Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-03-24

from?" Il am from South Dakota
l replied but l did not come from
South Dakota directly to Texas. |
came up here to Texas, from Cuba,
where | spent the winter" saw by
the expression on his face, that he
had not the slightest idea where these
places we're, but to make sure | said,
l"TOu know where Cuba is, don I
you?" 1t is only a little ways south
of Florida you know" NO" he
shook his head. well you certainly
know where South Dakota is"
i"South Dakota Is one OF the United
States, "No,' he shook his head
Iagain. "Do they raise cotton in
Dakota?" he asked. mo" ] replied,
Il never saw cotton plant before in
my life. until | came here to the
southern states He looked at me
wonderingly. That must be queer
place where ! came from, where they
did not raise cotton. GLOW long are
youan going to stay here?" he next
asked. mot very long," says / II
want to 90 up into Oklahoma, Kansas,
Colorado, out to California, and up
through Oregon, Washington, and
possibly British Colum bia in Canada,
and / want to get home in about
year from now. His face wore a blank
expression of noncomprehension until
| mentioned Canada. Then with the
assurance Of the knowledge that he
was on familiar ground, he said:-
Canada? Canada is not very big is
it?" "Why yes" | replied, Canada
is large country" II have an aunt
who lives over in Canada, have been
there, 1t is not near as big as Granger"
says he. 1t was my turn to look my
wonderment. l subsequently found
out that his Canada, was a little town
in Texas, not more than fifteen or
twenty miles away from his home.
'Have you never studied Geography,
and haven't you got some books over
at your home?" l asked. 80 yes, we
got some books, l have read right
smart about Sears & ROebuck al
ready" / could not help smiling;
and yet l pitied him. "W hat about
this Sears & Roebuck?" says l. "Is
| it a town some where?" Texas is a
very large state, and l could not be
certain as to what one might run
across within it's borders "Ies," 1t
was town, he thot. "Is it in Texas?"
l asked, "Yes, it is in Texas" "You
order goods; shoes and clothes and
such things; by mail, from this Sears
e. Roebuck l suppose, said /. "Yes. "
and he started in enthusiastically to
tell about it. Then l tried to tell
him what this thing, Sears & Roebuck
really was, and where they we're To-
Gated, but he did not comprehend.
''Their headquarters and place of
business is in Chicago, and Chicago Is
a very large city in the State of III
inois." said I "Do you "save" Illinois?
Do you know where that state is?"
He shook his head. 'Well Texas is a
very large state" says |. "But there
are other states in the Union besides
Texas, and altogether they make up
our oulUcC oCdCCo. " yCo'
he said, Il know that there are diff
ferent countries, for there Is Texas,
and the world. and ! have heard a.
bout Jurrup."
Leaving Granger, ! started north
for Oklahoma, stopping of day at
Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is
one of the largest cities in Texas, and
is busy wide awake place. Proceed
ing north to Oklahoma ! hired out to
a thrifty farmer living on what is
known as Deer Creek near Edmond,
about thirty miles from Oklahoma
City. Oklahoma City has sprung up
from nothing, to one Of the greatest
cities east of the Rocky Mountains.
within the last 2l years. Before that
time, Oklahoma was the home Of the
Indian, and wild game. The phenO-
monal growth Of Oklahoma, and es-
pecially the city of Oklahoma, has
attracted the attention and, wonder
Of the entire United States. Oklahoma
is rich, principally as an agricultural
state, but has also vast resources in
gas and oil wells, of which there Is an
abundant supply in certain localities
l struck Oklahoma about the first
of June. All along the line, from Fort
Worth to The Oklahoma boundary,
the farmers were harvesting their
oats and wheat, and / congratulated
myself on my good fortune in coming
to Oklahoma, just in time to do the
"harvest hand" stunt. But the grain
was not quite ripe yet in central
Oklahoma, SO l tackeled a Job of corn
cultivating, with wages Of one dollar
per day and board.
My employer was pretty thoroughly
disgusted with the man whose place !
was to take, and whom he had fired;
so he gave me to understand pretty
clearly from the start what was what
and what he expected of me. was
not bit scared, but told him that if
! took his money in exchange for my
services, l would give him my time
and labor unstintingly, for value re-
cieved. We got along famously.
pi1inn ho iuo oil lou