The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1890-10-09
AFTER FORTY YEARS.

| NNNNEFffggSss&gsINES-< " ounS' ~ per
kAggsS assS ish in the at
-77 4 szsgls5 tempt" said one
| I'M t1sl' " Of the party of
l.. Jour 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 monotony and
broken the ice toward 4 freer feeling
by rehearsing some light anecdotes
or "reminiscences, Whena gray-haired
rotund gentleman ventured us above.
All attention 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 and had any amount Of grit,
and we had also made lrp our minds
to be fully independent Of the world
and ofeach other We went togeth-
er from Buffalo to Detroit by boat.
Arriving at Detroit and spending a
day or two in looking about We
then after consultation concluded to-
part company and each 60 in the di-
rection he thought best.
'This may seem rather queer. for
young men to start out together
with common interests and then to
switch around and go it alone, but
it was a freak Of young minds. It
had something odd and romantic
about it that struck us favorably.
"Before parting we agreed to re-
turn to our old home at Rochester
in forty years flour lives were spared.
This was putting it a 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 fulfllment Of the
agreement made. I don't know
whether / shall see the others ornot.
l have never heard a word from Ell
Their Of them, and really do not
know whether to think they are
dead or alive
While this was being said a young
man, who had been trying to read
by the dim, Pickering light, put
aside his book and strained eagerly
to catch every word utter ed by he
story teller.
ut might, in view Of this" con-
tinued the man with gray hairs, be
interesting to you, gentlemen, to
have u brief sketch of what has hap
pened to me since that time Of my
separation from my comrades-now
almost forty years ago
eyes, yes, let us have it," they all
cried. Il
The old gentleman moved himself
into q more comfortable position,
while the young man edged himself
a little closer to the group.
/ 'SWell, | struck straight north,
took a boat for Mackinaw and from
there drilted to Green Bay, Wis.
There was nothing of Green Bay
/ then, but sawscme good land. and
by Wiggling around managed to
! get hold Of some oft. | then held
! OH; it was pretty hard work some
times, but l never let chat land go,
and as a result it is worth many
thousands of Uncle Sans big silver
dollars. But that is only on one
line, and a little out 81 order. I
started little supply store in Green
Bay when it first began to develop,
and as was having moderate sue
cess soon got me a wife.
well, we padded along without
much occurring until one day q
big fellow cume into my store, said
he was a lunlberman and ordered q
heavy bill Of goods. He went out
and in a few hours returned consid-
erably intoxicated and wanted to
borrow $40. / of course could not
let him have it, for I had not#iound
time to look up who nv customer
was, and feared he might be trying
to sWindle me. Upon my refusing
his request lie became very much en-
ragged, and commenced shooting at
| 49, i.AH "l 1lA O. VIZ, plnuOl llc adtFleu. In
defense Of myself Iseized a loaded
gun that was standing in q corner,
and in tile heat ofthe moment I dis
charged ittownrd him, and was i'm
mediately Mortified to see him fall
and die ut once. ..I
Well, to make q long story short,
! was eXonerated from all guilt by
i the authorities, and yet every little
while heard some one whisper and
look or point toward me, and il
made me feel very uneasy. So final.
i y decided to pull up stakes and 90
i farther west. About this time, how
ever, i was drafted into the military
serylce--the war had just begun--andd
went through the whole c,lmpnian.
i leaving behind chose two inrers'' q
i holding up his hand for inspection
and bringing out the long scar on
the back OF my head.
III III then Went west again, picked III
my family and struck into tue trrnz-
Ing district Ct Montana boughta