Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1907-07-10
THE Usage MONSTER.
How a Steamboat thistle az
fected Missouri Pioneers.
STORY or A HISTORIC HUNT.
Armed For the Fray, the Frightened
but Determined Old sestiors Sought
the Ferocious Beast With the Fear
fui, soreeehing Voice.

Seh DoteFntncc Oid settlers SOUGHT
the Ferocicus Beast With the Fear
fui, soreeehing Voice.
The first steamboat that ever turned
her PROV against the muddy Usage wa
tiers was the Flora Jones In the sprlne
OF iSt4- There was no commercial
club In those days TO stimulate river
traffic. no telegraph or telephone to her
aid to the hardy pioneers the approach
OF the boat-oniy the unearthiy shrill
screech or banshee-Iike whistle.
enough to blanch the cheek of the sim
pie minded folk who had lived far
from the worlds progress.
The little boat went up as far rs
Harmony. Mo-, In Bates county. His
tory records the fact that when the
Flora Jones pulled her way along the
ST Clair county shores and the wall Of
her siren was tossed back and forth
by the limestone blufTs many OF the
old settlers were not only frightened
figuratiyeiy out OF their boots. but lit
orally out OF their homes. Matthew
Arbuckie. a pioneer, tradition tells Us.
was piowing in his field about n mile
from the river when the wall OF that
whistle struck his ear. He u1hitched
his horse from the pillow. managed 20
get on its back and. Wild with terror.
struck for the hills. In one hour he
was Mt Papinville. fifteen miles dis
tant. the horse white with foam. the
rider white with terror. He had bare
~ strength 10 tell OF IAN awful ami
.n1f 4. -. n
cape He had not seen the fearful
beast. he confessed. but he had heard
Its voice, by which he knew IL to- be
monster OF terrific proportions.
Arbuckie's neighbors were brave and.
though much disturbed b. his account.
determined upon a campaign of exter-
mination. They had defended their
homes against Indians. and they rea-
soned that no Wild animal. however
ferocious. could withstand their rifles.
They gathered az Uncle John Whit
ley's. lie had seen service under Jack
son at New Orleans. Ills home was
mp the tortuous stream from Ar
buckles farm.
The next morning n crowd OF hardy
pioneers. with guns and dogs. were
ready at Uncle Johns. The gallant
band numbered among its members
Uncle John Whitley. James Breckcn-
ridge. Benjamin Morris. William Ba-
con. Hamilton Morris. BENJAMIN
Burch. William RoarS. Frank Roark.
Benjamin Snyder. Snowdcn Morris
and Matthew Arbuckle.
They we've agreed that there should
be undertaken quest-for the mys-
terious monster threatening their
homes ami families.
Just before the signal to start was
given Matte. daughter OF Whitley's.
went down 10 the river 900 yards dis
tant for water. In her absence the
Flora Jones. which had tied up for
the night at 4 bend IN the river below.
again sounded the terror inspiring
whistle
Charge. men, roared Whitley. seiz-
ing his gun. Matt went 10 the river
for water. and reckon she's dead
afore noww
The crowd rushed To the river. deter
mined 10 rescue the girl IL she was vet
alive. But Matt. it Is hardly neces-
sary 20 state. was met on the way.
She was headed homeward. her hair
streaming behind and her face
blanched with fear.
With their weapons ready for instant
action the determined hunters contin-
ued riverwnrd. The crew OF the Flora
Jones. proud OF her whistle. continued
10 sound It ut frequent intervals. and
lis reverberatiogs rang from bluff 10
b!un increasingly. Each fresh blast
added To the uneasineSs OF the band OF
settlers. Frequent councils were held.
The failure Of the dogs 10 take the
scent nonplused them.
The hunters secured the Usage thick
cts all day. breckenridge lost faith In
hounds and declared that he would
go 10 81. Louis FOR Nevfoundlands
Meanwhile the Flora Jones had nro-
ceeded NJ the river 70 Harmony. and
her whistle was no longer heard. As
night came on a storm broke. and the
hunters took refuge I'm n cave.
With jhe-return OF dawn there began
again the hideouS vail OF the mysterl-
Gus monster. The Flora Jones was
making an early start on her return
trip down the river Nearer and near
- ~SNuN'SN tht NhASNit, Until tue null-
ers, who had tumbled hastily from
their cave, could distinguish n putting
and blowing. supposed TO be the Snorts
or tho advancing foe.
The moment OF decisive action seem.
Cd at hand. The hunters rushed 10 the
river bank. Each selected 4 tree 10
stand behind and looked to the printing
OF his gun.
An inst&as later the Flora Jones
rounded bend and doomed into view.
Upon her deck was Il gay crowd OF
watching the early sunrise
flooding the water with rosy light.
Uncle John Whitley. Jimmy Rrecken-
ridge and their band OF heroes were
too astonished to answer the friendly
halls rs the boat swept down to the
next bend. her whistle mockinS their
past fears.
Little was said as the hunters track
ed homeward. UnoStentatiously each
sought out his home And so ended
the historic hunt for the monster of
the Usage valley.-Kansas City Star.
There Is 10 open door to the temple