Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1918-03-06


that I should have been acting the
tyrant all this time over this dear,
sainted old man, who had years ago
expiated, in his whole manhood's life,
the madness Of boys treason?. Mr..
Nolan said 1 4 will tell you everything
you ask about Only, where shall
beginf' !
"Oh, the blessed smile that crep,
over his white face and he pressed my
hand and said. God bless you'll Tell
n'c their names.' he said, and he point.
ed to the stars on the flag. The last
know is Ohio. My father lived IL
Kentucky. But have guessed Mich
'gan and Indiana and Mississippi-that
was where Fort Adams ls-they make
twenty. But where are your other
rourteen? You have not cut up any
OF the old ones, hope?'
well. that was not a bad text, and
told him the names. in as good or
der as | could. and he babe me take
down his beautiful map and draw them
10 as best could with my pencil. He
was wild with delight about Texas,
told me how his brother died there;
ne had marked gold cross where he
supposed his brothers grave was; aud
he had guessed at Texas. Then he
was delighted as he saw California
and Oregon-that. he said. he had sus-
pected partly, because he had never
been permitted to land on that shore.
though the ships were there so much.
And the men, said he, laughing,
brought off good deal besides furs.'
Then he went back-heavens. how
far-to ask about the Chesapeake, and
what was done to Barron for surren-
deiing her to the Leopard, and wheth-
er Burr ever tried again, and he ground
mis- teeth with the only passion he
showed. But in moment that was
over, and he said, God forgive me,
for / am sure forgive him. Then
he asked about the old war-told
me the true story of his serving the
gun the day we took the Java-asked
about dear old David Porter, as he
called him. Then he settled down
more quietly, and very happily, to hear
me tell in an hour the history of fifty
years.
How l wished it had been some
body who knew something! But l
did as well as could. told him of
the English war. told him about Full
ton ard the steamboat beginning
told him about Odd Scott and Jackson;
told him all l could think about the
mississippi, and Kew Orleans, and
Texas, and his own old Kentucky.
AND GO YOU know he asked who was
IN command of the Legion of the
West? | told him it was very gal
amt officer named Grant, and that by
our last news. he was about to estab-
fish his headquarters at Vicksburg.
Then, Where was Vicksburg?
worked that out on the map; it was
about hundred miles. more or less,
above his old Fort Adams; and
thought Fort Adams must be ruin
now. 1t must be at old Vick's plan !
tation,' said he; well, that is a
changer
ICA yOu, 4uSllIll, IL Was nara
thing to condense the history of half
a century into that talk with sick
man. And l do not know what told
him-of emigration, and the means of
it-of steamboats, and railroads and
inventions and books
and literature-of the colleges and
West Point and the Naval school
but with the queerest Interruptions
that ever you heard. You see it was
Robinson Crusoe asking all the accu-
mulated questions of fifty-six years.
Il remember he asked, all of sud-
den. who was president now; and
when l told him, he asked if Old Abe
was Gen. Benjamin Lincoln's son. He
said he met old General Lincoln, when
ne was quite boy himself, at some
Indian treaty. l said no, that Old Abe !
was Kentuckian like himself, but |
could not tell him of what family: he
had worked up from the ranks. Good
for him! cried Nolan; I am glad of
that. AS l have brooded and won.
dered, I have thought our danger was
in keeping up those regular success.
Sions in the first families Then /
got talking about my visit to Wash.
ngton. l told him Of meeting the Ore