The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-01-21

| THOSE naTdy men VINO In his youth went
with Kit Carson and Gen. Fremont into
the wilds of the Rocky Mountains. His
people came from Pennsylvania and were
originally Quakers. When, in 1861, this
section was torn by the first burst of war,
Eathan came, bearded man to the home
he had left smooth faced boy. The
slave holders were bearing down every
exhibition of opposition and overawing
almost every loyal man. They were
masters of everybody who was afraid 10
die. But PaXon was trained in a school
they knew little Of He came secretely,
his appearance so changed his boyhood
mates did not recognize him. He went
as rebel all through the rebel army,
talked TO the officers and learned their
strength and weakness, then with few
others he secretly organized the unionists
of three or four adjacent counties. He
knew Gen. Lyon was coming and that
his force was inferior i'll number to the
enemy. Riding day and night, favored
by the temporary withdrawal ofthe active
rebels he warmed the latent LOYALTY of the
hardy settlers into fighting life. The
rebs had helped him greatly by pressing
the horses of such as were not secession
lists. When Lyon got to Springfield and
was looking Price and Ben Mccullough
in the face he found he had lob on
hands. History is silent on the matter,
for one can hardly believe that man
such as Lyon was could do such a foolish
thing, but it is fact Eathan Paxon made
his way to Gen. Lyons tent, laid before
him the offer of the services and help of
eighteen hundred men, armed ready for
action to serve through the coming battle.
Lyon seemed at first to take to the plan
but Schoield who was then his Adit.,
objected to them on the ground that they
had no rations for them. Eathan ex-
planned to them that they wanted none
or would supply themselves. The debate
grew and Schofield had his way. Paxon's
labor was in vain. They actually refused
reinforcement of eighteen hundred
earnest soldiers fighting for their homes,
went into the battle and got beaten by
just such men as they rejected Lyon
lost his life and deserved to, after the
defeat at Wilson's Creek. The rebels
sent raiding parties up here but they soon
learned that anything less than an army
could not venture here. Eathan kept a
company together and served through
the war, but to the day of his death
regretted that he and his 'minute men"
were treated so stupidity by Schofeld. He
always blamed him for Lyons refusal
Tomorrow when we lay him in the
ground, few old hearts will be singing
his " coronacll," attuned by the memory
of days gone by, but soon he will be
forgotten and be as if he never were.
l wish there was some young man such
as Harlan McCardle was to gather up
these southwest traditions and pass them
on two or three generations. Did you
know what genius Harlan was for dates,
incidents and peoples ages 1 once had
the late Hampton Langdon fixing a
hydraulic RAM at the same time Harlan
was building something as carpenter.
AT the dinner table Hamp, who was an
old bachelor, spoke of Billy Preston and
his fine farm and wondered why he never
married, turning to ME lie asked HE how
old Billy was. said had but little idea
but said that Harlan could likely tell
pretty nearly. Harlan cleared his throat
and said, "Well, I can't say exactly, but
OIL the 25th day of March, 1927, we
moved from Patrick Ewings house to
George Viewers house and as we passed
near Jos. Preston's we fell in with Mrs.
Gillespie who told mother she had been
sent for to come over to Preston's. The
next morning mother and l went back
for our COW and at the end of Preston's
lane again met Mrs. Gillespie and he ard
her tell mother that there was twin chill
dren up at the house, boy and a girl,
the boy is Billy but whether he was born
the 25th or the 10th of March 1927, can
not tell" 1 asked Hamp if that was
near enough, he thought it was.
There is at the old house near Pilot
Town, stone chimney built of surface
stone. ! was standing in the yard look
ing at the part which extends above the
adjoining house and noting how every
bit OF the outside mortar had disappeared,
said l would like to know how old it was,
and who built it. Harlan who was near
said, well, Davy Harlan's father built
it, and mother told NE it was in 1906,
she lived then near Porter's Bridge and
he always staid with them on Saturday
night when OH his way home from work.
He lived near the Sun or Harrisville."
Remember me to Squire Taylor. Was
1t he who wrote the "stone school house"
papers published in the JOURNAL some
time ago? l was a student there about
1885, at least l sat on bench next the
OLD ten plate stove, which had cracks so
wide we could watch the fire through
them. think the Masters" name was
Reynolds. l remember very little of him,
only that he had great aversion to burned
goose quill A big scholar, whose iden-
tity have lost, used to give me quilts of
worn out pens to poke in the stove cracks
to make smell. l was too small to sus
pect of such fun but big enough to enjoy
his airing the house