Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-07-31


, TRUTH.
JULY 81. 1884,.
other to the value of q cent. nor to the
extent ofa wrong word or a wrong
thought. Whether less of our then
bright expectations have been realized
than falls to the common experience
of ordinary mortals, I cannot say, but,
If then much was hoped for, and but
little realized in life, it has hardly re-
suited from the lack of q fairly persist
ent and industrious iife-ef7ott. -
If there is but little as the result Of
sueh life-effort and battle with the
world to bring to the heart much self.
satisfying complacency, there il per-
haps not much to bring to our con-
sciousness either pain or regret. II
the evening of our lives could only
glide as smoothly along the ebb and
the flow and tide Of life, as our vessel
is now gliding over the emerald boz
som of this flashing waite, how con-
|solingsand how restful! r5a
THOUSAND ISLANDS. ~ 4
,,s,i. st. Lawrence River, July 22. !
I began this ill-ad yised letter at the
Falls, tried 1t again on my knee on
steamer, and shall now surely end it
on terra Jrnaa at this sitting.
AS I write, :the temperature invites
an overcoat. t.4.
I would like to use few columns Of
your paper in describing this charm
ingly beautiful region OF country, but
cannot now. Indeed, no pen is ade-
quate to such . task. There is about
its deep green flashing waters, and
dotted with its 1900 to 1000 Islands COW
cred with marvelously beautiful foliage
witchery which can be felt, but net
described. The islands are being oc-
eupied by the wealthy of New York,
and the beautiful structures which
they have erected. peep out from
amongst the evergreen foliage, snd
when lighted up at night make the
whole region brilliantly beautiful, and
in the day time, sweetly restful.
On the little island where am seat
ed, some incidents occurred in our fami-
ly history. When the war of 1925
between the United States and Great
Britain began, there was an Emerson
a student at Cambridge, Mass. A few
of the students soon caught the war
fever, and left school. After much OPP
position and many protests from "the
old folks at home," this young man,
not quite 18 years old, was appointed
a Lieutenant, and was ordered 10 re-
port for duty on the staff of Genl Will
kinson, then in command Of the army
organized to invade Canada, and de-
scend the st. Lawrence, and capture
Montreal. e~ lH
The army, with an immense number
of barges. mortar-boats. gunboats, de-,
making formidable flotilla, was NOV
ing down slowly amongst these isiands,
all the time keeping skirmish boats
out making incursions on the Canada
shore. AT the same time the British
army was scattered all along the river
keeping . careful watch of the move
ments of our army, and to prevent its
landing. d
One day Gen'l Wilkinson sent young
Emerson out on some special duty,
xy;fk, txuos hoofo n nj n fou, ,,,or E,or,
this island he discovered British off,
Ger ride up to stone farmhouse some
distance from the shore on the main
land. He at once concluded to try to
capture him, and ordered his men to
row rapidly to the shore. Landing
without opposition, they swiftly .ap-I
preached the house and surrounded 1t,
Just as young Emerson
with two men approached the front
door, 1t opened little and the British
officer looked out, mortified to find HIM
self fsurroundad by American soldiers.
He attempted to shut the door and M
he did SO, young Emerson made q /
thrust with his sword, and buried Its
point in the edge Of the heavy oak door
frame, aud In his haste to extricate 1t
broke an inch Of 1t of. where It remain
ed and still remains. The door was
forced open, and the British |
officer and two men captured, and hur-
riedly taken by boat. followed by o
shower of bullets from pursuing cav
airy. s3et4i'fa n 4a .a
The officer had valuable dispatches,
which apprised Gen. Wilkinson Of GER
tain very important movements of the
British. The special interest in this
little story is that, twenty years later.
this young American officer. .-going
with a large number of other Ameri-
cans, to settle on the north side Of the
st. Lawrence, became the owner Of
the farm and the old stone mansion,
into the door frame of which he had
brokon his sword when quite q hoy.
10 finish this little incident however,
let me say, briefly, that Gen. Wilkfn-
son was failure. He was intern
perate, and inefficient, and allowed the
small British force to Illustrate him and
beat him so as to largely ruin the
northern campaign. A vigorous GEN
eral could nave easily made the con-
u uest Of upper Canada then complete.
w., s1t.f s>u~o vn,,nu nfJlCrr he.fsa me