"And angry waters closed above,

The Star of Day and Pale Faced Dove."

And pearls and gems a glittering lot
Had there been brought to deck their grot.
And there e'en now still live and love
The Star of Day and Pale Faced Dove.
Not mortals now but spirits grown
They claim the lake as all their own,
And watch its waters night and day.
And never since that time, they say,
Across the lake in his canoe
Has gone as yet a single Sioux.
But if he venture on the wave
No power is able him to save
From angry spirits who with frown
A whirlpool set to drag him down.
And no Red Man dare undertake
To sail upon this Spirit Lake,
But if the white man's jolly boat
Upon its silvery surface float,
Quick ceases then the whirlpool's spell,
The spirits know their people well,
And by a ripple on the wave
Tell where is hid their shining cave.

A

CHAPTER XXIV.

CAUSES DELAYING EMIGRATION-A

PERIOD OF

DULLNESS-THE EARLY WORK OF THE METHODIST

EPISCAPAL CHURCH-THE EARLY PREACHERS

THE FIRST CAMP MEETING-THE FIRST RELIGIOUS
REVIVAL THE FEARFUL

STORMS-BLIZZARDS—

WHO COINED THE WORD-A

DESCRIPTION FROM

THE "GREAT DIVIDE"- A FEW EXPERIENCES-A

ROMANTIC WEDDING TRIP.

SIDE FROM MATTERS connected with the operation of troops along the border for the prevention of fur ther outrages, matters on the frontier were very quiet during the remainder of the war. The county organization was kept up, but people paid but little attention to local matters. Here as elsewhere the war was the all-absorbing topic. There was hardly a family but had its representative in the army. The population of frontier counties either remained stationary or diminished. There was hardly any emigration except the few who struck for the frontier to avoid the draft. No improvements were made and many that were in course of construction and others that were projected were abandoned. Fields were allowed to grow up with weeds, and fences were used for fuel. The population of the county diminished materially, and although the first settlement was in 1856 the population in the spring of 1865 was but a little in excess of two hundred. With the exception of a little stock raising, farming was almost entirely neglected. The settlements were confined to the immediate neighborhood of the groves, the prairies being as yet untouched. Since the crash of 1857 there had been but little or no demand for government land.

Everybody imagined that after the close of the war there would be an unprecedented rush for the frontier, and that event was looked forward to with a great deal of anxiety. The ample provision made by the government for the defense of the frontier quieted the apprehensions of the settlers, and but little more occurred worthy of record as a matter of history during the period under consideration. The years dragged themselves slowly along until the collapse of the rebellion and the return of peace. The expectation that the return of peace would give a new impetus to emigration and that our prairies. would commence filling up at once were but partially realized at this time so far as this county was concerned. That came later.

The rare chances offered at the South attracted attention in that direction at the expense of the West, and many who had severed their business connection at the North in answer to the call for troops now thought they saw openings in that direction to commence business again superior to those of the undeveloped regions of the West. Again, the building of the Pacific Railroad commenced about that time and as it opened up a large and romantic region to settlement, it drew the larger part of western emigration to points along its line, and more especially that class of emigration who could command capital.

Another agency that had been depended upon to stimulate emigration to this region was the passage by Congress of the homestead law. But the situation of affairs here at that time was not favorable to the complete success of its operation. While it was unquestionably a great benefit to many, it did not have a tendency to bring capital into the country, but, if anything, the tendency was in the opposite direction. A great many who depended upon their labor for a living imagined that if they could only get a piece of government land their

fortunes would be made, and the immediate results of that law as demonstrated in this and adjoining counties was that many who had no idea of the hardships and privations of a new country, and who had always spent their money as soon as earned, spent their last dollar in squatting upon a piece of government land and then found themselves perfectly helpless. Not having been in the habit of laying their plans beforehand, but of spending their money as fast as they earned it, they were illy prepared to surmount the difficulties which fall to the lot of all new countries.

The inevitable result of this state of affairs was that the country developed more slowly than would have been the case with a more wealthy and energetic class of settlers. Again, it is a well-known fact that army life is not conducive to economical or regular habits, and many carried the easy-going "devil-may-care habits" of camp life with them to their claims. and the result was, although they might have been eminently successful as soldiers, they were hardly so as farmers.

As yet the only religious denomination that had made any attempt to maintain regular services in the county, or in this part of the state in fact, were the Methodists. The names of their preachers up to 1876 has already been given, but possibly they should receive a rather more extended notice. As has been before noted Mr. McLean, the pioneer Methodist preacher of this county, was sent here by the Conference in the fall of 1859. He was an ideal representative of that class of educated, conscientious young men who have, in all periods of our country's history, struck for the frontier and labored honestly and earnestly to do what good they could, and exert what influence they might in forming public opinion and directing public sentiment along the lines of mental and moral advancement. He was a young man and this was his first charge, and as before stated he was the first preacher on this charge. He was followed

by Rev. J. A. Van Anda, who was the opposite of McLean in every particular. He was trifling, flippant and insincere, to say nothing of the more serious charges afterward brought against him. He was finally dismissed from the ministry for immoral conduct.

Rev. J. W. Jones, his successor, was an honest, earnest man and a hard worker, but he was homesick. He had left his wife and two small children somewhere in Wisconsin when he came here. He stood it just as long as he could and then went back to his family, which he never should have left. He was a Welchman and could talk the "Gaelic" fluently. The charge was without a pastor until the ensuing Conference met, when Rev. William Hyde was appointed to the circuit. He was simply an ignoramus, not capable of doing much of either good or harm. It cannot be said that he had phenomenal success in expounding the word to the soldier boys stationed here at that time, but it was fun for the boys all the same, and they attended services regularly and were generous in their treatment of "Brother Hyde," who remained here during the conference

year.

The circuit had by this time grown to such proportions that the people thought they were entitled to more recognition by the Conference by having a more able and experienced man sent among them. In answer to this demand Rev. Seymour Snyder was assigned to the circuit. His appointment proved eminently satisfactory. He was able, honest, earnest and genial, and had the happy faculty of adapting himself to his surroundings without friction, and if he could not strictly be termed a genius in its expressive sense he evinced a good degree of sound sense and capacity for hard work. It was during his ministry and under his direction that the first camp meeting was held in northwestern Iowa.

This was in the summer of 1864. Rev. Mr. Lamont of Fort