Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1892-10-07
Our Texas Letter.

Our Texas Letter.
Years ago quite different opln-
ion of Texas was held, from that
received now, 1t is ignorance
alone that causes SO many in the
North to bewail the lawlessness
OF the South; the lack of industry
of her inhabitants aud their illit-
eracy. True enough is it, there
are scores of Ignorant people all
over the Southern states, but
leaving out the negroes, the un-
educated white people are hot
greater IN proportion to the popu-
Iation than the unedueated whites
OF many Northern states.
How many of us remember our
idea of the average Texan to be
any other than that of the cow
boy riding fiery mustang pony,
orandishing q snake whip on the
back of this tricky little animal,
while he was rounding up the
long-horned cattle? This picture
is familiar one i'll Our geogra-
phies, and it is sight very COM
mon in West Texas, but this state
is a large one and presents many
phases of life.
1t is thoroughly cosmopolitan,
being settled by representatives.
from all the old states, and hav-
ing within lis borders many for
eign nationalities.
The climate IS varied aud dur
ing the winter season, one seems
to suffer as much from "North-
er" sweeping across the nation as
he would from blizzard in Mis-
souri,.
1t is claimed by some that there
is not experienced here that feel
ing of lassitude felt In other
Southern states, and that the
bracing winds in the winter give
strength and energy. 1t were
we'll that they do for it gets hot
enough in the summer; but the
glorious gulf breeze comes to our
aid in this season. While the
Northern papers were giving us
the news this summer of the hot
wave and the suffering and dis
comfort caused, there was blowing
constantly strong breeze in Tex
as. | have never yet heard of q
case of sunstroke, though the heat
is sometimes SO intense one breads
to leave the house. When the
north wind blows it is very un-
pleasant in Galveston as it brings
such swarms of mosquitoes from
the main land. They are very
annoying and there seems to be
no rest from them, as the ''gray
backs" sing and bite all day then
give way to the black ones at
night. Every body, almost, sleeps
under mosquito bars; some prefer
to snnoint themselves witE To-
ton composed of pennyroyal and
kerosene, which seems to repel
for a while the advances of the llt-
tie insect.
When | was child | had hor-
ror of Texas Insects; also the horn
ed frog, which is no frog at all,
but a harmless lizard whose body
is rough with horns too small to
be honored with the name. Tar
antulas, centipeds and scorpions
| know nothing of, only as / have
seen them in bottles of alcohol.
Occasionally they are found in
old houses, but like the poor In
dian, they have left civilization
and are more common on the
plains. The stinging scorpion is
a harmless little insect, and its
sting is no more dangerous than
that of the common bee. The
large red ant is very interesting
to study. 1t is common in North
and Central Texas, but l have
seen none here. These ants build
hills sometimes a foot high. l
haye often noticed them moving
like soldiers, all in line and the
path made would be deep and
smooth. Their sting is very un-
pleasant, and causes considerable
suffering to some people.
A little black ant about one
tenth of an inch long is common
in Galveston. A piece of bread
left on the floor will draw them in
few moments. l do not know
whether or not they are injurious
to the mechanism of musical in
struments, though ! recently saw
the legs of q piano set in glass
saucers of water to drown these
ants.
The political world is all agog
in Texas now. National questions
are below par; all the interest is
centered on state questions. Tex
as Democracy is in state of up