My host, Pullman by name, had recently returned from the Pacific coast and to my eager inquiries was able to tell me much about the country between Omaha and Sacramento. At night, after having made twenty-one miles, I reached this place and was domiciled with the family of Mrs. Charlotte Bills, who came formerly from Jefferson County, New York. As my native county of Saint Lawrence adjoins Jefferson, the Bills and I had a lively talk on "Old York State," and I became much interested in the work of this enterprising woman and her family. Mrs. Bills has succeeded in a direction which has not generally been attempted by women; this is the management of a farm. She does a good business and supports herself and children by raising corn for which, in this stock-raising locality, she finds a ready market. The corn is generally bought for hog feed and as these animals quickly fatten upon it, it is profitable. The practical rather than the romantic has place with these Western people who are striving for a livelihood. Each day gave me new ideas of people and their occupations--but this woman-farmer was something unusual and certainly very praiseworthy. One Hundred and Fortieth Day. _Milan House_, MILAN, ILLINOIS, _September Twenty-eighth_. Mounted my horse at eight o'clock and by easy riding reached a farm house in Rock River Bottom, where I passed the noon hour. After dinner I made good time as the weather had changed and become cold, reminding me of the necessity of hurrying on if I would avoid the deep snows which the traveller is sure to encounter in the elevated regions farther west and it was every day more evident that I could not well afford to allow my lecture appointments to conflict with the dispatch of my journey. [Illustration: AN ILLINOIS VILLAGE.] On starting from Genesseo in the morning it was my intention to make Moline the evening objective, but I was compelled to halt at Milan--twenty miles from the morning starting-point--where the bridge was torn up that crossed Rock River at this point. Being delayed, I sent a note forward to Davenport informing Babcock that I would cross the Mississippi the following afternoon at three o'clock; in the meantime waiting, with what patience I could muster, for the bridge work to proceed. CHAPTER XXI. FOUR DAYS AT DAVENPORT.