Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1920-05-19

LETTER FROM MRS. Ida ELDER
Columbia Falls, Mont, May, 1920.
Editors Democrat:
/ / wonder, while / am stopping and
Visiting the families of C. D. Elder and
Earl Hollister, at the DUN Dewoodie
farm, near Columbia Falls. Montana,
| If it would not be interesting to my
Manchester friends If would mention
some OF the facts about this marvellous
and beautiful portion Of the world, and
of some other places we have visited
isince we left Manchester, which was
on the oath of March, when we went
| to visit the three families of Toms
brothers in Linwood, Kansas, just
twenty five miles west OF Kansas City,
and all Of them were together except
ling G. D. Elder, whose home is here in
Montana. ~
We visited for period OF three
weeks with the brothers at Linwood.
We went to Kansas City couple of
times over the electrical line, to see
the sights Of the city, and to Laurence
that old historical town, though many
changes have been wrought there since
my last visit some years ago.
From Linwood we hastened onward
on our westward journey to Columbia
Falls, and to Dun Dewoodie farm,
where resides in peace and plenty these
two families Of which / speak-C. ID.
Elder and his son-in-law--Earl Hollis
ter and mother, and you may readily
believe that we are enjoying those
nice spring days In visiting and where
old tales are told, old songs sung old
days come back to memory dear; but
as have older grown the passing Of
the years has impressed few things
very forcibly upon my mind and I
realize Is never before that life is too
lshort, and peace OF mind worth too
much. to sacrifice everything, and go
pacing ghost-like round the haunts Of
my childhood, to find the old familiar
faces; so many Of them have vanished
| in the two short years that / have been
absent In the far west, but that one
home alone, always remembered, will
stand embossed forever--if not among
ancestral trees and vines, then in
clustering memories far more lovely
land more cherished-but now to my
partial description OF the surround
iings here in beautiful Montana.
It is now nine years since visited
this vicinity is rather in the vicinity
| of the old lumber mill grounds, which
Iare about four miles from Dun De-
woodie farm, which g. D.. Elder then
owned, and still owns, and which is
1operated by his son-in-law, Earl Hol-
Ulster, who resides in separate apart
ments on the same beautiful old farm
of two hundred acres Of as nice and
level land as one would wish to see,
Icomprising orchard, small fruits, fine
buildings, and other farm commodi-
tiles and some OF the Manchester men
who were then Interested in the suc-
Icess Of the mill there, were also locat-
led at this place.
B Mate Hollister, Earls father lately
deceased, was president of the mill
company, George Hunt, now Of Kali
spell, and from whom the name Of the
little railroad which ransdown to the
mill was named, Hunts Spur, was
derived, Mr.. and Mrs. Trippett, Mr.
and Mrs. Anthony Robinson, q Mr.
Houston and others Of near Manches-
tier and Earl Hollister with C. D. Elder
las engineer, all formed q settlement
There, where they lived for some years
in happy contentment, but the mill is
| now thing of the past and the in
habitants are scattered about in the
Vicinity Of Columbia Falls, and sur
rounding country. Dun Dewoodie
farm is within twenty miles of GlazieI
National Park, in the Montana Rockies
a couple of miles from Flathead River
and Is near the Montana Soldiers
Home, and the soldiers cemetery.
We visited the home yesterday
which is situated on the, west bank OF
the river in a lovely spot among the
tall and stately pines, and it is fully
equipped with all the equipment with
which to properly operate an institu-
tion OF this kind.
There are one hundred and four
soldier inmates in the home proper
| quite number in the hospital adj
1 joining, and very many In the old peo-
pies or soldiers families homes.
enjoyed the visit very much around
among the different buildings salut-
ing those old Grand Army men and
Soldiers OF the Civil war, whose ranks
are every day thinning and who will
all soon be called "up higher.
1t happened, however, that we arriv-
ed at Dun Dewoodie just the wrong
time Of the year, when farmers are
ibusy with their crops and. gardens
j"Demps" had kindly made use OF his
ltrusty Overland and took us around as
much as possible, and we are still con-
Itinually on the go. and went to the
! church. "the little white church in the