Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-04-10

Wn1le curing the journey we met With
bands Of Indians, but luckily none of
them were on the warpath. At night
we would spread our blankets on the
ground, after beating about on the spot
to be slept on with stick and ak to
brighten away any chance snakes,
tarantulas and centipedes. Then
around this spot we would stretch
fiat ON the ground-a horsehair rope,
for the Texans would tell you, and cor
rect they were, too, that no insect or
snake would crawl over a rope Of that
sort. Thus protected, we would fall
asleep, with only the starry heavens
over us. In the morning we would
build campfire with bits Of brush we
had gathered from chance patches of
timber on our way, and which we car
ried tied on the back Of our wagon.
| We also carried jugs Of water, for we
found none for fifty miles at a stretch
sometimes.
after a breakfast Of fried bacon,
bareback and coffee we broke camp
and proceeded on our way.
"In San Antonio l visited the old
Alamo, then a ruin so fresh from the
destroyers' hands as to be held very
lightly, but which later became a his
torical place of deep interest to not
only the Texans, but to the people Of
the entire United States.
"Well, after one week in San An
tonic I succeeded In getting employ
ment, but I confess 1t was not to my
liking, for it was carrying the mail
from San Antonio to Austin, a distance
requiring two days hard riding on a
Texas pony, and 1 tell you those little
beasts can travel, too, like the wind.
But it was not the hardship'to be suf-
fered from riding so long without rest,
for 1 was strong and a splendid horse
man; it was the danger Of losing my
scalp, for the country still swarmed
with bands Of Indians, some Of them
very hostile toward the white stran-
ger, who was crowding them further
and further from the lands that had
been their own.
II would leave San Antonio at day
dawn, stop at dark at a lone hut, the
habitation of a Frenchman, whose OBJ
ject In stopping there never knew
(nor have 1 ever seen anyone who ever
knew Of his coming or going away :,
and pass the night under his hospitable
roof. In the morning / was up before
dawn and on my way, carrying across
the pommel of my saddle the little
leather mail bag containing the United
States mail. And all that summer
stuck to my job, though the heat on
the prairies was something l cannot
explain. When the cool winds of No
vember blew across the level wastes
was through with my contract with the
government and gladly joined my
friend at Galveston once more. There
l went to clerking for him, remaining
three years.
But the old ties of home had not
been fully severed, and longing came
over me to visit the old scenes again.
So, bidding good-by to my friend and
employer, | set sail for New Orleans
going toward home. En- route to my
uncle's house 1 stopped at the place
where 1 had found friends and en-
ployment the winter before going to
Texas. All were glad to see me and to
hear Of the son and brother who was
doing so we'll in Galveston. l renewed
my vows Of friendship and went on to
my uncle's, to find awaiting me a cor
dial welcome and a complete forgive
ness for what might have been called
~s,oI, L.
my extreme sensitiveness and pride.
"But, having an object dear to my
heart in mind for the near future, 1
let bygones be bygOnes, and settled
down at my uncle's home to work and
save money. All the time l kept up a
correspondence with the young lady
whom 1 had taken such a fancy to
during my term Of wood-chopping for
her father"
"Ah, 1 bet 1 know who she was"
broke in Laura, the youngest grand
child "She was grandma, the young
girl was"
A smile fitted over grandpas face
as he slowly rose from his chair. "You
guessed right, my DEAR" he said. "And
l hear her voice telling us it is time
to join her and stop the storytelling
for the night. SO, away with you to
the kitchen, If you're going to make
that taffy. I'm getting anxious to do
some Of the pulling. The story to-
night has carried me back to the times
when your grandma and l were young,
like you chaps, and made taffy-"
Come, my dears," called a gentle
voice from the hall. And grandpa an
swered: Eyes, granny, dear, we chill
dren are coming"
And the children laughed as they
ran from the room, with grandpa be-
tween them, for, despite his eighty
years, he was as sprightly as they
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