The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-11-28
Emporia, Nov. II, 1873.
HOW A MAN GOT TO WILTON.


HOW A MAN GOT TO WILTON.
Weston Laid In the Shade-Best Time on
Fire-An Old citizen Badly Burned.
Your correspondent having occasion
to travel from the junction of the Cot
tonwood and Neosho rivers to Wilton,
Greenwood county, q distance of 25
miles, on that windy Sabbath, started
"foot-back and alone" At NeOsho
Rapids we failed to make connection
with q downward bound team; con-
cluded to return, but the heavy gale
of wind from that direction made it
impossible to make time. A happy
thought struck us. Seeing the wind
driving everything in the exact direc-
ton We wished to go, now was the
time to become noted as a pedestrian.
So we set sail for the Virdigris river.
Everything went lovely; we fairly
flew over the prairie without an effort
on our part. We soon discovered that
while we had on good, strong breeches,
we had no hold back strap nor break
for down grade, but it was too late for
regrets, and we sped on with unprece-
denied alacrity. Coming into a wide
space of burned prairie we were al
most choked and blinded with dust ;but
go was the word, and we went scooting
until we struck Ellis valley, where the
only living thing To be seen was q fat
L hoo, Ioshsnnr ruysfh foo wf,,N x,aIoo;krv orynr
hill and dale, squealing at every jump,
naked as hippOpotamus, blood ooz-
ing out where each hair ought to be.
This indicated q prairie fire.
Soon we landed at the desolate spot
where Just the evening before Mr.. j.
d. and Eli Shaw had cribbed their last
load of corn, which was now in black
and smouldering heap. They both
lost all their wheat, corn, hay, bees,
and everything but their houses. Their
brother-in-law, who was new conner,
lost pretty much everything he had,
including team and harness, which
were his main dependence. ELI Shaw
also lost colt. Mr.. Marks had q very
large quantity of hay burned, mower,
hay rake, ETC., and the fire raging in
his timber. We stopped sufficient
length of time Con the south side of q
building) to jot down these particulars.
The sun had hid his smiling face be-
hind a western hill, and darkness was
upon us. Nevertheless we set sail
again with fair rear wind. It was now
quite dark, and very dim road be-
meath us; but on we flew, when, by a
sudden twist in the wind, our hat was
sent whizzlng before us. An amusing
race took place about then. We would
have said, "Go to thunder" but, re-
membering the financial crisis now ex-
listing, we thought best to pursue at
ali hazards. Rebuilding our speed on
a down grade we went at fearful
rate, until hat, owner and all landed in
a dense plum thicket. 1t is unneees-
sary to say that we pulled Mr. hat on
a little tighter. Clambering up the
rocky hill we sought in vain' for the
dim road. 1t became evident that we
had lost our bearings. No sign of q
road could be found, So we seated
ourself on a big rock and commenced,
for the first time in our life, studying
astronomy Found the seven stars,
big dipper, &C., but for the life of US
we could form no idea in what direc-
ton they stood, or whether they ktood
at all or not. The north star, which
had been explained to US when . boy
was our next hope. We found q bright
star which seemed to be exactly in the
north. So we made up our mind w
would be guided by it. While yet gs.
zing at it away abe shot several. mil
lions Of miles, for aught we know, Il
the west. This was discouraging
While thus meditating on our lionel,
situation we were forcibly rcmindet
of our position by the incessant howl
, ing of wolves. We started immediate
! ly. After trudgfng along for an hou
or more we discovered a bright lanI
J light. On arriving at the house ",
met, for the FIRST time, 1Er. q Hrs
/. William Brown. A more generou
4 gentleman or hospltable lady canno
] be found in Kansas. After stopping
an hour and partaking of refreshment