Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1905-04-27
The Greeley Mans Strange Tale.

Speaking of that desperate encoun-
ter with rat recalls to my mind a
summer day of long ago, when | was
on my way from the city of Carroll
to Audubon. The train came to an
unannounced standstill. 1 stepped
from the car to ascertain the cause.
BEFORE me was scene which made an
indellble impression upon my mind.
| found myself standing upon rick
ETY. old plank platform in front of the
semblance of a depot in almost every
direction from which stretched far
away, dusky rows of empty, dilapida-
ted old corn cribs, behind which
great heaps of corn cobs were sinking
to decay encircled by rank growths of
noxious weeds. Beyond this desola-
ton could be seen in the distance a
neglected old church building around
the spire of which flock of pigeons
was circling in the silent sunny air,
while cd the sagging roof score of
others We're wooing in unmolested
bliss. The sepulchral aspect of the
place was but slightly broken by the
sudden appearance of TALL gaunt
weazen-faced native, who emerged
from behind one of the cob piles with
basket full of mustard greens on his
arm. He looked neither to the right
nor left as he slowly wendell his way
up the middle of a silent, deserted
street along the margin of which
mang hideous rats were sporting.
They gave no evidence of fear at his
approach, but really seemed pleased to
be in his presence and even went so
far as to nibble at his shoes, when he
would pause, push them gently aside
M P,1f hot
seemed most amazing and significant
was the familiarity of three carrion
crows that ileft their perch upon a
dead tree near by and, after circling
about his head for while, lit, one on
his head, enother on his shoulder, and
the third upon the basket of greens.
The one on his head picked hole in
his hat thru which it playfully pulled
tuft of yellow hair and began tugg-
ing at it as if to pull it out of root.
The one on his shoulder was clamor-
ing loudly in his hear. while its mate
on the basket was scattering the mus
tard greens along the street, which
mischievieous caper caused q swarm
OF rats to keep close upon the fellows
heels. He gave no heed whatever to
the crows, but kept walking right
on. The scene was 80 strangely lud-
icrous that, really, could not laug b,
but stood gazing in blank amazemen t
at the fellow until he disappeared
from view behind the ruins of an old
store building which had been moved
with capstan into the middle of the
street and for some obscure reasons
abandoned. At this point / was start
led by the conductors "All aboard"
n my haste to reach the train, my
feet become entangled i'll q pumpkin
vine that had sprung up and TAX en-
possession of one corner of the plat
form. The wreckage of an old bag
gage cart is all that saved me from
falling beneath.the wheels of the NOV
ing coach. After getting safely aboard
the cars l began to mediate on the
strange things I had just seen. The
evidence OF retrogression had so inn
pressed me that it seemed as if | had
just then returned from ramble far
back into the past, and had been gaz-
ing on the dim, shadowy forms NOV
ing about in the dawn ofcivilization. l
became curious to know the cause of
this villages mysterious degeneracy,
| and resolved to unravel the enigma
sometime. The conductor was very
affable gentlemen and gave me some
scraps of local history relating to the
place. He also told me the name of the
eccentric gawk / saw in the street
but for obvious reasons refrain from
putting it in print.