Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1900-02-09
OUR IOWA LETTER.
Mrs. Clara Lacey Greene tells some of the
1uestions n.ked of her about the
Black Hills.

Mrs. Clara Lacey Greene tells some of the
Questions n.kel of her about the
Black Hills.
MY DEAR Miss KING:
Could you drop i'll to your home city
this morning and get a sniff of the
breeze waited to us from the most re-
mote northern corner of the klondyke,
you would soon see that our much
boasted of january thaw' is at an
end, and we are having taste of real,
genuine, old time Iowa winter weather,
but / have nothing to complain of,
however, as am fnll-tledged Iowan,
and was "brought up" as it we're on
this sort of "stuff," so am in my nat
ural weather element for this time of
year and am feeling just splendid, with
an appetite away up in G.
Your father called some two weeks
age to inquire after you. 1 told him
what a good girl you we're, that every
body liked you for your good, practi.
cal common sense, nothing put on, all
genuine with you. u shall expect you
to meet me at the train and pay me my
commission the day get there for all
thisy l also told him what fine
school house Hot Springs had, but new
er mentioned "tuition' once for I know
what to tell and what not to tell-and
I'm not going around telling these
"small things" that would hurt the
town and keep strangers away. OF
course when I'm there l speak "right
out in meetin'" when things don't go
to suit me and when the town is stand
ing in its own light in the way of pro-
gression, but that is different, as you
are there to take your own part you
know! Why here we never say ''tui-
ton" once, but even furnish the text
books free now in West Des Moines.
l also showed your father my large
collection of Black Hills photos which
he seemed to enjoy very much. When
we came to the picture of "The Cabin"
he laughed and said "Yes, Lucy likes
the Cabin and has told me all about it"
trust you will not think me egotist-
ical when 1 tell you that old-timers
like Henry Plumb, Mr.. Abdill, and
Col. Godfrey, and many others have
said "Why, Mrs. g.. you look SO we'll,
you look at least ten years younger
than when you went to Dakota!" This
elates me so that say, we'll if that is
the case will go back to Dakota and
stay five years and by that time will
look SO young you will not know me at
said to me that are tlatterins to our
Dakota climate, l more often have to
answer insane questions. like the fol.
lowing, and asked by nice, sane people
at that, whom you would naturally sup
pose would be away up in Geography
and general information of country
that is so near as to be called "neigh
bor," but on the contrary they have u
all mixed up with bad lands, blizzards S
indians lin the rough,) starvation, ant
many other infirnities that our fail
South Dakota never heard of. / sa.
ssour" because have been in Dakot
long enough to know enough of he
climate, people and natural resource
to resent such stupid questions, an
can. feel my "porcupine quills' bristl
ing with resentment the minute sue
questions as the following are asked
"What do you have to eat up there?
with an emphasis ON the long draw
out 'there." Why, we live on pebble.
pine cones and water from the brook:
and those that are fleet of foot have a
occasional rabbit After have mad
fun of their question then say, VIII.
we have the fat of the land, for 20
know we are rich in grazing and mir
ing lands. They ask where? how nea
you? then show them pictures {
Deadwood, Lead, and dwell on th
great Homestake mine and the ric
Grantz find only last spring, when tt
first car load of ore sent out by tn
lucky, worthy German brought him
eighty-five thousand dollars with MOI
to follow. also show them the pi
ture of tho Holy Terror mine at Ke
stone where we had just emerged fro
the cage in 'sslickers" and rubb
boots, after having been down und
the ground seven hundred feet. al
tell them that there we're SO maj
stock trains passing my hotel Il
Harney, at Rapid City that the moi
greatly disturbed my rest, and that t
railroads report the stock shipmen
from that region at eight Thousand C
loads per annum.
But the question that floored me W
"Do you have any churches up there
Regarded this as just little too "pt
sonal." Igasped for breath and look
Y for something to lean ON. said IN
STS dear madam do look like heathe
1oT look like I had nOt sean tho