Northern Missouri and Iowa are certainly the best _cherry countries_ in the world; for every little cherry-sprout was bending with the largest and finest fruit. Now, we were all very fond of cherries; and knowing our cherry-capacity better than any other persons,--whom we had not yet visited,--we concluded to buy our fruit on the following terms: Driving up to a place where the trees were red and bending, we tried our best to look like gentlemen,--I mean fellows who look as though they would take a cherry between thumb and finger, and, after rubbing it with a silk handkerchief, put it in the mouth, squeeze it with the tongue, spit out the seed, etc. We then asked the owner what he would charge us apiece for permission to eat a few cherries from the trees. I suppose we must have succeeded pretty well in our trial to appear delicate, for we bargained generally for five cents apiece; and, mighty Lord! when we perched ourselves in the branches and began, the money did not pay the cherry-man for the time he and his family wasted in watching us, besides the cherries that _our sort of gentlemen could_ and _did_ eat. We never went over the _same road_ twice; but I suppose they do not sell cherries on the tree along there any more. Going north from Kansas City, we again took the Des Moines River Valley, and went for the capital of Iowa. We were _raised_ in a pretty country, and we passed through some on our journey; but this lovely valley, about two miles wide and of the very richest soil, spreading out level as a floor and covered with rich, golden grain, the dwellings here and there all surrounded with trees loaded with beautiful fruit, divided by the Des Moines, rolling between banks all skirted with mighty sycamores, is certainly an Eden to behold. Coming into Des Moines, we found a pretty city, with nice, broad streets, but no gravel. It is situated on both sides of the stream, and all the water is forced from Coon River. There is not a well in the town. The new state-house had been worked at six years, and it would require about four or five more to finish it. It is seven hundred feet long, and when finished will certainly be a grand structure. It is being built of stone, and its cost is approximated at five millions of dollars.