Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1893-07-12


among the hoary peaks, flows brook
crystalline in its purity and melodious
in its movements, carrying sweetness
and verdure to the thirsty vegetation
below.
Let me take you to this valley, called
by its people Gods country" and
show you some of it's beauties. And,
in order the better to view it, let me
conduct you to n lofty point Let us
ascend by way Of Santa Anita canyon,
through alternating sage and man.
the Sierra NIadrcs, to one of the finest
natural observatories in the country, il
not in the world.
This is the scene, and there In the
valley, at La Puente, is the spot
whereon dwelt the heroic woman OF
whose brave deed the following Is a
record.
In yon village some twenty years ago
lived Uncle Billy Madden, a genial
country merchant. and his good wife.
lady from Arkansas, of whom he was
ever ready to relate some humorously
turned anecdote or speak word of
praise.
They had seen some of the rough side
of life together and, as Uncle Billy was
wont to boast, that ArlSansaw WON.
an of his always kept things moving
along smoothly" She was born and
reared near the city Of Little Rock and
came of a highly respectable family Of
the middle class, of quite ample means,
nd f.t, ,1,,n tol al
many of the minor accomplishments.
The then young and somewhat ad-
vcnturous Bill Madden wandered rather
aimlessly through the states, having
left his home in Ohio with the half
formed intention of locating in some
new and unsettled portion of the coun-
try. In beating about he found himself
in Little Rock, where he met his "Ar-
kansaw Woman" and married her.
After quite an extended tour of the
west in search OF likely place in
which to build home Uncle Billy"
and his bride brought up In the San
Gabriel valley at La Puente.
After a short residence in the valley
the new couple combined their efforts
and means in starting little store for
general merchandise. Here they turned
their small stock of goods to gold, and.
renewing it constantly, went on gath
ering in the coin and enlarging their
store until il came to be noised about
that Uncle Billy" (which name he had
acquired soon after his arrival in the
valley through his fondness for chill
dren) and that Arkansaw woman of his
were getting rich.
The bulk OF their trade was with the
Mexicans, who were in the valley,
among them being number of ugly
customers of the Chavez stripe who
used to sometimes render the surround
ing country, and particularly the "Old
Mission" close by, anything but fit
babitation for peace-loving people.
They would fill up with "owadiente, :"
the native brandy, and bestriding their
bronchos dash through the highways
in manner highly threatening to the
personal safety Of any who might be
coming their way, yelling meanwhile
like demons and whirling their lassos
about their heads until they whistled
shrill accompaniment 10 the uproar.
According to Uncle Billy" that Arkan-
saw woman of his often grew uneasy in
the presence Of these ruffians, and IL
was her firm conviction that sooner or
later there would be trouble Mt La
Puente. He would ridicule her fears
and would try TO persuade her out Of
her notions" as he termed them, but,
though she appeared to be calm for the
time, she resolved within herself TO be
ever on the alert for Mexican mischief.
and her fears were not groundless.
One day black-muzzled Mexican
entered the store, and glancing about
in ]istless way inquired the prices of
various articles. He seemed to have
ample leisure, for, after making few
trifling purchases, he hung about for
several hours, exchanging at intervals
few words in Spanish with the store
keeper, in which language the new
corners had become quite proficient
During the stay of the Mexican the
silent partner In the concern ran In
from the kitchen close by TO get some
necessary articles for the culinary de-
partrnent, and seeing him lounging
about her fears were excited, and as she
departed TO resume the preparation of
her evening meal she threw warning
glance across the counter at her hus.
band.
The afternoon wore away and the
sun was sinking into the broad bosom
OF the Pacific, casting lurking shadows
toward the Sierras across the valley