Evening star., 1924-02-09
Continued from Yesterdays Staro

m, 0ut OF Wnat actually was. L ne
ssion of Napoleon had been made.
Il Louisiana was ours. 1t was time
plot for expeditions, not down the
eat river, but across il, beyond 1t,
ITO that great and unknown coun-
c.y that lay toward the farther sea.
fhe Keen Zest of this vast enter
rise came to him as a stimulus tine
'."l of the new country was as the
rrath of his nostrils. His bosom
.elled with JOY as he looked out to-
ard that west which had so long
,lured him--that west of which he
as to be the discoverer. The c.t-
using riffraff of the wharfs, the
"tSam and jetsam of the river trade,
ere to him but passing phenomena.
.:e shouldered his way among them
..rger vision before his eyes.
Now, too. he had news-good news,
.prtunate news. joyous news--none
IS than the long delayed answer of
: friend, Capt. William Clark to
e proposal that he should associate
.mself with the Volunteers for the
discovery of the West. Misapelled.
rawled, done in the hieroglyphics
hich marked that remarkable gem
ieman. William Cltrk'S letter carried
10Y to the heart of Meriwether Lewis.
cemented one of the most aston
hing partnerships ever known
uong men, one of the most beauti-
nj friendships of which history
.taves note. Let us give the strange
epistle in Clark's own spelling:
bear Merne:
Yours to hand touching upon the
:.Npedishon into the MisSourie Coun-
t~y, Il [ send this by special bota UP
he river 10 mete you at Pts-brsh, at
the FoarkS. Nou convey Il mOaSt
elcome and appreciated invitation I"
ioin you i'll an Enterprise conj"nial
81 my Every thought and Desir... 1t
will in all likelyhood require at least
year TO make the journey out and
'scturn, but although that means Ger
;ain Sacritises of Il personal sort, [
'Ipld such far less than the pleasure
10 enlist with YOU, VIII. indeed | hold
70 be my duty also.
! need not say how content l am to
De associated with the man moaSt of
al my acquaintance apt to achieve Sue
less i'll an undertaking of so difficult
md perlous nature. As YOU know. il
~ in the wilderness men are moaSt Sc
early tried, and there We know a
man. / have seen YOU SO tried, and !
Know what you are. am proud
that you appeare to hold me and my
own qualities in like confident trust
and belief, and L shall hope to merit
uo altera tton in Your Judgment
There is no other man | would go
with on such an undertaking, nor
consider it seriously, although the
concern of my family largely has been
with things military and adventur-
among Savidges. Too well l know
the dangers of bad leadership in such
affairs. yes and my brother, the Cen
eral. also. as the story OF Detroit aud
the upper Ohio country could prove.
All Of that country should have been
ours from the first. and only lack of
courage lost it so long to us.
You are SO kind as to offer me i
place equal in command with yoE-
] accept not because of the Rank,
which is no moving consideration,
Gather for you or for me-but be-
cause | see in the generosity of the
man proposing such a division uf his
own Honors, the best assurance CT
success.
You will find me at or near the
Falls of the Ohio awaiting the ar
rival of your party, which l talk it
will be in early August or the Midel
of that month.
Pray convey to Mr. Jefferson my
humble and obedient respects. and
thanks for this honor VIII. / shall en-
deavor to merit as best lies within
With all affecn, 1 remain,
Your friend,
WM. CLARK
this all may mean to You and me,
Nerne-WILL.
Clark. then, was 10 meet him at
counseled haste. Lewis drove his
drunken, lazy workmen in the ship
yards as hard as he might. week after
week, yet found six weeks elapsed
ted to set forth. The delay fretted
him, even though he received word
from his chief bidding him not to
grieve over the possible loss of sea-
son in his start. but to do what he
might and to possess his soul i'm pa
nd
Recruits of proper sort for his pur
poses did not grow on trees, he found,
but he added Il few men TO his party
now and then, picking them slowly,
carefully. One morning, while en-
gagged in his duties of supervising the
work in progress at the shipyardS, Re
had his attention attracted to youth
of some seventeen or eighteen years,
who stood, cap in hand, at little dis
tance, apparently too timid to accost
him.
= What is it. my SOM" said he. Did
you wish to see me?"
The boy advanced, smiling.
You do not know me, sir. My
name is Shannon-George shannon.
j used to know you when you were
stationed here with the army. 1 was
a boy then
"You are right remember you
perfectly. So you are grown into n
strapping young man, I see!"
The boy twirled his cap in his
hands.
Il want to go along with you, cap
tain" said he shyly.
What? You would go with ME
do you know what is our journey?
NO. | only hear that you are go
ing up the Missouri. beyond st. Louis,
are buffalo there, and Indians. 'Tis
too quiet here for me-I want to see
the world with you"
The young leader. after his fash
ion. stood silently regarding the other
for a time. An instant served him.
VERY well, George" said he. 'If
your parents consent, you shall go
with me. Your pay will be such that
you can save somewhat. and l trust
you will use it to complete your
schooling after your return. There
will be adventure and a certain hon.
or in our undertaking. If we come
back successful, 1 am persuaded that
our country will not forget us"
And so that matter was completed.
Strangely enough, as the future
proved, were the fortunes of these
two to intermingle. From the first.
Shannon attached himself to his
captain almost in the capacity OF
personal attendant.
At last the great bateau lay ready,
1aunc he'd from the docks and moored
alongside the wharf. Fifty feet long
1t was with mast, tholes and walk
ing boards for the arduous up
stream work. 1t had received a part
of it's cargo and soon all was in
readiness to start.
On the evening of that day Lewis
sat down to pen a last letter to his
chief. He wrote in the little office
room of the inn where he was stop
ping, and for a time he did not note
the presence of young Shannon,
who stood. as usual. silent until his
leader might address him.
What is it, George" he asked at
length, looking up.
Some one waiting to see you, sir
they are in the parlor. They sent
me"