The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-02-17
From the UpiGed Sac Jou nal
The Forged Patent.

TuE changes which the last twenty wears
have wrought in Hin his, would be iacredble
[. to any one who had not witnessed them
, At that time the settlements were few, and
the spirit of enterprise which now prcvadeS
every corner of the State had not awakened
ever sent back the echo of tn, steam en- sin"
Without market 70: their produce, tht far
mers confined their labprs to the wants Of
their own families. Corn was nearly the
O ly crop raised, AMI from the time it was
aid by near the cntl ofIun", TIL pulling
~thcmc," in November, was a holiday, and the
intervening time was passed in idlcness, ex-
cpt Saturdays. On that day, duly a. il
arrived, the settlers, at the distillery, amused
themselves with shooting at a mark, ira ling
= n,gs, and too often, when the tin cup passed
freely round in fighting.
This is by no means picture Of all the
settlements of that early period, but, that it
is graphically true Of many, none of the old
settlers will deny.
One Saturday afternoon in the year lSl9
young man was seen approaching, with
slow and weary steps, the house, or, rather
'iistillcry, Of Squire Crosby, of Brents Prairie
an obscure settlement on the Military Tract.
As usual on that day, a large collection Of
people were amusing themselves at Crosby's
who owned the distillery in that region, and
being magistrate, was regarded by the
settlers as rich, and consequently great
man.
The youth who now came mp to the group
was apparently about twenty-one years of
age, and of slender form, fair and delicate
complexion, with the ar Of one accustomed
t, good society, and it was evident at glance
that he was not Injured to the h;lrlships OF
frontier life, or labor OF any kind. But his
~drcss wrs in strange contrast with his ap-
,raranrs ani manners lIe wore huntine
coat OF the .'oarscst lnSey woolsey, comuca
straw hat, and a pair OF d,eskin mocca>ins.
4 large pack eompieted hiseqapments.
Every one .az d yiti, eli s,~ity upon tine
, new conner. In their en-, rness tolearn who
he was, When he came, and what was his
business, the horse swap was left unfinished,
the rifle laid aside, and even the busy TN
cup had n temporary respit.
The young man approached Squire Crosby
whom even stranger could distinguish as
the principal person among them. and anx-
iousy inquired for house where he could
be accommodated, saying that he was ex-
tremcly i'll, and felt all the symptoms of an
approaching fever
Crosby eyed him closely and suspiciousy
for moment without uttcring word
Knaves and swindlers had been recently
abroad, and the language of the youth be-
nayed that he was Yankee" name at
that time associated in the minds of the ig-
norant with everything that is base. Mistak-
ing the silence Of Crosby for fear of his
inability to- pay, the stranger smiled and s.'d,
IL am not without money" and putting his
. hand to his pocket to give ocular proof Of his
assertion he was horr,r-struck to find that
his pocketbook was gone 1t contained
every cent Of his money, besides papers OF
great value to him.
Without farthing, without even paper
or letter to attest that his character was honor.
able, in strange land, and sickness rapidly
coming upon him, these feelings nearly drove
him to despair. The Squire, who had pri.
6ed himaAlf on his sagacity In Detecting vii.