Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-10-24
a Historic
Cottonwood
[Asice Heald Mendenhall to Old

lAgice Heald Mendenhall to Old
Settlers at South English.l
We are upon historic ground. There
is more history to the square foot
around about us here, than perhaps in
any other locality in Iowa. Oh! the
stories that old cottonwood yonder
can tell u.s. as its leaves, stirred by
the wind this golden October day come
floating down over us they seem to
bring a benediction. That classic tree
is an old, old settler, it was here long
before Hugh Rodman of Joel Slate OF
John Houston. Buffalo lay doing in
its shade when the swish of the arrow
and the fleet Indian sent all in cloud
of dust across the prairie. In the shad-
ows of that old tree Hugh Rodman un-
loaded his weary family one evening
in 1916 and soon the blue smoke curled
lazily up among the leaves. as joyful
and hungry they ate their first supper
In their new prairie home.
They came along the road in the
shade of the old cottonwood lines OF
wagons as far as the eye could reach
men and women excited and hurrying
toward California and gold; buying up
Ill the produce that our farmers could
raise.
In the shade of the old cottonwood
down the road yonder comes young
man On horseback with artillery ana
armed men. AS his hats broad brim
blows back behold the handsome dar-
ing face of Colonel Jim Lane, the KAN
sas Jay Hawk, en- route to their strug-
gle for freedom.
It was in the shadow Of the old cot
tonwood, right here on this very slope.
perhaps where we are now, that those
two sturdy, black-eyed little fellows
went coasting that first winter that
they were in Iowa fifty-one years ago
the little Seerley boys Homer, now
president of the State Normal, and
"Johnnie," ex-congressman from the
First district.
In the shade of the old cottonwood
down the road yonder comes another,
riding with armed followers. He stops
in the cool shade, takes off his hat and
looks up into the tree. That rugged
face! Those eyes seem to flash a
light that never shown on land or sea!
SYon figure is unique in American his
tory. The hero of modern times!
It is John Brown on his way to border
warfare, and later on to Harper's
Ferry and death-but his soul went
marching on to victory.
Now there comes one, If I may
speak the name and think may,
for surely your blood has cooled
and your nerves have steadied after
q lapse Of nearly SO years. Since
beneath the shade of yonder cotton
wood rode Tally and the procession
OF wagons loaded with men ana
guns returning from the rally and
dn Is minutes to participate in the
only battle ever fought on Iowa soil
during the Civil war. You know
the tragic result. Oh! the stories
that the old cottonwood can tell
In it's shadow passed the old war
governor, Samuel j. Kirkwood with
infantry, cavalry and artillery, a
thousand bayonets glittering in the
setting sun, coming to protect the
town. Down yonder, by the side
Of the hill, almost within the shadow
OF the old cottonwood, were in
tr,nchments, rife pits, doubtless
the only intrenchments ever made
in Iowa for the protection of the U. s.
troops
In the shade Of that old cottonwood
there once lived the most brilliant
Anhc1,er and tho ShrewdeSt CRATER