Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1902-03-13

tHS cSlOHS eastward were dTOuS-
ed and money, clothing, grain,
and food were sent from legisla-
lures, societies and individuals
by mail and rail, in responce to
the wall. All supplies from the
east were delivered at Atchison.
Thither from the stricken 'front.'
Ter men wrapped in comforts fast
ened with strings, and often with
feet cladin raw buffalo hide, drove
their teams to receive the timely
aid. AS the emaciated horses or
oxen propelling the wagons drag
ged their weary hoofs along a sin
uous tremor shook their frames
at each co-laboring step.
AT a public meeting of citizens
in Lawrence some time in Nov
ember, 1860, a territorial relief
committee was appointed, of
which Hon. S. c. Pomeroy was
chosen chairman and later w. F.
M. Army was selected as receiy-
ing and disbursing agent. Box
es of clothing, sacks of meal,
flour, beans, corn, rice, sugar,
coffee, bacon, and everything
that could sustain life were de-
1ivered at Atchison by trainloads,
marked in large letters: "W. F.
NJ. Army, Agent" This was
distributed by local committees
throughout the furnishing dis
tricts and starvation was averted.
In January, 1861, empty, fine
woven manila srcks could be
found in every com munity, all
marked "W. F. M. Army, Agent"
Later on men and boys could be
seen wearing pants and coats
made from these sacks, with "W.
F." or Army" or agent" in
sight. And if per chance Kan
sas zephyr lifted faded calico
dress the impairment eye would
see "W. F. M. Army" staring at
the landscape from a sheltering
petticoat. These petticoats did
not rustic like the silk petticoats
of today, but they were the drap-
cry of a pioneer womanhood
which has bred a hustling gen.
Grafton of citizens who have Civ
en- Kansas fame.
On January %, 1861, the suns
rays trem bled in the frozen air
and the snow lay deep on the
Kansas landscape. 1t was the
natal day of infant Kansas. The
period of generation had covered
years and when the child appear.
ed it had a full set of teeth, a
shock of hair and a miniture war
cloud on its chip-shoulder as a
birth mark. It arrived bawling
"I'm hungry, give me something
to eat!" So sudden was its ap.
pearance and unpropitious the
season the nurses were unpre'
pared for the event. They re-
sorted to empty -four sacks
marked CIV. F. M. Army, and
it's shivering form was wrapped
in blankets marked "New Eng.
land Aid Society,"" The child
had been so long "a-bornin" thai
waiting nature was exhausted
and the bosom of our common
mother, earth, was cold and dry
1t was a mi1kless birth. Its frs
sustenance was bean soup. But
the child hourished. The per
iod of CESSATION, from "a to 81
EN- braced the mystic "sever
years" which have so often ap
peared in history, sacred and
profane. Various professional
accouchers had sought to CROWD
the event. Uncle Sam himself
connived at a miscarriage. From
time to time his dragons with
drawn sabers dispersed the pat
riotic nurses. The federal bay
onets strove to dig a grave fol
the burial of its prenatal re.
mains. The pains and visions
the travail and tears, the prayers
and petitions, the tragedies and
traditions, the humane and inhu
name conditions accompanying
and enveloping the long general
ing period, had aroused national
sympathy, engendered sectional
hostility and awakened world
wide interest.
How intense was our antipathy
to the regular army at that time
1t was derided as "the tool of the
administration in Washington. >
When the new star appeared
| in the westean horizon standing