Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-11-06
AFTER FORTY YEARS.

young 10llOWS leIC hOcueSLer lot bne
west, determined to hew out their for
tunes or perish in the attempt" said
one Of the party OF four or five who
were gathered in the cabin OF a lake
propeller. bound down. one stormy
night. One or two Of the number had
stemmed the monotopy and broken the
ice toward freer feeling by rehears-
ing some light anecdotes or reminis-
cences. when o gray haired. rotund
gentleman ventured as above. All at
tention was given him, and he then
continued:
''As I was one of them I will be
more personal and say that We were
strong. well-built specimens OF man.
hood and had any amount OF grit, and
we had also made up our minds to be
fully independent OF the world and OF
each other. We went together from
Buffalo to 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 in the direction he thought
best.
Before parting we agreed to return
to our old home at Rochester in forty
years II our lives were spared. This
was putting it u long ways ahead, but
this was only another freak.
''Well, as before said. am one OF
the three, and am now on my way to
Rochester in fulillment Of the agree
ment made. l don't know whether
shall SEQ the others or not. have
never heard word from either of
them and really do not know whether
to think they are dead or alive"
While this was being said q 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
me since that time OF my separation
from my comrades almost for y
years ago."
Eyes. yes. let us have it." they all
cried.
The old gentleman moved himself
into more comfortable position. while
the young man edged himself a little
closer to the group.
''Well, Istruck straight north, took
q boat for Mackinaw and from there
drifted to Green Bay. Wis. I started
. little supply store in Green Bay
when It first began to develop. and as
was having moderate success l soon
got me 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. I 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 a big
pistol he carried. In defense OF my.
self l sliced loaded gun that was
standing In q corner, and in the hea,
OF the moment discharged it toward
him. and was Immediately Mortified to
see him fall and die at once.
"Well. to make long story short.
was exonerated from all guilt by the
authorities, and yet every little while
Iheard some one whisper and look OF
point toward me, and it made me feel
uneasy. So I finally decided to pull
up stakes and go further west. About
this time. however. was drafted int,
the military service-the war had jus
begun-and went through the whole
campaign. leaving behind those tw'
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 ny
my family and struck into the grazing
district Of Montana. l bought a fe,
head of cattle at first. and by care
nave Oocu bOlo W SEE tuCSO multiply
until now have one OF the larges
and most successful cattle ranches i
that section OF the country. hav
seen all kinds of 'roughing it. GU
there. and may say that l have ha
adventures of varied nature. I az
now sixty-four years old and bid fai
to SEQ eighty four. as far as NV gen
eral bodily vigor is concerned.
''Such is, briefly. my life. and wha
It has done. and you don't know no,
anxious l am to learn of those othe
two young men-and to know the re
suit OF their forty-year struggle"
This was in an interesting and pleas
ant tone, and had just been finishc
when the young man who mad bee
listening intently stepped forward anG
addressing himself to the little old ger