The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-11-27
Chicago Record Herald


Bill Griscom y Z Clarinda, Ia. was a del
sgate to the last democratic national con-
vention at Kansas City, but he didn't at
END to politics very much, because he was
too busy telling some of his old stories
to a new, enlarged and ever varying au-
aience. The conversation turned upon
the respective merits of different western
states, and when the praises Of Kansas
had been duly sung Bill took a fresh cut
at his black navy ana said:
Il don't know about that. Fact is,
haven't been out Of Page coun-
ty, Iowa, for years, but unless
Kansas has changed a lot in the
past twenty years 1 don't think I'd
like to live there again. l did try 1t once,
did my best to help 'upbuild the common
wealth and all that sort O. thing, but 1
come as close to being lynched as a white
man can and live to tell the story.
Il was past 80 when I set sail from
Amlty, Ia, and took up a claim in Kansas.
l was as green and innocent, as hard
working and honest for a fact as II l
wasn't telling about 1t myself. 1 had q
Few hundred dollars. and 1 struck In for
FARMING on the square. l put up my
fences, made a dug-out, got me some tools,
q team and a wagon and put In about
eighteen hours a day working. 1t was
about twenty miles to the nearest town,
and. as I'd never been away from home
before, l had a pretty lonesome time till I
got acquainted with Ed Heffernan and
Tom Peabody, who lived over the hill, and
kept up a kind Of bachelor hall on a joint
claim of theirs. I met EN- in the road
one rainy day and asked EN- into my
place. 1t was Sunday, and as l was
Tucked to death to have company l killed
two chickens and laid 'em a spread that
made us all happy.
They made a pretty good-looking pair,
and l liked 'em from the start out. Hef-
fernan was a big, broad-shouldered, laugh
Ing 1rishman, and Peabody, who seemed
a well educated, self respecting kind Of a
chap. had all the poise and confidence of
an experienced man of the world. l
showed EN- my farm and asked their adj
vice about crops and things, but, though
they seemed surprised at my progress
and praised the showing 1 made, they
didn't seem especially well informed about
agricultural matters. But when they left
me they insisted that 1 drop in for din
ner next Sunday, and I was glad enough
to promise. That started 1t. went to
their shack one Sunday and they came to
mine the next, and in this way we man
aged to lead a very neighborly and salts
factory life for four or five months.
Il often wondered how they made out,
for they didn't seem to plow any, there
were no crops in evidence, and yet the two
friendly ranchmen were dressed we'll, their
larder was loaded with good things and
they were satisfied to keep within the re-
Quirement of the homestead law so far
as toll was concerned. l envied them their
leisure and their good horses. They had
MS many as ten head The first time l called
and during the five months which followed
l remember counting aS man. as twenty
five good animals in their corral. They
had two COWS, q few chickens and q cou-
pie of dogs, but so far as | could see they
didn't farm in the old fashioned sense.
I'VE got round to Thanksgiving all
right. and l was beginning to plan a small
feast for my two friends when Herfernan
dropped in on me one evening and said
that he and Peabody had bought two tur-
keys in Lawrence and meant to nave me
as their guest of honor at a sure-enough
turkey dinner l don't think he was any
older than I, but he had such a wide
knowledge of men and places, such a
knack of conversation and story telling,
such an infectious laugh, that I ALWAYS
felt like a boy in his presence. Peabody
was more silent and sedatc, but he was
the better scholar, I think, and 1 am sure
had been all over the world. l was glaG
enough to accept the invitation, and about
4 o'clock Thanksgiving afternoon l sci
out on foot, because my one horse was
tired Of the weeks timber hauling. anC
was soon in sight of Peabody's shack
Well, sirs, they were like two big, rol,
licking boys when went In. Heffernan
his shirtsleeves rolled up and his face rec
from bending over the hot stove, was
basting the two turkeys, and Peabody
with a white apron on and his face
wreathed in friendly smiles, was peeline
potatoes and stirring the cranberries By
turns.
Il don't think I ever sat down to a bet
ter dinner or enjoyed my messmates