Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-10-15

house with hundreds of Indians in and
about the house gathered there for their
green corn dance. | was given for my
lodgings an Indian blanket, with the priv
ilege of choosing the best bark | could
find on the floor of the loft. | rolled my
self up in my blanket but did not sleep
much; this was the only time and place
ever stayed where was afraid got up
and went out among them and saw the
poor whiskey passed around in pail
with tin cup, each one helping himself
1t took large amount of such whlskey
to make them drunk. As became better
acquainted with the Indians found that
had no cause for fear. for when they
were going 10 have drunk some trustv
squaw always kept sober and safely stor-
ed away their guns and knives. The next
morning found that | was twenty five
miles from Flint on straight line. My
host put me across the river IN canoe,
giving me the point of compass, without
a trail or any mark to guide me except my
pocket compass. Through heavy timber
ed woods travelled without seeing any
person and arrived in Flint. a small town
of four or five houses, tired aud hungry,
about dark, got good supper and the
only difference in my lodging from the
night before was the soft side OF a floor
without blanket and my grip sack for Il
pillow. After resting aud looking the
county over for TWO OF three days waiting
for the land office to open. and wishing to
see all the country could before invest.
ing, went to Saginaw on foot, as that
was the only mode of travelling with
some friends that had the same object in
view. On the way lost my pocket book
which had been picked up by man who
had been seen following us for some time
aud had suddenly disappeared, which led
me 10 suspect that he had picked ii up,
which soon proved to be true. We went
back short distance and sat down on a
log waiting for our man, who soon made
his appearance. asked him if he had
come down the trail He replied that he
had. | then asked hlm if he had picked
up wallet; he said no. He had a small
package hung upon an umbrella that |
asked him If might search to which he
replied that he would see me damned
first. replied in equally rs strong Ian
guage that | should, the meaning of which
he we'll understood. He then replied
that he was caught. and said Il might as
well tell the truth and shame the devil;
have got the money which he delivered
up without the wallet, saying that he
had buried that in the woods and could
not find it, lie then gave me his umbrella
for the loss of the wallet and papers there
in, never expecting to see him again,
Two years afterwards | was teaching
school ia the northern part of our county
and the same man came TO me and stated
the circumstance and asked me not TO say
anything about the matter as il would
hurt him and do me no good. | told him
would not. He had large family of
good children that came to school to me.
| boarded in the same family and one
rainy evening while AT supper his wife re
lated the circumstance of her husband
going to Flint and losing his umbrella
He gave me sorrowfuI look across the
table. He was afterwards prominent
official in our county. He gave 1t as his
excuse that he had been drinking; thous
auds of men in our state prisons give the
same excuse for their crimes lie ever
afterwards bore good character and was
one of my warmost friends
After returning from Saginaw and still
waiting for the land office to open, |
sought and obtained employment. | had
always worked on farm but soon found
that could do most anything about the
building of house or play the part OF a
clerk in store or hotel When the land
Office opened ! bought myself so acres of
land. There was great rush for land
at that time; it had to be paid for IN sill
yer as we had no gold then; consequently
silver was at premium have seen the
receiver take in large bags of silver up
stairs for land, send il down below anti
sell it for - per cent. premium, and that
bag Of silver would be kept going up and
down all day. have seen two wagons
loaded with silver and drawn by four
horses, leave Flint for Detroit, with one
man and gun to guard the same. have
seen ten boxes Of silver, each containing
one thousand dollars piled up in the bar
room of log tavern for four months aud
no one ever thought of il being stolen
That was under General Jackson's admin
istration, after he had retired from the
United States bank; many of my hearers
will recollect those times. In those times
political excitement ran very much higher
/ than now In 1887 aided IN surveying