Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-03-14
mo; my fathers. He was out here
before l was born, when the Indians

We're here"
Raymond opened the volume with
languid interest. but soon realized that
he was looking into the past through
the eyes of poet. Part of it was writ
ten in ink very legibly, but in fine
running hand, while other of the pages
were hastily scrubbed in pencil and
not to be easily deciphered. Plainly the
record had been made under great dis
advantages and in the field. The inks
were of various colors, some watery
blue, some dusty black.
Louis opened the book at the front,
wherein the picture of a slender, slnil-
ing, handsome young fellow in SOM
brero and hunting clothes had been
pasted.
HE enjoyed his new hat, didn't hep
said Raymond, to whom the essential
incOngruity of the refined face and bor-
der ruffian toggery first appealed.
You're the image of your father?" he
added, looking kecnly ut the boy. HE
don't look much older in this picture,
taken ut Sylvanite. Well, Sylvanite was
wild town in those days. Is there
much about it in the book?"
"Ten pages. He wrote page of
fine script every day, but don't care
so much for that-these stage rides,
and the big canyons, and crossing the
rivers, and the Indians-he saw lots of
1ndians-the Utes-these are what in
terest me-"
Raymond became profoundly inter.
ested in this book. There was an ap
peal in the closing entry which touched
him profoundly. The entry was head.
ed 1.-THE Last View" and closed with
these words: II love my home and my
friends in the east, but this primeval
world has laid Its spell upon me. ]
Shall come again next year"
Did he come again?" asked Ray.
mond.
NO" answered Louis sadly. And
1T was soon evident to Raymond tina,
the lad knew very little of his father
beyond the message in the worn little
book.
Leave this with me, Louis. l wan,
to read it ALL" he said. And the boy
was glad of this interest.
Mrs. Barnett came in later and ask
ed, "What are you reading?"
ut is journal kept by Louis ia
ther. Did you know himY'
"Oh, very well! He was my favor
lite uncle"
"Tell me of him. Who was he-how
did he come to make this trip?"
Mrs. Barnett took IL comfortable seat
81 don't know where Uncle Phil go1
his streak of sentiment. He was one
of six brothers, all successful bust
ness men; keen, practical-you know
the kind. But Phil-wcll, he was the
odd sheep-he always seemed boy
to me. He worked in the bank, but
his mind was OH other things. l don't
remember how they came to send him
out here, but can recall perfectly
the effect he had on me when talking
of his trip. He giorified this country
He saw the mountains as the old time
landscapists pictured them. When l
first came wept with disappointment,
the range seemed so prosaic by con-
trast. He talked of nothing else for u
year. Then he married and gradual
ly ceased referring to his experiences"
HE never came again, Louis tells
me-"
mo. His wife was not the kind of
girl to go west. don't want to say
anything severe about Alicia, but she
made Phil very unhappy. When Ann
was born Phil wanted to call her Hes
per, In memory Of his trip to the west,
but Alicia cried out against it. 1t was
an odd name, but it was pretty, and
there was no reason why the father
shouldn't have had his wish, but that
was her way. She was cold and selfish
even in her honeymoon. 1 never saw
such girl Phil went with her to
every fashionable resort in Europe, but
she not merely refused to make trip
into his Hesperian mountains, but she
wouldn't let him go. He used to get up
into the Adirondacks now and then, /
remember, but only for day or two.
Oh, how eXactng she was! After Louis
was born she grew worse. She became