home. A westerner can not have any
conception of the physical appear
anee of West Va, until he visits it
while native of the latter can have
a miniature Ill. in his back yard if
he will level it and throw the stones
over the fence. Every acre of West
Virginia is peculiar to itself and is
hardly recognizable as the same
when looked at from different points
From the car window this state is
so much the same as to be monoto-
nous if not dreary. 1t is flat coun-
try. farm house, barn, windmill and
bare hedge hour az ,er hour; but in
summer 1T is a world of green with
out shadow, and the wind is not a
rustic in the patch on the hill side
but In the horizon bounded field
music deep as the seas. Certainly
an ideal country for agricultural
pursuits is realized here, and towns
and industries spring up with as
little hinderances as the corn. They
are not booms FOR their tested sup
port lies around them. Illinois is
proud Of her network of railways
and the figures this census gives her
great city. But Chicago had to
respect VIM l.. Wilson as power
full opponent in tie late contest be-
tween cities and only gained the
Fair by the wide west native hustling
being concentrated and applied at
the supreme moment.
But Illinois has its objections and
dear old West Va. its enduring
good features. a comparison Of the
two states does not lesson our love
for our own. A days work on the
prairie makes big showing and the
night rewards the laborer aud en-
courages him for the next day but
among the mountains the farmers
~ ANNih5 '"Cl'o IOhS % corn per
day has healthy exercise in patience
among roots and rocks, and at
night shows his reliance in Provi-
dence by sleeping soundly though
a big rock might loosen and carry
his crop to the bottom before NOR
ming. Here the business Of life moves
with the swIftness Of a railroad
train. The West Virginias 90 by
water, content 10 float with the cur
rent, and though they do not go so
fast they enjoy the scenery along
tie banks and take more greeness
into their old age. After all il is n
matter Of contentment and there is
no iollier face in my memory than
that Of uncle Jake Smith OF the
Crao Orchard. Tue quiet satisfac
ton in the faces Of the older Dcbcr-
rvs is rare in the west where each
must feel himself in the race while
over the bedgcTo|s me con see the
pursuit ahead Of him and on each
side abreast Of him.
Not withstanding the greater
amount OF details the eastern man
has to consider The per cent Of sue.
eessful merchants is IS large as here.
But the map in John =. Joues
counting room which locates the
water for his saw mill, shows the
lay Of his timber lands, The sites OF
the stone piles and shook-shops Il
lesson iu geography that would
make a Western grain dealer 'lcsyo
school"
In observing the operations ol
the corn and cattle king You wHl
sec the use of broad honest wisdom
instead Of cunning vie work;ag.