Year: 1873

-


WHERE.


Before this letter ia in type / will
be waiting my way homeward like a
gentle perfume. just about.


In Kansas City they speak of Den
yer as flourishing hamlet, and then
they shrug their shoulders. In Den.
yer they think that Kansas City
would be passable place if it was on
earth.


The favorite expression here is "ln
time" Such a "man will in time
make a fortune" And so on. "In
time" is Che popular quali6er used in
every connection. They tell me here
that graveysrds are not needed for
residents, they are merely laid out as
an act Of courtesy to Eastern visitors.
This intelligence affected me very
much, and yisibly shortened my stay
in Denver. Kindness always did
overcome me.


We passed number of settlements
on the line of the Kansas Pacific.
They were in fourishing condition
and amply provided with printing
offices and churches, but l would have
freely traded them all FOR one buffalo.
i is an awful thing to want to see a
buffalo, and not see it.


The markets of Denver are super.
Tor, the saloons are elegant, and in one
of these places are billiard tables
which are pronounced by people who
know to be equal to anything in New
York. Ta see shirtsleeved miners
and bull whackers punch balls over
these tables, is pext in impressiveness to
the eternal snows."


We found the populations of the
cities at the depOts. Tbs men were
generally whittling--not slashing of
chips as yeu see in the East, but soft
ly tapering down the stick, lovingly
fondling it like a man would do if he
were whiting off the end of his nose.
Only the wealthy whittle anyway, be.
cause the timber is scarce.


Going West from Kansas City, on
the Kansas Pacific Railroad not even
q tree was in sight, but from the track
to the sky beyond was sea of living
green, vast unlimited field of bril-
liant sod. / don't know as brilliant
is proper qualifer for sod, but /
heard finely educated gentleman on
the cars the other day speak of an "el.
egant sausage" And his shirt opened
behind,


These are admirable grazing lands
| did not see cattle on O thousand
hills, but saw thousand cattle on
no hills. Herd after herd we passed
as we whirled along, and attending
them were rough looking men on
horses. Men who have been idelized
in novels, only in novels they are
known as rangers, but here they. are
simply denominated "bull- whackers.' u


If you come across any statements
in this letter that appears TO be rather
figurative, so to speak, you must re.
member that the letter is written on
the cars while in motion, which are
apt to make the soundest statements
and the most awful truths appear
vague like. The motion of running
train is uncertain. l start to give
som facts that would make q river
open it's mouth, when a sudden move
sends the pencil out of the golden
realms of truth into the obscene at,
mosphere of levity. I wish now that
had written this pamphlet at ths bo
tel, because Denver is very delicate
subject to handle under the most ia
vorable circumstances.


P. S. 1 may be mistaken, but
feel certain that a careful survey O.
the above letter will not reveal the
! least reference to Pixies Peak anc
Longs Peak as being so far distant
and SO wonderfully discernable from
Denver. am the only writer who
has performed this feat, and ]
feel proportionately prsud of it, but ]
should hardly attempt it again.