The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1904-12-22
HaIley's Bluffs.
BY W. 0. ArKEsoN.


/ e plow was so sudden that u was
a shock. II came at a moment
when his brightest anticipguons
were about 20 be realized as he had
dreamed and dreamed. Early the
next morning he went to the little
log cabin OF Melieourt Papin, a rude
hut in exterior, contrived from the
trees felled in the immediate forest,
but within was comfort and happi.
ness for the deft hands of a %cultur-
ed housewife made amends for the
shortage in things usually found in
the homes OF the civilized parts of
the country. 1t was an ideal pion-
eer home, in a forest so dense and
magnificent that the Dryads might
have envied a residence there. Al
ter a wholesome breakfast on corn
bread and wild meat, and rare rich
milk. Melicourt and Auguste visited
the grave OF lguatius Letter. 1t
was situated on a beautiful knoll
some distance from the frttful Usage
and above its wildes, floods. Here
in the solemn and yoiceless woods,
beside his fathers grave, Auguste
told Melicourt the story of his long
and fruilless journey to COY a
lost father; and somewhat Of his
history.
The two men were ever after
friends, and Auguste was an honor
ed quest at the comfortable home of
Monster Papin.
The companions of Auguste re-
turned in a few DAYS to ST. Louis.
Ii was now mid-winter in that vest
en country, and the hope and life
had gone out of the young man.
But he concluded to await the com.
ing of Spring to starr on his retum
voyage to France, via New Orleans,
and at the earnest solicitations OF
Monster Paprn made his home with
him. For days and weeks he sor-
rowed for his father, becoming more
and o Respondent. But one
hne winter day Monster Papm pre-
vailed upon him to go with him on
some business with the good mis-
sionaries to Harmony Mission, only
two or three miles up the Mara,
DIES Cygnes river. near the mouth OF
mission branch" The Marias dss
Cygne and Little Usage rivers form
a junction about a mile from the
home OF Melicourt Papin ana here
is the head of the Usage river pro-
per. From its junction with the
Little Usage the Marais des Cygnrs
marks a tortuous route to the north
west, and has It's origin away out in
the prairies Of the then uneiyilizrd
Territory of Kansas.
They spent a pleasant day with
the missionaries and their famHivs
in and about their rude pioneer
homes; and on their way and white
in the Usage village Auguste bad
his first introduction to the red men
OF the forests and OF the plain,; for
while the Usage tribe bad Tor age,
made their homes in the forests
along the rivers, there were in this
village quite a number of kaws and
and Pottawotomles who had come
down FROM treeless AID ,racklcss
Kansas. lie, also, met here French
fur traders who had uaiickej with
the Indians for years, making sew.
eral trips up aud down the Usage
ana missouri TO and from ST. Louis,
which was then, as now, the great
metropolis Of the Mississippi valley.
Some of them had homes among the
peaceful Osages, and history fails
10 tell just when the first French
fur dealers settled among the Usage
tribe.
Game abounded in the splendid
forests along the rivers. Deer. an.
telope, coons, squirrels, turkeys
aud prairie chickens were all within
easy reach on the land, aud on the
waters wild geese and ducks Of
every variety known to the hunter.