West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1900-02-08
UNDER THE COTT0NwOODS,
A Sketch OF Life ON a Prairie Homestead. /.
sy oRKN =. MORTON.

ny oRRN =. MORTON.
This series of sketches, descriptive of the
settlement and civilization of the Great West,
deals with a subject of unfailing interest; and
the romance gives place to historical aceur-
acy, and thread of narrative connects the
whole and makes of il story Cooper's
Story-hiS masterpiece ''rhe Prairie"
dealt with the advent Of the trapper into the
region beyond the Mississippi, and his en-
counter with the Indian and the buffalo.
Mr. Morton takes up the theme where Coop
er leaves off, and describes the coming of
the settler and his conquest of the wild
prairie and its transformation into an agri-
cultural county. The heroes of the book,
the Colwood family, are types of the emf.
grant to the West at the period treated in
the book. The head of the household was
an honest man with an uncomfortable pro-
pensiiy for going in debt. Debts run him
out of Pennsylvania where he had a comfort
able home. Debts drove him out of Iowa
and across the Missouri river, and even on
the almost uninhabiled plains of Nebraska
he soon managed to get heels over head in
debt.
The heroes of the story are MIR. Colwood's
two sons, Ben and George, and each finally
became prominent, the one in business and
the other in politics, although they had
long and hard struggle up from poverty to
aiauenee, The FIRST sketch is truly emil
grant enc and describes the family loading
their household goods into large, covered
wagon-called "Prairie Schooner"
''pulling up stakes" for the land of the set
ting sun. The schooner is thus described
"The conversion of the farm wagon into
prairie schooner excited much curiosity on
the part Of the boys. Several stout hickory
bows, fastened in sockets TO the outer side
of the wagon body, constituted frame over
which was stretched canvas covering This
was also fastened Co the ouisdcs of the
wagon, and its margin overlapping each out
er bow, was hemmcd for the insertion of n
rope. by drawing these ropes taut the in
terror of the wagon could be well protected
ftom wind and rain. AT other times, the
cover would need To- be open in front TO per-
init the driver TO have view of the road
The term, raric schooner, is indeed sug-
gcstive. On the great prairie, with its broad
travel, the whte-topped wagon reminds one
of ship at sea. II may be occupied at
night, and as it may even harbor stove in
working order, II is thus n very house on
wheels, lourishing beside the railroad, even
though the latter is fast interlacing the
prairie states with network of iron.n
The journey of the schooner over three
hundred miles of plains is graphically told
| tI...,
Creek" and the hundreds of new scenes
and experiences. The reader who imagines
that the wild plains would furnish few stir
ring incidents or new sights, will find him
self agreeably surprised. The boys soon
lift up their voices in lamentations because
the wild fruits on which they fe eistcd in Iowa,
are very scarce in Nebraska But they soon
forget this in the excitement OF a genuine
prairie FIRE. Then comes the other extreme,
the blizzard which lifts one off his feet and
freezes him before he hits the ground.
Then comes the drought, followed Icy
ober pecuia tiles of Nebraska in that day.
| There is the sod house. the plank house,
and tho first school house with lis poorly
paid, usually poorly educated teacher, who
shucks corn to pay his board when his salary
is insufficient for that purpose, and at the
same time TO meet his other requirements.
The "Jayhawker" (wood thief and the
''elaim jumper" pass like blight across the
scene, and gradually disappear. Civilization
grows, and, in course of time, enough set
ilers gel together TO hold Fourth of July
celebration; and then the travelling preacher
comes to the front and the Sunday congrega-
tions are typical Of that ime and place.
The growth continues until there are mem
bers Of the legislature, editors and book
agents, and civilization has reached the
j climax.
The cover Of this book is an artistic de-
sign, made especially for it by the Art Stu
dents in the University Of Nebraska. They
competed for a prize in designing il.
Following will be found specimen page
from the book