Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-02-10
lny MRS. NJ. Z. p~LAssMANND


MOT long ago when looking over the
acts Of Il first territorial legislature.
~ l came across one so far or the
ordinary that it might have attracted the
attention OF any person who knew moth
ing regarding 1t except what was given IN
the text. II did not concern itself with
leads. lodes or Lodges. with the building
of bridges or the right to establish and
control ferries II toll ROADS. IL was q
bill introduced into the council, Dec. %,
1864. by Nathaniel Merriman, for the
granting of a divorce TO Leonard A.. Grid
ley. 1t was favorably received and passed
the same day, with but one dissenting
vote.
Divorce was not regarded at that time
as a trivial affair. there being then no
Hollywood or national -Four Hundred
There was. quite unjustly, a certain
stigma attached to it that is inconceiv-
able at the present time: and while this
phase of public sentiment was, as might
be expected, more active against women
than against men. II made the securing
of a divorce a serious matter.
That the Gridley divorce was gained
through an act of the legislature arose
from the fact that we were then vir-
tually without courts, what were known
as miners courts being the only ones
functioning. and these were decidedly
informal affairs with nc standing else
where than here. They could grant no
divorce that could be legally recognized.
/ do not recall the circumstances of the
divorce. although I was we'll acquainted
with the man to whom it was granted.
My first introduction to Mr.. Gridley
was when We were crossing a Erie
from Cleveland to Detroit. on our way
to Montana in 1868. There had been a
storm during the night with its attend
ant seasickness for us "~landlubbers." I
~~,a 49, IL L. --
stateroom until the following afternoon.
when the waves subsidized. Then, in a
shaky condition. I managed TO crawl on
deck, where the fresh air soon made me
feel that life vas still worth living. But
not N the high seas or on the Great
Lakes. One experience of this kind /
thought was sufficient. When I reached
the deck l found most of our party
there, and two additional members
Messrs. Booth and Gridley.
When 1t was known that my father had
decided to make the land journey to
Lewiston. Idaho. he had a number Of APP
plications from those who wished to ac-
company him. Among these were the
two mentioned who were chosen to join
us. Mr.. Booth went as guide, but failed
to have the knowled~e he claimed of
the country we were to pass through. He
had crossed the plains. but l think by
another route than the one followed. In
reality we had nc guide, travelling in a
h-appy-go-lucky manner which through
sheer luck brought US safely TO our jour
ney's n with no serious accident, or
encounter with the Indians. Our very
ignorance Of the dangers we faced saved
us from much worry and anxiety. 1t was
o case of ignorance being bliss.
Mr.. Gridley was a business man, who
sought relief from his domestic infelicity
in flight His wife had left him with
out just cause or provocation" as he
thought, and he hoped tina time and
distance might tend to resurrect the abil-
fly to enjoy life which was impossible in
his old surroundings and the neighbor-
hood Of his wife. Both he and Mr.. Booth
met us at Cleveland, and accompanied
us all the way to Montana.
He was then a young man OF kindly
impulses and generous nature. Moreover,
he was still devotedly in love with his
wife. This made him melancholy at
times. Child as l was, I learned to know
when this Zoe was taking possession
of him from the peculiar habit, which !
thought laughable, of expelling breath
Yorcibly from the nostrils in a series of
snorts.
He must have suffered more than we
knew from fear OF Indian attacks. 1t
was the custom, when we were on the
plains, for the men Of our party to stand
guard nightly. Once. not long after we
left Omaha, it was MIR. Gridley's turn to
stand guard. About midnight the whole
camp was reused by loud cries of IN
dians! Indiansi" Every one turned out
and for q time great excitement reigned.
Had the Indians really attacked us then,
we would have been entirely unprepared
to defend ourselves. No Indians appear
ing. however, it was he general belief
that Mr.. Gridley had slept and been
by a nightmare in which In
dlans enacted the leading role. I regret
to say that the poor man was never per-
,mitted to forget this thrilling incident,
the mere mention of which brought the
blood to his face, and he would seek re-
lief in the explosive snorts I lave de-
scribed.
He next distinguished himself at Snake
river. There was a ferry across 1t, but
we, unaccustomed to western prices,
thought that asked by the ferryman wae
extortionate. Hearing Of q ford at q lit
tie distance from the ferry, WI thought
to essay it, Mr.. Gridley volunteering to
go ahead as guide for the wagons. He
was on horseback, and once out in the
channe the swift current made him gid
dy, n he turned downstream. Colonel
Sanders wagon, in the lead, followed
him and the front wheel dropped over q
ledge Of rock, imperiling the lives Of the
women and children In the wagon. which
threatened to overturn. Fortunately, two
mounted men on the opposite bank-a
white man and an Indian-seeing our
predicament hastened to the rescue. The
women and children were first carried
over, and then the wagon was righted
with no serious injury to what 1t con-
tanned.
A proof Of the constant love of MIR.
Gridley for the wife who had left him,
was this. He. alone Of our party's I'M
married men, did not WOO my fair cousin,
Lucia Darling. As for those other
SWANS, he declared them all to be, like
himself, members Of the brotherhood Of