Page:Speeches, correspondence and political papers of Carl Schurz, Volume 1.djvu/55

Rh such violent exercise invigorates me. I think that you will find me well and strong and somewhat sun-burnt when you see me again.

I have planned to drive all the members of the family—including the babies, who are numerous—out to the farm for dinner some Sunday. I shall send for the farm wagon with the strong yoke of oxen and in that vehicle the whole clan can be transported. They put off buying horses until my return; so far, all the work has been done fairly well with oxen. You should see how on Sunday the farmers families of the neighborhood are brought to church. The most elegant ladies in their feathers and furbelows sit with the greatest dignity in an ox-wagon; sometimes one yoke of oxen will draw a party of twenty-five in holiday attire. But there are also a number of fine turnouts here and some very good horses. I have seen many very gentle Indian ponies, which I should have liked to buy for you on the spot. While I am writing, a band of music is marching through the town in advance of a circus. At two o'clock this afternoon the first performance is to take place, and in the evening the second. As soon as the last spectators leave, the tents are taken down and hauled to the next place. All the farmers of the surrounding country are streaming into town and the whole fashionable world is assembled. Usually a troop of Indians on their ponies appear and are highly delighted with the performance of the circus riders. Lately a circus came with a band-wagon drawn by six elephants, which, of course, was a great occasion. 



&emsp; The whole week has been spent surveying the new farm.