Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1900-03-02
OUR IOWA LETTER.


Mrs Clara Lacey Greene tells some of the
Questions asked of her about the
Black Hills.
MY DEAR Miss KING:
To proceed withIthe questions rela-
tive to the Black Hills, l must tell you
what ssposer" l run into the other
day down at the Women's Club. A
casual acquaintance, and leading club
woman came up to tme, shook hands
and said tive are glad to see you back
again, Mrs. c., for we want you to help
us with the women's congress, the big
meeting. of mothers that convenes here
in April" and continued her remarks.
by saying show did you enjoy ranch
life while you were gomez" said, II
don't know, as was at the hotels
twelve months and keeping house four
months" She said, "Why, l thought
you was out in Dakota!" said "Well,
you had BETTER make trip out there;
the fine hotels and general surround
ings will soon convince you that you
are not rusticating and economizing on
ranch" Another club woman added
insult to injury by telling me that the
club had sent a "missionary box" to Il
certain locality in Dakota (Which / will
not name) and asked me if had lived
there, or near there? was amazed;
said "Oh, frailty (should have said ig
noratice) thy name is Woman!" and
you had better not ask some of the
bright club women where [ have been
il they have received that 'missionary
box" or you might hear something
drop.
One day was in the private office of
the richest man in Des Moines, (you of
course know who that isl. / was scold-
ing him for still sticking at his desk
until 5 o'clock; | said, Why don't you
take rest and go to your orange Or
chard in Florida or your tin mine out
in Dakota? l then showed him the
Black Hills photos, and pointed with
pride to the Soldiers Home, where sta
tistics show that the old soldier lives
longer than at any other Soldiers
J. h0me in the whole United States;
that the beautiful view of hill and vale
from the Soldiers Home porch was
something never to be forgotten, and
that we'hoped to get the National Sol
diers' Sanitarium located there instead
of at Hot Springs, Ark, and the loca-
tion of the Sanitarium seemed to rest
between the two places. He seemed
amazed at our audacity and surprised
to think there was any comparison in
the two places. He said "Why. the
water at Hot Springs, Ark, is WARM
you know!' Igasped again and looked
toward the elevator, but rallied and
shouted in his ear, "Oh! man, man
|old man! haven't told you that the
4 water at Hot Springs, S. d., is WARM
and that it is also WET (the same a
Bill Nye found the water in Europe
now what more can i say? for th
truth is if we want the old soldier
killed off we will send them to tn
Arkansaw climate, but if we want then
to live to ripe old age before Joining
= the great Grand Army that ha'
marched on before never to return, W
will take care of them in Dakota.
Well, / finally convinced my esteemed
(. old friend before l left that | wa
fight and he promised to visit He
6prings too the next time he made
! trip to the tin mine. l met DIR. Goul
4 Elm q store and l said, Oh! do come ou
Enext summer mot remembering ths
Eahe had ever been there.) She sal
How wish could get away. fcr hav
spent two summers in the Black Hill
and cannot now think of Il more healtt
full spot.
Oh! L must tell you about anothe
( woman who was inquiring about wher
\ had been SO long, and when 1 tol
her then she regaled me with the TO
lowing story: That party of he
{ friends had been out in Colorado la.
summer, and one of the children Will
at a picnic up in the mountains ha
been separated and a shoru olsuall'
behind the rest the older peopl
missed the child and started bat
In search of it. they heard it screa
once never saw it again, dead or aliy
and do not know to this day wheth
Il it was kidnapped or devoured by
mountain lion. l, of course, symp
sk thized with her sad story, but told b
that so far had not missed any of Il
Ss two children as yet in South Dakot
n She seemed surprised!
Another day had showed the Blat
Hills Photos in several offices to seve
sssal leading business men.no trouble
all, though, as j know most everybo
sin Des Moines, and would be going
SSto shake hands, any way. Well, tn
srticular day was rather tired a
fEsSId been down in town all day. Iw