The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-02-15
XXI, Carson-yeSsie Benton Fremonts
RecoTiccfions OF the Great Scout

of the traders TO Santa Fc and the mountain
men generally. With these my father ioieo
"a ak. and giin the knowledge afterwards
I'm, to such good use. There also narratives
OF endurance, sagacity. daring, ana seh-fe'y-
ing courage were told in the Tulet, matter
of.course manner Of men TO whom the oppo-
site quslljcs were unknown. q.
When Washington Irving was about to
make his Journey in the lndian country ne
vas often at our house while in ST. Louis, and
his comments on the simplicity as we'll as
the fine courage OF these men was my first
perception that there was anything unusual
in them. am tot qualified to do justice TO
the bes; OF these only men who have shared
their lives can do so. But as child in 81.
Louis, then in our winter home IN Washing
ron. and for many years ate! on our own
frontier, on that Of California, and IN long
weeks Of campng-out travel, had many OPP
portupities OF knowing them well. They
were" princes i'll their way" rs one OF them
said to me when he had his feelings iitile
bult By man Of high position in Washing
tor. "Who would have thought it OF him;
such fuc-lookirg gentleman, too They
are great men hcre--princes in their way !;
bu, when they come cut TO the plains weare
the princes, and they could not live without
Vs."
When needy King John tried TO collect
revenue by requiring each noble to produce
mis- titles and written deeds, or failing forfeit
them 10 the crown, one old carl's answer
vas charming. He drew his great sword
and flung il on the table before the kings
ENJOYS:
.'ie your master am no clerk, nor were
INV ancestors before me. These lands are
ours by the sword, and by the sword VIC will
hold them"
So with our mountain men; they were not
clcl liz, but great men.
One Of them, to whom had been reading
NoZeppa, said to me:
"itead that part again where be comes
back with twice five hundred men 10 thank
him for his courteous ride. That's the way
| iclt when the Blackicct destroyed my
carhcs. ard | went back and thanked them
tor it. Now, if had had reading like that |
might bayc made scholar. was young
boy in the School-holse when the cry came,
indians | jumped to my rifle and threw
down the spcl!ing-boo and thar il lays"
Our good, dear friend Carson made bis
mark true and high, however, without the
need Of any more scholarship than the from
tier schoo-housc gave.
His instinct vas true and delicate, and LED
him to acts rs correctly courteous rs the mos.
thorough training could Go.
When the first boat that bad ever rested
on the loucly, silent waters Of the Salt Lake
made its way to the island near the centre.
and the nmn ut the bow vas jumping ashore
- draw her up Carson held him down with
The Captain steps there 1il>i.7
liked greatly az expression Of his refer
rim. 10 Il man who had done him Il mischief:
:. # ever Get the chance Will 90 him al
honest injury" Nothing that WAS not honest.
ami lair ard open, and Of good rcpute, found
IL place in this Wholesome nature.
I,rSon had cmincntly The nature that rcE-
,j.lcd him SurtoHt d0ncc ct JGc't@ donS t.
frniHerC dc la Cic-lhe nature that comes
m IN gtntlcnc>s combined with strength,
SIN nat iunac sense OF justice which gives
~ tt.eis y liui NC require for ourselves, irom
d healthy nature TO which chcerluEcSs is so
natural that lustiDclllely they feel It's lack
at.h eek 10 impalt il. TO such i nature the
ulbld, tic nervous, the hcaitslck ana
wary, Come and alc coMfurtcd, and feel as
ryalid> do WHEN rhcy get into those favored
elm a'Cs where an even temperature and the
certainty OF daily urning sunshine and no
surprises cf 'ro,ts or rains insensibly bring
cain aud healing.
such natile attracts to itself aud Letans
only what is best i'm all it meets: and as the
character clgrarcs itself upon the counte-
mace, 81 Ike many years since l had seen
tn,son bad cone their ennobling work so
ttrctuILly that my old friend was perfectly
in koenln" with Tie beautiful library OF the
friends house in which we met again.
lie bad lived what we deaIize in writings
and love 10 read of. And about him, too,
wls the dignity Of coming death.
had been written to from Washington
that Ial>on vas there i'll and depressed: that
hr ad rot consulted physician yet. but
trough; hc hid bad the heart injured in an
arrld, nj: hat il would urge him to come
- me anti be we'll nurscd and see phySi-
Ian something might yet be done, although
nl> CrnG''lon seemed very serious. Carson
Ind rteu Tor Years ill important part Of my
H." " ten it WAS all filled with energetic ac-
t'ou. and when true friends in The old home
MatvhrG for and protected the absent. and
welcomed them back on the return from
Tong dangers and now that death, and pO-
l,lcul differences; rs relentless, and the war,
rs had completely ended that lie, | saw for Il c
las; time one Vi the few who had not changed
fram that old time of youth, and health, aud
nicnds, and Il complete home.
Hu. Carson Was only troubled by my emo
items. and told me with his own simplicity Of
courage that he had seen Dr. Sayre, who told
him that he might live TO reach his home (at
TAOS, near Santa Fee, but that lie might also
die ut any moment, as the heart was fatally
injured by the accident from which Carson
dated his illness. In trying to save mule
he had become wound in its lariat, ard both
fell together over q steep precipice-C
left side getting the blow US he fell on the
rocks below. His open-air and absolutely
temperate life delayed the inevitable end.
His only wish now was TO get home and not
let his wife have the shock Of hearing Of his
death
Yesterday l thought was gone" he
told me. The Indian chief who was with
him in bis room told him what he had said
he himself only knew that all at once she
felt tue bed rise with him." and with that Il
"drownng feeling" but with new, strange
element which made him cry out, lord
Jesus have mercy!'' - do not know said
it, but know l might, for it's only the Lord
can help me where am now"
The chief had taken him from the bed and
carried him to an open window. IL noticed
be was crying. What's that for = asked
him. Because you looked dead, and you
called Lord Jesus"
give this much OF our dear old friends
sacred last talk with ME because those who
knew him best were the most panied by the
>iugularly untrue use made Of bis name by
one incapable Of understanding him. And /
a Old Mortality kept the MOSES from hiding !
the Inscriptions on the tomts he cared for, |
so it is needed that some should not allow /
the fungus growth on honorcd names.
Carson did not reach home. And his wife |
did feel the shock he bad so hoped 10 soften !
10 her; she even felt it SO much that she |
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