Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-10-19

ped for a pioneer. II trouble came he
knew not how To overcome il. After
breakfast he came TO our division of
the old train and said TO ne. What
will | do for a coffin?" said to him
Mr.. Kirfoot, you go back TO your fam
lily and remain with the departed one
while you may. Everything will be at
tended to- But what will | do for a
ooffin?' he says. There is no lum.
Der here | said. "Mr. Kirtoot, 1 will
take enough lumber u of our wagon
boxes to make a very good coffin. We
have plenty of nails and tools ana men
here who can make a nice coffin, and
there is nothing for YOU 10 do but To
stay with your family" lie then
seemed relieved, believing that his
daughter would have a decent burial
He then Went back and remained with
his family. | then had some men tear
out lumber enough from two wagon
boxes to make the coffin. We had IN.
our train a stone-cutter, Mr.. Morri
son, aud he had his tools with him
We also had a printer. George Cod
ner. who was driving one of our teams
Those two men went from camp in
search of a nice slab to make a rave
marker, and having found one they
put in the whole day cutting that
stone and lettering it. They lettered
IL nicely, giving name, date of birth,
and date Of demise. In that long Gem
etery reaching from the Missouri river
westward, | have never seen a nicer
marker than this one. In the mean
time the women of not only our train
but some from other trains lying.
there for the same purpose We were.
TO doctor the sick and recruit their
stock there being about two hundred
wagons there, We're getting men 10
help them get their trunks out of the
wagons so they could get at material
such as they had TO trim the coffin
with. Standing in sand and dust
shoe-mouth deep while doing this.
Other men went across The river to.
dig the grave. AT nightiall a nicely
made coffin, trimmed neatly inside and
out, was completed. Mis-. Morrison.
my wife. and my sister, Mrs. William
H~ardenbrook, of our train, and a Miss
Irvine. of the Irvine train. are some.
OF the women who lent their services
upon that occasion. furnishing such
material as they had. On the morn
ing of August 18th | went to the ferry
man 10 arrange for the crossing of
the funeral party. The ferryman said
he would carry all across and return
free OF charge, who attended the fu
neral. Al 10 o'clock the funeral march
started TO the cemetery, a half-mile
away, the p~all-bearers carrying the
body. II seemed that everyone in this
procession was a real mourner. The
procession moved as noiseless and as
speeches. as the tomb itself. Had a
stranger appeared it would have been
difficult for him TO have told in that
line where the real muurners began
or where they ended. This was the
only funeral | have ever participated
In on the plains. and | have endeav-
ored to give sufficient "details of il so
that II anyone in the future should be
interested in reading this account,
they may know something of those
people at that time-learn something
OF the character of the people who
left their former homes, accepting all
dangers and h%ardships, to penetrate
the unoccupied west, and showing, too.
that their humanity to mankind was
strengthened rather than weakened in
making those long and perilOus trips:
that all those who had sympathizing,
honest and loving hearts within them
when they left their eastern homes.
would have the opportunity to show
a greater sympathy. perhaps, than
they had ever done before.
While il is hard to lose relatives
under any conditions. il seems doubly
hard to bury a dear one by the road
side, and the next day all the other
members of the family mitch up their
cams and take their places in the
train and continue their journey to
their destination.
Mrs. HardenbrOok's life Is still hang
ing in the balance. DR.. Fletcher can
give very little encouragement. A
i~iardenbrook. brother Milt and | had
decided that our train would have to
pull out the following morning. We
cannot hold our drivers and If we re.
main longer we may find IL difficult on
account of snow To cross the main
Rocky mountain range into Montana
~HardenbrOok Will keep one OK team
here and "A supply of goods, ana he
and his wife will remain here: a broth
eli of his Will also remain with them
August 10th MIR. Kirfoot with his
afflicted family started un their road
10 California, this morning. 1t is moi
likely that any of rs will meet again
in this life. Our division OF the old
train started this morning on another
I'VE hundred mile route 10 Montana
We all leave here with heavy hearts
We spent ten days on Bitter creek. Its
alkali water. its alkali soil and alkali
grass made many sick and well nigh
used up some OF the oxen. then The
killing of Frazier. then the nursing of
sick here al Green river. and yester-
day we buried Miss kirfoot. This
morning we are leaving Mrs. Harden
brook. an own cousin OF my sister, my
brother Milt and ID. and myself. and
We expect that she, too. will be land
by Miss Kirfoot. AS our train pass
ed out from Green river station all
eyes were turned 10 take a last look
at the spot where Miss kirfoot was
laid to rest. doubt il any train ever
travelled a whole day when fewer
words spoken than On this day.
That night when we were making
camp and before We had the oxen un.
yOked. a sand storm vas upon us. and
hungry as we were, not one had any
supper or could get any that night.
all getting into bed at once and re.
naming there until morning.
My letter is already longer than
intended. and | will pass over the re-
mainder of our trip to Montana. We
arrived at Virginia City September IL,
1865. We ent cattle w to Mad
ison; three weeks thereafter We
brought our cattle in and started TO
naar I ndoa Inst hafnra GfartfnD AL