The Portland daily press., 1896-11-03
THE EAST THEIR HOME.
How Mr.. Reeds Speech Affected a Kans as
Lady Eand Pretty Deduction There
from BY a Kansas Paper.
(From the Chicago Times-Herald.)

| in Kansas the other Gay, among the sea
of faces that looked up at him was one OF
a woman not far from the front of the
platform, and upon it was an expression
of the most intense eagernsss. In her
eyes glistened a suspi cious moisture.
"Did you know him?" was asked of her.
'tNo, but it sounds 80 much like home.
Did you hear bow he said now and $50
and about My father in the hills of
Vern ont talked with that broad Yam
kee accent, and l have not heard 1t for
many years in such purity The old
New England love was strong in her
heart, and she longed for the old hills
and pleasant ways.
The woman went back to her prairie
claim to toll and wait for the better
times, and took with her oheerier
heart, as did all who heard the splendid
address. The same homelike feeling
came to others. and on the street they
talked of it in quiet tones that told Of
| the depth of the Impression. The West
is very much of a child. yet. Its poll
ticians may threaten and warn the East
of the hatred that exists, but in the
hearts Of the people there is tie that
binds to the old home. Everything is
"back East" whom good and pleasant
times are mentioned. The dream of the
settler is to go on a visit to those whom
he loved and dwelt with in the days of
youth. For this he saves and scrimps;
hen when the hard times come and he
has to take thu money to buy the neces-
stiles of life he is indeed bitter-and who
can blame him? Many farmhouse in
Kansas and Nebraska has hidden away
in its recesses store of coins, gathered
through the years to furnish trip to
the old home In the East. The child
rem of the West are brought up on the
tales of the magic East. and they are as
loyal as were their parents to. the land
where everything seems bright and of
good repute. The ties are close yet.
The West is the child of the East, in
fact as we'll as heart. Less than half of
the population of the prairie States is
native born; the remainder came from
the States beyond the Mississippi, and
to them that region seems flowing with
milk and honey. Talk with the settler
something about, "When lived in the
East On the walls of the cabins on the
plains are seen the pictures that were
brought in the trunks when the family
came West. They are of the old-time
type and havesfor everyone who has seen
| az fa hnr q
There are "Wide Awake" and "Fast
Asleep" "Lincoln and His Family"
and sSigners of the Declaration" as
well as others that were hung by their
sides With these before their eyes all
the time can the Westerner forget the
East? He hears the wind whistle over
the wide plains and thinks: 81 wish I
wore back among the Maine hills or the
lakes of New York, where there is not
this terrible howl of the lost storms wan
dering over the prairie"
Another thing binds the West to the
East-the old home paper. Into every
postoff1ce on the plains come week after
week tightly rolled papeps that bear the
stamp Of long travel. Eagerly are they
awaited and as earnestly read. They
are not handsome papers. Their tyne ia
very black-faoed and the energetic sheet
at the county seat is many times more
exciting. There is no politics in the
columns and tho reader may with little
trouble find many slips of grammar and
style. But these papers have up in the
corner beside the name white Hills
Gazette Or mohawk Citizen" little
motto, Established in 1928, - or some-
thing llkA that Uhiah toll IF L.,
and useful life. They are, too, perfect
types OF purely local journals, rivaling
the old town meeting as an expression
of the Independence and equality of the
American people. Evidently the editor
has not heard of the campaign, but he
Is able to give clear account of the
painting of barn and the mending of
a picket fence. These are of interest,
too. and out on the plains the people
read it all and find even in the adver-
tisements food for table talk. The do
ings of the old school friends are chron-
icled .and the deaths that are all the time
thinning the ranks Of neighbors are fol-
lowed with aching hearts. Scarcely
family in the West Is without such
paper and finds it solaoe and a joy.
The big city journals are left unread un-
III these are perused, and no magazine
can for moment rival them in the
affections OF the gray-headsd wife and
husband who have come to the cheaper
lands to better their fortunes. And no
matter what other Literature the family
Is compelled to forego 1t will always be
supplied with the paper from 'sbaok
nome " now the home no longer except
in fancy.
Distance and time dull the Imperfect
lions OF the East and lend to it's bles-
sings some glamour that is OF delight
to the soul. The newer possessions of
the home in the West seem tawdry and
cheap compared with the things of long
ago. 1t is one Of the commonest posses
s!ons OF the prairie settler that be has
riding pillow. and yet be will tell you
that he had almost as good time doing
the plowing "back East" with plow of
the old sort. So with all .he West-it is
only good as compared with the things
OF the East as they are remembered. with
al the added ornament that time gives |
once IN while there is, If crops are
good, a trip to tho East, and while the
Westerner is in delirium of delight to |
go oack to the family scenes he is always
as ready to return to his new home. One
day me agent Of Kansas station was
wonderfully surprised at the appearance
Windows Af