Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-07-14
A TALE OF THE OLD FRONTIER
By Edgar Beecher Bronson

cially we'll mounted and armed was due
to the kindness and generosity of a
lady. then sixteen, now presiding with
dignity over one of the finest mansions
in Salt Lake and noted far and wide
for her noble charities.
What with doctors bills and extra
heavy subsidies to my hest. to make
sure he did not betray me for the re-
ward out for me. dead or alive. had
brought my funds uncomfortably low,
although how she found it out I never
could imagine.
But learn or suspect it she did, and,
God bless her, insisted on mounting
and arming me as I had never been
QUILTED before.
When we parted, the evening before
my departure, she begged me to return
for her whenever the hue and cry for
my SCALP should subside, and vowed
she would wait for me-and it's mil
lion to one would have gone back
for Der. let rewards and hue and cry
be what they might. but for my devo-
ton to my maid Of the Michigan wood
lands.
For next to Bessie McVicker, she
was the one woman have ever met
who might have won me from my wild
wanderings and run no risk letting me
out Of the home pasture without
hobbies.
After leaving Spanish Fork passed
on through Beaver toward the mines.
Shortly before reaching White Pine,
Nevada came upon a lake, sur
rounded by fine hay meadows, took
possession OF it, and turned to making
hay.
still had little money left. and as
plenty of men were travelling the road
who needed work, was able to put up
several fine stacks
Finally my cash resources converted
into hay. I rode into Shermantown to
market it, The quartz mills were in
full blast, times booming-but lacked
the ready to move single load Of hay.
I found no difficulty in making deal
with local merchant to provide the
funds needed to move my hay to town.
And barely was the last load delivered
when a severe early auaumn storm
came on, catching over three hundred
mules in town That enabled my mer
chant partner, who was to manage
sales, to dispose of the lot at sky-high
prices.
Of the proceeds, only drew what I
needed for expenses. my partner de-
posting the balance in his own name
in the Bank of Nevada.
Since in Nevada l was going under
another name than my own. had felt
tolerably safe. But my sense of Sc
curity was soon rudely broken when,
shortly after my arrival in Sherman
town, friend told me one of the Green
Riverites, who had been a participant
in my fight to rescue DR.. Johnson, was
in Hamilton. small mining camp. dis.
tant two and a half miles from Sher-
mantown. and that had been recog-
nized and could be sure he would be
making a call on me.
The mans name was Sam Turner,
himself hard man with five notches
on his gun. And since also learned
that in our fight he had received a
shot in the stomach not likely to in
spire him with much love for me, en-
gagged man to watch his movements
and report them to me. and kept my
own eyes a plenty peeled.
Nothing happened for few days.
not until one morning my scout ad.
vised me that Sam was in town, get
ting his mule shed at the blacksmith
shop, making as good an opportunity
as one could ask to arrange our diff
ficulties.
AS entered the smithy, Sam stood
by the forge. holding his mule, and l
noted the Winchester had been told
he always carried he had incautiously
left near the door.
Sam" I remarked as I entered,
you know We have both been hurt.
Personally l don't want any more
trouble. Let me alone and I will be
only too glad to let you alone
AS was speaking, had noticed his
eyes shifting calculatingly toward his
rifle and added you'll never reach
it, Sam. I've come in good faith to
beg you to call quits with me; you
can afford it if I can" -
do you mean it, honest?" he an
swered: II heard you'd been threaten
ing to kill me on sight"
"Nonserse. Sam; I'm as tired of
fighting and hiding as you yourself
ought to be- I assured him. Before
all these people I promise never even
to speak i'll of you. and here's my
hand on it," We shook and met fire.
quently thereafter in peace.
But my stay in Shermantown was
brief In few weeks was forced out
On the road again. My ill-luck at try
ing to accumulate little stake never
quit my trail And there in Nevada, it
was almost the impossible that hap
pened. The Bank of Nevada broke
running my merchant partner, as we'll
as stripping me Of my share Of the
hard-won hay money.
It came pretty tough on me, of
course, but | was SO used to blows Of
that sort that lest no time mourning
over it. Instead, having my outfit left
and a little grub, pulled out for the
Patterson district, and there remained
prospecting until my flour and SOW
belly gave out, when again 1t was
pike for me.
For once fortune smiled, to the ex-
tent of passing me coed job and
bringing me again into comradeship
with my old preceptor George Cox.
Quite by chance I ran into the ex-
petition Of Lieutenant George NJ.
Wheeler, marching south, to engage in
survey worl, along the boundary line
between Arizona and Nevada, and with
l.