The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1899-04-07
Vacation Notes.


! OPINION should find time or leisure or
love for these notes, after your consent to
publish them. then my ambition to APP
pear in the papers might be appeased. [
am not as crtdul0us as to the readers ed
ilication or profit.
find my self dropped off at Schuyler,
Nebraska. after a. torty-eight hours ride
from Corinth. Vt, as to purpose, since
am not yet unselfish, intended as a kind
OF postgraduate course, but OF what, or
! for what is he question. For as in the
| ology my attitude if not correct is too
rigid for hopeful modification, what can
be the use of late atten- pts either to
rpen or rectify it? 1t may be ripened in
the actual pursuits of the christian min
istry, besides being less exposed to those
strange warnings in connection with
which not few are making shipWreck of
the faith once delivered to the saints |
am therefore determined not to enter-I
| will not say re-enter-any theological
school, as such, except of course, tor the
common things Of helpful observance
| And this, aside from the very pleasant
pastime of visiting children and friends,
is practically my purpose. If | can see
and not be seen, learn and not be studio dc
| then my wishes as student will be real
| lied. I.,.r.
find right here an ideal school, opened
to all alike who have eyes to see and ars
| to hear; in word, accessible TO any of
the human family irrespective of age,
sex or color. A wish to inform the mind
or improve the heart is the only prertq u-
| site needed or condition demanded.
And what an institution is this, it fills
the world, and the wOIld of humanity is
III it Rut blind. deaf or dead, how many
pass on unnstructed, to say nothing of
those higher upliftS and inspirations APP
pealing even before hand to awaken our
senSibilities and show their own high
mission as touching the motives and
destinies of life. In such school, thank
heave., am sitting today and seem to
have front seat No door is shut in my
face. No privilege because OF ignorance
is denied me, nothing by eaSon OF preju-
dice or want of opportunity refused.
| My professors al e among the most COM
mon people, one a Roosevelt rough
rider, anOthera California Knight of the
shears, while my curriculum is hard by
! the old trail of forty-ninerS not yet Who'll
ly 0bliterated in this part of Nebraska.
And my hours of study are not an inf1ic-
ton as from a doubtful authority, but
selt-chOsen and meyer exposed to the
penalty of neglect.
but feel the force OF the expansion
theory, so truly wonderful was the piano.
rama of fields and fertile plains all along
The route. But now having come to a
rest filled with the images of that lush
ing journey, and appearing as mere
woody west" ! am almost overcome with
a sense of what is too free and unfetter-
ed, vast or fundamental, for ready uses
So | determined yesterday TO divide
and sHb-divide till some definite things
effectively, should attract my attention.
There came i'll spite of my Unborn sense
of Independence, feeling of need after
all. For who shall guide me in my
search? Who give the first joint indexes
OF intuitive leadership? o, perhaps the
points of compass may serve me sufficient
ly; possibly the sight OF some brewery
tipped by the well know cupola may do.
sheep ranch or pork pens answer the
attract, then the wild, rolling wind mill
shall beckon me forth to inspect the sec
rets OF water supply or the mechanism
by which it is so deity utilized. If Ben
jamin Franklin could learn wisdom at
the feet of blacksmith, surely | ought
to find something fresh while gazing with
open mouth at these playthings of the
sky. And if nought OF these will do, then
| will HE me away to the haunts of wild
geese along the bottom of the shallow
but wide flowing Platte.-All hail to the
silver souled orator of this now famous
valley. But his tongue shall sing another
song, even that of the finest gold, ere he
or his kind shall grace the inner circle of
the White l1ouse.-But was thinking OF
geese, having seen cluster of fiOcks some
far too numerous to mention. Now,
unused, | will see for myself their haunts
and nesting places and hear the screech-
ihgS or twittering .als of this feathered
family OF the north. Hence my first
stroll TiYerward and away from the pent
up centers of city life. But judge OF that
sense of cooling odor so resreShing except
when lofty expectations of enlargement
meet sudden cOllapSe,-of my great
chagrin and Illuminating set back at the
sight of solid ice just i'll its breaking up
rafting inland followed by the chasing
waters till | was forced into rapid pace
to escape from overmuch observation.
But was still looking for geese. and tar
away in the di lance a single bird was
seen flying with outStretched neck, white
and Wild with fright, but not half so
green as his sad observer. My gun which
| had not taken with me owing to the
thoughtful advice of neighbors, was a
For bethought myself of the plight of a
theological student walking into town
with goose on|hs back straight in the
teeth of a stringent law fol bidding such
diversions. And so | seemed to be maxi
ing more general observations while
Fastening homeward happier and " User
man.
it just now occurs to me that l am the
august president of a Vermont county,
fair company and should therefore cave
into my notes some threads of an agrl-
cultural twist to say nothing OF sheep
and cattle raising and rancho farming.
This in my next, should it ever follow.
Nebraska weather is not delightful just
now. MercuriaIly speaking il is eight
degrees below the freezing point, with
the usual wind blowing, and. showing.
Farmers are patiently waiting for those
conditions that warrent the first
beginnings OF the seasons work. In the
mean time they are hauling grain aud
hogs to market, breaking colts, shearing
sheep or clearing the fields of last years.
rubbish.
L. w. HATCH.
Schuyler, Colfax Co., Neb., Mar. 80, 'g9. .l