The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-03-06

and his last "long trip but 1t was no,
on railroad, and it was neither cas-,
nor west. God grant that he struch
his bonanza at the end oft.
THE Town TRAMP.
LETTERS ZION ARIZONA.
SAN CARLOS AGENCY, A. T.,
February 6, 1885.
1. o. 0. F., lola, Allen County, Kans.
Brothers:-Bowie IL q small station,
standing solitary ON q desert plain.
Great mountains on every hand loom.
ed up their rocky fronts, and when
the train moved on to the west I felt
as though I had been deserted in a
strange land without even the comfort
of being left among strangers. With
a heavy heart 1 set about getting
ready for my trip to the Agency, dis
lance ITO miles. By stage it cost twen-
ty-five dollars. That was little more
money than I could raise 30 1 looked
up freight train. Fortune threw in
my way q young Mormon who, for the
small sum of five dollars agreed to
drop me, bag and baggage, at San
Carlos. went into camp with him
and again slept beneath the stars.
The keen mountain air penetrating my
blankets made me get close to my
new found friend for warmth and COM
fort. Breakfast over we started alone
on our northward journey. A level
plain spread away to our right and
left breaking In rough hills at the base
of the mountains. Dwarf mesquite,
Crease wood, several varieties of the
wonderful cactus, interpreted with
punches Of dry grass, and the strange
Spanish Dagger, with plumed heads
and robed bodies, looked like some
grim red warriors keeping watch over
the silent plain. say silent plain,
for no living herd Of stock or song
bird was found in that waterless coun-
try.
Mountains - brown, rock.ribbed,
peaked and bare, arose on our right.
On our left and seemingly at hand,
snow-capped, cloud-enshrouded, they
arose in majesty. Slowly we moved
over the gravel road. The mountains
came no nearer and the station seemed
SO close on looking back that I could
almost believe it was following US.
Twelve miles out we camped for din
ner. Iselected shaded place beneath
the branches of a mesquite, for the
sun, even in January bore down with
a warmth that made me long for the
snow fields and ice-bound waters of
the north. Wood from the brush,
water from the barrel, and soon the
smell from frying meat and steaming
coffee pervaded the air. My troubles
were forgotten and 1 ate and drank
with the old relish. A satisfied stom-
ach maketh light heart, has always
been my experience.
In conversation with my Mormon
friend learned that he lived with his
parents in a Mormon town As miles
out from Bowie, and that he wished
10 spend the Sunday at home. All
his was agreeable to me as I thought
If the text of Scripture came to my
mind which said, snake ye friends Of
I did not know but some
lay, and perhaps not far distant, that
wen the friendship of a despised Nor
non would be good thing to have.
The first night we camped under the
hadow of great mountain. Our
amp fire blazed brightly and the
company of two other freighters, both
dormons, made the evening pass
pleasantly, and our bed made in the
leep grass gave us that rest which
ave strength for our days journey.
through the same country with the
anne mountains looking down upon us
We travelled the second day. About
be middle of the afternoon we began
D descend to the valley of the Gila.
On the first day of January I had
1T my camp on Dismal river. Neb.,
be snow unbroken and knee deep to
~ horse; on the last day of the same
lonth I was descending to the valley |
the ella river, Arizona, with the
IN beating down with the warmth of
June day. The scenery around me,
lie anticipation of a Sunday with the
[ormon people in Mormon town
'oused my sinking spirits, and
fought, let what will, be in store for
e at the Agency, 1 will enjoy the
resent. w. q. MCDONALD.
SAN CARLOS AGENCY, A. T.
Feb. 9th 1885.
Officers and Brothers AS we drove
,wn into the valley of the ella we
# the little town of Solomon to our
yht and pursued our way down the