The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Continental Monthly, Vol. III, No. V,
May, 1863, by Various

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Title: The Continental Monthly, Vol. III, No. V, May, 1863
Devoted to Literature and National Policy

Author: Various

Release Date: August 21, 2006 [EBook #19099]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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THE

CONTINENTAL MONTHLY:

DEVOTED TO

LITERATURE AND NATIONAL POLICY.

* * * * *

VOL. III.--MAY, 1863.--No. V.

* * * * *

THE GREAT PRAIRIE STATE.

I should not wonder if some of your readers were less acquainted with
this Western Behemoth of a State than with the republic of San Marino,
which is about as large as a pocket handkerchief. The one has a history,
which the other as yet has not, and of all people in the world, our own
dear countrymen--with all their talk about Niagara, and enormous lakes,
and prodigious rivers--care the least for great natural features of
country, and the most for historical and romantic associations. When an
Englishman, landing at New York, begins at once to inquire for the
prairies, it is only very polite New Yorkers who can refrain from
laughing at him.

But it is not so much of natural features that I wish to speak at
present. Illinois has been abused lately; brought into discredit by the
misbehavior of some of her sons; but this only makes her loyal friends
love her the more, knowing well how good her heart is, how high-toned
her feeling, how determined her courage.

Looking at this State from New York, the image is that of a great green
prairie, the monotony of whose surface is scarcely broken by the rivers
which cross it here and there, and the great lines of railroad that
serve as causeways through the desperate mud of spring and winter. A
scattered people, who till the unctuous black soil only too easily, and
leave as