The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-06-10

hunted with them, fished with them
 was one of them. With them he has
 gone for months, not once tasting bread
 or coffee, but sharing only in the buffa-
 To or deer or other wild game which sus-
 tained the aborigine. MT. Ward knew
 intimately the early settlers of western
 Missouri. When Independence in the
 forties was the centre of culture and
 he home of Jackson county's aristocra- cy he knew it's people. He has shared
 in the development of the county for a
 period which dates the Santa Fe
 trail. None of the privileges enjoyed
 by the richest citizens in an important
 American city has been denied him.
 And now, in the last years of his life,
 he lives on a homestead of four hrn-
 dred and forty-two acres, for which he
 would not accept one-half million dol-
 lars. He is, therefore, no scout or trap per, but man who has enjoyed to tn fullest the best we have In civilization,
 who pays this tribute to the American
 Indian: In his native state he was tn
 most unselflsh, self-sacritcing and
 kindly creature that God ever made
 If the Indian became treacharous, the | '--AtN 'ii'ih tuuShs IL to liliil. hS
 Knew him he was natures nobIeman"
 It was while recounting his early ex- l rerience to a representative of the Star
 who had driven to his home, two and
 one-half miles southwest of Westporr,
 that Mr. Ward stopped to pay tribute
 to the native American. The Ward
 homestead is familiar to all the older
 residents of Kansas City and to the
 hundreds who drive regularly to the
 Country club. The handsome club l grounds, which have forced so much ! favorable comment from visitors. are
 leased and rented from Mir Ward and form part of the homestead. The west efn boundary of his homestead is a mile along the Kansas border and ex- tends east distance Of little more than three-quarters of mile to what IS now known as the Country club drive. The macadamized roadway leading west along the southern boun- diary of the Country club golf course passes the Ward home.
 MT. Ward built the home in which he now lives in 1871. It is a commodious brick building containing fourteen large rooms. The style of architecture is that almost universally adopted for the homestead of the cauntrv gentla- man of the south. An exterior view suggests an abundance of light air and room, and an interior examination con- firms the impression. The home is in the center of an attractive lawn, orna- mented with shrubs, decorative and for est trees. Brick walks lead from the entrance on the highway around small park which abounds in flowers and shrubs. The view from the home Is magnif1, cent One can see for miles in q southerly and westerly direction; the lawns, the vineyards and the grow ing fields along the Kansas and Missou- ri border, and before the growing trees in orchard and field had cut off the easterly view Independence was plainly visible.
 There are few if any men now living whose "reminiscences cover such an ex- tensive field of border experience as those of Mir Ward. Although physi- cally weak. his mind is still rugged and his physical senses acute
 He is constant reader of thesnews- l papers and spends hours every day in | his private sitting room keeping in the pleasant touch with the affairs of a busy world.
 MT. Ward came west from Virginia and during the war was southern l sympathizer. In his room is the ever present copy of Bingham's picture of | one of the results of Order No. Ii found in all southern homes in border Mis- [ souri counties. Not since 1860 has ra- zor touched his face His beard is heavy and white and incidental to a ! of two hours in which he talked freely about his early personal :. experiences he recounted with a merry laugh the story of his luxuriant growth of beard.
 1T was on my way from Laramie to Kansas City," he said, when heard of the battle of Bull Run. My wife, to whom l had been married only few was with me and I told her I would never shave until the Confedera- cy had won its freedom. It didn't win, md now I am glad of 1t, but have kept my promise about my whiskers.''
 q should judge you were a pretty good sort of democrat them?"
 T never scratched a Democratic tick at in my life and that was at the last election"
 'Did you vote for McKinley?"
 NO, I voted for Hadley for county attorney. He was my sons law part Ter and voted for him on that account. But I wouldn't advise any young man Q be as bitterly partisan as all that. Wy old prejudices have made me vote a straight ticket but there isn't either good morals or good sense in 1t. Men Ire what count in this world and-in all ocal affairs my advice would be to vote or the best men," While you are advising young men I '. uppose you would incorporate the usu- Il suggestion made by successful old ', nen about the necessity for early rising md the grave dangers of narcotics?" {, "No, I wouldn't. l always was a : .reat sleeper and if that is being iazy !,
 am glad I was lazy I went to bed l, ate and do now for an old man. Dur 4 ng my most prosperous years I didn't Q to work until eight o'clock and I ave both chewed and smoked since l vas fourteen years of age. I never rank whiskey but don't even deserve I redit for that. I never liked it'' ! In telling the story of his early life in he west MT. Ward is as refreshingly andid as in summarizing his lat CT day |