Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1860-12-18

4 INT httitAltdu diitys anu between WHICH
and Meadow Valley The aforesaid mar
now pass may be considered the boundary
/ line. Still litile farther down this val
I ley we came TO what had been pleasant
I little ranch or farm to all appearances
but 1t was already much Gisfigured by
/ the wash from the before mentioned hill
/ dlggiugs, it had already filled the bed of
I the creek, and sand andesline were be-
1 ing deposited along the valley on either
/ hand towards the mountains aud up TO
I the very fence of what was then a nice
! looking lirle wheat field. This desoat-
/ ing slime threatens ere long TO blot sod!l
entirely the fair face of ,this lille ranch,
ia a little nook at the foot of the noun
tain on the lief: Of the road, embowered
among low outrageous oaks, stood a
cottage like frame house, the dwelling OF
Mr.. 4 Mrs. .Ambiy-owners of the ranch:
their names are undoubtedly familiar to
many of your neighbors, as they formerly
lived in the neighborhood Of Mineral
Point. A little beyond this place W.
met another old schoolmate of mine, and
when his name was first announced as
he came in sight, how did the panorama
Of the past rise before me; could see
he school-room with IT'S walls hung th ck-
ly round with maps and cards, th7 diff
erent classes of boys just as they used to
be-noi grown older, and the master pre-
siding, with cane III hand-but he wa-
mol severe man; the old Parish Clerk
uncle Jaci<y, as tle boys used to call hun
was also Il very prominent figure in the
picture for often have [ seen him pass
Iug 10 and from the village tavern, where
b. used 10 get his daily qlantum of spic-
ed beer which had stamped an unfadlng
glow upon his cheek, which no doubt d.
regarded as The glow Of health In
o.d man was far advanced IN his seconi
childhood, aud many times when respou-
ding to the Parson, have heard hun sing
out his droli Amen, when the Parson hls
not advanced much beyond the middle o
the prayer. The Old man vas Regarded
By the boys as a famiiar part of The Old
village, or at least by me, while 10 hlu
we most certainly have appeared As
strangers and interlopers; but he is long
since dead, in my mental groupings n
arises with a crowd of familiar faces
though the names of some, have wake.
dun upon my memory. | could see also
the old church, ward with It's numerous
monuments inscribed Ia memory or tn
dead that lay beneath the old cuurcA
with il old tower, and fancy could hear
the solemn ,oIng of that oil familiar
bell, which announced The approach 0.
the fuIeral procession and the pluiu,ivr
sound Of The funeral hymn sung Dy many
voices came alternately swelling fortu
tnen sinking ia soft cadences as j, came
! waited on the gentle breeze; tlil my SOU
! seemed as it were tInged by the soiemu
combination Of death, masic, aud th-
grave. Who IS there that cannot look
back on their juvenile joys and sorrows
and remember with Sigh the DAYS thai
are no more? But here stood befo me
one of those oAj-cts, which had once
mingled itself with the sunny scenes of
my childhood: yes Robert Riddle stood
/ before mel His well known voice was
/ denouncing the use of intoxicating liquors
he had been told BY one Of our company
/ that one Of his partners were back at the
''toii gate drunk: An! said he that's like
my LUCK, always get drunken partners
Il tell you, continued he ardent spirits
IS the baue Of society, man tha. irInks
IS fiji for 10 business you can't rely on
ms word for anything he's not to De
trusted" All this was 5. before he
discovered that was on of the compa-
ny, as l had come up with the rear Of the
party. But | could 70. bear no logger,
bul broke forth, with, Robert how do
you get on He looked up with surprise
saying, why! excuse me, did not know
yor were here. Iaad seen Robert three
or four months previous to this, that being
.le first t;me / had seen him for seven
years; and then our interview was very
short, as Il also was this time. We had
hearty shake hands, aui short con-
versAuon, and | can assure all those Of
has acquaintance that he has lost none OF
ms coioqual powers. Ny companions
having gone ahead | reIuclantly~~ took
leave Of Mr Riddle auI found myseli
again alone. wltaou; a single reile q
dsarer daYs-nol shred remained, no;
even a bu Ike off Uucie Jauky's saoa
was left me as memento Of The past
But enough OF TINS; / mus; be getting
drovsy the age certainly! T,
be- winning form such "sicsiy senumen-
iaasms -PrrpJs,ecoas, VINO. IN this
..-e OF ile world would suTcr Tor 4 mo-
meut the bar saPPosiuoa, ,hat man
could iise a1I die, coa,ealej.y breathing
his naIee ar 0l MS o.ya ground" TaIs
is d sass age'-aa age 0. steam and gun
povJer-so mere il. no ;elIng when a
man g..s started where or when he Will