Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1895-06-13
ADREAM OF PLENTY.
By THUG BUNGALOW.
1kIHILE passing through this ter
wv rible drouth, which has brought


wv rible drouth. which has brought
foreibly to our minds visions of
famine, bankruptcy and everything
that's calculated to make life miser-
able. the wind day and night rasping
and screaming around the corners of
the house like legion of devils, while
clouds of dust and sand almost dark
ened the sun at MONDAY, of
course, 1 felt gloomy, that sink
ing of the heart that is always expert
enced when all hope las vanished
how natural it was to watch the posi-
tion and movements of the clouds. the
low mutteriBg thunders occasionally
heard were like the strains Of the
sweetest music. When we looked over
our whitening fields our hearts went
up in prayer for water, either from
above or below. 1 thought of the
many things / had heard about irriga-
ton, of tapping the undeIflow of the
great Arkansaw valley. While in
this troubled frame of mind 1 fell
asleep, and dreamed that l was walk
| ing up the Arkansaw valley, not far
| from PaWnee Rock, when suddenly l
found myself standing upon the banks
of a large, freshly dug ditch, which
| seemed to take a meandering course
| down the valley. While 1 was stand
| ing there wondering what it meant, an
old farmer that had noticed listing
corn in field not far from me, raising
dust that resembIed the smoke from
the cannon's mouth, unhitch his team,
turn it loose an the greenless prairie.
and approached me where was stand
ing on the banks of the ditch. He
was sorry looking sight. His clothes
were patched with many kinds and
colors of cloth, his face, neck and
hands were black with Kansas soil
which the wind had driven into the
!. pores of his skin. l had heard much
J about farmers being extravagant.
here had an example of it before me-
had heard of mems success who had
/ followed a legitimate business, and
wondered if this man had missed his
calling, and if some city dude loan
had never swallowed a mouthful OF
dust in honest toll, was not reapine
: the results of his efforts.
After the usual compliments haG
been exchanged between us, I com
> menced questioning him concerning
this great excavation that stretched
its magnificent proportions far dowI
the valley. He informed me that il
was the Hoisington irrigation canal
, was greatly surprised, and said I haC
been told that it was only a ditch or
paper.
"No," said he, sit is a ditch in fact
, It has just been completed, and in 1
few hours they will start the pumps
and turn on the water"
We walked on together, and wer'
soon in sight Of the Rock. Just theI
we heard the sound of steam whistle
the roar and rattle of machinery; th'
pumps had at last started, aud in q few
3 moments river seemed to leap out o
q the earth, and came rushing down tn
] ditch, filling it full to overfiowing.
=.
Then year seemed to intervene
!. and was again in that valley, walk
|. ing on the banks OF that same canal
q My former companion was with me
f but with a very changed appearance
q He was well clad in neat-fitting clothes
II his face and hands were clean an
q looked as smooth as piece of chamoi
d skin, his eyes were bright with th
lt returning fires OF manhood. Th
q springs Of youth seemed again to hay
]. entered that old tottering frame OF on
10 year ago. asked him about the II
v suits OF irrigation. He said it ha
n been wonderfully successful, and ha
?. lifted the burden from many an acl
t. ing heart. remarked that things ha
s. such changed appearance since Wa
II there before, and that we must be
+ another portion of the valley. he a
,e sured me that we vert walking on Il
N same ground, only we were wslkir
this time in the direction OF Gre;