Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1897-11-04
Autton'S Handsome Houri.
SHE MAKES A DARING BANTER
AND THE YOUNG QUILL
DRIVER ACCEPTS.
Whereqpon Our City Editor Came
Near Getting His Brains Blown
Ont-Caught Autumn Leaves
From the Ripping Waters
Just Like wander
+ ing Willie"

| ing Wllile.
Correspondence OF the Ledger.
flanagan, Mo-, Oct. "a, 1s97.--I
have been seeing sights and enjoying
sports which I know, were some of
the sportsmen of Mexico to see me,
would wiring jealous pangs from their
hearts.
am in the little village of flanagan,
Mcdonald county, Mo-, and am about
IL miles either way from the Arkansas
and Indian Territory lines.
The country here is quite rough and
many are the clear, healthy springs
that feed the dashing, tumbling
streams, which abound In fish, which
at this time are beginning to afford
the sportsmen a great deal of excite
ment in gigging. This sport is quite
popular and gives chance for quick
hand and a true eye to show their
powers. 1t is truly wonderful how
some of the natives of these hills can
throw gig with such true aim. They
consider it dishonor In the sport to
plant gig in the fish's body instead
of the head.
The varieties of the fish are numer-
ous and a great many large game fish
are caught. I am told this is very
poor time for the sport, but I was
very successful in fishing for bass
this morning, which spent on Indian
river. l was ably assisted In the
sport by one of Southwest Missouri's
fairest young ladies and it was upon
the banter of this young lady that I
did something which almost called for
a surgeon with bullet probe. The
aforesaid something" was this: We
had been drifting down Indian river
and had caught several fish by the
time we had reached the head of the
"mill-race," which conducts water
from the river to water-power flour
mill, about quarter of mile from
the head of the race. The water
going down the race flows at a lively
rate, and as the fume Is wide enough
to manipulate a pair of oars in, the
young lady,. who Is from Neosho, %
miles north of here, dared me to row
down the race to the mill. was not
over-zealous in the matter, but, of
course, was compelled to make the
effort in order to retain the high
standard of bravery gained by the
young men of Audrain. We entered
the fiume and were about half way
down to the mill, when, before I
noticed, we had run onto and knocked
out of the way poll just touching
the surface of the water. / noticed
that this set free many bushels OF
drifting leaves but thought nothing of
the matter until we were about half
way up the 1nme on the return trip,
when I heard a violent shooting
behind me, and on looking back saw
a four-besmeared man in full pursuit
of the boat. Ofcourse, rowing against
the swift current of the race, it was
impossible to best the man in race,
SO waited calmly for bis nearer
approach. I was somewhat shaken
upon his reaching US to see q short
gun In his grasp, and as he tongue
lashed me the hand holding the gun
possessed an ominous nervousness
of which I was really shy.
The man began by telling me that
l had done him s25 worth of damage
by knocking aside what he was
pleased to call his "leaf-catcher" and
allowing the several bushels of leaves
to flow down and tangle up in his
water-wheel at the mill. OF course, I
tried to pacify the gentleman by
declaring that I had done the harm
unknowingly, and I further stated
that was the City Editor of the Mex
leo (Mo.) Evening LEDGER. This, I
thought, would appease his wrath. But
no; he got worse and swore that he
would blow my ounce of brains out
with the shot gun IL did not come
back and spend my time catching
floating leaves and tin cans In q dip
net. He seemed to go wild when he
found out that was a newspaper
man, and, therefore, could not settle
with cash deposit. I went back and
amid the young lady's tantalizing re-
marks and the brawny miller's scowls,
caught autumn leaves for just an hour
and eighteen minutes. Autumn leaves
always did give me the blues.
The hills which surround flanagan
are rapidly becoming gay with the
bright colored leaves that present q
beautiful appearance. A few Of the
hills are under orchard cultivation.
which is becoming q great industry
even this far south. Six hundred
acres of orchard has been recently
planted near this point by the OZARK
Orchard Company, with L. A. Good
man at the head. This orchard com.
pany bids fair to equal and even sur.
pass the famous Oiden Fruit Farm, oi
Howell county, which covers about
5000 acres. The Ozark Orchard Com
pany Is not confining its operatloni
particularly to this immediate vicinity
but has hundreds of acres between
here and Kansas City, 1876 miles north
| Undoubtedly this Is the land of ths
"Big Red Apple" to say nothing d
peaches. II seems that the rocks o
the Ozark hills prove to be benefi
rather than q hindrance to the frui
interests. There are thousands q
acres of land, especially adapted Il
the growing of fruit, which may b.
bought for almost song.
/ In the bottoms of the numerous
springfield rivers are many acres o
fine grain land that is rich and pro
| ductive.
1 Another important industry OF thi
immediate vicinity is the getting on
of timber, which is received as caal
by q large general merchandise stor'
owner, who operates c saw mill an'
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