The sun., 1897-08-29
CREEDE.
"Reminiscences or n Man whom His Partner
Called white.

NnIlcu
Just before dawn the train stopped at salida
to change engines and get helper for tho hill.
1t was showing even there In the valley, and
was sure to be rough day on Poncha Pass.
The train had been well filled on leaving Den.
yer. At Colorado Springs 1t had been packed.
At Pueblo we picked up another sleeper and
an additional day coach at Salida. We hit tho
heavy grade In two sections, and when the con-
ductor came through. one OF the passengers,
who knew him, asked: :" Where in thunder is
all the people goin'. Troop1"
"Goin' to Crecde." replied the ticket taker
without looking.
"well, Of that's all they needen go, said the
passenger playfully; fur Crcede's right here
he's in the smokin' rum
Now, there we're many upon this train who had
never seen the founder OF the famous silver
camp, and some men followed the conductor to
the smoking room OF the sleeper. The door was
closed and the conductor pushed against it. 1t
yielded heavily, and he pushed again and
crowded in. A man was lying the floor
against the door, and when he had been placed
upon the sofa and revived we saw modestly
dressed man OF middle age. medium size. with
blue eyes looking out Of n sad face. He had
tainted. he guessed, and then the conductor
asked his name. "Creede. said the man, and
that was our first meeting.
My interest In the man began Wncn met
an old comrade OF his who had served with him
in the Sioux wars in the sixties. After that
Creedc and became very good friends.
He was born on a farm not far from Fort Wayne.
Ind. Creedc put in seven years as scout and In
dian fighter and helped with his hands to open
the overland route to the Rockies. Some of his
| adventures have been recorded in these columns.
! and many have not been told. A most impor-
tant event in his life w9s omitted from all these
Nm tkR
| glory he had gainet in the Sioux wars, and put
SHADOW on his trail. After the war he Went back
| to his old homo in Iowa. where he had the mis-
! fortune to fall desperately IN love with his
| brothers sweetheart. The brother triumphcd,
AMI il broke Crecdc's heart. 1t was his first and
| last love. Like the rejected poet. he was mad
| with grief and shame. He crossed the plains
and changed his name.
the register OF the Drovcrs Hotel at Pueblo he
wrote his name Nicholas c. Creede. which till
In a little while Creede became a well-known
| prospector. lie was patient and pcrseverng.
camps, notably Monarch and bonanza, These
camps were called after the first claim located.
have Sean called Many
amusing stories have been told as TO the naming
this Sn na or S H[
the pTospecteri Il broas6t nj him in in touch with
fame IA and fortune His share was one.third in.
modes modest C Cottage at Pueblo. he showed me mel 81 small
slip OF paper from the First National Bank OF
Denver. UPON which was written. February
deposit, $50. .OOo."
That was my rake;otr for last month, he
said in his quiet. modest way AT this time
Creole was not n strong man. Seven years on
the plains and thirteen years in the hills hunt
ing for mines is enough to wreck even tho
that he kept through all these thirteen years
was little old dog whose shaggy coat WAS M tho
color OF wood ashes Al Creede's request l pho
| tOyraphcd him and the dog.
In June Of thHt year Isss creeds said ht
at San Epaneisco Fl From Frisco we we Went Il to o
Angeles and when Creole saw tho pretty house
at COL Pearl street he wanted H. Standing Il
the garden he took Off his hat. smiled, and said
This is my Eden" little dreaming that Il
would be his Gcthsemane ,.,x- as well ,,,o,
, young writer's did this successful miner discour
! age Prospectors. ,-
who had asked him to buy n claim at Cripple
Creek. "and you have my friendship; go pros
long illness this same friend wrote Eloomily, AM
: Creede replied: Never give up the ship; chez
. up; there is much to live for"
Six months ago he wrote to his friend. VIII
; ; it chsnsed 10 be The last I'VE, too: have Sab
Q never known Of such pleasure in ali my life a
. the pleasure OF caring for this little child
IKE to drsss her sr and undreSS her. as little girl
: This was the little girl whom he had adopted
9 It seems to me that that letter alone shows tha
d | Creedes heart was in the right place. What
loving father he might have beeni what
o happy home he might have made. II things ha
r gone just a little different. Very. few peopl
o knew Creede intimately. He avoided peop
s his name. He exaggerated this bit OF foolisl
O ness into crime and brooded over It. and Ii
t bitter disappointment Of his earlier life staye
r in his henrt and kept 1t sad
:. And so people who never knew Creede di
; liked him. This Is especially true OF those WI
conceive it to be their duty or who think
o smart to hate the rich and fortunate. Here fC
{. lows a sample OF the uni kind cuts that are aimt
at tho unfortunate dead:
r 1.-THE death OF n. C.. Creede removed fro
70 earth rather a harmonious case Of idiot th
Is never asplred to anything higher than ca
ing morphine and figuring conspicuously In
D. vorce suits"
a divorce court, and make no doubt his fir
=" dose OF morphine was taken upon that awf
r afternoon when he gave up the ship and we
Is | into his garden to die.
n To use the expression of an old prospectil
i | partner Of his, "CreeGe was white man. al
o he was liked best by those who knew him best
n CY WARMAN
Il PHILIP TO HIS FATHER