Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-28

King Of OttumWa tells or NUMBER
OF incidents that will be read with m
terest by those who have followed the
series. Mr.. Kings present installment
follows:
AS soon as the stock had rested we
were again on the road. The last bite
of cooked food had been eaten and the
last drop of water, save the one quar'
for the two sick men, had been drunk
and the next relief would have 70
come from Irish Mike on Bear creek
When we reached the wreckage oy
the wayside stopped the outfit for
a short time and with shovels We ne
gan to investigate the skeleton spoK
en- of in my last letter. After the re-
novel Of a good quantity OF SAND we
found the skeleton of an adult when
had hole in the top Of the Skull
which perhaps had been made by a
tomahawk in the hands Of savage
We found the hip and the leg bones
of one mule and part Of " spine,
Our time being precious, We lowered
the bones into the hole from which
they had been taken, there to remain
until the sounding Of the Anglers trum'
pet. and once more were on our way
to the oasis in the desert.
Nothing of Importance happened I'M
til mid afternoon when against the ~.
western sky could be seen smali
dark cloud which appeared to be com,
ing directly toward US. notified
Stanley Of its appearance ana ne
struggled from the wagon and we pre-
pared to get into quick corral, but our
precautions were unnecessary Tor Win
the aid of our glasses we could see
two horsemen. each leading a pack
mule. emerge from the desert and with
a final squirt Pat Donahugh and man
whose name / remember as Elils
landed in our midst with four Wate.
casks each holding five gallons OF goou
spring water from Bear creek ms
made us twenty gallons besides sev-
eral well filled canteens. When lrlsn
Mike arrived at Bear creek he gave
the stock one hours rest and tnen,
converting two of the saddlers INTO
pack saddIers and two of the mules
into pack mules. he had done the rignt
thing and rushed the reserves TO the
aid of his famished fellow men.
We Immediately went into camp
and a hasty meal was prepared, as we
had water sufficient to wet the flour
and make skillet bread and pint OF
coffee each and we had hot bread ana
coffee for our evening meal. We al
lowed Stanley and Howard one can
ten of water with which to wash their
faces and cool their fever. Howard
was suffering from fever while stan.
lev was suffering from shell wound
received at Missionary Ridge when MS
regiment. the Sixth Ohio infantry,
Hazen's brigade, Woods division,
went to the support of Sherman's hard
pressed batteries at the summit OF the
Our stock was now snow
ing signs Of fatigue and unrest put
there was one salvation in the dis
lance and that was Bear creek, so we
were soon under way once more ano
the tired mules seemed to understand
that relief laid only in the direction
of the setting sun.
Washington, .. c.. Dec. 27.-The re-
port from Minnesota to the effect that
former Senator Elihu Root OF New
York had declined to allow his name 10
be used in the presidential primaries IN
that state created no inconsiderable
amount Of interest in washington. In
some quarters it was suggested that
Root had made a wise move. since ne
could hardly hope to be successful IN
the Minnesota primaries and that TO
be beaten there might have bad effect
1,pon his chances In other state pri-
maries.
Some time in the fore part Of the
night we discovered seemingly star
in the west which proved to be our
outpost Of Bear creek, under the lead
ership of Irish Mike. Aheavy dew
was falling and we selected a good
feeding ground and turned out the
stock with a double set of herders and
by the light Of our lanterns we soon
had good supper of hot bread and
coffee. The wet grass made luxur1-
Gus feed for the stock ard after two
hours rest we were once more IN the
harness and rolling westward. once
more sent Irish Mike with his brigade
on ahead with an additional cooking
outfit, also beans and coffee and side
of bacon. Every lantern was lit and
hung on some part of each wagon
while the advance guard, consisting OF
the extra stock with the old bell mule
in the lead.
We made Stanley and Howard as
comfortable as possible and the road
being good we travelled at good speed
until the crescent moon once more
shown in the eastern sky, when we
made our final camp before reaching
Bear creek. We were now in first
class grazing for the stock and
though it was the month Of November
the fine prairie grass was still in good
condition for feed and with the heavy
dew still on the grass the stock made
a fair feed and were apparently con-
tented with their hard lot. We had
plenty of chips in store and soon fires
were blazing, this time on top of the
ground in order to make more light
and once more We set about preparing
another midnight meal on the desert.
Awter eating walked out to the herd
and found many of the tired mules
had laid down and were eating as far
as they could reach.
Just before dawn the camp was
the stock driven in and each
mule and horse fed two quarts Of
shelled corn and as the gray dawn
Of another day lighted up the east
ern sky we were once more en- route