Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-07-19
ToRoNro, CAN.. July Z. l91l.


FRIEND MUNSON:-
What to write, what not to write:
how much, how little: whether bare
outline, in logical order or irregular
sequence; whether grave. gay or fool
ish in vein; as / saw it or ought to have
seen it-these are some of the cues
tons | have asked myself before put
ting pen to paper. For have a large
audience those interested friends,
yours and mine. and the larger audience
you have gathered by years of pains
taking editorial craft. Moreover,
was always wont to be particular in
taking up pen for, in college days,
had literary aspirations. The habit
still haunts meas spector now, all
hope of Adisonian or lrving-hke skill
having departed and left me miserable
in conscious imperfection. Here then,
let me begin a narrative no, a medly
of observations on my journeyings, Just
as it seems to have been most interest
ing to me.
A week ago, | left Viroqua. Cool
breezes famed us as far as Sparta.
Sandy Sparta was hot, and the suspic-
ious beginning failed us. have SWEET
cred and steamed ever since-felt like
a boiling egg would, imagine. could
it feel, and without getting hardened
to it, like the egg.
We reached Chicago at 7:20 a. m.
During the morning, | strolled up Mich
igan avenue, looked on the blue-gray
waters of the lake, longed in vain for
cool, moisture-laden breezes and then
returned for a trip to the stock yards.
There was scarcely anything but yards.
Saturday was a bad day to see this
wonder; so is Monday, in the DIorniag.
Future visitors take notice. ! wit
messed the methodical pig-sticking in
the Swift packing house; heard the
death squeals. Just think of it, Swift's
Pride Hams begin to be prepared by
swinging a hog by the hind leg to re-
volving drum, thence slipping him to q
seemingly interminable steel rail on
which, first of all. he meets death.
Down he comes on the knife. With
one jab the executioner finds the vital
spot, the blood pours out, and no mat
ter at what angle the hog meets the
pig-sticker, the knife goes home with
unerring precision. never saw such a
pool of blood, but the slayer Of hogs
stands unmoyed beside it, glancing un-
concernedly up at the spectators, whet-
ting his knife and washing it at inter-
walls, stabbing to death, if need be, at
the rate of thousand an hour II seems
10 me the squeals of a million hogs,
which suppose one man could easily
kill in few months, would drive sleep
forever from my eyelids. | would be
worse than Macbeth. But, deary me,
two hundred words on pig-stickingl
That is too voluminous. must con-
dense, for it is only one of a hundred
interesting things to tell about. We
didn't see the cattle killed, but they
hung in butchered goriness, with one
horn dangling loose where the axe had
gone home from the back of il into the
brain. We saw the whole process Of
cleaning, dressing, inspecting and pack
ing mutton, beef and pork. The whole
sixty million dollar concern is a marvel
of systematic efficiency.
The elevated roads took my fancy in
Chicago. Ii is cooler TO ride among
the tops of the houses. only took
one street car ride in Chicago. They
Numbered close past my window at
night every few minutes, but ! slept in
spite of them.
Sunday morning, | attended an M. r
church near the 18th street IL" sta
ton. A good, patriotic sermon, nice
tenor solo, sweet toned pipe organ,
large church and only about sixty peo-
pie present. A deaconess explained
that it was an old story. II used TO be
a popular church, but the rich people
moved away and now the church has
hard time. Sunday afternoon, Wis
tied White City, cool pleasure gre und
almost entirely painted white, where
you may hit niger in the eye, shoot
the chutes, eat ice cream, listen to the
band, have your fortune told, toss rings
for cheap knives, spoon or do hundred
and one other things just for fun and
fancy. Great crowds come here for
recreation and GOODNESS. Back to the
city by the elevated road, out past sew
eral base ball games in progress at the
bottom of huge excavation, to the
lakeside, thence by ferry TO Lincoln
park. Thousands Of people were here.
Picnicing, boating, automobiling, striv-
ing to get cool were the concerns of
the multitude chiefly the last mention
ed effort
The next day found me speeding to-
wards Detroit, | thought it might be
cooler there. The train ride was the
dirtiest | have ever taken. washed
twice enroute and then looked like q
niger when got to Detroit. The pap
ers promised only disappointment. The
first thing they announced on my arriv-
al was, Mercury scars to 100 on the
streets. Next morning speedily de-
cided that. Of all Fourth of July at
fractions, the water would claim me.
took the first boat | came to. II was
bound for Bots Blanc Bob To- park,
as il is popularity called. | chummed
up with an old gentleman, member of
the G. A. r., and he told me many in
teresting things. Passed Fort Wayne
on the route. A few shells could smash
it to smithereens. Many boats laden
with iron ore came across the lake and
down the Detroit river The tonnage
passing down the narrow channel is
enormous. Near Bob-lo park, the lime
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