the savage.

Thursday, Dec. 9.--Left Milton at 6 o'clock. Passed Alton, distance from
Milton one and one-half miles. Here I must remark every man makes his
own town and sometimes more than one. Within five miles there are five
towns, as they are called, but all insignificant and improperly placed.
Their names are Milton, Alton, Middle Alton, Lower Alton and Sales.
Those mushroom towns in a short time will produce their own death.
Although their lives are short they do mischief to the community.
People in their neighborhood are unwise enough, for the sake of having a
town lot, to give as much for a few feet of ground as would purchase a
good farm (160 acres of land). They are then tied to the little town,
where their property can never be of much value, nor can it produce a
living. Strangers or men at a distance purchase lots in towns they have
never seen, under the impression they are, or soon will be, like the
eastern cities. To townmakers or land speculators the subject is very
pleasant. To hear them describe the advantages of a barren spot perhaps
ten miles from any navigable stream, and it is more than probable not
even near a spring branch that would float a cornstalk boat. Could you
believe their assertions, a single lot which they have for sale would
produce a fortune that would make a man comfortable all his old days. I
must not omit an anecdote that applies well to those townmakers. A
gentleman visited the fertile lands of Illinois. In the course of his
journey he passed very many of those trifling towns. When about to turn
toward his home he had occasion to enter a tavern for refreshment. Here
they kept a register of names, a common practice in the western country.
On entering the door the barkeeper requested him to enter his name. He
hesitated, appeared confused and begged to be excused, stating he had a
particular objection which he would make known when he was about to
start, provided it could be kept a secret, which was consented to. This
was sufficient to arouse the suspicions of all who were in the house as
to the stranger's honesty. All the neighbors assembled. Some declared he
was a horse thief, others a murderer, while the most charitable stated
he had been a member of the penitentiary fraternity. After obtaining
refreshments with some difficulty he mounted his horse amidst the gaping
crowd, called for the barkeeper and whispered in his ear, loud enough
for everybody to hear: "My name is Robinson. I