The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-04-24
Theodosio Burr


The face of each told the other what
he felt. Their mutual devotion. their
generosity and unselfshness, their I'm
tagging unity of purpose. their perfect
manly comradeship-what wonder so
many have called the story Of these
two more romantic than romance it.
self!
ut has been long since we met,
WILL" said ,!eriwether Lewis. II have
been eating my heart out up at Pitts
burgh. got your letter, and glad
enough l was to have it. I had been
fearing that I would have to go on
alone. Now; l feel as if we already
had succeeded. 1 cannot tell you-but
I don't need to try"
"And you, Merne," rejoined William
Clark-Captain William Clark, if you
please, border fighter, leader of men,
one Of a family Of leaders of men, tall,
gaunt, red headed, blue eyed, smiling,
himself splendid figure Of a man
you, Merne, are great man now, IA
nous there in Washington, Mr.. JEFF
Persons right hand man. We hear of
you often across the mountains.
have been waiting for you here, as
anxious as yourself"
"The water is low" complained
Lewis, land thousand things have
delayed us. Are you ready to start?"
"In ten minutes-in five minutes. l
will have my boy York go up and get
my rife and my bags"
"Your brother, General Clark, how is
hep
William Clark shrugged with smile
which had half as much sorrow as
mirth in it.
''The truth is, Merne, the generals
heart is broken. He thinks that his
country has forgotten him.
Forgotten him? From Detroit to
New Orleans we owe it all to George
Rogers Clark. 1t was he who opened
the river from Pittsburgh to New Or
leans. He'll not need, now, to be an
ally of France again. Once more a
member of your family will be in at
the finding of vast new country"
'Merne. I've sold my farm. I got
$4,000 for my place, and so I am of
with you, not with much Of it left in
my pockets, but with a clean bill and
a good conscience and some Of the
family debts paid. care not how far
we go or when we come back.
thank Mr.. Jefferson for taking me on
with you IT'S the gladdest time in all
my life"
1--WE are share and share alike, WILL"
said his friend Lewis soberly. Tell
me, can we get beyond the Mississippi
this fall, do you Think"
Doubtful" said Clark. 1.-THE Span
ish of the valley are not very well
reconciIed to this Louisiana sale, and
neither are the French. They have
been holding all that country in part
nership, each people afraid of the 9th
err and both showing their teeth to US.
But I hear the commission is doins
we'll at St Louis, and presume the
transfer will be made this fall or win
ter. After that they cannot stop us
from going on"
"What sort of men have you in your
party, Merne?'
"Only good ones, I think. Young
name of Gass-Patrick Gass. They
should be very good men. brought
on Collins from Maryland and Pete
Weiser from Pennsylvania. also good
stuff, I think McNeal. Potts, Gibson
Il got those around Carlisle. We need
more men,"
81 have picked out a few here" said
Clark ''You know Kentucky breeds
explorers. l have good blacksmith,
Shields. and Bill Bratton is another
blacksmith. Either can tinker gun
If need be. Then l have John Coalter,
an active, strapping chap, and the two
Fields boys, whom I know to be good
men, asd Charlie Floyd, Nate Pryo
and couple of others-Warner and
Whitehouse. We should get the res
at the forts around st. Louis. I want
to take my boy York along. A negro
is always good natured under hard
ship. and a laugh now and then will
not hurt any of u.s."
Lewis nodded assent.
"Your judgment of men is as good
as mine, Will. But, ccme, it is Sep
TENDER, and the leaves are falling.
All my men have the fall hunt in their
blood. They will start for any place
at any moment. Let us move. Sup
pose you take the boat on down and
let me go across, horseback, to Kas-
kaskia. / have some business there,
and will try for few more recruits.
We must have fifty men,
r 4
The day was but beginning for the
American republic. All the air was
vibrant with the passion OF youth and
romance. Yonder in the west there
might be fame and fortune for any
man with courage to adventure. The
world had not yet settled down to in
exorable grooves Of life from which no
human. soul might fight its way out
save at cost of sweetness and content
and hope. The chance of one man
might still equal that of another-yon-
der, in that vast new world along the
;rcse, syny,f