Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-12-24
Eprroas REPORTER AND FARMrR.

EDIIOhS hEfOntEh ~
After a lengthy season of rest and refresh
ment the Hired Man again resumes the journey
to the Black Hills. In the first chapter OF this
epistle TO the Websterites, and in the next
to the last verse, you will remember that the
writer was partaking Of a ten O'Clock supper at
a Redfeld restaurant on the night of May 9th,
after a long days drive, and wIthal having
had a sort OF Uncle John" time and you viii
not wonder so very much when told that the
days trip was gone over again through the
night; but only in a hideous night horse dream;
and as the morning came l arose, and after
crawling upon the outside of a very fair break
fast hitched the team to the schooner and
headed for the city of st. Lawrence, a place
about forty-fve miles further on down the
road. The road was very muddy and, being SO
made travelling very tedious and slow allowing
plenty of time and opportunityfor critical OBJ
seryation of the country. The lay of the land
between Redfeld and st. Lawrence is more or
less rolling and in some places very rough,
much the same as certain portions of Day
county. At some time within the limits OF
Dakota's history this land had all been located
upon and occupied by farmers, in evidence OF
which fact stood ample houses, barns and
other out-buiidings, together with tine usual
garden. or barnyard fence of harvesters, plows,
harrows, hay-rakes, etc., etc, relics so often
seen in the illustration of a degenerate Dakota
farm home; however today about one house in
every four is inhabited by some patient and
long suffering family who, not having
the means to move elsewhere; are merely ex-
listing. by the anchor hope. that rock which
millions tie up to and hold fast until tn e life
lime grawu old and hraak;ng allowG the fafad
human Craft float waterlogged out, out into
the fathomless ocean of eternity. Along the
road, and on either side are other evidences
of a once well populated district but now the
windows and the doors of many of the school
houses by the way are boarded over and where
once some comedy maiden. or perhaps some
unframed Bryan pleaded his country's cause
now nothing but weeds raise their blooming
heads above the gravel walk nd wave their
branches to vacancy an d this is Hand county,
When about midway between the two cities
above named / was a very much interested
witness to a very strange scene; after arriving
at the summit of a small hill, rising above a
creek valley, / looked upon an expanse of quite
level land. once a fine farm, but now a wcedy
waste; among these weeds and about forty
rods from the highway appeared some dozen
or thirteen wolves accompanied by a red Irish
setter dog. the pack, it seemed, we're intent on
hunting Jack ra bbits the wolves would distri-
butte themselves about in a kind of circle and
be cropched very close to the ground, while the
dog would scurry about over the interior of the
wolf fenced circle aud nose out the luckless
jack and then a shcrs chase took place and at
its close appeared a dead rabbit most uncere-
moniously divided mp and devoured; / saw
this pack surround and run down four differ
emit rabbits and not having more time to spare
I moved on up the road after calling to the
dog but he proved as wild as the rest of the
band, and at my calling took to his heels and
was soon with his strange companions, over
the hill ard out of sight. Nothing further OF
interest 70 the reader was seen or noted during
this days drive; so very late at night / pulled
into the ''dswn at the heel town of st. Law
renee.
On the following day, Monday, May 18th 1
arose at the first signs of the approaching
morn and was soon on the road once more; /
had made up my mind to drive to Harold,
forty-one miles due west. during the day; this
l did, reaching town just as the blood.shot
sun Was giving place to twilight. During the
days travel | had passed over a beautiful
a. "a tO0hbtl ott Rhh Tic III
showing more or less signs of desercion; many
small towns along the road gave egids nee OF a
community simply holding a sort of wake
over what was once a live town. 1t is this
season of the year that dame Nature and
Mother Earth are won't to don their richest
toys of green grass and gaudy colored
flowers, and wandering along the road to flirt
and coax a dew damped zephyr kiss from sleek
old father Time; yet, notwithstanding this
fact the people living here are allowing their
farms and gardens to grow up to weeds, wax
less in size and show unmistakeable signs of
sloth ard rank decay; and, of course no one is
to blame for this but Grover Cleveland.
At break Of day Tuesday. MAY 18th, ! was up
and away. sailing west, fully determined to
reach the great city Of Pierre, to the south
west about forty-two miles, befoye bedtime:
the route took me over much the same lay Of
land and semi-inhabited sort Of district as was
gone over the previous day, until towards even
ing when nearing the Missouri river the gently
undulating prairie over which / had passed
seemed to merge into huge breakers or breaks,
and was an uninhabited waste, a sort of
wilderness, up to the very gates of the city. /
reached the driving up to a livery stable un-
hitched a very tired team and found nice
rocmy quarters for them to rest in, while for
my own comfort | found space at the North
western hotel.
On Wednesday morning, May 18th following
a good nights rest end a breakfast not in the