The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1891-07-04
A FEW sTRAWs.

the wind blows" Then there is another
old saying, that IT is an i'll wind that
blows nobody any good" Why not look
on the bright side of things once in awhile!
IF we continue to look at the dark side all
the time, we are apt to become sour, mo-
rose rasping, in our natures, and disagree
able to all around us, both to man and
beast. So, let US pick up a, few of the
straws that are about us to-day, lest Others
may trample them in the mud beneath
their feet-straws that some do not, or
cannot, see, even through their glasses.
Straw L. Friends, look out and view the
landscape. Where in Gods world did you
ever see q nnoeat mi si,lzslands dscn2e than
is before the vision of every man, woman
and child in Mclean county; 50 refresh
ing, so rejuvenating, SO inspiring
ed only by the horizon--so grand, and SO
full of promise and pregnant with hope.
We heard two cattle men, who were in
Washburn a few days ago, say they had
seen grass enough in their ride from Bis
marck to Washburn to fatten all the beef
cattle in the nation! And such grass! for
fattening properties can nowhere else be
found. The frequent, eopious and timely
rains have produced a most luxuriant
growth of vegetation and given an i'm
petus to small grain seldom seen before,
and the farmers are becoming SO elated
that they are bringing bundles of green
grain into town to exhibit, and such
growth whoever saw before? We saw
some a day or two ago, brought from the
farm of August Wahl, which points to an
unprecedented yield. Can we not see
which way the wind is blowing?
Straw 2. The tide is turning sure as
fate. Whoever has lived at tide-water
knows that there are many things that in
dicate change in the tide; and just as
surely as these things indicate a change,
just so surely will the tide set in. All now
countries have their ups and downs. The
that become the permanent settlers IN any
country. Spectators rush i'll and gobble
up the cream of the land, and where ad-
verse circumstances exist, real estate will
depreciate in value. The restless and i'll
experienced and foolish ones will pick up
and go elsewhere, ever afterward to regret
thing in the wind! Will any one tell us
why many parties, who are in positions to
know what is in the wind, and who in
former years have allowed their lands to
lapse in tax sale certificates and tax deeds,
are 80 anxious now to redeem the same,
although the penalties and interest and at
torney's fees exceed the original amounts
of sale? Can we not see which way the
wind is blowing!
Straw 8. The strong impetus which the
binder and mower industry has received i'll
the past few weeks is another straw which
should give encouragement to the most
stupid. What think ye, when it IS known
thst all the mowers and binders on hand
by all the dealers in town have been dis
posed of to our farmers, and more ordered,
not to say anything about the many that
have been bought in Bismarck and other
places. The farmers have caught on, hav-
ing noticed the way the wind is blowing.
Straw 4. The wind is blowing, and has
ruffled the straws in Montefeore school
township. The county superintendent, the
county treasurer and county auditor took
charge of that school township last fall.
now the settlers there have asked for an
election for school officers, and desire to
have school again, as they claim children
enough under the law to warrant it. New
settlers must be coming in, or old ones re-
turning to bring about such change; and
in this connection we understand that sew
eral German Russians were at the county
seat a few days ago, who have been pros
pecting hereabouts and are highly delight
ed with southern Mclean. We under
stand that they will settle here, and they
have gone back to the colony for the pur
pose of giving in a report of the land and
induce their countrymen to come back
here with them. Can't you see which way
the wind is blowing?
Straw S. For many years there has been
much blatant talk about railroad through
our county, but as yet we have none.
Now there seems to be a lull, but ever and
anon quiet zephyr comes waited over
the prairie from the southeast. The rail-
road officials are very reticent, and railroad
talk is all in whispors-with proviso:
"Don't tell who told you" In the Fargo
Commonwealth of June 26th, little
zephyr comes from Edgeley in this shape:
"The 500 road has had man out here
to buy right of way for the extension"
Our idea is that that road is not gong
to send n herald through the country in a
braggadocio way to tell the people what it
intends to do, but when it gets ready it
will come right along, and no "whooping."
II is bad policy for a young lady to show
all her faults and failings to the Young
man who admires her. It certainly is not
good policy to berate our neighbors from
whom we derive our support. If we be-
little and disparage our county, we must
iniure, more or less, every industry, and
consequently every person living in the