Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-12-26

CANTEE, 1AtS Lee. ic, t5OU
FRIEND MUNsoN:-Through the me
dunn of the CENSOR would extend q
word of New Years greeting to friends
at the old home. 1t is now eight years
since we came away, and ahe old town
hes grown newer and newer with the
addition of fine homes and business
blocks, extended limits aud many up.to-
date improvements; still memory lin
gers round that dear old home, as it
was when we left ii. And the many
new names occurring in the CENsoR's
weekly chronicle indicate a correspond
ing change in population, to say nothing
of the host of boys and girls these few
years have transformed into men and
women. And 80 many of the older ones.
and some of the younger ones, are pass
ing away. Scarcely an issue of your
paper that does not note the decease of
some longtime citizen of town or coun-
ty We are especially saddened by your
recent loss in the death of o. b. Wyman.
| knew him from the time he came to
Viroqua. mere lad. and on through
the years of his rise to merited positions
of trust and honor. His place in the
community will not be easily filed
Few of us will go far into the new cen
tury, but we will go ON with the cycles
of eternity, and that will be life more
real
Our summer drouth Is ended, winter
rains have come, VI citation is growing,
and the plow, seeder and cultivator are
going on every hand, and rancbers hope
ful for bounteous year. l wonder how
you folks would like it to have Thanks
giving day the last of May and the
Christmas holidays month laterY That
would give you about the kind of wealth
er we have to take ours in. Looking
over holiday goods in San Diego conld
but notice the absence of so many things
that would he conspicuous in eastern
displays. such as sleds toboggans, skates
and articles of winter wear. Season
able" goods don't cut much figure here
because we don't have the seasons.
am selling straw hats TO school boys as
in June and July. Boys come to school
these mid-winter days clad in cotton
overalls, cotton shirt and straw hat,
seorning the suggestion of shoes and
stockings. Our boys can't go skating,
coasting. tobogganing, etc. but the base
ball season never closes, and all out
door sports that don't require snow or
ice are always in order, and the bicycle
doesn't go into winter quarters.
Fruits in Sc son are oranges, lemons,
guavas, persimmons and strawberries,
and nearly all kinds of vegetables with
out going down cellar for them. A couple
of months ago visited my brother, Sam,
in Orange county, just north of here,
the section where artesian wells abound
and the people cars but little whether it
rains or not. Water in streams as large
as a mans arm gushing out In numer-
GUS places and aft ording all the water
needed. with good soil and continuous
growing weather, produces results al
most marvellous Ii demonstrates the
possibilities of this country with water
proportioned TO climate and soil, BuG
more water from rainfalls would prove
detrimental to the healthfuiness OF our
climate. and extensive irrig ttion might
produce similar effect. The almost per-
petual sunshine, dryness of the atmos-
phere, and invigorating ocean breeze,
are the health giving properties. Peo-
pie are continually coming here from
the rainy portions of the coast, in north
ern California, Oregon and Washington,
for the healthfulness of our dry climate,
so that In desiring more water we may
he seeking that which is not for the best.
Nature has provided here y great san
itarium where the afflicted of all chimes
may come and be healsd, and from pure
ly commercial motives we .night, IL we
had our way. spoil &c, Il men studied
more to adapt himself TO natural cor
ditions, and not so much to conform
nature to his own conceited notions.
happiness and prosperity would prevail
to greater extent People come here for
health, obtain it, and then, perhaps
complain because conditions are not
equally favorable to the acquisition of
wealth. The opulent tourist, with an
eye single to business, remarks, "a man
can't live here The answer Is. ''thous-
ands can't live anywhere else"
But not to moralize further on eli
mate, l will close by wishing everybody
A Happy New Year.
P. J. LAYNE