402 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



a new church, crowned with the cross, 1 that tells us that 

 we are in the midst of a thriving settlement of Prussian 

 Germans, thousands of whom are annually occupying the 

 tens of thousands of vacant acres of land in this country. 

 They are generally men of but moderate means, and con- 

 tent themselves with second rate land, and conduct their 

 farming operations upon a small and rude plan, and 

 adopt the improvements in agriculture of their go-ahead 

 Yankee neighbors with slow caution. Yet there are some 

 things that we may learn of them. If they do not go over 

 as much ground, they generally do it better. They almost 

 universally use oxen instead of horses ; and what is more, 

 you will find their rude log stables plastered up with mud, 

 so that they are as warm and comfortable as their own 

 dwellings, and comparatively more neat; for it must be 

 said that the inside of their houses often presents such 

 an appearance in regard to neatness and comfort, as 

 would be "shocking" to some of my down East lady 

 friends, who look upon a log cabin at best, as a name 

 synonymous with every degree of discomfort. 



Eight miles from home, we cross the western line of 

 Indiana, and enter upon the eastern borders of the great 

 prairie State of Illinois, over hills, and through ravines 

 and deep dells, that will give the lie to that preconceived 

 idea that the dwellers upon our broad prairies, inhabit 

 one vast level plain. This part of the State (Will 

 county,) is thinly timbered, and dotted with farms, all 

 of which have sprung into existence within the last ten 

 years, at which time I knew it as one vast wilderness. 

 I spent the night in the hospitable mansion of Dr. Hitch- 

 cock, late postmaster of "Crete," but who, like many 

 others of the devoted friends of agricultural improve- 

 ment, who never abused the franking privilege, but some 

 times used it to advance that science, has been thrust 

 aside to make room for a more active politician. I visited 



1 Ball mentions a Catholic chapel built on Prairie West, a few 

 miles west of Lake Court House, in 1843. Lake County, from 

 1834 to 1872, 88. 



