FES 3 
Various. 
WESTERN KANSAS. 
Irrigation a Success; New Canals; Nu¬ 
merous Land Sales; Large Increase 
ot Population. 
MESSRS. H0LME8 AND SWKKTLAND. 
Special correspondent!! of the Rural New-Yorker.) 
Garden City, 
In the Spring of 1882 we sent you a letter 
regarding the experiment of irrigation as a 
means to promote agricultural excellence in 
Western lands, and especially those of West¬ 
ern Kansas. Being somewhat anxious to learn 
about the success or failure of the experiment, 
and also to ascertain whether we had erred in 
our judgment of its feasibility, we took the 
train at Kansas City on the Atchison, Topeka 
and Santa Fd Road, and speeded westward 
until we reached Garden City, Kansas. 
Numerous changes greeted ns here; not 
enough perhaps to indicate anything like 
what might be termed a “ wonderful Western 
boom,” but amply sufficient to show a steady 
and healthy growth. The hotel (our former 
stopping place) had been improved and en¬ 
larged, several new business blocks bad been 
erected, and upon seeking our former friend 
and acquaintance Mr. I. R. Holmes, we 
found that, instead of the little 6x9 frame 
shanty which he was occupying at our former 
visit, he now had offices in a commodious 
block upon the second floor. He has com¬ 
pleted a handsome residence since our visit, 
and seems quite pleasantly situated. 
Irrigation is not an experiment, and its suc¬ 
cess in the growth of enormouB crops has been 
a fixed fact for centuries. In Egypt a sys¬ 
tem of irrigation has been carried on from an 
early period in the history of the world. In 
Italy, Spain, and India irrigation has been 
practiced for very many years. In Colorado 
in the agricultural portions of the State pro¬ 
duction has been started and maintained by 
an artificial system of irrigation, which has 
been annually increased for 23 years, conse¬ 
quently the only question which can be 
brought up regarding the subject of irriga¬ 
tion is, whether this or that particular locali¬ 
ty can be successfully irrigated. In discussing 
that subject in our former letter we gave 
several interesting facts regarding it, which it 
will not be necessary to repeat. The Arkan¬ 
sas River at this point is about half a mile 
wide, with a constant current and never dis¬ 
appears in the sand, a curious freak which 
has occurei for many years further down the 
stream. It is fed during the Spring months 
by the snows and springs of the mountains, 
and there has always been, and undoubtedly 
always will be, a sufficiency of water for ir¬ 
rigating purposes. There are numerous large 
ditches capable of irrigating a vast extent of 
country. 
The Lincoln Canal has been enlarged and 
extended the past year, and when completed 
will furnish water for 60,000 acres of land. It 
enters the Arkansas River about 13 miles 
west of Garden City. The ditches now com¬ 
pleted will work 150,000 acres which are sus¬ 
ceptible to irrigation, 50,000 of which can be 
purchased at from four to seven dollars per 
acre. The ditches are largely owned by home 
residents, who have their capital and interests 
there. They will carry plenty of water, and 
doubtless the river will always afford it. The 
charge to farmers for the nse of water is now 
one dollar per acre. Most parties purchasing 
land and coming to this locality become in¬ 
terested by buying stock in one or more of 
the ditches. 
In our former letter we gave a statement 
regarding Squire Worrell’s farm. We men¬ 
tioned a beautiful field of Alfalfa, and it is 
with pleasure we give the results from that 
little field. It is six acres in extent. The 
crop was harvested four times; three times 
for hay, of which he had four tons to the acre 
(each mowing) for which be received $10 per 
ton; once for seed, resulting in 105 bushels of 
seed, for which he received $10.50 per bushel, 
and for the hay after thrashing he got $6 per 
ton. The total expense for harvesting and 
thrashing was $116. The receipts from the 
six acres were $1,951.25. Worrell’s sweet po¬ 
tatoes went 480 bushels to the acre and 
brought $1 50 per bushel. His Mexican ou- 
ions (a favorite sort here) yielded 600 bushels 
to the acre and were worth $1 per bushel. 
Oats yielded per acre 90 bushels of 42 pounds 
to the bushel. Of Irish potatoes there were 
225 bushels to the acre, valued at $2 per 
bushel. We mentioned that around bis house 
there was a number of cottonwood trees two 
years old, which measured at our visit 14 feet 
in hight. These same trees are now over 30 
feet in hight, having grown 16 to 18 feet in 
one season. His fruit trees have exhibited 
the same wonderful growth, while grapevines 
have extended their growth for over 20 feet, 
which seems quite remarkable to one not con¬ 
versant with the effects of artificial farming. 
Squire Worrell also cat 820 tons of prairie 
hay from his bottom land. 
I, R. Holmes had 15 acres of oats from 
which he harvested 75 bushels per acre, 
sold at 75 cents per bushel; nine acres of 
onions, which ran 400 bushel? to the acre, and 
are now worth in Garden City 80 cents; three- 
quarters of an acre of sweet potatoes from 
which small patch he dug 156 bushels. Cane 
will yield some 20 tons to the acre, and is said 
to be the richest in saccharine matter grown in 
the North. Two large mills for the redaction 
of Amber Cane will be started in Garden City 
this year. The yield of corn has been 51 
bushels to the acre. John Stevens harvested 
over 6,000 bushels of oats, and fine oats, from 
80 acres. The vegetables are all of extraor¬ 
dinary size. Mr. O. P. Reeves, with whom 
we had an interesting conversation, has a 
homestead and timber claim, 30 acres of 
which are under cultivation this year. Irish 
potatoes grow extra-large, the principal varie¬ 
ty being Mammoth Pearl, Early Ohio and 
Peachblow. The Mammoth Pearl is the most 
prolific; lhat and the Early Ohio are the 
universal favorites. He reports from 300 to 
400 bushelB to the acre. He had a large crop 
of El Paso onions, and did fairly with cab¬ 
bage. C. L. Jones has been here about four 
years, and has a farm of 160 acres, 25 of 
which are irrigated. His crop last year con¬ 
sisted of sweet potatoes and oats. His state¬ 
ment to ns was that every 60 feet of row 
produced one barrel of sweet potatoes, for 
which he received six cents a pound, or $8 
per barrel. 
On account of the success of farmers on ir¬ 
rigated farms the country about Garden City 
has improved in far greater proportion than 
the town, which will consequently have its 
boom later. Mr. Holmes reports the sale of 
45.000 acres of railroad land and 15,000 acres 
of other lands, most of the sales being to 
actual settlers. The price of lands near town 
is $30 per acre; five to ten miles distant, $10, 
and further away, from $5 to $7. He will 
answer any inquiries regarding interesting 
points which may not be covered in this cor¬ 
respondence. Stock does excellently all 
through this country’, the range being ex¬ 
ceptionally good. Some owners of sheep 
have raised 110 per cent, of lambs this last 
season. Garden City is in Sequoyah County, 
and will undoubtedly have the 
GOVERNMENT LAND OFFICE 
for the new district recently organized. It 
has now about 500 population, several good 
business blocks, and active merchants, a new 
church and a good school. The county will 
doubtless be organized during the coming 
year, aud as Garden City is the center of the 
county and its most important town, it will 
in all probability become the county seat. 
There is now a weekly paper published here 
called “ The Irrigator,” and Mr. Holmes is 
publishing a journal for free distribution, 
giving a great many interesting facts regard¬ 
ing the character of the country’, its rapid de¬ 
velopment and present prospects. 
CitmUT}. 
THE STORY OF STONY BROOK FARM. 
HENRY 8TKWART. 
CHAPTER XXII. 
I Continued from page 57.) 
They soon reached the place. As the old 
man looked around and into his camp he said, 
“some one’s been here Barley. Don’t you 
see? Here’s the fryiDg pan standing in the 
corner all rusted aud I left it hanging up and 
well greased and in the bag. And here’s a 
pack, by all that’s queer and strange, and 
here’s a hat. Barley, there’B somebody lost 
here and gone crazy. Men do that when 
they’re lost; go stark mad. What makes me 
think so? Why no man but a crazy one would 
go and leave bis hat and pack in the camp. 
And it’s a loug time ago. I was here—let me 
see—when you were down home last, three 
years ago, and not since. It’s since then; but 
a long time ago, for the pan’s rusted near 
through and the pack yon see is rotten; let's 
see what’s in it; the mice and varmints have 
gnawed into it and eaten out all the grub you 
see. Why here’s some papers. Here Barley 
see what they are, my eyes are too old. Take 
care boy those papers are near rotten too.” 
“Jonas! here—take them quick. I’m—I’m— 
“ What’s the matter with the boy f It can’t 
be—it must be! It’s Jonas Pratt, 1 bet a big 
button. Come, my boy; I’ll soon get you over 
that foolishness. But I don’t blame you.” 
And he poured water from the brook on 
the young man’s face; loosened the neck¬ 
band of his shirt, and very soon a long, deep 
breath aud a quivering of the lips showed he 
was recovering. A few drops of whiskey 
fully restored him. 
“ It’s Cousin Jonas Pratt,” said he, as soon 
as he could speak. 
At that instant one of the dogs bayed and 
then gave a long howl and a short yelp. 
“ Will yon go, Barley ? The dog has found 
him, or what there is of him.” 
“ Yes, let us go; I can Btand anything now; 
but it took me too sudden.” 
They crossed the brook and entered a low 
thicket, where they were met by the dog. 
“ Well, Bill, what Is it ? Go find.” 
And the dog went forward a few steps and 
stopped before a small heap of leaves, out of 
which appeared the end of a bone partly cov¬ 
ered with the weather-worn sleeve of an old 
coat; and the animal lifted its head and 
howled mournfully, 
" Now, Barley, let me turn that ere over. 
Here’s the poor fellow, snre enough. But not 
all of him. Turn the leaves over carefully; 
here’s the skull dragged off by some critter. 
Here’s more of him; and here’s some rags of 
clothes.” 
“Now, how did it happen? Ah! I see. 
Barley, what did I tell you once ? Look 
here, at that birch limb, with a twisted noose 
at the end of it. and the man’s yellow beard 
st ill tangled in the twisted twigs. There’s the 
hull story. Hanged himself here all alone, 
with that branch. Climbed the little tree 
and twisted that noose around his throat and 
swong himself off and died here all alone. 
What a miserable end! ” 
“ Let ns go to the camp. We can’t help it 
now, and we mustn’t touch anything until the 
squire comes out. Let us get some supper and 
talk about it afterwards. Will you get some 
fish, or make a fire 1 Well, I’ll make the fire, 
then, and clean up the rusty pan.” 
And soon the two were seated on the log 
near the fire, looking into it and watching 
the quivering flame as the fish with the pork 
fat sputtered and sizzled in the pan; and the 
scent of it diffused itself on the heavy, damp 
air. The supper was eaten in silence; the 
fresh boughs were gathered for the bed and 
wood brought up for the fire. 
A quantity of pine knots were picked out of 
a rotten tree which lay near, to make a light, 
The men reclined on the fragrant hemlock 
brash in the camp and then Jonkins said: 
“Barley look over those papers, they may 
throw some light on this.” 
“Well, first, here’s a deed of the low farm 
from Jonas Pratt to me; and here’s a receipt 
from George Bates—that's his neighbor on the 
Stone House farm.” 
“I remember it, go on.” 
“For a trust deed of all the personal prop¬ 
erty on the farm and in the house in my favor, 
held by George Bates for me. Then here’s 
another paper which I guess I’ll read if I can. 
‘ Be it known to all men by these presents 
that I Jonas Pratt, of the Town of Goshen, 
in Housatonic County, in the State of Con¬ 
necticut, do acknowledge and confess that I 
have wronged my cousin Barley Merritt by 
making a false and fraudulent will purport¬ 
ing to be the will of my uncle John Merritt, 
by whieh I have defrauded my said cousin, 
Barley Merritt, of his just rights and lawful 
property. Aud further, that it is my desire 
and intention to restore the said property 
consisting of the farm and personal property 
mentioned in the said will, or other personal 
property equivalent thereto, and that for that 
purpose and with that Intention I have this 
day conveyed to my said cousin by deed and 
conveyance, the said farm, and by trust deed 
to George Bates of the town and county 
aforesaid, in trust for my said cousin all the 
personal property now upon said farm. And 
this I have done in the hope that the property 
here mentioned may be accepted as a restora¬ 
tion and in return of that which I had de¬ 
frauded my said cousin of. And I hereby ask 
the forgiveness of my said cousin for the 
wrong and injury I have done to him. In 
witness whereof I hereto set my hand and 
affix my seal. In presence of George Bates, 
and signed, Jonas Pratt.” 
“ Poor fellow,” said Josiah Jonkins. “And 
he came all this way to make that reparation. 
He deserved a better fate. Although I don’t 
know. The other evil he had done couldn’t 
be so easily repaired as this, aud that must 
have preyed on his mind terribly. How did 
it come about ? I should like to know that. 
It must have been remorse and a knowledge 
that he was found out I expect, or perhaps it 
was a true repentance.” 
“ Well, what’s to be done ? 
“ The first thing to do is to get the justice 
out here, I guess. Barley; and we must not 
move anything until he comes. What the 
poor fellow must have suffered! It is clear 
he must have been lost, or he would never 
have got so far out of his way as this. And 
when a man’s lost in the woods his reason 
leaves him, that is when he is not used to it. 
Now I can see it all, as I lie here. Listen to 
that wild cat screaming. We don’t mind it, 
but how the horrible sound would curdle the 
blood of a man scared aud frightened and 
pursued by a seuse of guilt and who never 
heard it before aud don’t know what it is. 
Listen to that dismal groaning too; we know 
it ia a branch of a tree, rubbing against 
another,’ as it is swayed by the wind. Bn*- 
how weird and unearthly it sounds. Why, 
when we really listen, the woods we think so 
quiet are full of sounds; the leaves are rust¬ 
ling—hear them—and the wind moans Bnd 
sighs—and that dreadful groaning comes and 
goes; now here overhead, and now away off, 
and that horrible scream close-by, of tbe 
wild cat, is answered by another—d’ye hear 
it?—a mile off: all this, when we listen, is 
enough to make my old flesh creep and chills 
run np and down my back. May be it’s the 
poor bones lying yonder that makes me feel 
so. I never felt so before, and I would 
rather a good deal have yon here, Barley, 
than be alone just now.” 
“Bah! what is it after all! If nothing nat¬ 
ural will hurt us, surely nothing supernatu¬ 
ral will. But there is surely something that 
connects us—living here, with the spiritual 
and unearthly. We may call it superstition, 
but it is real and not imaginary. Many a 
night as I have laid awake in my camp I have 
felt such strange emotions. I have been snre 
my old mother was close by and I have 
talked to her many a time. I knew she was 
near me—I could feel and I believed it.” 
But look there Barley! just beyond the 
fire, don’t you see that white skeleton bending 
over there, and swaying its white arms, 
and stretchtng out its white bony fin¬ 
gers? See it! How the ghastly head shakes 
and sways from side to side. Now it seems to 
dartnponu8: and then it draws back. Don’t 
you see it?” 
. “Pshaw! yes; its’s only that dear white 
birch with the wild fire on it, I’ve seen it be¬ 
fore, and the loose bark on it blowing back 
and forth and the dead hanging limb swaying 
in the wind.” 
“I know. But pat a poor terrified crea¬ 
ture here all alone, lost, bewildered and crazed; 
and how he would cronch and hide himself in 
the deepest corner of the camp and shiver 
and crawl all night long. And the next day 
rather than pass such another night he would 
make away with himself as that poor fellow 
did.” 
[To be Continued.! 
£or VUcmm. 
CONDUCTED BY MISS RAY CLARK. 
A WOMAN’S RIGHT. 
I am a firm believer in women’s rights—not 
Women's Rights, Women's Wrongs, snd 
everything else for Women with a capital W 
as expounded by the shrieking sisterhood 
of modern reformers —save the mark—but 
her right to shape manners, morals and minds 
by her own purity and true womanliness. 
How much women could do, if they only 
chose! But it is hard for the average girl to 
choose which path to take. She must either 
submit and take things as they are, and trust 
to her mental and moral constitution for the 
rest, or she may, by her outspeaking, by her 
firm convictions of right and wrong, earn the 
reputation of being a “ peculiar girl,” or the 
epithet of “strong-minded.” From the keen 
contempt with which many women use this 
latter term, one would infer that weakness of 
mind is held an essential quality of true 
womanliness. 
The great trouble with many women, and 
men too, for that matter, is want of self-reli¬ 
ance. If a woman, having chosen what she 
knows to be right, holds to her path, ever on¬ 
ward and upward, regardless of opposition, 
she will sooner or later find others to join her. 
Take, for instance, the question of morals. 
Let a woman, no matter what her condition 
or associations are, show that in her mind pu¬ 
rity and honor, truthfulness and courage, are 
the only things worthy of striving for, and 
she will soon find how much deference is 
shown to her principles. Above all, she must 
show a stern, unwavering antagonism to 
“spiritual wickedness in high places. - ’ There 
are always plenty ready to excuse the mis¬ 
deeds of those in high places, but such con¬ 
duces best described by the brusque old prov¬ 
erb, 1 ‘Holding a candle to the devil.” 
In conclusion ; many imaginative girls 
think, because their lines are cast in quiet 
places, they can do no good to humanity. A 
mountain brook is a little thing, but by-and- 
by it becomes a river; and one pure, self 
denying life will be felt long after it has passed 
from this world. Emily L. Taplin. 
OLD—NEW FURNITURE. 
Many of our readers no doubt live in old- 
fashioned houses, and in these houses there 
are garrets, good, roomy, cedar-smelling gar¬ 
rets, where lor years have beeu stowed away 
odd pieces ot furniture, that have been re¬ 
moved to make a place for the newer styles, 
as the children one after the other visited 
city houses, and returned dissatisfied with the 
tables or chairs that were bought when their 
grandmother was married, which having been 
carefully used are as good as ever, even 
though they are old-fashioned. But the 
must be taken away, and the newer style 
