IN DAKOTA. 1l 
say the air is so dry that they do not feel the cold: as: 
much as they used to when they lived where the mer- 
cury seldom or never got down to zero. There are a 
good many people out there who are pleased with the 
country and are making money, and if my good 
health continues I think I can do as well as any of 
them. I am tired of this thing of raising crops and 
giving half of them for the use of the land I raise 
them on. Out there I shall have land of my own, 
and all that [ raise on it will be mine. I regret to 
leave my friends here, of course, but in these days of 
railroads it is not much of a journey from [Illinois to © 
Dakota, and I shall try to deserve good friends out 
there, and presume [ shall have them in time.” 
TAKING A RISK. 
“Yes, [ have nodoubt you will. _ But, really, it does 
seem to me that you're taking a good deal of a msk in 
leaving a good place here, among your old friends and 
acquaintances, who have known you all your life, and 
who would do anything in their power for you, and 
where you are not only making a good living, but lay- 
ing up something every year, and going out there on 
the frontier. where you may have no neighbors 
nearer than four or five miles, and if you do raise any 
crops it will cost you more than they are worth to get 
them to market. Why, you may not have a railroad 
within thirty to fifty miles of you. Remember, Tom, 
that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. 
You've got your. bird in hand here in the shape of a 
