Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-02-25
IRONTON. MO. THURSDAY. FEBRUARY IS. 1897.
From TarheeI1ana.


seat myself, with pencil in hand, to this
weekly recurring task, there comes the
pleasing reflection that / am seven days
nearer the conclusion of our allotted So
journ in this Commonwealth of tarry
fame. We like the Old North State;
her children are kindly and hospitable;
and the health-giving air of Asheville
there is none to excel. Still. we find
ourselves hourly, in our hearts, hum
ming the sweet refrain
Speed, o speed the cheering day
When the pleasant air of May
Shall watt us home again.
Speed the day! From the onward
reaching hours of childhood until
Eternity blots out the divisions of time,
it is always-speed the day! Faster
wing thy flight, o time! And yet how
few and uncertain are the days which
we, foolish spendthrifts that we are,
fling to every passing whim! It was a
sacreligious hand that first wrote,
..Time is money" The two possess
but one attribute in common: both get
away from US, regardless; but the
s.trash" of the pocket is dirt that the
next spade may pile up again.
We have pleasant lot of people at
the Swannanoa, and we manage to
make time-time again!-pass agree
ably. The reading-room is the resort
of the gentlemen during the day, while
the ladies amuse themselves in their
common domain of hall and sun-parlor,
sewing. crocheting. and mild gossip.
Evenings are devoted to games of
various kinds-even the ladies indulg-
| ing in so-called withstand story-tell-
ing. A few evenings since several
hours were devoted to orthodox ghost
stories, followed by discussions of the
various supersti:ions that lehd interest
to the mystery of human existence.
..Unlucky Friday" was incidentally re-
ferred to, when, at the request of his
| better-half, a gentleman named Louis P.
Crevier, from Minneapolis referred
to the family last week-related per-
sonal experiences worthy of being set
down by much abler pen than | can
command. He is a gentleman of
about fifty years, and has an interest
! ing family of wife, son and daughter.
If the story is but crudely told, the
reader may rest assured that it pos
sesses at least the attribute of truth,
and, if rightly given, of interest, too.
1t was in the fall of 1868, said Mr..
Crevier, that my brother Edmond and
l, then residents of Chicago, conclud-
ed to take a winters outing in the
hunting regions of the then Far West.
had not been in the best health for a
year o. so, and we thought a few
months '.roughing it, would be good
thing for me. We bought a full out
fit of arms and ammunition, and in the
latter days of October bade goodbye
! to friends and acquaintances. We
travelled by rail to Leavenworth, Kan
sas, where we purchased three horses,
a wagon, cooking utensils, bedding,
and other things necessary to camping
out. Thence we proceeded by easy
stages to southwestern Kansas, where
we had determined to remain until the
ensuing spring, when we purposed GO
ing through to Denver, Colorado, then
a mere village.
Our winter camp was pitched on the
extreme western border, about mid
way between Forts Harker and Wal
lace, two small government forts some
six or eight miles apart, on the Smoky
Hill river. Antelopes, buffaloes and
had excellent sport. We were equip
ped with the latest improved arms
Winchesters, revolvers and shotguns-
and found no difficulty in providing
our larder with venison aud buffalo
meat, to say nothing of smaller game.
Our breadstuffs were purchased at
Hays, village situated near the fort
of that name, and on the opposite bank
of the river.
The winter passed quickly. / rap
idly regained my health, and Edmond,
a perfect specimen of American man
hood. was in his glory. He was al
most giant in strength and stature,
being six feet one inch tall and weigh
ing two hundred and fifty pounds,
with well-trained, fully developed
muscles and not an ounce of super
fious flesh. He was an athlete, and
thoroughly yersed in the strength
giving exercises of the gymnasium and
the boxing school. He was a general
favorite, too, with men and women;
earnest, sincere, frank, and strong in
his affections. You will pardon me
for thus dwelling upon the virtues and
exeellences of so near relative, and.
when my short story is concluded, will
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