Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-04-19
WHEN THE WEST WAS YOUNG.
Stories of Border Life Observed and
Sketched by Henry Willard.

In his "reminiscences Henry Willard
tells OF Horace Greeley's visit to Col
orado. He and companion went in
one of the express stages and had met
with singular and perilous accident
In driving thru herd of ibuffaloes the
animals, probably maddened at the
sight of the red color of the coach, had
attacked and upset it. Greeley had re-
ce'ived a severe cut below his right
knee, Gripping him for several weeks.
Being confined to his room in the hotel
by his wounds Greeley was greatly
disturbed by the sound of revelry by
night that rose increasingly from the
barroom. Willard writes: His wrath
culrnfnated on the third might OF his
fortunes. / was fortunate enough to be
with him and thus became an eye and
ear witness of what happened. About
10 o'clock he got up and insisted on
limping to the balroom. His appear
ance, tho his presence in the building
was generally known, created surprise
and instant silence. He begged tor a
chair, and, friends said he, ! have
been in pain and without sleep for al
most a week and l am well-nigh worn
out. Now l ann guest of this hotel, l
pay a high price for my board and
lodging and am eneitled to rest during
the night. But how can l get 1t with
all this noise going on in this place?
Then he addressed one of the most pa
thetic appeals / ever heard to those
around him to abandon their Vicious
ways and become sober and lndus-
trious. He spoke for nearly an hour
and was listened to with rapt interest
and the most perfect respect. He sue
ceeded, too, in his object. The gam
bling stopped and the bar was closed
every night at IL o'clock as long as he
remained"
During this period Of his life Willard
got a glimpse of western judicial ma
ehinery and gives this vivid picture of
a term of court being held during
very hot spell in June: The judge
presided without his coat and with IN
buttoned shirt thrown wide open. He
sat thus disarrayed, tipped back in his
armchair, with his legs on the desk be-
fore him. The attorneys naturally FOL
lowed his example and made them
selves as cool as possible. One marked
incident has remained fixed in my
mind. While one of the most loqua-
cious attorneys was making fiery
argument he was interrupted by the
Judge, who called out to him: Jim,
you had better keep cool in this hot
weather and give me a bite of your
tobacco The pleader stopped. pulled
out his plug and carried it to the
Judge, who took a hasty bite, where
upon the proceedings We're resumed"
OF his arrival in Colorado Willard
writes: 1--WE brought mail of several
hundred letters and newspapers. the
announcement of which fact drew three
cheers for the express company. 1t
was a great boon, the last news from
the Missouri river being nearly five
weeks old. OF course, / was the CEN
ter of attraction and overwhelmed
with questions. Some one proposed
that / should tell the news from the
states to them all and l was made to
mount log and entertain the audience
for half an hour with what had hap
rened during the four weeks before my
departure, for which l got a vote OF
thanks and which secured me at once
the good will of all the settlers"