The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-31
From Other Pens
VANDERBILT IN THE SHORT
CP

GRASS.
Crossing the Cimarron river. a mile
Or so west of the bridge which has
been built to carry the new road, the
trail climbs out of the breaks into
Stevens county, coming to the aban-
doned site of Woodsdale, once the rival
of Hugoton. The issue was the county
seat, of course, and Woodsdale lost.
and, losing, died; died in bloodshed
and tragedy. However, 1t is not the
purpose here to tell that tale. For
it was a long time ago; legend only III
the mind of the population which
since has come, and the survivors of
the period who remain have put il
aside, and recollection of it no longer
vexes. The common cause now is to
build up Stevens county. and parti-
sans Of both t, 'wns, who remain in the
country, either live in or trade at
Hugoton in peace and unity.
The country out this way is grave
yard of dead towns, and of human
hopes which lived and died with them.
An example, no less hopeful and ag-
gressive than Woodsdale, but not
bloody, and never SO tragic, was
SPRINGFIELD, eastward in Seward
county. Indeed, Springfield was even
more pretentious than Woodsdale; for
it rose to the dignity of waterworks
"a great tank high upon a tower.
pumps and wells, water coursiaS
through iron pipes, fire plugs ready
for business. and, logically, a fire de-
partment. These remained long after
the town was hauled to Liberal, AMI
for many years, until decay claimed
them, the fire plugs stood hidden in
the weeds, the wonder of strangers
who crossed the prairie by the trail
which led that way.
The trail angles across the Woods
dale townsite, meandering among the
old excavations where the habitationS
of men once stood, now taken possess
sion of by prairie dogs and owls. The
writer, on former journey over this
plain, crossed the old townsite in the
night, the lamps of the automobile
finding the way through the hillocks
and holes, dimly visible in the soft
moonlight The scene summoned
thoughts of a graveyard, and the
imagination conjured up ghosts of the
past-of Sam Wood and his lieuten-
ants, of Judge Theodosius Botkin, OF
the hay meadows, of night riders, of
bands of men warning for supremacy
on the plain. Only these foundations.
buffalo grass fast healing the scars
they made on the earth's surface, and
the memories they summon, remain of
W0odsdale--
$50 fleet the works of men
Back to the earth again;
Ancient and holy things
Fade like a dream"
Sam Wood, who lost his life in the
struggle, lies buried in Chase county:
Brannan, who killed him, if still living,
is a wanderer on the face of the
!
bench through all the stormy period.
is a United States consul in Nova
Scotia; night riders take saddle no
more; warning bands have ceased their
troubling; peace and industry claim
the plain
There are 800 days of sunshine in
the short grass year of Kansas The
autumn especially is alluring. Moth
ing is so reStful, so refreshing, for
body or mind, as the sunshine and
quickening atmosphere of these alti-
tudes in October and November; no
medicine is equal to it, no healer's
cure. The two days passed by Mir.
Morse and his guests in Stevens and
Morton counties were typical of the
season. The monotony of the plain,
spreading evenly to the skyline,
possessed the charm of the sea. and
under the spell of sun, and sky, and
air, spirits ran high. Even the
meadowlark, from the ridge-pole of
the new settlers tent. gave voice to
belated song; across the distance the
friendly hail of chanticleer. Every
where peace and plenty, the harvest
in, the seasons work done, time pass
ing gently into winter quarters; over
all the glory of the sun and the azure
depths of the empyrean.-F. L. Van
degrift, in the Earth"