Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1891-08-27
To the Pacific esast aAd Back Again.
tBy the ED1roR).

tBy the EDITORl.
For many years I have cherished
an enthusiastic desire to visit the
Pacific Coast, but the want OF means
has been constant check to my as
pirations. At length the question ii
transportation was happily solved
and made up my mind to take an
unconventional holiday, and visit
the scenes among which my fancy
had often wandered. So l told my
good wife that was going to the
Coast" to spend a couple OF weeks,
and asked her to make ready the
lunch basket and have it we'll filed.
| noticed that she hesitated some.
what, but when told her that she
could go to Chicago in 1893 she
complied with her usual cheerfulness.
The Assistant Editor, MY little
three-year-oid Toy, was very much
opposed to my going, except on the
condition that he could go also, but
such a thing was not to be thought
OF, for how would then the SHEAR be
able to get out regularly during my
absence? He finally submitted
patiently to the Inevitable.
On August 5th, 1891, I boarded
the train and sped up the Valley OF
the Red at the rapid rate for which
the Great Northern is noted on it's
st. Vincent extension. Mrs. w. w.
Wood and Mr.. w. j. Walker took
the same train, the former to visit
with son and a daughter at Helena,
Montana, and the latter to see the
wild and woody vest.
Many time have l travelled up
and down the Minnesota side of the
famous Red River Valley, in winter
when the beautiful snow covers the
prairie with it's white mantle, in
autumn when the withered grass re-
fleets it's varied hues here and there
between dark furrowed fields, in
spring, when melting snow deluges
the landscape or when the new grass
leaps forth in Joy from it's long i'm
prisonment, and in summer during
all stages OF plant growth, but never
before has the country appeared
more beautiful to me than on this
balmy summer afternoon. On either
side OF the road as far as the eye can
distinguish, are vast fields OF wheat,
the finest we have ever cast our eyes
upon, swaying to the gentle summer
breeze like waves upon a boundless
sea. But ought not to fall into the
popular fad OF most writer's to liEen
it's waves to the waves OF the ocean,
for they are really very dissimilar.
While the latter inspires one with
fear and awe, because at times we
know they become furious and lash
themselves into foam in their eager
ness to secure their human prey, the
former speak OF a God OF mercy and
gentleness for they are Indicative OF
peace and plenty throughout the
land. Such scenery may be less
grand and sublime than in localities
where l expect to visit, but it is
certainly very beautiful, homelike
and pastoral, and besides very utili-
tartan. In a few more days these
vast wheat fields would turn yellow
and be ready for the selfbinder.
August 9Th at 1:2O A. NJ, I stepped
on board the great Northern Paci-
fc's Pacific Mail, which had just
emerged from among the pines, de-
ciduous trees, and thousand lakes OF
the Lake Park region. and was
steaming away across the fertile
Red River Valley-a land flowing
with milk and honey. Moorhead
and Fargo were soon passed, and
away in the darkness sped our train.
Having had no sleep up to this late
hour OF the night, natures sweet
restorer" soon had complete pos,
session over me. The big Dalrymple
farms are passed by while asleep, as
are Casselton, Valley City, Sanborn
and other rising towns. Not until
jamestown was reached did Nor
pheus relax his hold upon me. This
is IL growing town and an importan,
railroad center. Here the road en-
ters the high lands OF the Missouri, a
high and rolling plnteau extending
between the James and Missouri
rivers, called by the early French
settlers The Coteaux du Missouri
now generally The Coteaux. It has
no rivers, the drainage going
into lakes and ponds, and is nearly
destitute OF trees. The train glides
by many farms and small villages
A village called Cleveland presented
a very forlorn and dilapitated ap
pearance, and l wondered if sucl
would be the condition Of it's dis
stinguished nl,nesake after his tussl.
with Blaine in 1892. Presidential
booms, however, like the booms o
Western towns, are very transitory
and you can't always tell where no
when the lightning will strike. Sool
we are in Bismarck, the capital 0
l I, h1l ~ .sA -