Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-10-19
From the Far West.
New CASTLE. WYo., Oct. 9, 1S9

EUttoF hCytSt6! - OuCS AOiC tAibC
rolls around and | take down my old
pen and then-well. | am going TO tell
you about a recent trip to Saratoga, a
nice little town in the south eastern
part of this State
The orders came in from headquar-
ters to send two men up in the noun
tains to do prospecting and work, in
developing some new mines. and only
two days to get ready. Whew! how
we had to hurry; there were horses to
run in (as we needed FOUR, there was
our wagon to get in readiness for
travelling, coverings, blankets for
camping out, and skillets, buckets,
axes, guns, dogs (for you know a fell
low always thinks OF his eating busi-
ness about the first thiug), and other
things necessary and too numerous TO
name separately. and which I believe
most every one is acquainted with that
has had similar experience in travel
ing through countries with wagons and
horses. Well, we kept working and
fixing and packing, and as there is al
ways an end to everything. this state
of affairs came to an ending.
On the morning of the second day
We were all ready to start on our jour
ney of three hundred miles. We gath
cred up our trusty old rifles, called our
dogs to Us, laid our axes down and
stood up as straight and fearless as you
please. And what for do you suppose?
And we whisper softly Ito have our
pictures taken just as we stand;" for
did we know what might befall Us ere
We seen home again? My. how big we
felt, and how the spirit of mirth had
spread among US all! we just felt like
we could take a Spaniard's scalp lock
every shot without taking aim. But
now our spirits must drop several de-
grees below zero for, as we look around.
we behold the loved ones standing
about and We are going away from
them. and many dangers will menance
Us ere We return to them. But then
we must not falter here, so | put on a
brave cheerful face as did my compan-
ion, who, by the way, had a sweet
heart TO leave behind. And what is
that I see running down his honest
cheeks, looking like great
drops OF rain in the sunshine. Well,
never mind old fellow, that's all right.
a few honest tears deep from the heart
you will find to be a great relief. So,
after much hand-shaking and caress-
ing and soothing. we clambered up on
our wagon, and with hasty glance to
see if all was well and dozen or two
answering ''goodbyes," we shouted
.get up. thar!'-and off we go.
After we are fairly started we draw
a great long breath of relief; that is it
seems to relieve some of the intensity
of our feelings, aud we settle down for
a long, hard ride.
The first day we travel over prairie
all the country, beautiful
as it was, dotted with the feeding herds
of cattle for miles and miles, but all so
nearly the same, that one could not
describe one landscape without de-
oil hot
hardly realize it the sun is sinking and
we must choose place to camp, for the
night is fast approaching.
just before night came on we reached
a small stream. aud by this we resolved
to stop; we unhitched our teams, fed
them good supper of grain, and set
about to prepare our first supper in
camp. My companion had killed few
prairie chickens; so we cleaned them |
and cooked them for supper and it was
during the period of cleaning and cook |
ing them that we wished down in the |
bottom of our hearts that there was
some calico visible, but. nevertheless
we passed through the ordeal and came |
out wiser than heretofore in the matter |
Of cleaning fowls. But. 0 how good |
and sweet they tasted! Despite the |
fact that there were a few feathers, |
and little ashes mixed up with it, |
and it did seem pif they tasted better
than any I had er eated. After fn-
ishing supper we picketed out our |
horses for the night. and fingered |
about our fire for awhile and our dish /
es, which by the way we forgot to
wash. were left unmolested. We talked /
Of the things that were new and inter- /
esting aud at last becoming sleepy we
took our blankets, and as the night /
was lovely, We lay down by our wagon
and looked up in the beautiful heaven,
studded every where by twinkling
stars. Might not poet dream with
such surroundings as this, or might
not composer sing lay on this scene.
The silence and beauty of the night
even penetrated into my dull sensIbili-
lies and made me feel like singing. cry
ing and laughing. all in one. do not
know il my companion was so inspired
Or not, but hardly think so, for
loud snore from that direction broke
the stiffness and shut of" my star