Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-03-08
EXTRACTS FROM THE AUTO
BIOGRAPHY OF
ZANE GREY SWISSHELM
First Newspaper Woman Of
Minnesota.
A Remarkable Woman Of Ante
bellum Days-1o15-1o65
CHI Err XVII.
My Name Appears in Print.-Age 20

My Name Appears in Print.-Age 20.
It was the third morning after my
return, that my head would not leave
the pillow. DR.. Carothers came and
blistered me from head to feet, and
for three weeks saw no one but my
attendants and my phantom panther.
He never left me. There was one cor
ner of the room in which he stayed
most, and sometimes there was not
room for his tail to wag, and then he
moved forward where I could not see
his head. This troubled me, for then
l could not hold him with my eyes.
At night they were two balls of green
fire; but they had always been, only
when was we'll could turn my head
away, now could not move it. I
knew most of the time it was a shad-
ow from my brain, but was glad to
hear Toms chain rattle and feel sure
it was not his very self.
They nursed me carefully, and lay
thinking of the little ones sick and
in prison" Old Martha came and
plead with me. l saw Liza and Maria
under the lash for the crime of chas-
tity, and myself the accomplish CT
their brutal masters. l pictured one
Of them q member of the M. E. church,
appealing to that church for redress
and spurned under the "Black Gag"
and I? why l had been helping men
who voted for it to build meeting
house! What was Peters denial COM
pared to mine?
The case arranged itself in my
mind. had writing materials
brought, and there. with my head fast
on the pillow, I wrote hexameter
rhyme half q column long, arraigning
by name those Black Gag preachers,
painting the scene, and holding them
responsible. I signed my initials, and
sent it to Mr.. Fleeson, with a note
telling him to give my name if it was
inquired for.
Our Esprit" did not come that
week; but soon my husband came to
my room with copy of 1.-THE Pitts
burg Gazette" in which was an edi-
torial and letter full of pious horror
and denunciation Of that article, and
giving my name as the author; so that
we knew Mr.. Fleeson had published
the name in full. This was my first
appearance in print over my own sig
nature, and while I was shocked, my
husband was delighted, even though
he knew q libel suit was threatened.
soon went to Pittsburg, saw William
Elder and John A. Wills, the only an.
| ti-slavery lawyers in the city. They
said the article was actionable, for 1t
| had brought those men into con.
tempt Elder added: "They are badly
hurt, or they would not cry out SO
loud"
Both rendered their gratuitous ser.
vices for my defense. In a civil suit
! we could prove the truth of the
| charge, and they coud get nothing,
for my husband owned no property
everything belonged. to his mother
and my trustees could not be held fol
my misdeeds. Their action would
| doubtless be criminal, and l would
probably be imprisoned. / went home
and wrote a reply to the Gazette
/ which it refused to publish, but it ap.
peared in the Spirit. I reiterated,
urged and intensified my charges
against these false priests, until they
were dumb about their injuries and
libel suit, but of that original article
l never could get a copy. Everyone
had been sold and resold, and read t.
rags, before knew it was in print.
| I continued to write for the Esprit
but still there did not seem to be
anything could do for the slave. AS
soon as l was able to be about the
house, 1 fell into my old round OF
drudgery, but with hope and pride
shut out of it. Once my burden press.
ed so that could not sleep, and rose
at early dawn, and sat looking over
the meadow, seeing nothing but q
dense, white fog. I leaned back, clos,
ed my eyes and thought how like it
was to my own life. When I looked
again, oh, the vision Of glory which
met my sight!
| The rising sun had sent, through
an opening in the woods, a shaft OF
light. which centred on a hickory tree
that stood alone in the meadow, and
was then in the perfection of it's gold
en- autumn glory. It dripped with
moisture, blazed and shimmered. The
high lights were diamond tipped, and
between them and the deepest shad.
ow was every tint of orange and vel
low, mingled and blended in those in.
imitable lines of natural foliage. Over
it, through it, and around it, rolled the
white fog, in great masses, caressine
like the veil Of the temple Of the Most
High. ALI around lay the dark woods
framing in the vision like serried
ranks encompassing throne, to which
great clouds rolled, then lifted and
scudded away, like couriers coming
for orders and Fastening to obey them
| Johns New Jerusalem never was sc
grand! No square corners and forbid
ding walls. The gates were not made
of several solid pearls, but of millions
of pearletts, strung on threads OF
love, offering no barriers through
which any soul might not pass. My
:Patmos had been visited and could
dwell in it, work and wait; but ]
would live in it, not lie in a tomb, and
once more took hold of life.
I organized a society at which we
read, had refreshments and danced
yea, broke church rules and practiced
promiscuous dancing minus primiscu
GUS kissing. OF course this was wick
ed. roamed the woods. brought wild
flowers and planted them, set out
berry bushes, and collected a large
variety Of roses and lilies.
| 8VEA.
Svea, Feb. 29-Miss Florence Olson
returned Friday after weeks visit
with friends at Willmar.
Mr.. Harry -Swenson was given a sur.
prise by about fifty of his friends Sat.
| SHuHS1