American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-05-18

ian. nave you seen 1hpldlu Du'h ,
curious account Of Sir Thomas Roe's
Welcome?"
After that cruise I never saw No
Ian again. T. wrote to him at least
twice a year, for in that voyage we
became even cO~nidentially intimatef
but he never wrote to me. The other
men toll me that In those fifteen years
he aged very fast. as well he might
indeed. but that ne was still the same
gentle. accomplishing. silent sufferer
that he ever was, bearing as best he
could his s-elf-appointed punishment,
rather less social, perhaps, with new
men whom he did not know, but more
anxious. apparently, than ever TO serve
and befrlend and teach the boys, some
Of whom fairly seemed to worship him.
And now Il seems the lear old fellow
IS dead. He has found "A home at
last, and IA country.
Since writing this, and while con-
sldering whether or no / would print
IL. as a warning to the young of today
OF what 1t Is to throw way n country,
/ nave received from DanfOrth. who Is
Ull UUuiu TIE LtN1lAa a ltAAGA nhA'
gives an account Of Nolan's last hours.
It removes all my doubts about telling
this story.
To understand the first words Of the
letter. the nOnprofessional render
should remember that after 1917 the
position of every officer who had No
Ian In charge was one Of the greatest
delicacy. The government had failed
to renew the order Of 1907 regarding
him. What was a man to do? Should
he let him 60? What, then, If he
were called To account by the depart
ment for violating the order of 1907
Should he keep him? What. then, If
Nolan should be liberated some day,
and should bring an action for false
imprisonment or kidnapping against ev-
cry man who had had him in charger
] urged and pressed this upon South
ard, ana l have reason to think that
other officers did the Same Thing. But
the secretary always said, as they so
often do at Washington, that there
were no special orders to give, and
that we must act on our own judg-
ANAAA AAAAL AAA1NtANs "a ERa RAAkN'NhF
you will be sustained if you fail, you
will be d~isavowed." Well, as Danforth
says, all that is over now, though |
do not know but | expose myself TO a
criminal prosecution on the evidence
Of the very revelation l am making.
Here is the letter
"Levant. % ." s. a 1872 W.
Dear Fred try to find heart and
life to tell you that it is all ovcr with
lear old Nolan. / have been with him
on this voyage more than l ever was,
and l can understand wholly now the
way in which you used to speak of the
dear old fellow. l could see that he
was % strong, but had no idea that
the end was SO near. The doctor had
been watching him very carefully, and
yesterday morning came to me and
told me that Nolan was not so well,
aud had not left his stateroom-a
thing / never remember before. He
had let the doctor come and see him as
he lay there, the first time the doctor
had been I'm the stateroon, and he said
he should IKE to see me Oh, dear
do you remember the mysteries we
boys used to invent about his room. in
the old Intrepid days? Well, | went
I'm. and there, to be sure, the poor fell
low lay IN his berth. smiling pleasant
~ as he gave me his hand, but look
ing very frail. I could not help a
glance round. which showed me what
a little shrine he had made of the box
he was lying In. The stars and stripes
were trlced up above and around d
picture of Washington, and he had
painted a majestic eagle. with light
nings blazing from his beak and his
foot just clasping the whole globe
which his wings ove%rshadowed. Tn,
dear old boy saw my glance. and said
with a sad smile, Here, you see, | have
a country And then he pointed Il
the foot Of his bed, where | had no
seen before a great map of the United
States, as he had drawn it from mem
DRY, and which he had there to lool
upon as he lay. Quaint, queer ole
names were on it, in large letters
Indiana Territory Mississippi Ter
ritOry,' and Louisiana as l supposed
our fathers learned such things bu.
the old fellow had patched in Texas
too: he had carried his western boun
dairy all the way to the Pacific, but OF
that shore he had defined nothing.
"'Oh. Danforth.' he said. 4 know
ann dying. | cannot get home. Sure
{ " you will tell me something now
Stop! stop Do not speak till l Sa.
what l am sure you know. that Their.
is not in this ship, that there is no
In Americn-God bless her "a NOR.
/ loyal man han 1. There cannot be
I man who loves the old flag as l do. o
prays for it rs l do. or hopes for 1t "a
| do. There are thirty-four stars Il
II now. Danforth. l thank God 70
: that. though do not know what thei
names are. There has never been on
: taken away l thank God for that.
know by that, that there has neve