The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1873-03-07
AN OREGON SKETCH.


tame experience Of the everyday
life, vivid picturing Of the border,
sketches OF society on the frontier,
and characterization of men and
the ways of men who are taught
by Nature while engaged in tanning
her wilds. They learn such of her
secrets as are hidden from sight
where Natures ways have already
been tanned and trained.
Oregon has lately appointed as
commissioner Of emigration to the
Eastern States and Europe a man
whose life has been fnllof romances
Of the most exciting character !;
whose education was effected un-
trammeled by schools, and whose
family, taken in the aggregate, pos
sess an uncommon combination of
originality, eccentricity, and genius.
General Ell. Applegate was born
in Missouri, and went to school
there two days when eight years
old, leaving school suddenly, with
a lock Of his teachers hair, taken
as q memento Of a brush-broom
that was used by the pedagogue to
enforce his rulings.
His education was conducted by
his mother, but at fourteen, the
family having long before removed
to Oregon, Lisll was again semitic
school, but with no better success.
lie declined to learn over the les
sons taught by his mother, and was
the hero Of another rencoHnter.
That was quarter Of q century
since, but he used ID those early
days to take long rides through
sparsely settled Oregonto get books,
and greedily devoured all that came
in his way. Thus he was educated
and became . deyotee Of learning,
pursuing his studies in the wilder.
ness, and mingling the wonders Of
nature he could SEQ with the wonders
otart aud science Of which he read.
It is not strange that he developed
into an original thinker aud . mix
ture Of erndely cultivated thought
and as crudely ulcaltivated ways
and words
When the Lincoln campaign OF
1850 came Applegate was young
and enthusiastic, and plunged into
the fray with cleaning cinetar as .
champion Of freedom. The wit and
the argument were 50 eccentric that
he drew crowds aud won extrava-
giant applause. His bon mots were
quoted as freely by those at whose
expense they were uttered as by his
friends.
In Southern Oregon, right abreast
Of the California line, which is rep
resented by the trowning crest Of
the Siskiyou mountains, is the
Rogue River valley, a region that
cotaes in fitly between the clouds of
the northern valleys and the sunny
skies OF the Golden State-wllere
the rich placers and quartz veins are
abundant IN the mountains and
along the streams, reminding one
Of California, while the most fertile
plains known in The The Of coast
valleys are 10 be found bordering
the streamsand occupied BY delight
fil and cultivated homes, where
orchards and fields are concanitants
0f our most distant civilization.
Bear creek sends its waters
through q delightful little tributary
yale-ten miles long and from one
to two miles wide--into Rogue
River valley, and its settlers are
among the most prosperous Of all
that region, as Is testified by their
uice farm houses and improvements.
To this delightful region had come
a brother Of the Hard Shell Baptist |
persuasion, whose powers of per.
Suasion and assertion had founded
q thrifty church, 70 which he minis
tered with great force and faith.
lie was fair specimen ot the class
who penetrate the hooks Oi' creation,
carving the Gospel with them and
making it q living principle among
new scenes Of civilization. lie
preached doctrine, and, like every |