Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-12-30
"REMINISCENCES OF THE
LATE DAN. A. KLINE
BY AN OLD FRIEND
Editor of wausau Pilot,

was sent NE through the courtesy
of a stranger, on my request, and as it
/ just reached me. my contribution to
his memory, is late. 1t seems as man
passes from the stage of life. especial
ly ct an advanced age, those who sur
round the departed, sadly and rever-
emily lay them away, but know not nor
can remember Che kindness which once
throbbed within the sunken bosom, or
the power that pulsed beneath the
snowy locks of age, and thus, it APP
pears, it should be an incumbent pleas
ure and duty, for some acquaintance
of their youth and energy to review
the qualities which will do justice to
the dead, soothe the sorrow, and sus-
tain the pride of the living.
met Dan Kline when | first went
to Wausau, nearly fifty years ago,
then on my way to Jenny Bull Falls.
stopped at the Winkley house, and
the proprietor told me the stage would
leave for Jenny next morning, and ac-
cordingly the stage coach appeared,
and the proprietor said: "'Old your
osses. Dan, there's long aired, red
'eaded youngster wants to ride with
you"
went out and got in the coach,
and noticed the driver was a large
man, who showed he had been imbib-
ing strong coffee
While the driver was looking back
ward talking to the landlord or host.
l saw another man, not so TALL as the
driver, come UP to the stage on the
opposite side from the hotel, and un-
hitched both tugs of the left horse.
then he came around to the door and
got in the coach, the proprietor said
again, "Ello DAN" and l wondered If
every man was called Dan in that
burg
AS he took his seat in the stage, he
said rather gruffiy. "Say, Dan Scott
you better hit those plugs and 20.
The driver did as told, and both hors-
es leaped forward, the tongue was
jerked from the neck yoke and the
driver was yanked from the seat into
big mud hole. from which he arose
saying things not seen in the books of
Mathew, Mark, Luke or john while the
one In the stage said, "any. one who
would unhitch mans tugs ought to
be hung"
We proceeded very slowly as it was
the first day of April. and the mud in
some places was hub deep, so we
stopped at Hollis Hotel for dinner. at
Trappe, and got to Jenny P. O. about
dark.
Old Mr.. and Mrs. Averill took charge
of the mail. and / was u.aloaded at
the Space Hotel The next morning
after breakfast / was standing on the
corner at the hotel steps with some
strangers, when / saw our man who
unhitched the tugs coming up the
other side OF the street, and crossing
over to my side with the crowd. A.
good natured looking fellow was COM
ing down the street from toward Nor
ways Hotel and joined the crowd; he
was carrying paper of smoking to-
bacco-the old style; half pound in
yellow paper and 1t open, and he filing
his pipe.
/, Some of them took the paper and
filed their pipes and among the rest.
our friend of the coach was the last
to take it.
About that time couple of young
Indians came out of small saloon
just across the. street, with drawn
knives, going to- fight, and some old
Indians and a squaw were trying to
keep them apart, this drew the at
tention of the crowd and our friend of
the tug exploit, winking at man who
was smoking a fresh cigar, picked it
from his mouth, and began smoking it
All were so intent watch
ing the Indians, that none saw what |
else was occurring. The cigar was soon
almost in blaze, and opening the to-
bacco paper, the burning cigar was
dropped inside, and then wrapping it |
up quickly, he said. There's your to- |
bacco Alden" and showed it into the |
others pocket. Turning quickly, he |
the hotel and reappeared with
a pail of water, which he set on the |
steps.
Suddenly a blaze broke from AL |
den's pocket, the paper and lining
were both ON fire, and the blaze ran up1
the fuzz of his coat: all ran to his
help. and the Indians seeing the man
on fire rushed over forgetting to fight. |
Our friend caught up the pail of wa
ter, dashed some on the coat, some in |
to the pocket, and accidently of course,
dashed a lot on the back of his neck.
then stepping back with a smile, and
with protrudihg eyes, said, "By-
Alden Grown, if / hadn't been here
you'd burnt alive" The other ans
wered, Dan Kline, you did that" and
Dan retorted, There's no gratitude in
man may risk his life for
friends, and then they wont appreci-
ate It,"
remember, wondered then If all
that fellow, they called Dan, enjoyed
was to raise haces with every one he
could
| grew to like him altho twenty
years my senior he appeared to like
me. | never frequented saloons then.
and altho' / attended church. was not
member, but went to see which was
the prettiest girl.
The minister denounced every one
who did not receive the spirit. and
among those, condemned the most, was
Dan Kline. The minister's salary was
sD,all. and he lived on the charity of
such men as Gideon Young and Frank
Andrews. Christmas came, and like
Thanksgiving, his feast was to be
small. it appeared, but on opening the
door on Christmas morning. he was
surprised to find a quarter of beef
flour, sugar, tea, coffee and groceries
to last six months.
He. saw the tracks in the snow and
following them to the road he found
the tracks of the sled that hauled the
gift, he followed to where they were
loaded and found they were loaded
from Dan Kline's store room, where he
kept supplies for his logging shanty.
Going back to his house he followed
to where the sleds went. and found
them at Dan Kline's stable. The min
lister being kind man himself. was so
sensitive that 1t broke him all ND. and
he told me that he believed Dan had
more kindness in his make up than
half OF his own church members.
/ recall another circumstance where
a hard working man with wife and
children was being driven to the wall
by pretending friend. who was rob-
bing him of his only horse team on