The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1914-03-26
". \. WILLIAMS VISITS
SCENES OF HIS CHILDHOOD
Fort Scott, Kans. Mar. 3. 1871.


has made a slow but substantial
growth; not like Jonah's guord.
sprins:ng up in the night 1t also has
an interesting history. but have mel
ther the time nor the talent TO give
II to you.
II was established sometime in the
4e's, think, and was called at first,
Camp Scott. in honor off General
Winfield Scott. 1t didn't rise to the
dignity of a fort ain just before the
war, when II was the scene OF some
OF the stirring events that made mp
the early history of the state.
Well. today Fort Scott is a prosper
GUS little city OF about 1900 popu-
lstion- 1t has electric street cars.
about twelve miles of paved streets.
fine churches and Y. NJ. c. A. build
ing and High school building. just
completed. costing $4,000. But what
contributes. probably. more than any
thing else to its prosperity is the good
farming country surrounding IL
Another thing that contributes
to its prosperity-and some will
take exceptions 10 the statement. no
doubts the fact that the young men
OF the town. who were born and rails
ed here have never seen the inside
OF an open saloon. unless they haze
gone outside the state. OF course. in
toxicants are sold here. on the sly.
clandestinely. in the dark. like any
other crime. but the traffic doesn't
dare lift It's head TO the light
Would that Colorado would take
the step that Kansas took thirty
years ago-and / believe she will
have been out TO visit the old IA
u.iiiar scenes OF my childhood: the
old farm on which / was born and
grew to manhood have been
brushing the cobwebs from the attic
OF my mind and dragging out old
memories. Living. as II were. in my
yesterdays Every familiar object
tree. building. field. hill. creek
brought up its ghost-like troup of
memories. ! visited the old school
house. II was after school hours. but
the teacher Was still there and !
was admitted. As ! entered forty
years dropped from my life and ex-
perienee and ! was boy again.
The old school house was altered
some:
The benches we're replaced
BY new ones. very like the same
Our iaek knives had defaced.
And they were similarly deiaeed:
initials and other hieroglyphcs cary
ed on the desks. and expect II l had
searched would have found contra
band articles in the desks and Aat;er-
ingt.l likenesses Of "our dear teach
/ err" and in the corners where the
broom lad missed them. believe
would have found paper wads and
tiny mud balls. Yes. think. child
lood s. much the same today.
As left the schoolhouse and walk
ed down the road-the road had
Travelled 80 often in those days. with
my books under my am. my dinner
pail In my hand and a tired express
sion on my face.-and as l walked
couldn't keep back a feeling Of sad
ness and a wish to live those days
over again. But soon awoke from
my day-dream and after shaking
hands with the few who were left
TO know me" Icame back 10 the pres
ent and set my face TO the future
and began to make preparations te
return TO the land OF sunshine and
my canon City home. ny the way
Colorado must look 10 her laureis
We have been having lovely weather
here. Perfectly spring like
Yours truly.
W. HERsHELL WILLIAMS