Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1905-12-14
CHAPTER VII.


In beautiful valley between the
rivers Tigris and Euphrates, near the
junction of the two rivers was large
homestead occupied by a man and wife.
These two We're hardy pioneers and
were the first settlers in the valley.
Here they had titled the soil and lived
in peace and harmony for many years,
improving their farm and Identifying
the home.
The homestead was called Paradise
and sometimes Eden. The man and
woman were Adam and Eve.
At the time we find them it was a
home of mourning. Their two sons, the
pride and joy of their lives, had quar-
relied. The elder had in the heat of pas
sion struck the younger, from which
blow death resulted. After realizing
the outcome the elder son had fled to
escape punishment. After years of 81
lence he had written home telling of his
travels and marriage and settlement in
Assyria.
AS the morning advanced toward
noon man is seen riding a mule fol-
lowing the winding of Il path made by
sheep. He is attired in clothing fash
Toned from the skins of animals.
Y
a house built of stone and matched
with rushes, in front of which are seat
ed ON rude bench an aged man and
woman.
AS the traveller advances the old gem
tleman arises and says:
Welcome, stranger, doubly welcome,
for It's years since we looked upon the
face of man. Enter and partake of our
frIJUal hoSnita litv ~
My name is Van Zant and have
travelled from affair. Can you direct me
to Paradise, owned by Mr.. Adam and
wife? My guide told me it was in this
valley"
You have reached your destination
Your name lisa strange one. Van Zant
is not Assyrian and / know of no other
country"
may, / am from the far west"
"West, didst say west? Years ago
my wife and left our people and came
west and settled in this valley and sup
posed we Were the only pioneers in the
far west"
"You left your people? Then you are
not the first MANI"
Certainly not. That is, Pm the first
man in this valley. My wife and live
alone. -Four years ago IN accident hap
pened in which one OF my boys lost his
life, and the other went back to our peo-
pie in Assyria. This has been house
OF much sorrow, but today you find us
| rejoicing for we have received news of
our boy Cain"
Van well remembered the story of
Cain and Abel and was interested and
requested that he be told the news.
! Mrs. Eve retired to the house and re-
turned with aToll of papyrus on which
We're characters written in the Assyrian
language, which she explained had
been delivered the day before by a SER
want, and said it was letter from her
first born-Cain; and if Van cared to
listen she would read it to him.
Having received the polite avowal
that it would be great pleasure, she
unrolled the papyrus and commenced:
Gland of Nod, Assyria.
Dear Father and Mothers Il take NV
stylus in hand to let you know that I
am well and hope these few lines will
find you enjoying the same great bless
ing. Since the sad accident that neces-
STATED my departure from home many
things have occurred that have mater
tally changed my whole life. | have
quit rowing around and settled down
on farm in Nod. / have one of the
best quarter sections in the country, my
corn going better than eighty bushels
this year. | married the sweetest girl
in the world and strange as it may
seem, after four years still think so.
Say, Pa, I've got boy three years old
and he's dandy. We call him Enoch.
| think he looks like you, but my wife
says he looks like her people and so we
let it go at that; but he looks like you
just the same. have told my wife all
about my trouble and the arrangement
in our family and she has been COM
fort to me in my great grief. She has
some beautiful verse that has been hand
ed down in their family forsome gener-
ations and she has copied it SO I can
send it to you. 1T is as follows: