The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-03-20

will draw it as vision, a dream-for
1T is but dream.
Fill up your pipe Uncle Josh, and
listen to what the world would eau
Utopian dream, a fancy, fairy tale, but
one to which the world will wake up
some day and find reality.
A DREAM.
/ see vast stretch of the lOvliest
land that the sun ever shone upon;
wonderful land, with soil so rich and
deep, as to be ineXhaustible. 1t is
interspersed with rivers, lakes aad
streams, and forests. Its uplands and
valleys are clothed with the richest
verdure under the sun, The fields are
laden with crops which form billowy
waves under the touch Of gentle
breeze, and the lights and shadows go
dancing away in the distance across
the vast fields of wheat ; orchards
bending under their weight of golden
fruit; dwellings here and there among
the trees, looking like princely palaces,
stately and grand, and surrounded
with grandeur fit for the gods. Lawns
fresh and sweet; fountains playing and
birds singing; yeritable paradise.
Roads smooth and hard, and lined
with trees for miles on miles, and now
we come upon stately edifice, stand
ing on the brow of hill. 1t is col
lege, teeming with life and animation,
and while we are admiring it we glance
down the road and behold carriage,
or more probably an open car, without
hOrseS,-See how swiftly it comes over
the smooth, level highway. Its motive
power is electricity, and it swept up
the broad campus fronting the college,
and behold another and still another
of these mary els of beauty. The col
lege is dismissed, and in short time
the electric carriages are filled with
the most radiantly beautiful young
ladies the world can produce, graceful
and charming, with cheeks aglow with
health, they are borne away to their
beautiful homes, and / go my way,
wondering at every step at the strange
and facinating pictures spread out on
every hand, rivaling ancient Spain in
the zenith of her glory after falling
into the hands of the Moors.
Upon a bench under luXuriant shade
trees, nearby fountain of cool spark
ling water, 1 stop to rest.
In my widest dreams | had never
imagined that the earth could be SO
beautiful, and as [ sat contemplating
my wondrous surroundings, l heard
loud and joyous laughter.
1t seemed near, yet could not see
from whence it came. l arose and
walked along short distance and
climbed low hill, and on looking be-
yond, L beheld sight that will, mot fade
from my vision so long as memory
shall endure. A lake, whose beauty
was beyond my powers of description.
The shores were lined with the most
exquisite shrubs, flowers and plants
imaginable. Gondolas and floating
flower gardens, swans and other wild
fowl rested on the bosom of this lovely
sheet of water. With wonder and as
constituent I gazed on the scene be-
fore me. Floating palaces propelled
by electricity, laden with bright and
happy children, whose laughter first
attracted me hither, were sailing in
and out of the curves and bends of
this exquisite lake. Seating myself in
an arbor that commanded fine view
Of t56t tie faeef bet9Ee e7 isl6hn.
q I had been seated but few mo-
ments when / was joined by an elder
ly gentleman, who addressed me so
kindly, that / took the liberty to ask
him if he could tell me in what coun-
try 1 was, and were all the things I
saw, real, or were they delusion.
Certainly" said the stranger, 81 shall
be glad indeed to enlighten you, as
you appear to be stranger. You are
in the undine region of Minnesota.
This park-lake that you seem to adj
mire so much, is but one of the many
Improvements made by the "F. f."
my dear sir" said |, ''pray tell me
what is the ''F. F?" ''Why man, it
is the Farmers Federation formed
many years ago." Twill you please
tell me" said |, "What is the terri
torial extent of this ST. FL? cat
present it embraces three of the great |
wheat producing states" answered
the stranger; ''and if you have leisure
| will give you brief history of its
Ireplied that would be delighted