-
Title
-
Dundy, Hitchcock, Redwillow, Furnas Counties, 1912
-
Date
-
1912
-
Creator
-
Frank Shoemaker
-
Description
-
Sandhills Narratives
-
Identifier
-
321301-191
-
Transcription
-
1 As a means of getting about indoors, walking is still viewed favorably. But as a means of covering a number of geographical miles with even a remote idea of getting anywhere or of deriving pleasure from the process, the ambulatory art is almost forgotten, and he who fares forth with such a notion is glanced askance by his fellow-men. The very best way, however, to see and know a region, is to walk through it, as deliberately as the character of the country traversed and the interest it affords may make desitrable. It is respectfully urged that he who affects any known method of transportation aside from his very own two hind feet, misses all but the superficial aspects of the region. If the journey be by train, the whole visible world resolves itself into two smoky maelstroms, whirling about the middle distance on either side, and points of interest show only for an exasperating second, to disappear forever. If the journey be by automobile one gets gresh air indeed – – a gale of it; but the transit is rapid (if the Man is proud of his Car, and he always is), and the field of corn and beans rush by so confusingly that they “Look like succotash,”during the stray moments when one has no bug in his eye.If in a moment of insanity a motorcycle be chosen for the trip, it developes that one’s whole attention is taken by the chugging demon between his knees; he arrives at his destination, perhaps, but with no clear knowledge as to whether his road has lead through regions of celestial beauty of sandburs. If a bicycle be considered — one had better “walk a foot” and use his vision on a broader field than the sordid ten feet in front of his wheel. Comes now for sentence the obsolescent horse: a good servant and faithful companion, according to one point of view; according to another, a creature that cannot adapt himself to circumstances, and an inveterate comsumer of food and drink, necessitating stoppages at farmes and livery stables and pumps until he is definitely and mayhap profanely wished at his hoss-telry. And with all of these unhappy means of transit, one must stick close to rail or road; no rough country, no tempting creek-banks, no visits to neighboring high points to view the region in these offensive days of fences; just a melancholy right of way with a pulsing succession of telegraph poles, or a worn strip of dusty weeds or weedy dust, bound and bounded by barbed wire. Take you to your blanket, brother, and learn to love its honest caress o’ nights after you have legged your leagues and bedded down in the starlight.
-
Rights
-
To inquire about usage, please contact Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries. These images are for educational use only. Not all images are available for publication.
-
Is Version Of
-
mage-92.jpg
