Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1914-02-11

proprietress Amaziah, after he had
sufficiently recovered to enable him
to feel moab like hissef agin,
filled the greater part of his waking
hours in the congenial occupation OF
that mighty man, Nimrod, to whose
memory he contributed very consid-
cradle honor. Also as follower OF
good old Isaac Walton he gained
much respect among the boarders OF
Mrs Eliza Feedwell, who profited by
his proves in the woods and along
the sloughs and cut-Offs of the river.
Mrs. Feedwe1l herself was not SO
well pleased. Indeed she was more
than once heard to remark that she
wished that Badleigh loafer would
go away and stay away and not De
bothering her all the time with his
ducks and his geese and his fish;
how was a lone woman to make any
thing out of table-boarders at three
dollars a week, and be feeding them
on game and fish every day, that's
what she would like to know
Things continued in this way with
the Badleighs without much change
for nearly four years; and then a
complete revolution in their affairs
was brought about by series of oc-
currences which it was impossible to
have foreseen. A long cold winter
| had reluctantly given way to the
impatient spring which had made its
way from the south clothed in the
beauty of it's viridity, bringing re-
newed life and health and hope to
every living thing. The month OF
May had nearly worn itself out under
the burdens it had borne ever since
it's arrival at the north, for, despite
the charm of a gay young life the
vernal visitant spring, like other
young things is sometimes very fic-
kle and is always exacting. 1t was
we'll toward evening on one OF those
days when May was ready to abdi-
cate her throne to her younger sister
June, that our esteemed friend ANA
ziah upon returning from an unsuc-
cessful fishing expedition, decried at
distance what appeared to be a
caravan of some sort, albeit too dis
tant for it's exact identity to be dis
Ic1osod with cartainty
Slowly, however, under the interest
ed eye of the observer, it approached
the river, where halt was ordered
for the rest of the night.
The party consisted of two families,
each with it's own outfit, or perhaps
it would be more correct to say, one
family composed of a man, woman
and two stout young fellows Of the
respective ages of nineteen and sew
enteen. With the other team there
was but one individual, man in the
prime of life, a little over the aver
age in size, stalwart, brawny and
muscular, who, to judge from his APP
pearance and movements, would be a
dangerous man to make an enemy
lof
To this person, Amaziah, who no
less economical in the use of speech
than in other forms of exertioH, at
once addressed himself "Howdy."
said he.
Right smart. replied the 9TH
er-'how's YOURSELF"
Fair to middlin responded Mr..
Badleigh-"what's that yo-all got on
yoh waggin-kivver?" This query
was drawn out by the following SEN
tence on the canvas covering of the
travellers wagon
pixies PEAK OR BUST"
Cant you read, Mister?" enquir-
ed the owner Of the wagon, to whose
genius the reader is indebted for the
enlightening words on the canvas
that writin's as plain as the lose
on your face
mo, sub, / never knowed how to
read writin', nor print, nor none O
them things" declared Mr.. Badleigh
with an honest pride in his deficien-
/ ies.
"Oh well then, I'll read it for you,
Said the traveller and having deci-
phered it, he went on to narrate, to
Amaziah's amazement, the reports
which had recently been received
from Colorado, especially from the
region of Pixies Peak, of alleged ex-
tensive gold mines recently discover
ed there Marvellous stories of won
derfully rich veins uncovered by en-
terprising miners, were poured into
the astonished ears Of the listener
who became so deeply interested
that he pondered over it as much as
his inert nature would permit, and
finally reached the conclusion that 1T
would be to his advantage to join the
gold-seekers as one OF the party.
Having come to this decision he made
it known to the travellers, who were
pleased to have him with them, think
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