"Long Pine is geographically in the center of the county, and fifteen
miles south of the Niobrara river. Regarding the proposed bridge across
the river, it is not yet completed; think it will be this winter."
From an entirely uninterested party, and one who knows the country
well, I would quote: "Should say that perhaps one-third of Brown county
is too sandy for cultivation; but a great portion of it will average
favorably with the states of Michigan and Indiana, and I think further
developments will prove the sand-hills that so many complain of, to be
a good producing soil."
Water is good and easily obtained.
The lumber and trees talked of, are all in the narrow valley of the
creek, and almost completely hid by its depth, so that looking around
on the table-land, not a tree is to be seen. All that can be seen at a
distance is the tops of the tallest trees, which look like bushes. Long
Pine and Valentine are just the opposite in scenery.
The sand-hills seen about Long Pine, and all through this country, are
of a clear, white sand.
But there, the train is whistling, and I must go. Though my time has
been so pleasantly and profitably spent here, yet I am glad to be
eastward bound.
Well, I declare! Here is Mr. McAndrew and his mother on their way back
from Valentine, and also the agent, Mr. Gerdes, who says he was out on
the Keya Paha yesterday (Sunday) and took a big order from a new
merchant just opening a store near the colony.
Mr. McA. says they had a grand good time at the Fort, but not so
pleasant was the coming from Valentine to-night, as a number of the
cow-boys seen at the depot Saturday morning are aboard and were
drinking, playing cards, and grew quite loud over their betting. As he
and his mother were the only passengers besides them, it was very
unpleasant. The roughest one, he tells me, was the one I took for a
ranch owner; and the most civil, the one I thought had known a better
life. And there the poor boy lay, monopolizing five seats for his sole
use, by turning three, and taking the cushions up from five, four to
lie on, and one to prop up the back of the middle seat. It is a gift
given only to cow-boys to monopolize so much room, for almost anyone
would sooner hang themselves to a rack, than ask that boy for a seat;
so he and his companions are allowed to quietly sleep.
How glad we are to reach Stuart at last, and to be welcomed by Mrs.
Wood in the "wee sma'" hours with: "Glad you are safe back."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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