Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-04-22

SIdtICn aL 81 Louis, an1 mere we lOOk-
ed into the first familiar, old-time face
we had seen since last November. |
grasped the extended hand of Barney
Frauenthal and as l looked into his
friendly face and heard his cheerful
greeting felt that we were indeed on
the threshold of home. After about a
hundred questions and answers mu-
tually exchanged, 1 took the better
half ard ascended to the dining-room,
where we were regaled with a supper
''to the queens taste" 1t was ele-
gantly cooked and neatly served, and /
thought | could discern the old Mis-
souri, flavor to the victuals. We had
dined on the buffet that day, and had
dined well; but the intervening seven
hours had sharPened my appetite into
full appreciation of the good things
here set before me. | will not be so
superf1uous as to say that l did full
Justice to them, or that the smoke of
the after-supper cigar curled in peace
full wreaths over head well settled in
calm content and sweet enjoyment.
After giving Barney" all the bother
possible in our limited stay in the sta
tion, and leaving my only spring over
coat on his table, to give him further
trouble after we had gone, we at
length, through his assistance, found
our train and about half-past eight
o'clock slit OUT for Ironton. AS soon
as we were from under the protection
of the station I discovered that the
bright beginning of the day had re-
solved itself into the darkest of nights
whose gloomy aspect was being en-
hanced by a driving rain, which
freckled the car windows and gave to
the passengers a going-through-t the
tunnel feeling of exclusiveness from
the outer world. But the lamps burn
ed brightly and the cheer of comfort
and ease was on the inside, and who
need greatly care for the rage of
storms without so lorg as peace and
content reign secure within?
Our progress was marked by the
brakeman's calling out the names of
the stations as we successively ap-
preached them. l presume he kept
tally and spoke by the card, for the
| intense darkness made distinction of
locality impossible to the vision.
| Round about the region of Victoria our
pace was slow and gingerly. The
trainmen evidently were suspicious of
the recently repaired washouts, and if
we were to go down in the roar of
| floods, the descent was to be made as
gentle as possible. Several breatbs of
relief were drawn when the last un-
certain stretch had been traversed,
the engine plucked up courage. and a
| few minutes later we dashed into De
Soto in grand style, head and tail up,
| feuratively speaking. Here Como duc-
tor Dates handed me a telegram from
the interchangeable Barney, assuring me
of the safety of that only overcoat, and
burden was lifted from my mind.
About midnight our long railway
Journey ended, and the beautiful pro-
portions OF Ironton's model station
house at last greeted our longing eyes.
Collins had two rigs on the ground
one for the common herd, and another
for our exclusive use; but with true
democratic instinct we refused the lat
ter and chose the former, and thus
were conveyed to our dOmicile just
like ordinary people. A few minutes
after we had been safely housed, the
rain, which had ceased for a quarter
of an hour, again came down with
vigor, and I went to sleep beneath the
monotonous ''patter on the shingle."
, | have learned, in my absence, two
things, if no more: that the outer world
is full of good people if one only takes
the trouble to seek them out, and that
home is the only place for him who
has rounded his half-century. It's true
at home ones weaknesses and short
: comings are known to and discussed
: by his neighbors, and an oeeasiona
t enemy adds to the just sum of his de
: linquencies; but if a man have virtue:
] they are also known, and it may bt
: the malicious criticism on one side il
Offset by the undeserved praises of tot
: partial friends on the other. But lie
: all that go. He is less than brute
+. his heart does not glow under th,
, warm grasp of friends hand welcom
: ing his return. May the undersigned
: be found deserving of the tokens o
: friendship extended him the past week
is the prayer Of E. D. a.
Grants Part In the Last Battle of
the Mexican War.