The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-11-22
AFTER FORTY YEARS.

tunes or perish In the attempt" said
one OF the party OF four or five who
were gathered In the cabin OF lake
propeller. bound down. one stormy
night One or two Of the number had
stemmed the monotony and broken the
ice toward freer feeling by rehears-
ing some light anecdotes or reminis-
cences, when gray haired. rotund
gentleman ventured as above. All at
tention was given him, and he then
continued;
AS / was one OF them / will be
more personal and say that we were
strong. well-built specimens OF man.
hood aud had any amount OF grit. and
We had also made up our minds 10 be
fully independent OF the world and OF
each other. We went together from
Buffalo 10 Detroit by boat Arriving
at Detroit and spending day or two
In looking about we then, after con-
sultation, concluded TO part company
and each go Ia the direction he thought
best.
Before parting we agreed 10 return
10 our old home at Rochester in forty
years II our lives were spared. This
was putting 1t long ways ahead. but
this was only another freak.
We'll, rs before said. am one OF
the three, and am now on my way 10
Rochester In ful6llment OF the agree
ment made. don't know whether
shall see the others or not have
never heard word from either OF
them and really do not know whether
10 think they are dead or alive"
While this was being said young
man. who had been trying TO read by
the dim. pickering light. put aside his
book and strained eagerly to catch
every word uttered by the story teller.
1T might, in view OF this" contin-
ued the man with gray hairs. ''be in
teresting TO you, gentlemen. TO have
brief sketch OF what has happened TO
mo since that time OF my separation
from my comrades almost forty
years ago.
Yes. yes, let us have it," they all
cried.
Tho old gentleman moved himself
into a more comfortable position. while
the young man edged himself little
closer 10 the group.
well. struck straight north, took
a boat for Mackinaw and from there
drifted 10 Green Bay, Wis. / started
little supply store In Green Bay
when 1t first began TO develop. and us
was having moderate success / soon
got me a wife.
well, we padded along without
much occurring until one day big
fellow came into my store--he was a
lumberman, considerably intoxicated
and wanted to borrow $40. 1 OF course
could not let him have It, for had not
found time TO look up who my GUS
toner was. and feared he might be
trying TO swindle me. Upon my refus-
ing he became enraged, and com
menced shooting at me with big
pistol he carried. In defense OF my
self | sliced loaded gun that was
standing in corner, and in the heat
of the moment discharged IL toward
him. and was Immediately Mortified TO
see him fall and die at once.
"Woll. TO make a long story short
was exonerated from all guilt by the
authorities. and yet every little while
heard some one whisper and look or
point toward me, and IL made me feel
uneasy. SO finally decided TO pull
up stakes and GO further west About
this time. however. was drafted into
the military service the war had just
begun-and went through the whole
campaign. leaving behind those two
fingers (holding up his hand for in-
spection) and bringing out the long
scar on the back OF my head.
II then went west again, picked up
my family and struck into the grazing
district OF Montana. 1 bought few
head OF cattle at first, and by care l
have been able TO see these multiply,
until now | have one OF the largest
and most successful cattle ranches In
that section OF the country. have
seen ali kinds OF 'roughing It. out
there. and may say that have Ia d
adventures OF varied nature. | am
now sixty-four years old and bid fair
TO SEQ eighty four. as far as my gen
eral bodily vigor is concerned.
such is briefly. my life, and what
IL has done. and you don't know how
anxious am 10 learn OF those other