Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-07-23

sage brush and cactus l never should
have left. ,s
CHAPTER XVI
The Chinook Wind.
Returned from Africa, until late
In the nineties I continued active IN
the vanguard ranging the mountains
and deserts of the Southwest, as peace
of11cer and bullion guard Of this or
that mine, as marshal or deputy snerlH
of one turbulent camp or another.
And always with the same result.
No job ever lasted long with me. |
did my work too quickly. Instantly |
was on a new Job: 1t was hit myself
in the flank with my hat and fly at 1t
on the jump. At the first step toward
restraining the crimes and violence OF
the outlaws and thugs. 1t was fight
them to conquering finish, turn tail.
or be packed to the local Boot HILL
And while they often had me scared
badly enough to want to run l can
truthfully say never did. I never
quit camp or trail whose pacification
had undertaken until it's had men
were exterminated or driven out.
Often I worked alone, sometimes
where the odds against me were too
heavy, with a handy man or two to
help.
Round the circle of the camps
swung, to the Pierce Mine. the King
of Arizona Mine, to Prescott, to Will
| Jams, Yuma, Tyson's Wells, Morenc1
too many to mention. Directly peace
descended upon a camp ! was en-
ployed In, nothing remained for me
but to climb out of 1t, to beat it, as
soon as the battling was done,
Further details Of the grim, bloody
strife of those closing years OF the
work of the old Vanguard, have not
stomach to write.
To me they were Just In the days
work: and while I believe, and many
who knew me intimately tell me, my
human sympathies are tender as those
of most men, then thought no more
Of exterminating desperate than OF
blowing over venison I needed to NIL
out slack belt.
Now, after some yearts of peace, |
have come to view my old life from
new angle, that of the men and
women Of today; have come to real
lie the horror Of it, no years and. IN
deed, few months Of it unblemished by
the shedding of human blood.
And yet was no more than an hon
est craftsman Of my day. Our work,
the work of me and my kind, was nee
essary-imperative work of the
Vanguard that pacified the old
frontier.
OF my work am proud; Of it sui,
fer no shame. Never once In my life
have sought quarrel; never killed
except where forced to It; never know
ingly wronged any man.
| And for our ample absolution 1t
should suffice to point the fact no man
can deny, that neither schools nor
churches fourished, nor centers OF
peaceful husbandry throve, nor mills
smoked and steel rails criss-crossed all
the land, until the work of the old Van
guard was done!
| For myself expect nothing-ask
nothing but a few years more Of the
infinite happiness and peace that now
are mine. But do appeal to some
man whose wealth was founded with
in the field fertilized with their blood
to raise fitting statue, rugged and
stern of face and bold Of poise, to The
Vanguard, and do respectfully beg that
1t may bear this inscriptions:
| "Nor schools nor churches flour
ished, nor centers Of peaceful hus
bandry were established, nor mills
smoked and steel rails criss-crossed all
the land, until the work of the Van
guard was DONE"
Some months before the outbreak OF
the Spanish War I first fell Ill, All
iron frame that had known no pain
save such as weapons make, sue
cumbed. Down toppled, like an age
worn Michigan pine crumbling be
meath its load Of snow.
Then they took me home, to the
only home the whole world held fol
me, the Old Soldiers Home, at LOT
Angeles, a privilege won by my serv
ice in the California Column.
There I had every care such insti
tuttons can bestow-all, indeed, but the
soothing touch Of loving hands my
Wild life had left me stranger to.
! Soon they had me on the mend
sufticiently mended so that when thu
echoes of Dewey's guns reused all oul
land was able to quit my bed ant
jump the first train for San Francisco
Arrived there, got an interview
with General Wesley Merritt, ant
begged permission to volunteer, in an!
arm, for any active service In the field
But only to be told that I was too old
Realizing my appeal hopeless,
stamped out Of his Office, madden thar
7 had been since Tom Harper knocked
me down in Bessie McVicker's pres
ence.
On reflection ! cannot SO mucl
blame the general, for besides my year
I was still thin and drawn from my III
ness, almost feeble, and had counte'
} perhaps too much on my well-knowl
record, and the chance of recruiting
my energies on the out voyage for m,
acceptance as volunteer.