The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-20
REMINIS SCENT.
Father AIIaeys Speaks Kindly of the Late
Drayton NJ. Power.

Missoula, Jan. 19.-The death of
Drayton NJ. Power has revived many
interesting incidents connected with
the long career of the old man, some of
which have already found place in the
Standards columns. Daily, almost
hourly. since the grim reaper called for
the brave old man, some friend or ac-
quaintance of his has testified to the
true manliness of Mr.. Power and to his
sterling worth. Perhaps the strongest
evidence of the warm affection which
existed between the deceased and his
friends is the fact that Mr.. and Mrs.
McElligott and Mrs. Prendergast
braved the fearful storm of Tuesday
night to drive from Martina TO Mis-
soula that they might reach here in
time for the funeral.
The Standard office in Missoula to-.
day received from Rev. Father Allaeys
of Anaconda the following tribute to
Mr.. Power, who was a warm personal
friend of Father Allaeys:
Anaconda, Mont, Jan. Is, 1896.
THE death of Mr.. Dayton NJ. Power
reminds me of many ride up to his
cabin through the poetical forests that
enshroud the mines and head of Nine
Mile creek. as / strolled musing in uni
son with the wailing pine and hemlock.
i owe to my old friend, besides a pray
err for his soul, a word of thanks for
his splendid hospitality frequently en-
joyed, and a salvo to his genial char
deter.
= with all the respect and love of
whole souled Irishman he called me
Father but with the liberty of a
stern veteran. he showered on me, as
on a son, an incidental and square
admonition. In his 12x12 smoky cabin
we seemed to be three of a family-old
Patriarch Power, myself and his big
black dog; though the dog, jealous of
his masters affection and attention,
never was friendly to me. and watched
me suspiciously day and night AS
soon as | entered the cabin the pile of
books covering his table was removed
to the shelves above, or to his extra
bed, which was at once his cellar, his
storeroom and his library. Every bit
of his appGrtenances was at my dispo-
SAL though in accordance with strict
etiquette. One day used his new dip
per for a drink of water No. he said.
this dipper Is for table use only; that
one is for dipping water and he point
ed to an old tin can nailed to rough
stick
when visiting my home he went
freely through my library, paying lib
eraly for all his offerings. Then he
requested me to forward new publica-
tions. In consequence Il happened to
send him Father Ryan's Poems and
Irving's Discovery of America but at
our next meeting he was really angry
over II What he exclaimed. do you
think / am a southern rebel? That is
all right for Father Ryan, AS for Irv-
ing, he is a rank bigot in many places;
take those books back
$50 far for his comical phase. But
our long evening talks revealed soul
of steel in body once of iron, and
would fill a volume with his adventur-
Gus life In the early SOS he led a
stampede of miners, and on crossing
the Flathead reservation pinned there
his tent. His clothes. frozen stiff, were
drying at the camp fire. but the watch
boy fell asleep. and in the morning
Power found his suspenders as the
only remnant of his breeches. There
was not but his placer mining pan and
cooking dishes for a change of clothes.
Never mind, Dayton used part of the
canvas of the tent. and on went the
stampede to the promised field of gold.
However, II was whilst rehearsing
his struggles to free the old green
sod. and his daring exploits in Mexico
that his eye was glowing as an eagles
eye and his voice once more grew
When knew the veteran
his strength was gone. but what re-
manned and grew on him with advanc-
ing years was his deep-rooted faith
and fervent piety. AS / offered up holy
mass in his cabin, him being the only
attendant, his convinced and ecstatic
prayers made up for a whole congre-
ration, and now better than his valiant
deeds. plead his case before the Su-
preme Judge
Father II. b. Allaeys."