New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1891-02-04
AFTER FORTY YEARS.


said one of the party Of four or five
who were gathered in the cabin of a
lake propeller, bound down, or sstormy
night. One or two Of the number had
stemmed the monotony and broken the
ice toward a freer feeling by rehears-
ing some light anecdotes and reminis-
cences, when a gray haired, arotund
gentleman ventured as above. All
attention was given him, and he then
continued
LAS [ was one of them I will be
more personal and say that we were
strong, well built specimens of man
hood and 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 a. day or two
in looking about we then after. con
sultation concluded to part company
and each go it in the direction 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. 1t had some
thing odd and romantic about it that
struck us favorably.
''Before parting we agreed to return
to our old home at Rochester in forty
years, If our 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 fulflment of the agree
nent made. I don't know whether I
shall see the others or not. I have
never heard word from either of
them, and really do not know wheth-
Ell 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 uttered by the story teller.
1T might, in view OF this, continued
the man with gray hairs, ''be inter-
estlng to you, gentlemen, to have a
brief sketch OF what has happened 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.
The old gentleman moved himself in
to a more comfortable position, while
the young man edged himself a little
closer to the group.
"Well, | struck straight north, took
a boat for Mackinaw and from there
drifted to Green Bay, Wis. There
was nothing of Green Bay then, but
saw some good land, and by wiggling
around [ managed to get hold of some
OF it. I then held on; it was pretty
hard work" sometimes, but I never let
that landgo, and as a result it is worth
many thousands OF Uncle Sans big
silver dollars. But that is only on
one line, and is little out of order.
| started q little supply store in Green
Bay when it first began to develop,
and as [ was having moderate success
l soon got me a wife.
Well, we padded along without
much occurring until one day fellow
came into my store, said he was a
lumberman and ordered a heavy bill
of goods. He then went out, and in a
few hours returned considerably in
toNicated and wanted to borrow $40.
Z, l OF course could not let him have it,.
for had not had time to look up who
my customer was, and feared hemight
be trying to swindle me. Upon my re-
fuslng his request he became verv
much enraged, and commenced shoot
ing at me with a big pistol he carried.
In defense OF myself I seized loaded
gun that was standingin a corner, and
nthe heat of the moment, I DISCHARGED
it toward him, and was immediately
Mortified to see him fall and die at once.
"Well, to make a long story short,
[ was exonerated from all guilt by the
authorities; and yet every little while
heard some one whisper or look and
point toward me, and it made me feel
very uneasy. So finally decided to
pull up stakes and go further west.
About this time, however, I was draft
ed 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
inspection-"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 a few
head OF cattle at first, and by care
have been able to see these multiply,
until nowI have one of the largest and
most successful cattle ranches in that
section OF the country. I have seen
all kinds of :roughing it. out there, and
NAV saw that | have had MANY ad
ventures Of varied nature. am now
81 years old and bid fair to see "a, as
far as my general bodily health iscon-
cerned.
"such is, briefly, my life, and what
it has done; and you don't know how
anxious | am to learn Of those other
two young men-and TO know the re
suit OF their forty year struggle. Z
This was in interesting and pleas.
ant tone, and had just been finished
when the. young man who had been
listening intently stepped forward, and
I - sad