CHARLES L. YOUNGBLOOD. I3 



to what I had been accustomed, that I could 

 not make up my mind to locate there. I had 

 been used to ten-acre fields, and the broad 

 unfenced prairie did not suit me. I was raised 

 in a country where there was plenty of timber, 

 and did not see how I could get along without 

 it. So despairing of suiting myself in such a 

 country, I turned back to Missouri. Here I 

 finally bought a large farm near the center of 

 the State, where I remained until 1872. 



While living here I suffered considerably 

 from what is commonly called "bad luck," but 

 perhaps a better name for most instances of 

 this class would be mismanagement. But be 

 this as it may, I managed to sink several thou- 

 sand dollars in real estate. A railroad route 

 had been surveyed through the section, and a 

 tow^n laid out. As work was already begun 

 on the proposed railroad, I thought it would 

 be safe to invest on the strength of it. I ac- 

 cordingly purchased a good part of the town 

 at a big price. The railroad fell through, and 

 my town lots depreciated until I was com- 

 pelled to almost give them away. I missed 



