The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-02-11
TRAVELLING AND TRADING
Experiences of an Anthony Man I'm the
Hard Times of Ninefy-Ffye


This story will tell something of how |
hard times were in Marion county the |
year after the big freeze. 1s9495 and .
how the pressure from the same Undue |
ed ]. c. Howell of Anthony to hike out |
of the country. Jim had come with his |
parents and brothers from Beatrice. |
Kans.. and on landing al Anthony ev- |
erything looked roseate with promise |
of better days. but the whitening frost |
came and everything for a time was |
desolation and distress.
Jim was working for So a month and |
feeding himself, and thought is was |
about time to look for pastures new,
If Ii did take him back TO the Sunfiower
State Of Kansas. Jin's pocketboo was |
nil; its contents miller. SO he struck |
the ankle route, stealing a lift when !
ever he could until he got to Nashville. |
There he applied for a job as laborer |
under section boss. The day was hot |
and the sun made Jim ask for a softer |
job. and finding none. he retraced his |
steps TO the Nashville railroad yard. |
got on the soft side of the yardmaster. |
who learning Jim's desire. put him
next TO a fast freight to Kansas City, |
Mo. He hid in big. abandoned water
tank Back of the tender he rode that |
day, all that night and into noon of the
next day, when his position told on him
as well as the cravings of hunger. So
when the train came to stop he lift
| ed the lid of his prison and looked out.
| The engineer spied him. His coal
black face and sparkling eyes attract
| ed that worthy's attention and he or
dered Jim to come into the cab so he
could find out who and what he was.
Jim told his story and won the SYM
/
/ said: Lad, stay with me; I'll land you
| in Kansas City" \ little later the en-
gineer remarked to Jim he must be
hungry. He admitted the soft impeach-
ment and when the driver got his meal
he divided it with Jim, who said in all
| his born days it was the most delic
/ ious meal he ever tasted, or mortal
! could dream of. After reaching Kan
sas City in safety the engineer put him
next to engineer who ran from that
| city to st. Joseph, and he made the trip
all to the good.
Just as he got off the engine in the
yards. who should Jim meet but
horseman, who was taking the races
with his horses in that city. Now most
| of the Star readers know Jim Howell
as expert horseman and when boy
was a crackerjack rider on the course.
was to him, as one of his drivers
was drunk and Honest John" the
horseman, had no driver and insisted
Jim take the lines. which he did with
such success that he won the heat that
day and the old horseman
pleased that he insisted on taking Jim
| on for the season at a good salary, en-
tering the same at Denver, Colo, when
the snow was flying.
Jim then took service for the winter
on a cattle ranch at $50 a month.
where he remained until early summer,
when he hied back to Beatrice, Kans
where he was Joined by his brother,
Charles and with an outfit of wagon
and horses started overland for Flor
ida, their destination being Anthony,
| which they reached in two months and
six days, with the following adventures
| in crossing the Ozark mountains of
Arkansas, where at times they were
80 miles from a railroad and houses
frequently 25 miles apart
| They ran short of feed and the only
place to replenish was at a farmers,
who was cutting his oats. Jim asked
for some and offered pay for it, but
was refused. Jim followed the farmer
to his house, told of the situation but
to no avail. Then in desperation he re-
| turned to his team, drove up to the
stack, threw a good supply in the
wagon and drove off, thinking sure the
man would either follow them or send
| an officer after them, but they never
| were molested. AS they drove along
they would meet a team or a man on
horseback and make a barter for trade,
and in transferring equine property.
money went with it and on this Occa-
sion it took all Jim's cash. Provisions
gave out. hunger gnawed and failing
to find any one along the route, they
finally reached a small village with a
store. Desperation overcome Jim, who
stepped into the store. saw the pro-
prietor busy and noting some hams
hanging up, reached up and took one
down and called on his brother. Char
lie, to take it out to the wagon. Jim
followed, got in and drove off and the
man never said, stop thief.
| The Howe1ls came to a cross roads
where several men were trading horses,
among them a magnificent animal, but
whose wind was gone. Jim had a
horse of like disposition, so bartered
with the man and got IS to boot. The
horse was only good in looks, but the
leXchequer was enriched and they pass
ed on to the next settlement, where
the good looks of the horse was just
the bait and Jim snapped him off for
two good colts and $25 to boot and i'm
mediately pressed forward and drove
all that night, fearing the trader would
rue his bargain and insist on a trade
back, against which idea Jim revolted
| Another experience of hunger sub
dued Jims adherence of okra. They
had had nothing to eat for day and
finally came to a mountainous home
where the only thing they had to eat
was okra and Jim said trot it out A
huge bowl was set on the table and
Jim said it was sweeter than honey
dew and as satisfying as roasted ven
ison, emphasizing anew that there is
no cook like hunger and ever since
that day Jim revels in a dish of cook
ed Okra.
The boys reached Anthony with four
better horses than they left Kansas
: with and S115 more money in their
pockets than when they busted their
shoes in Kansas sunfiowers. That Jim
is born traveller and trader. we need
but mention that on a certain occasion
in Anthony from to o'clock he
traded horses five times and came out
of the swapping game with s25.
( Jim Howell came to Anthony 23
IX-ea.a h