Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1893-09-29
RIP Van WINKLE
Comes 10 Life and Appears
in Grangeville.
Truth Is Stranger Than
VIA Fiction.

Gould the shade OF Washing
ton Irving have visited Cana,
Prairie last Friday, it certainl,
would have opened its eyes ii
wondering establishment. Wher
this renowned writer conceived
and brought forth, his now fam.
Gus story, little did he think thu
fictitious character there depict.
ed, in such attractive style
would find its counterpart in
real flesh and blood in the wear
1898. One Of the points in Mr..
lrving's narrative was to show
the transitishaaf the government
of the Cois som a monarch
ial to q repti form, Itwas
pure fiction, Il from the
fountain Of the at authors
fertile imagination, and at that
time no such prolonged sleep
had ever been observed by man.
But Idaho tgreat in all things)
now comes forward with d YER
liable Rip-4a slumberer, whose
phys" is familiar to almost ev-
cry one In idaho CO., being no
other than A, r. Parker, of the
Free Press.
The rumor has it something
like this: Early last Spring Mr..
Parker visited his mine in Elk
City, Entering therein, he roam
ed about its drifts and levels on
a tour of inspection. Sitting
down on ledge Of pure gold he
gazed admiringly on his aurifer-
Gus millions and fell into a rev
erie. The glistening radiance
from the labyfinthine mazes of
his cavernous wealth, was too
much; Ills head dropped; his
eyelids closed; and Morpheus,
the drowsy god of dreams, EN-
braced him. Now Imagination,
clothed in reveling habiliments,
ran riot through his soporous
brain. He saw himself, through
the agency Of his golden possess
ions, millionaire; his little
Free Press, from a modest viii
lage paper, grow to gigantic pro-
portions--a rival of the Tribune
and World; and himself like the
great Whitelaw Reid or Joseph
Pulitzer first among editors.
His spirit disentangled itself
from the somnolent body, and
scared away in quest Of news.
1t few up to the starry realms,
and with note book and pencil
in handy gased eagle-eyed down
on Mother Earth 1t beheld
"The Great Naval Parade" in
New York Harbory saw the
--latest Developments In Ha-
waiis'' scanned "0regon at the
exposition" and heard Presi-
dent Cleveland aGive out the
Statement Congress will be
convened in special session in
September" This and much
Other SPaiNa news was collated
and noted down for the readers
of the great Free Press. Finally,
weafying Of its arduous task,
this journalistic 'shadowy SEM
blance returned headlong to the
subterranean cavern whose efful-
gent brilliancy had lulled it
to sleep. 1t entered the. pros
trate form; the sleeper iawoke;
and started for Camas Prairie.
Reaching Grangeville, Mr..
Parker hurried to his sanctum
and prepared to bring his FRESH,
uNsA1TED NEWS before the pub
lie. It was fnianight's stilly
hour, and Wishing to outdo his
rivals, he rushed to the type
fontsi his fingers flewj the afore-
said NEWS filled the 's,formsj it
went on the press; and come of
as pages Q and 8, Of hast weeks
edition of the Free Press. As
the gray dawn appeared above
the Bitter Root MtA, the paper
was Deposited in the post office,
and with a long-drawn sigh pf
relief, tie weary journalist werid-
ed his way honieward.
We understand, Mr. Parker
lhas since learned that the SUM SUM
mer has passed away and
| J,rrvELAsp's l' sfEcrss CoNeREss
SIS in Hessijti.