Connecticut western news., 1883-02-21
A NOTABLE PIONEER.
The True Story of Famous Johnny Apple
 seed and His Mission.

AHO IFuS story Of Famous Johnny Apple | seed and His Mission.
 Jonathan Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, was born in Bos ton about the year 1775. He early drift ed to Western Pennsylvania, where il it's wild frontier life his mania for plant ing appleseed was first discovered. Tired of the rapid settlement of that wilderness he soon pushed out for the West. II 1901 he visited Ohio with horse-load ot appleseeds which he had gathered from the cider presses of Western Pennsyl fvania. He planted his seeds on the fertile spots, on the banks of the Licking Greek In 1906 he was seen by settler drifting down the Ohio river in two canoes lashe6 together, aud loaded with appleseeds destined for the Western border of the white settlement. He often planted as high as a bushel of seed in one locality then inclosed the spot with slight fence, or guard of brush, when he would leave the place till the trees had in 8 measure grown.
 Planting one stock of seeds, he re- turned to Pennsylvania for another, which he gathered from the cider presses in different places. He first carried the seeds in linen bags, but the dense under brush hostile with thorns and briars made leathern bags the only safe ones for his purpose. Sometimes the bags found transportation on the back of an old, broken-down horse, but more often on his own sturdy shoulders. He was a man of vigorous muscle, and great en- durance, or he could not have stood the long, weary journeys through the lonely and trackless wilderness for so many years, journeys in which he was loaded like mule ascending the Andes. He always planted his seeds in some remote picturesque spot, and there let them grow to be claimed by the settlers, whose homes sprang up in the isolated clearings.
 In this way the wilderness was made to blossom like rose, and the founda- ton was laid for that immense growth of fruit trees whose yield to-day forms so important part of the annual products of the great State of Ohio.
 When the trees were large enough for sale, Johnny either sold them or left them to be sold by some settler for him. In this business he was as methodical as merchant The really poor got trees for nothing, of others more able he took old clothing, some meal or anything he could see, in exchange. Of those able to pay he demanded money, which he was seldom without. He usually took notes payable at some indefinite period. This done, he paid no more attention to the matter; quite often it was the last time he ever saw the giver of the note. His wants were few, and he cared little about money. He used what money he got in buying Swedenborgian books which he gave to the settlers where he stayed, and he very often helped poor families in need of the necessaries of life.
 An old, infirm horse excited his pity. Buying up old broken-down horses and leaving them in charge of some one who was pledged to care for them, was an other part of this strange mans mission. He had at times quite a drove of aged and maimed horses under the care o1 some humane farmer. Infiicting pain on dumb creature was with him an un-
 
 ed to the smallest animals, even to in scots. He put out the fire in the camp in the woods, because the wind blew the mosquitoes into the flame, saying as he uuenched the blaze: ''God forbid that should build fire for my comfort which should be the means of destroying any of His creatures. He once built 8 fire at the end of a hollow log in which he intended to pass the night, but finding g bear and her cubs occupying it, he re- moved the fire to the other end and slept in the snow rather than disturb the bears.
 A snake having bit him, friend asked him in regard to it. Johnny drew long sigh and replied: "Poor fellow he only just touched me, when in an ungodly passion put the heel of my scythe in hin and went home." While at work in the woods hornet got underneath his shirt and although repeatedly stung by thu enraged insect, he deliberately took of his shirt and liberated the intruder. Hi friend laughed at him and asked why h, did not kill the little imp, to whicl Johnny replied:
 ''It would not be right to kill the poo thing, for it did not intend to hurt me.
 He lived the toughest life, campin, out in the woods, or, if sleeping ill house, occupying the floor; his dress wa an indescribable medley, composed c cast-off clothing he had taken in ex change for apple trees. In latter year this second hand raiment he thought to luxurious, and wore as 8 principal gal ment an old coffee sack, in the bottor and sides of which he cut holes to thrus his head and arms through. He though this cloak good enough for any man wear. He seldom wore shoes except i winter. For travelling on rough road he wore 8 rude pair of sandals. H bought no covering for his feet, used ol cast-of boots or shoes, generally Ill matched, and wore them while the would stick to his feet. He wore h dipper in which he cooked his mas , while travelling. But it failed to shad , his face from the sun. Hence he mao hat of pasteboard, with an immens