The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1872-05-10
A Chicago Youths Adventure.

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After the Chicago fire 4 young book
keeper uf that city named joir>tile:isor
was obliged Ia seek employment else
where. His first objective point aftel
leaving the burned city WAS Kansas city
where Texan droverS and Missouri but
ternuts ranged about in nearly equal pro
portions. He heard from the Texans Ol
the vast herds OF cattle running at large
in the interior Of TINT State, without own
ers, and free TO any one who would 90
there, gather them together and drive
them out. Therc was speculation. he
thought. without capital; and as men had
grown rich speculating IN stocks Oh Wall
street. now he would grow rich I'm spccu-
lating in Texas cattle.
This was about November !, and he cal
culated that he would have time 10 gath
er his drove of longhorns and get them
through the Indian Territory tofhe SOUTH
crn boundary of Kansas, in the neigh
boffood of Sumner County, by the first
of February. But not understanding
much about the business, he asked one of
the Texas drivers, stopping at the same
hotel with him, to Join him in the enter
prise rs partner. This man, wanting TO get
home, was nothing 10th 10 take up with
the proposition. So. all the necessary
plans were made, and they started for
Texas.
The total amount of John available
funds. at this time. was Sl2j, but nothing
daunted. they went ahead. passing Fort
Scott and spending the night at Baxter
Springs. Here Gleason wrote a letter
toa'friend in Chicago. in which he spoke
of his bright prospects, and said they
should first 90 TO Sherman. Texas. and
then strike out West into the State and
gather together about thousand head Of
-year-old steers. and drive them north
and ship them TO the Chicago market in
lne opfihg. lahii" liie stage NJ baAicr-
they were SET down nj Fort Gibson on the
ARKANSAS river III Two davs ana TWO
iishts. Ihe remainder ol the journey
must De inadc Oh horseback- ana mere
was sucker Tor poor John Gleason. lie
iiad never rode ten miles III ms nie on
horseback. much less on bucking mule.
A couple of sorry looking Mexican plugs
were bought. and his first experience was
that of going of and getting on repeat
cdly the first day out. But these terrible
Ozark mountains would break the pa
Iience of any horse, and John came to
The conclusion after he had been SIN days
"nt that he did not blame the plug so
much after all.
When they were i'll the heart of these
rough mountains ii occurred to Gleason
tbs there might be danger from Indians :;
20 he asked his partner about 1t. His
partner name, by The way, was Peter
Back, good specimen of the Texan.
VINO neither feared ihdlaiis nor the devil
himself for that matter. In reply to the
question ABOUT lhdi:tiis, he SAID there
were plenty OF them thereabouts, but he
ilaa no lear o. tnen pccause he could
drive Thousand ana put ten Thousand to
rout with his own little revolver.
Ihat night, however, they took more
than usual caution about selecting their
camp, and went to sleep in supposed Sc
'nrity, put awoke only TO md death
staring them in the face. Their camp had
been surrounded by hostile band OF
Comanches, anu the irightiul war whoop
,iad been sounded. Resistance was use