Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-11-10

tells his wife. man can live there. We
are strong men out on the prairie. Let
me 60. / must return to look after
our cattle"
Robbins's range is in an alkali desert,
as cherries place as could well be i'm
agined, but it is the rugged life and not
the scenic effects that attracts the
ealthy cowboy.
The average man of 67-for this is
Abner Robbins's age--is seeking COM
Portable place in which to pass his de-
clining days No one would think of
aSsociating decline with the vigorous
| man, who lives all alone in prairie
| hut.
Robbins was born in Boston in 1888
He was shoemaker by trade. In 1882,
he sailed from Boston for Sacramento,
Cal. He mined in California, was q
steamboat CAPTAIN and engaged also in
| mercantile pursuits. He moved TO jack
sonville. Ore, IN 1868, and drifted to his
present location in 1877. Robbins has
had two children, son and daughter
The son died, and the daughter is the
| wife of James Lucky Of Portland, Ore
His second wife, the present Mrs. Rob-
| bins, is young and pretty woman.
Abner Robbins is daring rider, and
herds his cattle with as much energy as
the youngest cowboy on his ranch. He
| is a good musician, and many time has
he played lively dance music on his vio-
lin for his husky companions. He can
sing, too, and when the boys drop in to
spend the evening the little cabin rings
with melody. Abner Robbins sings and
dances and lives free life on wide
prairie for the very Joy of it all, while
people who do not know him call him
crank and miser. But cranks and mis-
ers do not spend their money freely and
their days happily. and from choice,
among lot OF honest and rugged men.
We copy the above sketch from the
columns of the Saint Louis Republic.
Not alone for the interest il may con-
tain for the general reader, but more
particularly for the reason that the
above described Abner Robbins is
brother of our old time and much es-
teemed citizen, Mr.. G. w. Robbins, with
whom our readers, and in fact the peo-
pie OF the Black Hills generally, are well
acquainted. We have therefore referred
the publication to Mr. Robbins, and the
following is What he has to say about
il.
81 did not like the idea of my brother
being paraded in the press all over the
land as freak and I don't presume that
he will like it either. But he will have
to stand it now, and as he belongs to an
independent order of beings he will
probably laugh and like Vanderbilt say,
"the public be D-d." 1t is my opinion
however that if he had made and lost
his money in mining ventures like his
more philosophical and less fortunate
brother, his peculiarities would never
have been noticed out side of his i'm
mediate circle of acquaintances and
friends, who would understand his ways
and know how to take him. All this
comes then as punishment for his
prosperity. penalty for getting rich.
However l am not surprised, nor do
doubt that in the main the story is cor
rect. Abner was always full of his
pranks, which were harmless, and in his
younger days never detracted but rather
added to his popularity. He was strong
as horse, handsome as an adonis, the
life of every party, and an enthusiast for
fun. 1t is now forty years since saw
HIM but do not think be has changed
much, in this, the latter respect at least,
AS the saying goes, "habit in youth be.
comes second nature in old age" and
from what hear l presume he would
90 as far and work as hard to spring q
surprise on his friends as eyer he did
In those early days Abner Used to have
what we learned to call his training
days when he turned himself loose
and at such times stranger to see him
in his antics would say he was on q
high old spree, but as he never touched
liquor it was appropriate to remark that
Abner never needed any whiskey, he
could get drunk on pure water. Such
was his energy and natural exuberance
of animal spirits. The set rules of con-
ventional society was distasteful to him,
and the insiucerity and hypocracy oi
fashionable life filled him with disgust
He was natural pioneer and the wild
west afforded him congenial field
where he has broke the roads, killed
the snakes. turned the rivers and help
ed to make smooth the way for nor G
efeminate generation. There is one
part of that written story, however
which is over drawn and needs correc
.ion. There is no young and pretty
wife in the play. His wife
although pretty woman, is as old as be
u.s. which is 81. There has been no sep
aration. He has fitted up beautiful
home VIII ere she reigns as queen, and
do not believe the story that he only
goes to see her once year. 1t may be
true that the demands of his business
compels his absence on some occasions
for months at time, and it is likewise
,fue that on general principles he lovel
the camp and hates the town. A strange
man no doubt, but out of family o
ten children all well endowed by nature
he was always considered the flower O
the flock, and no man was ever mor'
loved by bis people and those he chosi
to call his friends than Abner Robbins
and would give forty great apples t
see his kindly old face right now.
G.. w. ROBBINS.
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