The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1901-03-22
AN UNLUCKY MAN
BY G. ~. DEWEY

SOou man, Dut oO tCIIlDly uhluCky.
Is there such thing as man be
ing lucky or unlucky?
That there are men who are gen
orally spoken of as "lucky" or sun
lucky" we must admit; and we al
know men who are prosperous not
withstanding they are of dissolutt
habits and careless in business
while other men of industrious and
steady habits seem to "progres:
backward" in spite of their best eff
forts to advance.
Here is short sketch of one who
was spoken of by all who knew him
as ga most dreadfully unlucky man.
yet he was honest, careful, and one
of the most industrious of men.
The writer knew him personally fol
many years and highly esteemed
him for his many good qualities Of
head and heart.
Some years before the war fam
lily consisting of John Miller, his
wife and two children-a boy and
a girl-arrived at Lawrence from the
East, and located near that town, in
Douglas county. When they left
the old home they had but little
money and this was sadly depleted
by the wife being taken very sick on
the way, and it was several months
before she was able to resume the
journey. Their goods and clothing
had been shipped in advance, but
they never received them, having
been lost on the way; and when they
reached their new home their sole
possessions were the clothing on
their backs, and three dollars and
"six bits" IN cash.
The wife was a most careful and
industrious woman and a splendid
helpmate for her husband, and the
family were regarded by all who
knew them with affection and sin
cere respect and sympathy. John
was not very robust when he came
West, but soon became healthy and
strong. In the East he had been
head book keeper for big business
firm, but lung troubles set in and he
was advised to try what an outdoor
life would do for him in the West.
He was never idle in his new home
and he soon had nice little start
in horses and cattle and his little
farm produced well, and they were
very happy.
But soon one thing and then an
other began to go wrong. The
daughter fell on the ice and broke
her limb and the fracture was a
most difficult and dangerous one.
Before she was we'll their horses
were stolen, and two of their best
cows were drowned IN the Kaw riv-
er; and at last the "border ruffians''
burned them out of house and home.
At the breaking out of the war their
son, manly boy of IS, enlisted.
The daughter was at Lawrence at
tending school, and the parents
were left alone, working hard to get
a little start again and few more
comforts for the children when they
came home.
Bnt alasl Their evil genius never
forsook them, and while they slaved
to gather little property together it
would crum BILE away without any
apparent cause or reason. But the
only complaint John was heard to
make, was: at is not for me to
keep more than one horse and one
COW and few chickens"
The sons letters came until near
the end of his term of enlistment.
He had been badly wounded in the
Vicksburg campaign, but recovered
and rejoined his regiment, and then
his letters ceased to come; but they
confidently expected him home ev-
cry day, now that his time was out
But one day they received a letter
from Washington informing them
that their son had been captured
soon after rejoining his regiment,
and with a number of others was
aiken to Tyler, Texas, and confined
n the rebel prison there, and that
shortly afterward he was shot and
killed by a guard while trying to
make his escape. This was a most
;ruel blow to these poor struggling
The mother was prostrat-
ID by the shocking news for a long
ime, but the father and daughter
,ore up for the mothers sake.
The family now determined to
make a change in their location, |
moving down onto the Usage lands
n Wilson county and taking up a
claim" They soon had a little
abin erected and began to get along
icely, when their daughter, now a
ieautiful young woman, met with a
euible accident by her horse fall