A Trip to Town 



the open prairie may seem attractive, but 

 to one accustomed to even the moderate-sized 

 EngHsh market town, it is to be feared the 

 ordinary little prairie town is very uninviting. 

 There are immense numbers of them dotted along 

 the various lines of railroad, with populations 

 ranging from twenty-five to one hundred and 

 fifty, composed of people who have come together 

 within the last ten or fifteen years, naturally 

 ambitious for themselves and their towns. 



A vast number of such places will probably 

 never amount to much, for as new lines of rail- 

 road are run out, other tiny towns will spring 

 up and tend to attract some of the trade the 

 first already possess. Moreover, as a few forge 

 ahead, it would seem natural for the trade to 

 gravitate thither. 



A few of these little places are what is known 

 as " dry " towns, i.e. where no intoxicants are 

 to be got, openly at least, and it would be well 

 for the settlers if all were so ; but it must be con- 

 fessed that the dry towns are not very popular, 

 and it is said that the hotels in such places can 

 hardly be kept open at a profit. 



Some of these small communities have a pool- 

 room, where that form of billiards is played and 

 soft drinks are sold, but there is a lack of amuse- 

 ment and recreation which is apt to make the 



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