Mexico weekly ledger., 1905-04-27
did not know it.

NANa AARN hh0W fu
Many people have gone through life
in the same blissful ignorance. When
boy the other boys got all the rab.
bits and squirrels, and in school l was
always at great disadvantage In
blackboard work. While am living
over these halcyon days Of yore 1T
would be unjust to myself and to
them not to mention other names SO
fondly remembered. Before my time
there were two assistant physicians,
Drs. Young and Lincoln, neither Of
whom l knew. DR.. Young was from
Columbia and DIR. Lincoln, whom /
succeeded, was an eastern man. For
many years l was the only assistant
physician. After the building was
enlarged and the number of patients
increased, second and thirdlwere
added. My first associated assistant
was DR.. McElheny, of st. Charles
county, who was the only second as
sistant physician before the war. At
this period Mrs. r. A. Darnes
was the matron and Mr.. Samuel
Thornhill, and subsequently Mr. Ed
Swon were the stewards. Mrs. Swope
had been matron before that, but |
did not know her. Mrs. Darnes was a
dearly loved friend of ours, and many
precious memories are associated with
her name. She was high-toned old
Virginia style of woman, with a
warm sympathetic heart. AS said In
my first letter, In the iniatory stage Of
my experience, 1 don't think / would
have gotten along without her. l re-
member making her very angry once
by handing her book with the title:
"Poor and Proud Her Virginia
blood came to the surface. She 1t was
who spread the table for my "bride
and groom supper" to which refer
ence waf made in a former letter, and
she it was who so kindly received my
bride a few months later and was
always good mother to us both. And
this is as good a place as any to tell
of that BRIDES coming. Twas married
near Palmyra, Missouri, to a young
lady l accidentally met at that place
on the very spot where the ten men
were shot-the old Palmyra fair
grounds. My attendants at the we'd
ding were from Fulton, R. E, Dunn, a
Westminster student, and Tommie
Smith, eldest son of DR.. Smith, the
superintendent. We returned by way
Of Hannibal and st. Louis, coming
up, as on my first trip, on the Pacific
and crossing at st. Aubert. We we're
delayed in our crossing by the ice in
the river, and when we landed the
Fulton hack had gone and there / was
on that cold, rainy November day
with my blooming bride, fifteen miles
from home, with no livery stable OF
visible means of getting there. Fin
ally l discovered q countryman with
wagon load Of corn, and prevailed
on him to undertake the transporta.
ti0n.
With my own bridegroom hands
helped unload that corn, cleaned out
the wagon bed, filled it with clean
straw, procured some blankets and
quilts, and loaded my blushing bride
A iollier or happier crowd never went
on a bridal trip than the one thai
landed that night about 9 o'clock al
the lunatic asylum. Talk about
romancel II this dignitied, fine look
ing and stylish society woman o.
Mexico knew that l was telling thii
In the paper-well. don't know jusI
what might happen.
Look out local Items on BOLIVIA
street.
Mr.. Samuel Thornhill and his wife
who was matron in later years, wer'
dear friends of ours. She is still livinl
near Fulton and since / commenced
these letters we have had delightful
lreunion with her and enjoyed sweo