PREF E ft C .

The l and I tit e introduction of this book, deem, sufficient design for its publication without

es . The size of the book has been dictated by a con sideration of what would be most appropriate as an explanation upon my return home . The history I e r during boyhood , it may be noticed, giv in mo e detail ; this is done so as to present to the reader the surroundings and conditions under which I aban d n I o ed friends and home for the life lived . And it is my endeavor to select subj ect matter of my past life that is th e most novel and least common in other books of travel and adventure. ' reli ious view s I I Though my g , which express , n as of give not because of its ovelty, but a relief con vi i n ct o to myself and a duty as a citizen . It has I

been suggested, to me by friends that if could not endorse the orthodox doctrine to knock it out and I be silent . could not do this and give a true sketch of m h for e in y istory, my religious deviations wer terw oven with my actions from the time I left till I

returned again . That is what is the matter with the world today 3 PR EFA CE

ca W a there are too many mum and hypocriti l . y I faring as may have been , there is still enough manhood left that prompts me to be honest in my convictions and to express them . It may cause me unpopularity and to be vilified with disreputable I epithets and with crimes of which am not guilty . But I can bear all this better than to bear the remorse of conscience in not expressing my con vi tion c s .

ff to th e s In this , and in my e orts present ubject is l matter generally , in a way that practically usefu I e and of an elevating nature morally, hop it will meet the approval of those whose endeavors are in m the sa e direction .

R espectfully,

PHILI P A STR U H . A G . A CH PTER I .

Will I ever return to the country of my boy hood ! ” I thought after retiring on top the Would be Mesa for reflection ; for it was a matter that

re heavily on my mind for a period of time .

The horizon was tinged with a smoky hue , and the weather calm and serene ; such a time as nat sun urally put one in a mood for reflection . The shone pleasantly and the air was soft and mild ; while zephyrs moaned among the spriggy foliage

dars and pinions a s - t hough to refresh my with hidden mysteries to which they were

I I am I , cried , that should thus be a the ! V I upon earth erily, have not

w as I rom the planets , nor sprung from a ! I or rock No , but was sprung from man , I I too have relatives . O , my God , why did return to them from hence at my first visit ead of wandering farther and farther ! I many years Will now return , or go em otest parts of the Earth and keep my vity in oblivion ; and fictionize my birth with 6 THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER

e es ! I wond rs and prodig i No , it will not do , must

ss be truthful ; besides, the age of superstition is pa ing away . And the superstitions of the past will be laid bare as the sciences evolve . So , too , it is a

Be duty to myself and country to return again . e sides , this will be the n xt strangest experience I can to m encounter , return ho e amid the many changes which must have taken place after so long an ab sence . “ I Yes , will prepare and go to the place of my ’ ” father s house and see the living among my people . But on account of my long absence and many I adventures and pursuances , must first write a sketch of my history, as without it , it would take too n long a d be too wearisome to explain . “ I I will take me up a homestead on this mesa , “ s I I can aid , where will write my history . Here, gaze down the canyons for less monotony ; and re tire to the topmost part under the shades of the ” f w I cedars and pinons or thought hile write . t - It has now , at this wri ing, been twenty seven long I years have wandered about , and not an iota have I heard from any one during my absence ; nor have I written to any one except sometime after leaving I home wrote back to my father and sister, telling them I was going to take to the ocean and visit foreign countries . From the time of writing that I letter to this writing, never any more went under I off my right name . So completely did cut myself THE M YSTERI 0 US TRA VELEH 7

from my connection and native country that I de stroyed all letters and papers in my possession con taining my right name or native address ; and in registering at hotels or public places and in conver sation I , , was always from some other country than that of my own . For me now to return h ome to the country of so my boyhood and among my connection , after total and long an absence, will be like rising from the dead and going back . The old homestead house of my father , and the large barn and out

I 1 1 I re houses , mag ne, will find torn down and

a modeled after later fashions , and too occupied by family of people altogether strangers to me ; the re maining timber lands cleared up and put into culti vation ; the marsh lands ditched and reclaimed ; my

” native little tow n grown to an 1m m ense proportion

c new and ontaining many and strange buildings , T and occupied by a population of strangers . hen , among my connection there will be babes born since my departure who are now grown , and even mar and ried , who themselves have children , all strangers to me, yet of the same blood as the blood which m e flows in y veins . And thos of my connection and I former acquaintance who still are living, will meet re with amazement . So , too , my former places of sort and recreation will be objects of wonderment . Why I left home and have lived so m yster iously are for a number of reasons ; but the main 8 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

I I as one , of which will here speak , is that w in search of knowledge from abroad and seeking strange experiences . This strange thirst for knowl ledge and adventure had been brewing within me from my boyhood . An incident in this respect , of I I which am well remindful , occurred when was ‘ about fourteen years of age ; at least it was after my mother died and sh e died when I w as at the age I f of twelve . One day while was out play ully chas and I ing over the hills dales , instantly stopped and picked up a curious looking little stone and put it

‘ “ sa in z Now I into my pocket, y g as soon as return

I re to the house and wherever am , this pebble is \to I e mind me that must put my time in , finish r ading those old books in the attic before school commences ” h as a d find out all about what they tell . This w during school vacation when I was a boy of leisure ” and had nothing to do but chore about and do er I rands for my father and sister . The place would do such reading and study was in a room by myself ; ’ for my father s house contained many rooms . The

o en r om was in the two story part of the building, tered from the sitting room through a long but nar row hall , and to the right and opposite the parlor .

I I w as Here , in this room on a table, kept the book ’ reading ; and when through with it , put it away and I got another . Many times was in this secluded room by the table poring over my books when my people thought I was out rambling about ; for they THE M YS TERI O US TRA VELER 9

often censured me reading and studying too much , ’ I saying that I ll ruin my eyes , and this and that . was even so assiduous i n my learning during those I times that while attending school , generally car

and ried on two sets of lessons , especially in reading s history ; one that of my regular cla ses , and the

other on ahead and my individual lessons . L f I etting this su fice as an introduction , will now —m a proceed with the narration in order y parent ge , infancy and surroundings ; school-days and kinds of recreation during my boyhood ; going away to col lege and experiences ; causes in more detail for leav ing my home country and connection ; becoming a detective and investigating the condition of knavery in the southwest ; entering a seafaring life among

pirates ; traveling around the earth , and lecturing under an assumed name after returning to the

teach m United States ; g school in Texas , and doing detective work under an assumed name ; shooting ability ; trip to South America ; returning again to

the States , etc . , etc . I After returning to my native country, expect I M to give an account of everything as find it . y intentions are to return first secretly and look ab out I and observe as a stranger , for do not expect any one would recognize me any more ; and to determine the living and the dead among my connection by frequenting the grave yards and looking over the inscriptions on the tombstones of the different fam I O THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

ilies e af s ; wh n , ter completing thi writing , make myself known .

I m l ht too for to g , , add that me ever write a his tory of myself had never once entered my mind n not ot in my boyhood , not during youth , in short during all my wandering abroad until I came to a A l conviction that it was my duty to return again ,

I I w r1t1n though , presume , entertained notions of g on scientific subjects nearly all my life , at least from the time I was in college ; upon which subjects I e l n a rea ri h reo I s ea ereaf . hav dy w tte , w e f p k h ter THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER I I

A R II CH PTE .

I was born of good parents in the village of Fre mont, County of Steuben , State of Indiana . My now S traih o name , at this writing is , but my origi

nal or right name is S traugh . Some of the con nections for short spelt it Straw , yea my father so I did himself. heard my father say once that w as f the name di ferently spelt, especially among

his more distant connection . For instance , there

was one living two miles south of us , a distant r h w o . elative , he said, but spelt his name Stroh Then he spoke of S traug hn' w h ich differs only from

S Neverth e traugh by the n having been added . 8 1 less , there were people as far back as 1 3 in Eng W h o land spelt their name simply Straw . We read the of Jack Straw and Wat Tyler , for instance in ’ of w h o at History England , the head of one hun dred thousand men marched against the feudal lords L and attendants at Blackheath near ondon . My father ’ s given name was Frederick and my mother’s Catherine They married when very young ; I think my father at the age of sixteer o‘r e m o s venteen and my mother fifteen . My ther s m n aiden name was Wagoner , Cathari e Wagoner . 1 2 THE MYSTERI O US TRA VELER

I am the youngest child of the family ; there having

and been seven children my senior , four boys three girls , whose given names are respectively, beginning : with the oldest Elias , Annie , Elizabeth , George .

am m Fred , Amanda , and Ben! , and then myself, mv

given name having been Philip Adam . Considerable time elapsed between my birth and that of the rest so that in my boyhood all were mar ried and lived abroad except my next youngest " brother and sister , Benjamin and Amanda . Benja

min then shortly married and moved to Kansas , h leaving no one at ome but myself and sister , who I was keeping house for father when left home . My father emigrated with his family from Penn

sylvania to this place of my birth at an early date , when the country was considered the frontier of the

l I 10 wi d west, and before was born . He

cated southwest of the village, where he bought

some land extending southwesterly, including

marshy land good only for grazing purposes . Here one half mile from the village he erec ted a large white frame house and a large

w as frame barn , which at that day a credit to the I country . This is the house in which was born .

It consisted of seven rooms and a buttery, a ward

robe and a commissary kind of a room , besides the garret and a large cellar

R w as ightly . my father what can be called a stock

. I farmer From the time can remember , he had his

1 4 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER average weight about one hundred and forty-five I pounds . When a boy , over heard an old friend sa y that in looks and pleasing manners , when young, sh e w as y the belle of the countr in which they lived .

of es Both were congenial and amiable disposition , i l I pec a ly my mother . many times thought if ever

sh e there was a christian in the world was one . Never in my life did I hear a cross word from her ; though

al her word was law , and would make me mind , but in ways a pleasant and amiable way . My father

was the same way, only, sometimes when out among o I the stock , if things would g wrong, remember him being a little boisterous ; and one thing funny , he would sometimes cuss in German so those about I would not understand , which discovered by study in g the language afterwards myself . If ever either h I of t em had an enemy in the world , never knew it ; nor did I ever hear them speak aught against any

sa one ; could they not y anything good , they would sa y nothing . Both were strict church members , and m y father always asked the blessing at the table and generally had family worship in the morn

is ing. They belonged to what called the Evangeli n cal Church . And above all thi gs , they were a hos

ita le p b people . One thing my father never would off w do , was to turn travelers hen they stopped for

or lodging a meal of victuals , even tramps he treated I with royalty . have known travelers , who were off turned at other places , to come for miles to stay THE MYS TE RIO US TRA VELER 1 5

all night with my father . And if he ever charged a ’ I w thing fora night s lodging or a meal , never kne

it . One incident with reference to the treatment of I h I tramps when a boy, will never forget, whic will

relate .

It was a blustery, cold , midwinter night , snow on

the ground a foot and half or two feet deep , and so cold that in spitting it would f reeze in the air and

roll away on the ground in a globule . Supper and ’ all night s work was over with , and it was now dark . I and my brother Benjamin were at the table study l ing over essons , and my father , mother and sister

sitting about the fire jesting, when a footman walked

r on the porch and rapped at the doo . Upon my “ : I father opening the door, the man said May ”

I so . come in and warm , am very cold “ ” m “ To be sure , said y father, Come in . The

“ man sitting by th e fire a moment and rubbing his ' “ hands imploringly said : There is a favor I would

like you to do me , which you can if you will , and that isto let me have a blanket or two and sleep in your barn or at your straw -stack to -night I met

an I with misfortune d have no money . have asked to stay all night for miles back long before dark and

. was refused at every place ; and righ t around the

r turn of the road across the fields , afte being refused , I stole out — k I d to the straw stac , thinking woul stay

any way , when they set the dog on me and ran me ” “ “ of . r in f N says my father, you will sleep he e 1 6 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

I le the house in a bed . would be very inhuman to t a fellow man sleep in a barn or straw-stack such a ” cold night as this . I do believe you never saw a

. w e happier man all at once than this tramp Yes ,

were all happy because of someone else made happy .

Mother and sister fixed up a hot supper for him ,

after which he talked cheerfully of his hardships , the

u h e — co ntries visited and his place of destination all ,

not only a novelty to us , but instructive . Not long the after the disappearance of this man , the house of

family around the turn of the road across the fields ,

I w as I too remember , burnt to the ground . was

m a young to think uch bout it then , but after my I experience in the world , many times thought this man might have returned and done the deed to

- avenge the ill treatment he received at their hands . My father had some peculiarities of which I many

times thought , though not impropitious . He was a lways with money, and apparently very careless w I r ith it . Why, the man from the time can remembe had silver and gold coins in a pocket of nearly all his pantaloons hanging around on the walls in his

room , and nearly always had it rattling in the pock

ets of the pants he wore . Then , in the same room , hanging on the wall w as an old traveling satchel ns wherein he kept , as souvenirs , the largest gold coi

and . I some smaller ones , also some silver used to I I get some down , remember , before knew what a nd money was and play with them on the carpet , ’ THE MI S TERI O US TRA VELER I 7

rub and brighten those that had become tarnished . The bulk of h is money that he did not invest in stock or town property he rarely ever kept in banks or out

on interest, but kept it about the house . Once dur ing the summer he had a roll of bills put away in ’ the parlor stove , and one damp cool day my sister s

see sh e sweetheart came to her , when made fire in I the stove and burnt it up . never knew him to put

money out on interest until after he moved to town ,

which was several years after my mother died , when

he loaned some to the Professors of the college ,

I an accom odation which was mostly think as , as he seemed to believe 111 acquiring money through d virtue of his husbandry instea of interest , especially

usury .

w as I saw In temperance he exemplary , never him — drink a drop of l iquor a nd i f he ever was drunk in I e . his lif , do not know it Even , he would not tol c rate eggnog in his house at no time . He said it

w as u - w as s gar coating the Devil , and if one obliged to get drunk th ere ' w as more honor in taking it I ‘ straight . heard him say he used tobacco in his

youth , but when he arrived at the age of puberty he

quit it . He would generally , however, keep a bar of - rel sweet cider in the cellar . He kept it sweet or t b first from being in oxicating y boiling it , then add i n g some chemicals .

In his dress , though economical , he was very pre

cise . He always had about half a dozen pair of 1 8 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER pants hanging about on the wall in his room at one — time , one special pair for going abroad on Sun o days , one pair for Sundays ln common , one for g ing to town Saturday afternoons and round about e generally , one for about home when at l isure , and ff couple pairs for di erent times when at work . Then

- his shirts he wanted with lay down collars attached , and subject to a change every time he went away during the week ; h is boots and shoes were never patched and his hats he could never “ bear to be slouchy . I e must not neglect my moth r and sister , for they c too deserve compliment , not in temperan e or dress , as all women of any account are always temperate and tidy , but relative to house work and industry . Well can I remember that the floor of every un carpeted room (the kitchen and buttery generally speaking) did they mop and scour white regularly twice a week and every Saturday wash off window panes of the kitchen and dining room at least ; like I wise the door and window facings , as have thought

as Since even to an excess , the paleness of the paint at those places used to become quite observant in con sequence . Then every spoon , knife and fork had to

' be rubbed and scoured w ith sand and ashes at least

so once a week ; too , the tinware always had to shine like new silver dollars . They always had one day of the week for washing, the day following a change of clothes on Sunday and that w as Monday regard THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 1 9

less of the weather . The meals were always served as regularly each day as the clock rolled off the

hours of time . And if ever the dishes were left I standing unwashed from one meal to another ,

never noticed it . Then in cookery they were artistic

n diversif in a d y g , not having the same thing over

and over again each meal . Yes , many times have I ’ missed the blessings of my father s table , and the

happiness of his home .

My people , especially the women , never had any

interiors assistance in their work by servants or , but

did it all themselves . And my father never had any tenants about him ; but to the extent he and his hi s boys were inadequate , he had daily laborers and

hired hands . In this , however, they were not like

Aristarchus and his household , whom exhorted by “

iL b w to w Socrates , brought y dire compulsion and poverty but it was their choice and their pleasure ;

it was innate with them , having a disposition not to want the family society contaminated with the

Neverth e ignorance and irrelevancy of inferiors . to a less , they were always ready lend helping hand

to elevate fallen humanity .

Several years before my mother died , reading , she

so said , gave her a dizzy feeling ; she had me read

h i l I rem em ber ' on t e b b e. e for her , generally from I w as I n time reading, she said that when am grow I can say that I read the bible to my mother when I w as a little boy . It seems her selections were gen 20 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

m im erally something on te perance . The greatest pression on my mind with reference to temperance , f sh e . however , made in a di ferent way “ See yonder man staggering along the wayside” ! sh e said to me one day when we were out m the “ is ! country , he drunk , another name for crazy ! See how he stares and glares , and how senseless

so he talks . He is crazy , made by his own hand , b ” y drinking rum , that detestable suicidal weapon . do bo This is something you must never my y, ” sh e on i drink rum , continued as we went , it s only u do a low and tho ghtless class that so , for it matters ’ not how one s mind becomes deranged and makes

one crazy , whether by drinking rum or through ’

other injuries that may be inflicted on one s self , ” “ that one is crazy is enough . One can drink just ’ ” “ 5 sh e little rum and it won t hurt him , said , but if

you keep on drinking a little , and a little , and a little , in the course of time you get so you crave it either f ’ for the taste or the e fect , then you can t help drink ‘ ing too much of it , when it will derange your mind ’ and make you drunk . So if my boy don t want

to become a drunkard and take crazy spells , he m must never commence drinking it . And re em ou are it ber if you do, it is yourself that y hurting , be is you that will be a drunkard , it is you that will

a crazy man and a wretch . And besides, if ever so ou you will do , remember , it is because y are

22 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

i ends , shortens life accord ngly . As I expressed it “ to myself : Intemperance is nothing more or l ess ” than a slow process of suicide . The question might so be asked , why then do many smart men know ing ly indulge and some just to be popular ! I could do so answer this no better than by asking, why many smart men commit outright suicide ! Owing

h enic sa to my observance of yg laws , I can y, unless in consequence of unnatural causes , that when I ar rive at the age of fifty I expect to be (if the same physical and mental abilitv as a man of these habits at the age of thirty ; and when at the age of seventy, about that of a man of these habits at the age of

fifty . of Her training, too , appears to have been a na ture that caused me always to respect her and en d o eav r to help her and do her acts of kindness . I can honestly say that I do believe I never left the yard , either to go to school or elsewhere , but what “ ’ I sa : did not first y Mother, isn t there something I can do before I go ! ” I also feel proud that I can say I was in like manner good to my sister after my a mother died ; and too , that my sister was like mother to me afterwards . Havm g spoken of the good discipline of my

, mother at home it, would not be treating the subj ect fairly unless I should too speak of a particular in which I many timesthought sh e was not so correct . I It was in the game of cards . Before knew what THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 23

cards were for, a boy at school gave me one for a m - thu b card , and I thought it was the prettiest card a I ever s w . I had it in my book after returning ; up sh e on my mother seeing it, took it and threw it

o . int the fire, saying it belongs to the devil This always thereafter appeared curious to me till I got out into the world and investigated it for myself and learned how to play . I think the evil of any thing should be explained to too to a child , and never be much the extreme in such things . I too t w as might , , add hat it ever my disposition and endeavor to make those around me happy if I could . “ ’ ” r ! I Come he e , I ll buy your paper once said to a ragged and dirty faced little girl as she was call ing aloud on the York Ledger ! a penny a piece !” “ I her o . How many have y u said , confronting sh t e ou . Seventeen , replied , counting them I Giving her a quarter, took the entire package , for ! saying this pays them all , does it not and o started to g . She looked so bewildered that I gave them all “ to t h the back her except one , saying, ake t em , keep ” m ne a d el em a a n ! o y, n g o s l th g i 24 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

HAP ER I I C T I . w as at the s1x m of m r t age of , m the ti e su me ,

my school days began . Instead of going to our village school in the corporation of which we ’ s lived , I went with my brother Be n _to Stroh tw o school house , miles south of u he reason of I this , think , was due to a novel my brother and a vacation in our ow n district at this time of the year ; the school in our district having been divided

w 1nter into three terms , fall , and spring terms of ’ three months each . This school at Stroh s school hquse was held during that part of summer when the w ild mayapple , the huckleberry , and the straw and

ri enin alon dewberries were p g g our pathway, and the landscape covered with blooms and wild flowers -all presenting a panorama and affording a con dition , inviting and exhilarating . It was also that part of the year when th e best season for angling in the creeks and lakes had set in , whose waters teemed " ff of with di erent kinds fish , such as pickerel , black bass , roach or calico bass , perch , sunfish and bull heads . In these streams and lakes along our way, we had the privilege of stopping sometimes after school in the afternoon and fish ; there having been a lake THE M YS TERI O US TRA VELER 25

of a on each side the ro d , and a creek to cross which ran through our land . My first school days , thus . attended with these digressions and objects of at traction and amusement, were ushered in with con n te"ntm e t. l ff After this summer school , I a ways attended our ’ I td school until finished the course . Here my school days passed away very pleasantly , except one I term while yet quite small ; and , think the first

a school I attended by myself . The reason w s in consequence of wrangles and combats among th e boys I did not like , ensuing from sheer carelessness of the teachers . The teachers during this school would all go quite a distance to their dinners at the same time, leaving us children (about one hundred

a and fifty pupils) all by ourselves , even a pupil p

‘ r first bell pointed to ing the , thus many times left by ourselves till only a minute or two before school call . The teachers were no more than going out of sight till the larger boys had a couple of guards sta tioned on the outside to watch for their approach , ul when they wo d proceed with their misdemeanors . The school house at this time w as atwo story frame building with a large room and a closet intended f l

for dinner buckets and clothing, above and below .

In these closets , is where the boys , with a guard at the window at the outsideand one at the door open ing into the large room , would perform . They would nearly invariably use the lower closet ; for a 26 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

I now to be e e to reason , as think , b tt r able keep it secluded from the young ladies and others of the w h o higher grades attending above , might have dis closed it had they gotten on to the racket . That which I despised greatest was fighting us little w h o chaps against each other , generally those were noticed to have some previous altercations or grudges . I remember once I was pitted against

S l ze one of three brothers , about the same , who I knocked out of the ring ; then they put tw o of them

against me and I knocked both out ; and then they , put all three against me and I done them all up . At b d least this is what the oys sai , I remember , and

nd irec laughed about it . Teachers a trustees or d tors should always know that it is never for the best to let so many children by themselves in this ways

’ A l num ber I of times during this school cried , not wanting to go to school , but crying , and toothache. and not feeling well (in my mind) did no good—to I school I had to go . And strange as it is , never gave any reason for not wanting to go , never gave the boys away ; I must have thought it as a part of the performance belonging to school , using Dave ’ VVills s expression . I had Mr . Wills employed in Texas to assist me in breaking a span of mustangs for a buggy team ; and wanted them used to shooting so I could shoot from the buggy with safety, I took along a double barrel shotgun with a good supply of cartridges , to THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 2 7 shoot one occasionally from the wagon to which w e

a drove them first a number of times . When he s w “ I w as : what up to , he said That is right , shoot along behind as we break them and they will think ” it is a part of the performance . S o with me in going to school , I must have thought everything occuring at school belonged there and was a part of the performance . I have a number of times thought since if pupils would v tattle less to their parents and friends , which I ha e

a s found the c se in many school , and have their minds

r more on thei books , they would learn faster ; and if parents would pay less attention to the like of

w e c . this , would have better s hools If ever I told

sa the truth in my life , I tell it when I y that I never told anything against a pupil or teacher occurring at

rents nor—to - ca n re school to my pa any one , that I I call , no matter how badly thought I was treated . The last teacher I went to at our home school was

- Prof . Smith (Ed . Smith ) . He taught one term , I think , in the old frame building, when a brick college

e was erected , wher I finished my course under him as principal and Prof . Shambaugh as first assistant . During the summer before the fall term in the nd new building Prof . Smith went to Carlisle , I iana , tw o to help conduct a normal school of months . In ff a conversation one day , relative to school a airs , before knowing of him going abroad to render I I services in a school, said if knew of 28 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER any school dur1ng the summer I would at i tend t. So after knowing he was going to

Carlisle, he entreated me to go with him , saying I could carry on my course under him

’ there just the sam e as though I was attending at home , and thus be that much ahead . My father sanctioned it and of course I went . Prof . Smith A lived at ngola , eight miles south of our village , where he said for me to come to on a certain tram m i o . and he would get aboard and j me , wh ch he did I will never forget the greeting he gave me when he confronted me onthe train and the kind and tutelary

Be treatment generally during our soj ournment . fore leaving home father gave me a little roll of “ bills saying : This will be amply sufficient to pay ” your board bill and all other expenses . After ar ri\ng at Carlisle I took up board at the same place

( as lid the Professor . I then reckoned closely what the amount of my board and railway fare back home I ~ would be , which money put away by itself . With nec the rest , I bought a new suit of clothes and other i A f h . essar es . ter t e school ended , Prof Smith had other business which deta1ned him a few days wh ere

upon I took the train by myself and returned home . This w as the first time I had ever been this far away from home and settled my own bills The fall term of school at home shortly opened

in the new college building, when I was again at

hand and attended .

30 THE MYS TERI O Us VELBE

” e a a ou ookin ! ber , look d up and s id , Wh t, y c g eggs I will only say that this was a plan relative to the scholastic and commercial interest of the town a to be put blaze by other parties than the teachers . He assuredly understood the human nature of his pupils , for not to this day have I ever divulged it to

sa I any one, only what I y now , which consider no betrayal of confidence after these many years and when no damage can any more ensue . How I e ever, was never queried by any teach r . that I ’ e m is rememb r, relative to a pupil s deportment or

conduct ; - and too, this would have been the last W of o thing I ould have thought telling, t which

I once alluded . I During the latter part of my course , think

l , the ast two terms , Prof . Smith had me teach a a m —a qu rter of a day every orning geometry class , an algebra class and a higher arithmetic class which I found a great help as a review and some e I an ind e en xperience ln teaching . never taught p I dent school till after finishing my course , when

went over into the state of Michigan , took the ex

amination , received my certificate , and taught the

public school at a place called Gilead . I met with

remarkable success for the experience that I had , considering the large school and the many diff er ent grades . I have many times thought since , how

a ever, that beginner should always commence with a sm all school first , thereby making it more pleasant THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 31

and a reputation as teacher less fallible . After

this , I never taught school any more for a num ber of years and then in Texas . Sometime during my school days in our village f school , I dreamt three di ferent dreams which were so impressive that I could never forget ; so that as my following history, which I thoughtlessly made, reminded me of them , I will relate them . Besides , I give them since they have been a mystery to me

s from a philosophical standpoint, ina much that there seems to be a connection between the present and future existence of man which causes one to

w a as fu dream in this y, though the brewing of ture events were transmitting impressions on the brain something similar to the transmissions of in lli n te g e ce through a wireless telegraphy . s awjn In the first dream , I the heavens a table (1 aside w 1th the legs making a great sono

and vibratory noise , such as is made by a table when pulled along on the bare floor in a

only much louder and more impressive , when -holder rolled off and jingled away with a

- r high sounding noise , such as made by a pen

off r when thrown a table on the floo .

saw In the next dream , I passing by, above me in the heavens , a large open belfry and within a

bell suspended , ringing loudly and vehement it went . These specters were so apparent and

pressive as though they had actually happened , THE MYS TERI 0 US TRA VELER

e but s and as though they had happ ned ye terday . n In the third , I dreamt that while I was drivi g the cows home from pasture as usual through the

h av1n timber , g my gun with me , I got after a fox squirrel running along on the ground , and after a

“ wearied chase and a number of shots , I killed it ; to when upon approaching, I was horrified find it

- was a red headed man I had killed . Waking up and a w as so finding it was only dream , I glad that I m of could not sleep any ore the remainder the night . A fter that , I could never pass that place along side the road in the woods but what I thought about the dream . THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 33

R CHAPTE IV .

The kinds of recreation during my school days , were varied ; fishing, hunting and shooting, of which , were my favorites . To these diversions , I devoted a reasonable part of my time during vaca tions , and on Mondays during the school terms , as my father did not require me to work but very lit do so tle unless it was my fancy to . The form of

fishing I enjoyed best , in the spring and summer , was spearing at night , setting hooks in the day time , “ ” t and some imes trolling . Spearing fish at night was very fatiguing on account of losing sleep and w as laborious work ; but it exciting, which I used to enjoy very much . Several of the boys I used to hear remark, after being up all night and on our “ w a sun-u i y home next day after p, Oh , th s is going to be my last trip , I feel too sleepy and miserably

i bad And I would think so myself sometimes ; w e but after would return , catch up with sleep and rest, in a short time we were ready to try it again . “ ” There is no mistake that this w as the way in those days and places to get the fish . I remember having so many fish in the bed of the boat at the break of day that I would be standing in them nearly to the top of my rubber boots, and so heavy 34 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 5 that the oarsmen would have to be c autious in kee l n p g the boat from dipping water . Our equip ment , generally, consisted of two oarsmen tw o rear, and in front spearing , having a lamp with a reflector ad justed on a staff them ; though , I sometimes thought I

w a spearing by myself best, in this y have o ro m and hurl the spear artistically , right an

It seems , I had gotten to be such an expert ‘ could th row my spear ten to fifteen feet just fi h a of a s swimming and get him . One re son I w as i u good early n sing the spear , my brother Benja min and I , in our plays , when I was a little tot used to haul each other about in a cart and throw an w e as fi h old gig had at sticks though they were s , h s . S t e as we were pulled along tanding up ome of ,

fish in , such as the pickerel and black bass , would variably be swimming their utmost ; and being . blinded by the light , they were as likely to strike toward the boat as any way . Fish like the cat

fish and sunfish generally laid quietly in the water, and were no more to spear than sticks of wood . The size light w e had mav be inferred by us using from

five to eight gallons of coal oil a night . The lakes w e e n generally frequented to do our night sp ari g ,

L L L . were , ake George , ake James and Silver ake “ ” set w e To our hooks , generally went to Marsh L ake , about three or four miles from our place . In w e this , would cut as many poles , fifteen to twenty THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 35

long, as we had lines and could tend well, gen -fi twenty ve and thirty . These poles we would securely in the mud leaning away from the

fish towards deep water , with a line tied to or bait we used live minnows and some

frogs . We generally used corks on our lines ; with the poles stuck slanting the minnows

keep swimming about in the water . Pickerel ack bass were what we would fish for in this

lling for fish consisted of one with oars in an dle of the boat rowing the boat , and sitting in the rear end p ulling a line about ndred yards long with a spoon and hooks at the

back and forth in the water . Fish , in seeing this colored spoon whirling about the hooks and g o to along through the water, _ would take it be “ k nd some ind , a jumping at it, get caught To get a large fish on a line of this

him into the boat would be fine sport . e way fishing in the winter was cut h h roug t e ice and setting hooks . In of fishing, we would cut as many holes through the ice at reasonable distances along the

w e shore as had lines for and could tend , generally fifty and sixty ; having the holes a little oblong and fi h just large enough to pull a big s through . Cut at ting these holes , times , we found very laborious , and well paid for our fun ; the ice being a foot and 36 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

tw o For a half and feet thick . each hole w e would have a narrow plank half as wide as your hand

and about tw o feet -long with a hole bored in near one end , through which a round stick would be put to on rest the ice on each side of the hole , thus

forming a bobber . The line was tied to the end of the plank nearest the hole and dropped through fish the hole in the ice into the water . A in pulling on the line , in this way , would pull one end of the plank down and the other long end bob up and Os cillate in the air , which could be seen at some dis

tance . We generally carried with us red or black tape and tie on the end so it could be seen further

and better . For bait we used the live minnow , and the kind of fish mostly caught were the pickerel of w e and black bass . In doing this kind fishing, g enerally selected a time when there was no snow

on the ice and g ood skating . Thus , we would be skating about on a side at our leisure watching for to a bobber fly up , when we would have a race , skat to fish w ing it to land the , hich was not only good m exercise but quite exciting and a using . We experimented at different times in different o ways t these modes of fishing, but generally with e too un out success . The water and grounds wer

favorable to use the net successfully . Hunting and shooting in like manner w as quite

common in those days . The forests teemed with s squirrels, wild turkey were numerous , there were

38 THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER

rel any place but the head w as repug nant and

m km ansh i stigma on ar p. Before I ever t of being super1or 1n m arkm ansh ip to pers

erall w as w h o y, there some stranger, had

shoot , that asked my mother if I could rid w the country ith him , when he had me put

in the buggy . He never told me what he was

to , but in the early part of the day we drove

to a squad of men with guns . It was a shoot “ w e e ° match . As drove up , he said to th m I ” the boy can beat any two in the crowd ! His lenge w as accepted and the targets for each

w as made . Their agreement that the two sum of the distances from the center of the target to the point of hitting was least are the ones w h o

. w e . beat They shot first , and last “ Now shoot j ust as you did at those pigeon ’s h ” eads , said my pardner, when the report of my

rifle rang out . Then he shot, when it was

that w e beat without measuring . We all shot

hand . Upon our return home , he laughingly

w as . that his dependence on me, that he was no shot It was about this time of my age when I and my

Ben am m brother j , one day were out in the orchard

practicing shooting the rifle at still targets , when so it happened that as he was about to shoot , a hawk

came sailing by us over our heads , and instead of shooting at the target he wheeled and shot at th e

hawk . At the crack of the gun , down fell the hawk THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER 39

nearly at our feet, hitting him a dead shot . After

this , encouraged by the feat, we did nearly all our

. w e practice at flying targets The first, commenced by shooting at tin cans and bottles pitched in the air ; then we got to carrying small cart wheels out on

a hill , and one roll them down and bring them back

while the other shot and loaded alternately . l We a so , I remember, frequented fields of pump kins and rolled round ones down the hill and prae

ticed shooting at them as they went ; but to hit these ,

s shooting from the rear, we found an easy ta k . m We continued this form of shooting, and at ga e r unning and flying as well , until my brother began

entering the state of puberty, when he was gradual ly attracted from this form of d1ver5 1on to a de

” votion his h ours to of leisure his Sweethearts , and rac married . Neverthless , I not only kept up the p

' — " tice while yet at ~h om e ; but af ter leaving home and EVen changing my name, I went to drilling right . , I many times thought that to shoot a shot was no to markm enshi more me in my practice for p, than a thump on a key of a piano is to a person to be

come a good pianist ; so extensively did I . shoot and practice after leaving home . The first fine sport I had shooting the wild deer s w a in northern Michigan while yet at home , hav ’ ing gone on a week s trip with a party from Ann

. R R Arbor . I used a 44 Cal Evans epeating ifle, - i s x t . repeated twenty imes After taking my stand , 4o HE M YS TERI O US TRA VELER

I would commence shooting when a deer first came in sight through the under-brush and empty the h im magazine or get . Many times in shooting, the barrel of my rifle became so hot I could not bear

r . my hand on it fo a time In killing the deer , I had the best luck in aiming as near as I could for h ul the end of the nose, w en the bullet wo d hit them in the vicinity of the heart . One thing of which I will here speak is a dispo sitiou I had never to be boasting ; no matter how expert or dexterous a person might be inwhatever accomplishment, it was always repugnant to me . ‘ I always liked to let the work show up for itself do and let some one else the telling . I also have had some experience in the art of in trapping with steel traps my boyhood . I remem ber tending traps one fall up and down Eaton ’s creek

arnh am s for and around F lake , trapping muskrats , mink and otter , though other animals would some n times get in the traps such as the raccoo and weasel .

It is in order, also , to give other experiences , which I will relate in another chapter ; such as relat ing to superstition , sociability and courtship , narrow et escapes , c. THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 4 1

CHAPTER V .

’ There! a s a sa th t light in the graveyard , I id to myself as I took several strides skating down the on th e t pond west side the road , looking at it a ten “ ’ ” iv Y s ’ t el . e th ere it y , I can t be mistaken for is, I turnin and continued after g gazing at it again . It was during my school days when Saturday nights we boys would gather on a pond of ice on the west side of the road , opposite the graveyard and midway between the village and depot ; and at a time

I happened to be the first one to appear . Without e off loss of tim , I took my skates and started up the road towards the village, to meet the boys , never

B efor reach in th e looking back . e g village I heard the clamor of a crowd of boys approaching . “ ’ “ I ll not tell them , I thought , but let them first see o it for themselves , falling in line in the rear g ing back . Approaching the graveyard , I noticed a

th e r light on my left and on othe side , and as we m ovm went on , the light kept g to my right till I saw without a doubt that it was the same light that I mistook to be in the graveyard , having been over the ” “ graveyard but beyond . Well , I wonder if all the hobgoblins and haunts , people talk of so much come , ! ” — about in this w ay I thoug ht . Is it all a myth all 42 THE MYS TERI 0 US TRA VELER an apparition caused through m isapplym g natural consequences by scary and excitable people

Ever after this , when anything made is appear ance in the nature of haunts and hobgoblins , I searched into the cause, until I became convinced t w as hat it always traceable to natural consequences , and that preternatural appearances were unreal . A or believing in the existence of haunts and goblins , of n as preternatural existence, anything, I k ow superstition . r one re Shortly afte this, moonlight night upon turning home, I passed through the dark hall lead 1n To g to my room , and opened the door . my amazement there was a light on the opposite side of ~ the room on the wall . “ ” ! I ou h The m e What does this mean th g t . or l I ooked at it the larger it got . no a not be outdone by such thing, I

advanc thought, and advanced towards it . As I was

ing, it got as large as a wagon wheel ; when , finally,

I stood before it face to face , I saw the paper window blind was down and that it was merely the moon shining through a jagged hole that had been punched

through it during the day . a After this again one night , I was riding fast in b uggy over a smooth road leading through a timber w h ith a clearing, w en at once an upright pillar of fire dashed into appearance on my right and moved

on at considerable speed . I gazed at it a moment THE MYS TERI O Us TRA VELER 43

till its appearance looked formidable ; when I said , “ ’ ” ou see I ll stop and follow y up and what it means .

As I stopped it stopped , when I saw it was a broken off tree or high stump in a coal of fire from top to bottom .

In Texas , one night while sleeping by myself in a house which was recognized far and near as a “ ” haunted house, I fortunately woke up at a late e hour to hear a remarkabl rumpus up in the garret .

u cons The ho se was old , and the walls of such truc tion as to admit the entrance of rats from the base ment into the garret above . These rats were mak

. n too ing the alarming racket The , several large shade trees grown up by the house had limbs extend ing out on the roof ; and when the wind blew , they would rub . on the shingles and the dolesome noise “ ad “ of a s d to the disturbance . Were I super titious

' ‘ “ th ou ht as Ta to nature , I g y awake, and unable et conceive the cause , I would g scared myself and ” think the house w as haunted sure enough . But h ad like rain pattering on the shingles of a roof, it f l the e fect of serenading me back to s eep . So averse to the idea of the existence of haunts and goblins had I become that instead of observing darkness as the shelter of such things , I regarded it as a refuge for safety and repose . Even in grave e in yards , I could now sle p the darkness , cowboy uncon style with my blankets on the high grass , as cernedly as I used to on a feather bed in the upper 44 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

’ s tory of my father s house with the doors closed . R eferring to graveyards , however , experience has revealed the fact that sometimes they are infested by graverobbers , who want the skeletons and the s bodies for dis ecting purposes , especially those of paupers and criminals , which is enough to make an innocent beholder a believer in goblins if the least inclined to be superstitious ; and is the way that many stories have arisen about such things which ar e reported to have been seen in g raveyards .

O I A I LITY A N D C OU RT H I P S C B S . Will we take girls with us ! ” I said after an agreement on a piscatorial expedition to Lake James R for a week . It was alph Follette I addressed . ” “ ’ “ o N , he said firmly, fishing and courting don t ”

o th eth er . g g , one of them at a time ' This proved a wonderful lesson to me While I asked this and was willing to abide by his decision , still I was not in favor of it myself . The reason , w as c really, I asked it because I noti ed that he was

ubliclv w 1th ever p very sociable the fairer sex , and that to do so might be his pleasure . Noticeably, did I ever see him coming to church or lectures at night with some damsel swung on his arm . This is right this is courtesy . But it was not my fortune to make this my custom . From the beginning my mind virtually w as imbued with ingenuity and restless

46 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

ain and l one another by themselves till midnight , many times until two and three o ’clock in the morn

acordin ing g to their fancy . Then in parties , in “ ’ ” a game called snap and catch em , the young man

w as to h after catching the girl entitled a kiss , w ich was administered as unconcernedly as any part of play . But when I entered the southwest, as in Tex ff r . as , I found all this di e ent A young man courting a not girl at night , in case he did leave at the a one proper time , could hear c lled out by of the “ ! ” parents , addressing the girl , Its bed time And im u then , in case his departure was attended with p m dence , it is ore than probable that it would be the t l last invita ion extended him by the gir . And in “ ’ ” parties , in the same game , snap and catch em , o w uld a young man , after catching the girl attempt k sh e to iss her , it is more than likely would knock

h l 1nc1vilit h er him in the face for S y, and probably friends would resent the act as an outrage . At first I could not account for this difference in customs ; but after more experience I could see some reasons for it . Young men in the northeast were but little on the move and changing about , and their surroundings forced them to abide by the of so consequences their deportment , they were confi more regardful and civil , thus establishing t dence in the minds of parents , and drifted in o a custom of leniency ; while in th e southwest the young men , to a great extent , were a reckless class THE MYS TE RI O US TRA VELER 47 of cow-boys w h o were ever ready to bury them selves from civilization in some other part of the hospitable west , thus putting parents on their d to a guar , and causing them drift into custom of greater stringency.

But whatever the established custom relative here to , I have found that a young man invariably strives to make his final selection from the girls w h o remain within the sphere of modesty and those of ex em

lar p y character . In this training I became convinced mothers cannot be too heedful .

“ s That girl has a mother, once aid a roysterer to “ me after a round . I thought so after the first dash of my eyes ; and found it just that way afterwards , n he co tinued .

— as i r er u s on th e Even such mp op pict re wall , I to e not a have known l ave, only its be ring ; but serve as instruments for such roysterers to begin allure ment . And it is not always the boisterous ones to be feared , but many times to the contrary . It makes me think of the follow m g poetry :

w a The boisterous cat in its frolicsome y,

Causes birds to be on guard ,

And put them all to flight .

w a But one silent , with alluring y,

Overtaking them unawares ,

Has one in its toils before its aware . 48 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

N RRO E P E A W S CA S .

Narrow escapes seem to have been my fortune

from the first . “ I cringed with fear for your life as I saw you ” scrambling , said my partner to me as we were o again flying in the sharp breeze n top a flat car . “ ” Why do you take such risk ! h o We were both on our way ome from sch ol ; and ,

royster like , wanting to save spending money, and

out- w e glorying in an door recreation , took this w a way of passage, a y tolerated in those times by — the railroad boys to students . It was late in the fall of the year and the surface of things generally frosty, though the kind of weather comfortable for youngsters in the open air by romping about enough m to keep war . In changing cars , we did so while \ " t . o on the move I ran forward the moving train , made a leap , but owing to the frost my hold slipped and my legs shot under the car , fortunately hitting a wheel which sent me back on the ground in safety . Had I happened to have come to the car at another place my legs would have shot between the wheels t l and I would have been cut in w o and ki led . Of so course , this was a lesson impressive that after this I w as ever cautious . w as a Before this , when quite small , I out riding “ ”

w e a . frisky steed c lled Doll As usual , I led the

r horse to the entrance of the barn to the fi st stall , slipped off the bridle to let her run back behind the ’ ‘ THE MYS I ERI O US TRA VELER 49

r ho ses to her e a ou the s a othe r plac , b t fifth t ll ; but I left the rein over her neck and at the same time a half hitch w as made around my foot as the horse

started back . As I was being dragged back and o dangling ab ut the heels of the other horses , they all commenced kicking ; and when I became conscious ‘

again , I found myself kicked through the board

wall in the rear out into the wagon shed . If there was a hole in the wall beforehand through which I ha e a l th e m might v cr w ed during co motion, I never

knew it . m a r on I s In like nne , later , had narrow e capes in terrible runaways ; narrow escapes in being knocked

“ dow n once by lightning ; two narrow escapes in s n w as ick ess, when, at the critical time, as it , I calmly w as waited to see which way the ebb of life falling, “ ” whether on th e o th er sideo fe th e river or continue ex istence in this world ; narrow escapes from whist bullets ; narrow escapes from g un-shot wounds narrow escapes from wild and domestic ani — i mals all too num erous to m enuon here n detail . 50 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

CHAPTER VI .

After finishing my course at school in my native town to take a course in some noted college was next

on d . ho my min Oxford , England , was , my c ice, would I have h ad the means to have coped as an s aristocrat . I thereupon visited the school at Hills a Va is l s hoo s d le, lpara o , and the Evangelica c l at er s to e an Nap ville, but never felt atisfied nter y of h m t . n to an an s e I the went Gr dview , Iowa , d vi ited a few days with my uncle Philip Wagoner ; thence to n e n S s to s e . r Ka as , e my Broth r Benj ami ho tly e u to A A after this, r t rning home , I went nn rbor, s en er Michigan , the university of the tate, and t ed

an n . under assumed ame Why I did this , I can l T s w as hardly tel . hi the second time I went under

“ a a n ssumed name . The first time I went under an assum ed name was in acting as an agent for a wash e one and ing machine . My peopl having bought , o l favorably impressed with it , I thought they w u d m S o be a ready sale and money in selling the . , n w as A urn knowi g headquarters at the time ub , I o k h n nd as t o t e trai and went down to try my ha , m can su ing the name Phillips . The only way I w as t account for taking an assumed name here , hat THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 5 1

thought myself above such a following and did not want it known among my friends and connection . I find now this w as one of my failings I had in my

one should not , be ashamed of any pursuit

is honorable and serviceable to man . Then

be again, from the fact that I was , ever, from the it ginning, seeking strange experiences , seems I had uncontrollable instinct towards wanting to gen eralize against mishaps which might be a reflection on my fair name and my people . This is the only way I can account for entering college under an as sumed name at Ann Arbor . Some might think that I w as misled by reading trashy literature, but far from it . I can truthfully sa y that up to that time , I do not think that I ever read a single line in a novel or fiction . It was all on ancient h i stor modern and y, theology, and the arts and sciences , such as taught in our schools and sa colleges . Though , I must y that I read newspaper accounts of the robberies during my youth that were beg m nm ng to be a scourge of the country in ’ to s of uantrell s the west , laid ome Q men ; but ff of which , instead of having the e ect misleading a me , had more a tendency to excite curiosity to so know what should possess men to do , and create a desire rather to be with such men to study their

I attended college at Ann Arbor a very short time , wh en I became dissatisfied and went over to Toronto , 52 THE MYS TERI O Us TRA VELER

a e e at Canad , thinking of ent ring the polyt chnic that

v t e place ; but after iewing h situation , it neither

“

suited me . I took up board at the Shakespeare had hotel and I think I remained three weeks . I

sit all my books with me , and would up till late

hours at night studying them , hardly taking time to attend their occasional entertainments in their

large parlor below . From this place , I went south ,

after visiting the Niagara Falls , and seeing the sights generally in this section of country ; also g o

‘ ’

. s R ing into western Michigan , up St Mary iver, “ ” l 0 0 looking at the ock in the 8 Canal .

s now Although , till in my teens , my mind was

becoming restless for a profession for a livelihood .

Some time after returning home again , I sauntered over to the old homestead . Here , to my surprise (f or it appeared to me only a few days since the

opening of spring) I found the wheat heading out , th e the clover in blooms , and everything indicating

immediate approach of summer . “ ” m e m u t This will never do , I said to ys lf, I s

ff a- be geting o and doing . On my w ay home I thought of where I best

go and what I best do . The kind of a profession I

best liked was one which required traveling about .

for And now I come to what hitherto , some time

has been brewing in my mind , a restlessness , which , together with a natural thirst for knowledge and

adventure , to which alluded before , culminated in

54 THE MYS TERI O Us TRA VELER

r the a ts and sciences , everything was syste m iz d s at e o I could comprehend and understand . But I found it to the contrary in this religious doc t so f rine . Then many di ferent religious denomina tions , and all claiming to be right , perplexed me .

And again , I found the Catholics as zealous in their O as ow n o an religious bservances my pe ple, and ta onisti g c to each other.

' In the meanwhile several years before leaving ff e home, I procured all the di erent th ologies and s on writing bearing the subject I could get , and I f read the bible rom one end to the other , thinking

I would solve the problem satisfactorily to myself . But this only opened the breach wider for conj ec h e ture t an ev r . “ a r l n s d and can There is true e ig io , I ai , it be ” s ystematized . I had now conceived that th e surroundings and m an t a inheritance of , o certain extent , is responsi for For ne o ble what he is . instance o br ught up under Catholicism is likely to be a Catholic, one brought up under Protestantism . a Protestant, one brought up under Mohammedanism a Moh am m e and one r s dan , b ought up under Methodi m is likely one u o to be a Methodist, brought p under C ngrega tionalism likely a Congregationalist , etc . Again , a child of a criminal , if surroundings favorable , is likely to become a criminal also ; a child of a drunk ard , if surroundings favorable, a drunkard also, THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 5 5

and so on . It is not free moral agency . I “ said , but as much obligatory moral agency . By this “obligatory moral agency” I meant that man was under obligations to certain conditions for what he w as and not free to act in himself in every to particular . I want the kind reader understand am not a a s that I dvoc ting uch doctrine here, but am merely giving a sketch of my past history. I will now g o back to my return from the home A stead and choosing a profession . man naturally a — follows as profession , either that which he fancies " 18 h is or h e a li duty, that which thinks is most pp r S o o . cable and financially a success , b th o a lec “ ” r a turing tou , dvocating obligatory moral agency , be fin I fancied was not only my duty, but would anciall a ss l t n a suffi y succe . I a ready had writ e n of e On cient umber ssays this subject, which by _ _ _ uttin into f e a re combining and p g orm , mad very s ectabl p e lecture . This I forthwith proceeded to memorize for delivery, laying awake till late hours at night, repeating it over and over again to myself . t a R I immediately lef for Gr nd apids, Michigan , where I had circulars printed as long as my arm ad vertisin g the lecture , expressing in glowing e th e l l . t rms subject , Ob igatory Mora Agency not e u at I did l ct re this place , but here a fine s of c bought uit lothes , inclusive of a h at a of silk plug and pair alligator shoes . I then took my circulars and crossed Lake 56 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

Michigan to deliver my first lecture in Wisconsin . I remember I took the steamer at Grandhaven about sunrise in the morning and arrived at Mil ’ a waukee bout eleven o clock that forenoon . At everyopportunity I would walk out into the thickets or away on the prairie and deliver the lecture aloud to myself in the grandest style and eloquence my a or tory admitted . s Although I had ome experience , hitherto , in fac

suffi ing an audience, still I found that I lacked cient experience to give me the proper decorum and

- self possession should have had . I never remem “ I ber making but two deliveries up to this time in my life , and these were an oration in a literary at Car lisle , Indiana , and my graduating address . To my detriment, I always managed someway to avoid tak i li erarie ng part in t s aside from this . I remember the 1n oration I delivered the literary at Carlisle , had the words heaven and hell m it ; and Prof . Smith , after

to our returning room , laid down and rolled on the

sa 1n w h enver carpet and laughed , y g that I came to the word heaven and should have pointed up I point ed down , and when I came to the word hell I would re point up . But I believed my part of this and raduat marked that I said it just th e same . In my g m t ing address I presume I did uch better , at leas the professors said I did well . But for all this , what

I lacked in oratory to deliver my lecture , I made up in brass and altisonant expressions . THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 57

du L It was in the town of Fond ac , if I remember right,where I procured a hall and delivered my lec e ture first . Experi nce is what I was now beginning

to reap . I found that it took something else besides losing sleep till late hours at night preparing a lec

ture , bombast and brass to get the people to turn out w a and make lecturing a success . There s a miss

ing link somewhere, for I barely had audience

enough to lecture to . This was very embarrassing ;

but fortunately the train was due after my lecture ,

which g ave me much relief, as I went on board and

immediately left these ruthless people . I never stop

ped until I came to Kansas . I think it was Osage

City, Kansas , where I procured their opera house

advertisd onclud and my lecture next . This time I c in ed to charge more admission fees for the lecture,

f a serting a dollar as the ees , thinking it might g

randize g the for the best . But if any

“ thing, it only made bad matters worse . Crowds would gather on the outside ; and I overheard ex “ pressions like these from elderly men : What does ” that beardless boy know about such things . And , “I can ’t hardly tell by the circulars what the

lecture will be, but I think the meaning is that we are not held accountable by the Crea n tor for what we do . Noticing these conditio s

confronting me , not to meet with a complete

failure, I early began to issue complimentary tickets . w a ot a e In this y, I g an udience to l cture to again , 58 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

But my expectations were so badly frustrated that

after the lecture, instead of going to the hotel , I off felt like being by myself . I thereupon picked up and my small grip and went to the depot, finding that

w as the south bound train not due till the next day , I out walked briskly into the darkness , and took it afoot down the railroad track . I walked till after midnight, fully ten miles , and then went over on the right to some newly made haystacks to retire a for the night, the we ther being dry, nice and warm . I laid my silk hat along my side and used my coat for a pillow . I never woke up till day saw m light in the morning, when I y stovepipe to f h e l hat had rolled down the foot o t hil , where n the wind must have blown it . I ow thought to myself how I had been splurging about putting up h e s as in at t best hotel , the Palmer House Chicago , and now meet with such fare as this . I took my o n the - grip , got my plug hat and pr ceeded dow rail 5 l s a road track severa mile to house , where I s stopped for my breakfast, aying that I left that morning without my breakfast as I wanted to get f r th The to town in time o e train . good lady not c a on making any harges, I laid quarter the table , U saying I did not wish to intrude for nothing . p on being refreshed by th e hot breakfast (for any one familiar with such over-exertions knows h ow refreshing it is) , I leisurely walked on to town , thinking over my experience . THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELE R 59

oe a What d s the boy know bout such things , “ kept coming into my mind . This is what they ” “

sa . will y, I thought If I could make my hair

rinkl lectur grey and my face y, I would keep on ” “ to e s um ing, I said , but continu in thi way and der other unfavorable conditions is too embarras ” It m to sing . beca e revealed me now that a man cannot perfect a profession in a moment , especially become a successful lecturer on subjects not popu lar and out of the ordinary c hannels of thought ; no even the most scientific, matter how true , only conservative and less able to understand . By the time the south bound train rolled in , I came to a the less acceptable, since the people generally are conclus ion to quit lecturing on this theme and not promulgate anything bearing thereon either orally or in writing acquired more experience l and became o der . So I concluded to return home again and follow doing something more agreeable . i sa Traveling by railway , I w ll y, was not very to expensive me in this age , as I managed to pro cure passes , else rode on mileage , competition or excursion tickets ; the competition between ff di erent railway companies being very great, not e no having b en organized as they w are . Whether I went to lower Kansas and visited my brother Benjamin this trip I do not remember ; but I stopped over a few days with my uncle Philip Wag ~ oner on my return , for I remember showing a cir 60 THE MYS TERI0 US TRA VELER

cular to my cousin Lizzie and she complimented

me and wanted one to keep to show . Upon my one return home , I never told any of my lecturing

tour that I remember, except my father ; but the Methodist preacher must have gotten one of my w circulars someway, for hen I went to the church S he the following unday, it appears had a sermon

to meet the occasion . He drilled wearily on the o osin idea of such a thing as p g free moral agency . to But I thought myself, if he had heard my lecture

on what I styled obligatory moral agency , he would not have said what he did ; for the way I presented it there was no conflict between it and “ pure Christianity . For example Train up a un child in the way he should go that is , place it as der conditions , I had it , culture and develop th cne forces you want the child to possess when

” grown , thus have the child grow up to be a person

of integrity , temperance, morals , good manners , etc .

s e Even I can e , now , that had I been properly

bridled when a child and growing up , I might not

have left home as I did . My father made a mis take by not ascertaining to what profession I was most naturally inclined and give me encouragement

in that direction , which he never did . As soon as I went home from church where re buked by the Methodist Minister , I concluded to di vert the attention of my acquaintance and friends m therefrom , and conciliate atters , by giving a lecture

62 THE M YS TERI 0 US TRA VELER

” e e a and Territory . I stopp d at Ch topa , K nsas , hired a livery team from Barr Brothers (I think this and f was the name) , drove about to di ferent u ranches and bo ght a herd directly, which I shipped . This trip proved to be quite profitable .

After this trip I returned home . In getting the

-I money wanted before leaving, my father had gotten a hundred dollars from Gilbert Michael

sa . to make up the amount . So I w Mr Gilbert and ' asked him if they wanted the money or whether I

use He could it longer . said they needed it , where h a now upon I paid t e mount due them . I con cluded to make a tr1p and buy horses on a smaller and n scale with my ow money . I forthwith went to Ft . Scott, Kansas , and there bought a span of to ponies broke drive , and a topless buggy with har s nes , to save paying livery bills in locating horses

for sale . I went below Baxter Springs across the

Territory line and bought enough for a car load , and had them all broke to lead before leaving with i them . Necking them together in pa rs and each

to a t u1 pair fastened rope un ng between them , I took the front end of the rope , got in my buggy

S . and drove away, intending to ship from Ft . cott

The grass was excellent all through this country, and no expense for feeding them was necessary ; the country being nearly all open , except what little ff fencing there w as about the di erent towns .

By the time I arrived at Ft . Scott , I found that I THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 63 could dispose of them at profitable rates merely

~ al by driving northward through the country . I ready had sold a couple pairs . So I started north in ward the direction my brother was located , sell off ing them along as I went, and swapping unruly to l ones ead at every opportunity, sometimes pay ff ’ ing di erence . When I arrived at my brother s , I think I had but three left besides the team I was

r d iving . ’ I remained at my brother s less than a week ; L when I left for , I think is was awrence , Kansas , to sell my buggy and team in view of taking a trip‘ ff in the south on a di erent business , which I did ; inasmuch that I had been carrying on correspond ences not of various kinds , such as one will when o permanently engaged , and desir us of something To m ake it o new and better. plain , I will now g back a nd relate a couple of incidents which hap

pened , and which favorably impressed me with

the idea of entering the detective service . As I was riding along on a train at night for ff w Bu alo , New York , there came alking down the aisle an observant and effeminate looking young man wh o , , apparently attracted by my appearance, confronted me and asked whether he could sit side ” “ ”

. r . of me Certainly , I replied , with pleasu e

He entered into a very pleasant conversation , and

indicative of accomplishment and culture ; when , “ ff : upon approaching Bu alo , he said Do you cus ’ 64 THE M l S TERI 0 US TRA VELER tom arily take an omnibus to your hotel or walk down ! ” “ ff re I have never been in Bu alo before, I marked “and I always take a ’bus in such cases at ” “ ” he “ night . Walk down with me , continued , I go right by one of the principal hotels , and it is ” ” ff e . o but a littl ways All right , said I , and an together we went . We turned one corner after other and passed tall and magnificent buildings till I became a little alarmed that I might be misled ; when , all of a sudden he stopped at the foot of a of one flight stairs by of these buildings and said , of s and here is my place busines , let us go up ” warm . It was cold and freezing wintry weather e s and at the d ad hours of night . All the busines houses and offices were closed and the darkness i f s a d stillness of the night reigned supreme , ave the gloomy light emitted from a distant lamp post and the occasional footstep of a passenger in o the distance going to his home . I kept foll wing on behind till he came to a door on the right and took out a bunch of keys and unlocked it . As the o do r swung open and he struck a match , I looked into the room over his shoulders , and seeing a beautiful and well furnished room with great cases of large and elegant books , I thought to myself “ ” This cannot be a robber assuredly , and follow in ed . The room was warmed by a steam heater, before which sat a sofa on which he asked me to THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 65

s be seated while he w a turning on the steam . It seems he w as careful not to turn on any more light than w e could barely see about in the room ’ and determine each other s forms . He instantly

turned to me , grasped my hands , asked me to take

off my overcoat , and then taking hold of it he k off tried to ta e it , to which I reluctantly yielded ff sat and took it o myself . He then down by

my side , squeezed my hand , fondled over my lap and made such advances which dumfounded me o h that a f ellow y ut should be guilty of . “ ” You are no man , I finally ejaculated , but a ’ ” female attired in men s clothing . However sh e w as too refined and of too much ‘ ossessm n self p to further the object of her love , and was anxiously willing to go show me the way S he to the destined hotel . again took the lead and

fif Steriousl w e led me about as y y as came , and ulti

e f mat ly took me into an o fice of a hotel , where the

e t dur1n night clerk had me r gis er , g which time she

had gone out and disappeared in the darkness . Who was that young man who brought me

saw I queried of the clerk , when I she had

e n I cannot tell you , a strang r to me, ca not say ”

saw . ever him before , was the answer Next day this strange maneuver was very im on my mind , and I enquired of a prominent have meant and who it could 66 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

e . u have be n He said , from my acco nt, it must m have been a fe ale detective , probably a member

of the city police force , who allured me thither , thinking I suited the description of some one

wanted , and had that way of determining marks

. L of identification et this be as it may, it created a desire to know more of this thing of “secret ser ” vice, whereof I read and heard before . So no ticing an advertisement in a newspaper for young men to become members of the U . S . Detective C Association located at Sacramento , alifornia , I wrote for particulars ; and afterwards sent money

for badge and credentials . These were forwarded

to me in my rounds .

Another incident, which had a bearing on the

form of my pursuance , occurred during a trip buy

ing horses . On this trip , I had a place as head \ quarters with two elderly persons , man and wife ,

r appa ently without children, in Southern Kansas , where I would turn my horses into pasture as I

bought them and rest up generally . Owing to my

young appearance , these people would call me Kid . to Even , I found it my success and agreeability to

represent myself as one , buying horses for a com m pany . And for the same reason I found that y checks were accepted with the greatest difficulty and

trouble , so that I carried the money with me in pay

- ing the bills . I had two pocket books made of thin

though hard leather, which , when folded were in the THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 67

f o . shape whole shoe soles In these, I would slip my bills , fold them up , and wear one in each shoe i inside shoe soles . In this way, after reckon ng

the amount of bills , I would retire to an out

se -of— -w a or out the y place , get out the money and put it in my vest pocket, then return and pay them . w as e At this place one night, I wok up by two men calling to stay all night . “ ” Yes , said the man of the house, you know I never have refused to keep you ; take your horses h ’ ” to t e stable and I ll be out and assist you . Upon : returning , he continued You will be obliged to

t h e w w e sleep on floor or get in bed ith the Kid , are f ” short o bedsteads . “ ’ ’ see l our We ll to that alright , we l make own bed , they replied .

Immediately entering my room , they brought quilts , blankets and pillows and threw them on the d it floor beside my bed , then they pulled them un er be and made their d under mine , having the lamp burning very dim . All this time, I pretended to be asleep . Next morning, I was awakened early by one of them punching my bed up from below say “ ! ! ing, Oh , Kid Kid if you go out and feed our ’ ” horses , I ll give you a quarter . “ “ ’ Yes , I replied getting up , I ll feed your ” horses . I did this willingly, as I had a curiosity in knowing what kind of people they were . The lady 68 THE M YS TERI 0 US TRA VELER

of the house was already up preparing to get break

an fast, presumably having had understanding to ff Wh get them o early . en I returned from feeding

the horses , the men were up a washing . They were robust and bully looking kind of fellows with beard

all over their faces , apparently had not shaved for

weeks . I went to my room , and noticing one of the ’ men s coats , I took a letter from a pocket and stuck it under something in the lower drawer of the

bureau , in the room , being afraid to have it on my

person in their presence . In the corner of the room;

h conta1n1n covered wit blankets , was a sack g , it e h looked to me like ov r a bus el of trinkets , having

somewhat the appearance of ear corn . When they

were taking this from the room , upon leaving, I

asked them what it was . One replied that it w as \ corn for the horses . The/lady of the house had

only gotten breakfast for the two men , who thus off were before the break of day . While I was still

in the house , one of the men remaining behind went into the kitchen and asked the lady what sh e would

charge them for the trouble they made her . She said that sh e never made charges for staying over

night only , whereupon he reached in his pocket and pulled out a handful of silver and pitched it in her

lap . I then followed along out to the stable where

the rest were saddling up the horses . e H re , I noticed the other man asking the man of the house the amount of their bill ; and when he said

70 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

It was a reply from them I had now received , tell ing me where and when I should come , giving me the signal I should use in approaching them ; and

cautioning me to be by myself, otherwise I would not be admitted into their presence and would be in

danger of my life . So it was in view of going . abroad on my new mission that I went to Law rence , to dispose of my rig . Now , the object of my

w as joining the gang, primarily the same as that of

other detectives such as given by former newspaper . w as accounts . Nevertheless , I simultaneously prompted by that indomitable desire for adventure e and experienc spoken of before . This thing of “ s free and obligatory moral agency, to olve the and problem of the consequent action deeds of men , w hy some men should be evil doers a nd others doers e of good , and their relation with reference to futur

w as . punishments and rewards , still on my mind

Also , other problems , such as the science of a . free and permanent republic , were worrying me . Even

w as so like Archimedes , I absorbed in the study of my problems that I became nearly unheedful of m — everything else at ti es , Archimedes unheedful of the storming of Syracuse and not aware of the d dire event , I not always hee ful of bringing crimi nals to justice and unmindful of my dangerous pur

suance . And it was my ambition by virtue whereof

I speak , to undergo , as I have , the experience of every profession whatsoever of man . In all these pro THE MYS TE RI O US TRA VELER 7 1

fessions , teaching school as well , I strove to be con genial in character and manners with others and not outdo myself, rather falling below them in bril li n a cy and aptitude . I remember once a man said I

' saw B th is was the smartest fool he ever . y he meant I knew so much outside of my profession . 72 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

R V CHAPTE II .

a o e a Vd s one of a Me legr verl , aid the men p roach in V In p g me , at our place of meeting, inita ,

1 d an Territory , one who I had met up in Kansas . “ ” Me es igualmente agradable , I said the best I “ see ou could . Step over here, if y know these ”

e . boys , he continu d It was about a mile or one and a half out on the c north road , where it rossed a creek with a strip of timber on each side . I walked out one morning from town ; and as I came near I saw several horses tied oh the other side of the creek , a short distance in the timber on the east side of the road . To the best of my recollection it w as a wet-weather creek and was dry ; for I know instead of going around west by the turn of the road , I went over straig ht across , where to the north of me there was a glade of

w et prairie with tall grass . To keep from getting

th e ed e with dew , I went around g to the east where the horses were . As I was approaching them , I ’ gave the signal ; when , in a moment s time , the boys came in sight . There were only three awaiting me

— - the tw o men I met in Kansas and a boyish look THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER 73

mg kind of fellow who was slightly crippled . I will never forget the looks of the place, nor the queer feelings I had while walking out from town . At this time all the country was on the outside and unfenced . After a hurried conversation , I found that they were anxious to be a going and that the agreement w as for them to meet the other boys at a ranch in western Texas . In the course of time , I

obser learned the situation , though mainly through vation and circumstantial happenings . In western

Texas , it seems , they had a ranch as headquarters and refuge, while in Kansas they had a temporary pasture and headquarters to change horses during a

raid . But only the company or full members of the

gang had the advantage of this or knew about it . l Upon planning a raid , they wou d mount their best steeds in Kansas ride leisurely and severally to their

place of rendezvous , when after it , unless in cases

r inexpedient, ace back, exchange horses , and

‘ course on to the southwest . In many raids , I - in en learned that there were home men it , or men tirely alien to the knowledge of th e true operation

of the leaders . o Before meeting the boys at Vinita, I t ok my sil

ver detective badge, on which was engraved U . S . e tw o Detectiv , and sewed it within layers of leather

of my sixshooter scabbard , having the loop for the belt made wide and cross over the place of the badge

besides . My commission and papers of author 74 THE MYS TERI0 US TRA VELER

ut - e ity, I p into my inside shoe sole pock tbook and to tacked it down the other sole . The object in con cealing my credentials on my person in this way was to have them in readiness in case I should be caught with the outlaws by officers or in case the

opportunity should present itself to makean arrest . ou We have an extra horse along for y to ride , “ ” of no said one the men ; but saddle , he continued . They agreed for me to lead the horse over to town a a and buy me saddle , which I did , also buying 44

e e W e caliber Winch ster . always had our g uns and

six s s e A s shooters hoot the am size cartridges . as t a h soon I returned , we ook branc road to the V to our e southwest , leaving inita left . Our quip our ages besides our guns , were mainly slickers , few ot a s blankets , a p and frying pan , mall sack of flour al and a few other necessaries . During the day we ways a1med to g et a meal or tw o at some out of the w a or r y place anch , as we passed through the coun o our try, and cook nly breakfast in the morning, w e and as invariably rode late in the night slept , as in th e best expressed, wilderness . We were all l k th ’ dressed in cowboy sty e . We too e first night s ’ lodging about three quarter s of a days ride south f a a west o Vinita . It was in flat with coarse and

tall growth of grass and a few scattering bushes . We groped our way into the tall grass and staked and hobbled our horses ; and then pressed down the

grass , upon which we made our beds . The grass THE M YS TERI0 US TRA VELER 75

be e s appeared to in littl tools , which made our

beds bumpy and hard . I remember one of the men “ turned over once and said , our bed is equal to the ’ ” to bed of Euripides Medea , hard enough gall us . l I thought to myself you are pretty wel read up , though you either mistake family troubles for or on physical torture , misconstrue it purpose . I was awakened a number of times during the night by the clamor of the howling wolves about us and a dismal outcries in the dist nce as by a panther . so But this nightly clamor of the coyotes , com mon on the prairies of the southwest, shortly had no more effect on my sleep than the clamor of

so croaking frogs used to , , common in the country of my boyhood . Nearly all kinds of game abounded — t in this country deer and turkeys in the imber , of antelope on the prairies, and countless number

‘ th e on ducks on lakes up the plains . In the shinner ies , as through Stonewall and Fisher Counties , I particularly remember noticing the little red deer in abundance, while along the caprocks and about the

mesas into New Mexico , there were the blacktail

as deer . I do not think there w a day passed but what we did not have some kind of fresh meat and d ryed collops of deer or antelope packed away n among the chuck . Mavericks were also abu dant

many places through this country . Though when t ever the boys relished beef, they did not fool abou

long looking for brands , but shot down the first one 76 THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER

h that appeared to be fat. T ey would always skin off s off and de troy the brand , if any, then cut the

meat wanted , and leave the balance to the wolves ; e n n vertheless , I have seen them bur . the remains

after sacking the meat . We were a week or more crossing the country to the ranch in western Texa s f on the plains . I ound the country a monotony of

r grassy prai ies interspersed with strips of timber , s as along river and streams , till we arrived at the w e caprocks in Texas , where came to a large ex “ of panse elevated prairie, the plains , dotted with a m - countless nu ber of wet weather lakes , and ex tending westward into New Mexico towards the

s at rockies . Thi scenery of diversified landscapes ,

tended with other singularities , was very novel

and romantic from the outset . Riding along one

d a y, I remember, I thought to myself, what if my

l be peop e , my father , sisters , and brothers , could hold this country and see me riding along in this ! ” garb with these men , what would they think The ranch appears to have been in one man ’s name and several others having a controlling inter

l nnl n est . The former seems to have assisted in p a g raids but would not engage in them personally ;

while the latter executed the W ork . There appear to have been several more men connected with the

gang originally, but who were killed in some raid . ff And there were more or less cowboys , at di erent

times , working on the ranch , but who did not

78 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

fro gazing about . e d- u . On one trip , we w nt northwest on a roun p off It was the caprocks near a mesa , not far from

the old Ft . Smith and Santa Fe stage road . I think it w as near the state line and on the side of New

Mex1co. as We occupied the mesa headquarters . The top of the mesa was accesible by horseback

or stock at one place , and the sides of which con sisted of perpendicular walls of rock and precipices

serving as a fence , thus forming a large enclosure

of fine grazing land . But the source of water on

to w as to a p limited seap spring, and water stand in ing in cisterns or excavations rocks , some of which looked as though they might have been dug

out by the hands of man for this purpose . The rains in these parts were very inf reqent so that the — supply of water here w as quite periodical rarely

ever getting over two good rains a year . During this trip w e did not tarry as long on account of the

w . supply of water, as other ise we would have done

The principal water sources , then , in this arid coun

try, were the head waters of the Pecos , Frio and

Canadian and their tributaries , which stood in mere pools and frequently dried up altogether ; and the scattering springs over the country known only to a few . At one part of the mesa , there was a gulch

running off cutting apart all but a neck of land .

one Across this neck , day, I made a fence with

poles , some old pieces of wire and lariat ropes , THE M YS TERI 0 US TRA VELER 79 which enclosure then served as a corral for our sad dle horses and also as a small pasture . A great part

su of my time, here , I put in guarding things and p plying the cook with game , as I was considered n their best marksma . Besides , owing to a sprain

rh eum at1sm 1n and my left leg , when a boy, I some

al times became lamed after long rides , which I ways made an objective point in order to avoid

so being pressed into service much , and have more time for thought , reading and reflection . Many

I as hours had spent , in this way , on guard a picket at some prominent point or peak with a Winchester in reach Many depredations throughout the country in those times , of which these very nightriders them selves were g uilty, were laid on other parties . A number of times , I thought seriously of risking the

w consequences and divfi lge th eir plans more to the f e o fic rs of the law than I did , but there was always some preventing impulse for which I could not account . “ ” Why did I not abide by my avowal ! I after “ it u e so wards would think , was nsaf and it to be ; e f or , are thes criminals not of su ficient import for me to risk life to dawdle away time over at such occasions “ There is other corruption viler than this ; as o corruption in g vernment , robbing people of mil ” of o lions instead mere thousands, I continued t 80 THE MYS TE RI O US TRA VELER

es e e think , b id s they are serving to som extent as ” i r factors in develop ng the count y in the wild west .

However , when reasonably safe , at opportune times , I would always divulge what I could to my f constituents and o ficers of the law . And I am safe in say1ng that on account of my presence there was no more murder or depredations committed than n had I not been with them ; but if anythi g less , as ff my e orts were against it . It is for this reason

; that I now feel conscientious in my past actions .

e These men , invariably , upon entering s ttlements , went into the best society , and were observant of good manners and conductu Th ey were not the crackbrains so commonly noticed in public gather ings , sitting and giggling and otherwise causing

sev disturbances . I have known them , however, at eral places , where they became disgusted with the misbehavior and impudence of certain ones at frol ics to break them by shooting out the lights and producing a stampede generally . I always found them polite and attentive to women , and not guilty of insulting them unless they gave cause or sign or waywardness . But such a thing as bashfulness is something that was ever eradicated from within their existence . The use of intoxicating liquors rarely ever any of them took to ; they only knew too well that one under the influence of liquor would not do in a trying time . But in gambling, bucking the tiger and the like , they ever indulged , THE MYS TE RI O US TRA VELER 8 1

and were sources affording them the greatest pleas

. ure . Among them were some of generous and noble dispositions . I knew them to divide up with

the needy, and nearly always found them true to

r word after agreements . To swearing, I might un were not addicted habitually , nor

y; but rather at appropriate times , and

to express meaning emphatically . I noticed at this time in this country that men gained nothing by being too selfish and inh ospita i ble . Men of this character , invariably, had the r

gates left open , sometimes fences torn down and

stock let out or in , and put to other disadvantages ; while those of a more generous and hospitable character gained friends and were treated accord in l g y. " Nothing uncb mm on to the customary routine in

such pursuance occurred while I was with the gang,

at least that would be in place to relate . I was ar rested one time but this w as separate and discon ff nected from a airs pertaining to them . It came about in this w ay I w as ever keeping in touch with advertisements and accounts in scientific per

iodicals es ec1all in of new inventions , p y at this time the shooting line ; and had sent for an outfit of a new kind of gunpowder and other chemicals and

attachments , to be expressed to San Antonio .

Thereupon , I went to the city after them and do

errands for the boys . I had my horse hitched back 82 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

n n to n a of the Union depot , i tendi g i quire bout t trains and get some railroad maps after g omg to f n “ a . S O the express o fice, d attend to other things with a small g r1p 1n one hand and the outfit of c powder and things in a separate pa kage, I started

. o to for the depot Just bef re arriving, I came a car side - tracked between it and where my horse was c hitched . Into an open spa e at the end of the car I slipped the package to rema1n until I returned so

' s a o as not to be o much in the way . But p lice saw e o me leav it ; and when I returned , two p lice had it ex am 1n1n it open g , and I presume they thought I ‘ might be a dynamiter o r something ; at least they told me to consider myself under arrest and give account of myself at police headquarters . Arriving t a headquarters , they sent for their chemist , and d m o hi me put a cell . The cell was f massive rock walls and the door of heavy iron bars and con tained noth m g 1n the w ay of furniture but a re s ectable p looking cot or lounge . For , I remember ,

I reclined on it looking over some papers , laughing

1 1 no n to myself at the r g ra ce and the outcome . I suppose there never was a prisoner of any more uneasiness and unconcern dur1ng the t1me than I;

for I knew nothing could be made out against me . Directly a turnkey called and said I was wanted f in the o fice . Here the package w as turned over to f a no me by one of the o ficers laughingly, s ying

s m charges are preferred ag ain t e. THE M YS TERI0 US TRA VELER 83

CHAPTER VIII . We have decided that you hold the horses while m we do the work . Keep them arranged our custo ” ;ary way, and now be up to your job . f This w as addressed to me just before th e last raid

after which I abandoned the boys . It was up above

in the upper country . The boys had gotten tired of

' the monotony of the west and for a change planned

1 this ra d in the north . In their last trip to the — south , the boys rode mere cow pomes , leaving their e blooded steeds at their temporary quart rs . There

upon, in returning we went by railway and by dif ferent routes i All mounted and equipped equestrian l ke , we rode in pairs in diff erent direct1ons and met under

the shadow of night at the place of operation . The l n th boys returning to the horses after e work , did

so o m in such c nfusion , and a id some shooting, that

the horses became unmanageable , and one got away

from me . It w as the horse r1dden by the boyish V looking fellow whom I first met at inita . I took m e off him up on the horse with and dashed , taking m a road a southern direction , hitting the ground ,

sa . so to y, only in high places We rode till day break in the morning when our horse became so 84 THE MYS TE RI O US TRA VELER

h l a h ad ow lamed that we ad to e ve him . We n crossed a railroad track running east and west . The country here was rough ; and w as fenced off in big pastures , and seemingly thinly settled . We

s ad rode on over into the pasture aways , took the dle and other things and placed them out of sight ; and then taking our luncheon and arms , led the horse out into a glade where there was a density of grass and turned him free, first rubbing him down to avoid the appearance of having been fresh ly ridden . We now took it afoot westward th rough i the country along the railroad track , just keep ng

- in sight of the telegraph poles till sun up. W e then selected a suitable hollow of underbrush to lay over during the day and rest . Strange thoughts here all day kept presenting them‘selves . I can arrest this fellow now with ease and

him h e t . march to station as a prisoner , I thought ‘ As a matter of generalship a day or so before th e

h ad raid , I had called a landlord aside where I taken a night ’s lodging and told him confidentially I was a detective and w as expecting some crooked work to be done , and that I was on the lookout ; but instead of my right name gave an assumed “

. as one All this , with my credentials a detective and my prisoner in charge , would show up clever ” “ work I have done , I thought , but is it just and “ i prudent . There s other corruption worse than

86 THE MYS TERI 0 US TRA VELER

entering a car at the end which was loaded

m h 1ner 1 ac y. I stayed with th s car until after

m orm n light in the g , when I concluded there no need of trucking along on an old freight longer, I might as well take a passenger and be “ I am no refugee from j ustice that I want no one to see me ; I am no longer 1n co destined to lead to trouble ; I have done no “ thought, only acted the detective in investi the condition of knavery ln the southwest So the first town we entered and the

to brush e stopped , I left it, went a barber shop , t thence to a ho el and got my breakfast . o d v my r om , I took my etecti e credentials from inside shoe -sole pocket- book and put them into pocket ; and extricated my detective badge from C on r artridge belt , and thereafter wore it the unde t \ o side of my vest , which thus was un bserved no a d buttoned up . I w felt free n disconnected any responsibility and reflection of the clique I

serted with the exception of one thing . I had

a letter from my father, with my right name and

r address in a budget which , th ough neglect , fell

ossess1on into p of the fellow I had left . In case

they were captured , I thought, this letter in charge of the authorities m 1g ht be a reflection on my fair

name before I could get a chance to explain . for Along about midday , I took a passenger train

- a point in south eastern Kansas , where I changed THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER 87

cars for Texas , I think it was Cherryvale , Kansas .

! I arrived here a little after dark and went to a to boarding house near the depot, which appeared

be newly built . At least that night they had a musical entertainment in the parlor and the land lord apologized to me for being cramped for room

upon not having their house completed . And at an early hour in the night the landlord had them dis

missed and turned the room over to me . But I

“ no 1 ! was in hurry, for the r entertainment was high e m l . y inter sting I remember , I said audibly to y “ self, One night I take lodging in a cavern amid a f m pack o howling coyotes , and next night a parlor amid royalists The following day I took

the train for Dallas , Texas . Here , wishing some t r n W time to res and eco sider my plans , I alked out about four miles southwest and took up board m an ’ n m w as w ith a young by t he a e of Combs . He ’ -ou living his father s farm and ranch , who was

ra t1 1n himself p c c g law and living in Dallas . I n gave my ame to these people as Markham . While

here, I took frequent walks over the pastures for

r e C rockeral ecreation , specially across the ranch l to their Artesian well , and in the direction of Eag e th e i ford to railroad . I told the young man and h s

wife, when I took up board with them , that I had been clerking in a store and wanted to be in the

country awhile to recruit up . But just before leav ing I showed the young man my detective badge 88 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

i when he sa d he suspicioned that . From this place I took the train directly for Galveston for the ex press purpose of doing detective service among pi

rates and enter a seafaring life .

For some time , I knew that pirates were the ‘ of sea th e S ooloo and scourge the about Isles , for merly the small islands of Tonquil and Balaquini ; but I had now ascertained the probability of a

band having their temporary haunts at Keywest ,

Keywest Island , a more convenient location . In

view of this , I sailed for Keywest Island . Arriv ing here I worked several days at a tobacco fac tory to get acquainted with the boys and learn the nature of the town ; thence I associated with fisher n men and tradesmen some , and freque ted places of

resort, especially gambling joints , and in the mean w hile I posed as an engineer on a steamboat and en

quired for a position . After a sojournment ln a a this way less than month , I secured position as an engineer on a trading vessel on somewhat a o the mysterious mission , which however, nly made i position more env able . “ I need not remain in their service any leng th of ” “ ” time , I said to myself , unless it is what I want . But they proved to be smugglers and pirates and sailed as traders and fish ermen merely as a means d of disguise . Their vessel was modele after the yachting kind and of a form intended rather for s racing than for transportation . While it wa THE MYS TE RI O US TRA VELER 89

properly a steamboat, it was also provided with sails to assist in navigation when in want of extra or to of s in speed , take the place team navigation case of failure of the latter . of In number, at this place, the crew consisted six be persons , five men and a woman ; the woman ing claimed by the captain as his wife . Though at times very ignorant looking negro servants were employed by the crew . From the fact that it is merely the history of in myself, I am writing, expediency compels me

refraining from mentioning names . , w as of d Keywest, at this time , only a town or i nary size , supported by its tobacco factory and through virtue of its marine advantages . The most impressive of my recollections are , the cannons in plain view at a short distance on the hill , having pointed down at us from the fort as we passed up e channel to the town , and a dingy looking littl post-office building up in town with a m yraid of names and figures cut and written on the upright a posts supporting the porch , as though by floating population who wished to leave tokens of their s visit . 90 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

R CHAPTE IX .

E er n a ra e one n1 ht a n v ythi g r ng d , g bout mid ight h out t e hoy went steaming the northern harbor, headed for th e north along the western coast of l F orida . The unintelligible orders to a beginner and th e

s c s intermingling of trange rie and strange actions , so common among sailors , I at once noticed , were or f the most part omitted by the crew . But all orders were g 1ven and executed in the simplest o The e f rm and most silent methods . true , hoars “ a s A -a- h a-a-a- ! bo t wain call all nds up Anchor, ” a-ho-oy! was executed rather by gestures and sig na ls than by words .

a ecull a 1m ulse Upon leaving the island , under p r p ,

1 e I stepped on deck and v ew d the surroundings . a In the rear , the island was gr dually disappearing , f rom the dim and misty sky light ; ahead rested the dark night shades of the sea emitting now and then an angry looking billow which surged forth l a with the vesse upon its bosom , giving to one feeling as if h is existence w as melting within him ; and on the right glimmered in the moonlight th e THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER 9 1

e remains of a wrecked ship as w swept by . In the heavens The Dipper stood out in bold relief upon in his apparent journey around the north star , dicative of a time after midnight hours ; while the Pleiades twinkled like diamonds in the heavens i to the west . Here , as I returned to duty, I aga n had the queerest feelings . Strange thoughts kept ve evolving , when the following rse of poetry came to my mind 1 to h Night is the t me watc , ’ On the ocean s dark expanse , T o hail the pleiades , or catch T ’ he full moon s earliest glance , That brings unto the home-sick mind

All we have loved and left behind .

sea- e I am now with a gang of robb rs , I thought , and if they should discover me a spy ’ — they could dispatch - m e without a moment s warn

in . g while on duty , and throw me overboard with ” “ as little concern as though a cur . If on land , “ 1 I thought , I could spring from my captors nto the i brush and r sk getting shot , but where could I h ! ere spring for safety Into the sea , to a watery v— ” ! gra e that is all . Oh , my native country O , ! my sister , my father , my brother Will I ever ” se ! e them again I thought . But that irrepressible Spirit of adventure and enter r1se 1 w on p aga n arose , when I my composure “ n e s a d new courag . Discovering me a py comes 92 THE M YS TERI 0 US TRA VELER

f it before killing, I again thought, and be ore comes to that I have sense enough to find it out

and be on my guard , when they must be able le to hand guns better than I think they can . My d ejection thus relieved by a rekindling of my spirits , I turned my thoughts to a survey of my conditions to of aff rded avail myself the best interests they o , as we passed on . ba of It was a yon the western coast Florida , ou they were under headway, the surrounding c ntry of which having been sparsely settled , attended with now and then a town or village ; thus well suited

1nvasion of - for an sea robbers . This bay we - t of reached in the fore par the night afterwards , as we laid over during the following day to avoid making ourselves any more conspicuous than we could help . At daylight in the morning orders were g iven to move shoreward to explore the coast a for landing place , secluded as much as possible , both from shore and from any vessel that might S o on pass . moving slowly we shortly came to a slough-like channel which was more or less walled from observation by jungles of

vegetation . Turning into the channel , we went as far as we could without stranding h to . T n when the captain gave orders anchor e , “ addressing me h e said : Let the steam die down

now , but add a little fuel occasionally to hold fire ; so it will not take long to fire up when we get

94 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

the or ers to from a town , captain gave d pilot n an towards the shore , whe shortly he called for l chor . Here , he came to me and said in a ca m “ tone : All of us except my wife and her cousm

are now going on shore on a short expedition , and e — in the orders are th se, oil up the engine , then stead oi th e usual amount of steam have so much ’ over (pom ting to the index ) prom ptly by tw o o clock ’ - 1nstant s u1 to night , and ready in an war ng to pull d . to o on out If you fail this time, your body will d be rid led with bullets and cast into the sea. This h — ” is t e law of our crew remember . Then the four men pulled off towards shore in th e hand " o six s r and b at, well armed with hoote s , taking al n ong a lock and chai . !The time in the darkness aboard the steamer ’ s Tw o passed slowly on , hours seemed age . o clock came and still no s1g ns which bespoke of the re

of . s turn the marauders But observant to order , promptly at the time the index pointed a little past the amount of steam and every thing was ready to

steam forth at orders of the captain. “ n o Soon , a shrill whistle in the directio f the

shore broke the stillness of the night . It was a

urnl n sea-m n ret e . signal of the g Here, the cap tain ’s wife took a small whistle from her pocket and also gave a couple w h ifs indicative of our lo

. to cation aboard the steamer Then , came pulling the THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

vessel the four men in their hand boat with large

budgets and sacks of treasures . After several speedy trips to the shore and return for the balance out of their goods , the captain gave orders to pull for the gulch in which we harbored the previous day . O Throw wide pen the throttle, let on all the “ steam, and put us through , he cried to me . Steer ” “ in us straight , he shouted to the pilot , keep deep ” water and stay clear of shoals . On and over the bosom of the boisterous waters

we glided , now striding down the declivity of a n surgi g billow , then plunging through another with

, waters gushing by, over and around us , and sub merged at times long enough to be suffocating

on and on we went , leaving behind us a foamy trail

“ ’ way as a token - of the fi g sel s speed and good work of the propeller by its breaking the water into spray

m orm n and foam ; when ere the g daylight, we

steamed into our channel of destination . Here

e a w anchored and took bre kfast . r to m e and After breakfast , the captain tu ned “ a : m a s id You y take a Winchester, get into the

boat, and go on shore and hunt , and kill us s m s . ome fre h eat , if you wish We will see to your

- A s duty on board to day . soon as we feel safe ou y will do , we will give you the ropes and have

you as a member of our crew . Be back by four 96 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

’ l efo e so as to be e e in o clock or a litt e b r , h r good ” season ; will pull out promptly at dark . to m Here, the captain handed over e a gold watch and chain (for apparently they had plenty of “ them) , saying, take this , it will assist you in get “ on ou ting back time But let me warn y , he “ ou so continued , when y return , do by yourself ,

“ and should you make your appearance on shore in 1t to the presence of any one , or should cause be known that there are persons aboard a vessel ’ — ” here, we ll kill you on first sight remember . “ “ sa d Yes , but I beg your pardon , I , I would

like at least a box of cartridges , for it will take a dozen shots for s uch a marksmen as I to hit some ” thing . “ ’ all ou for w e Take y want, said the captain , ve

It was but a short time till I had row ed to skam erin u shore , locked my boat , and was p g p the “ hill with my Winchester in band . Up on yonder sand hill under that palmetto I ’ll hasten and take r a m a sleep and think of the times , I he e s id to y

self as I went on. an in a few Under this palmetto I laid down, d n h minutes was fast asleep , for ig t before I never

S lee m slept . p g for some time, I was awakened by v several large fowls , like eagles or condors ho er e ing over and about me , as though th y had about

resolved to confiscate my person to their fancy .

98 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

i A set f ever to have been caught up w th . o artis

t1c is an marauders of whom there no clue , nor y ! reward even if captured . But this Brooks There is no way to capture him unless getting him away

I x ex ect from the other men , and how can p to get him out by himself until I w 1n the confidence of the

an to of crew d get be a member the gang , as they c and are onstantly watching guarding me, I

thought . “ s too as And it look , though this is not all g ang ; for how could they have gotten such i ’ of thin s in a g half night s time , had they assisted by men with whom they had pre ” “ tandin ders . g , I again thought But I s or I returning toward my landing, will ” getting back with my luggage , I said to as I got up and threw my turkeys with I " tied together over one shoulder and my W i ff on the other and started o . T ired , hungry and thirsty, I rowed to t first giving the usual signal of the peculiar “ ” “ ! ou Hello cried the captain, y killed us ”

see. fowls , I “ a of Yes , I did succeed in killing couple but you will not find many cartridges ” u back over it tho gh , said I . “0 ” , that is allright , said the captain , I a few cartridges nothing compared to a THE MYS TERI0 US TRA VELER 99

ch nice turkeys as these , taking them and lift

see them up for the rest to .

After an early supper, of which I partook with fol relish , the captain turned to me and spoke as “ w e lows : Everything is ready to pull out , only

’ at a re awaiting the approach of darkness . You ’ tend to the engine until ten o clock , then you may have the balance of the night for sleep ; some of us

so see . slept part of the day , we will to your duty ‘ We shall sail blind and quite slow to-night and far

so seaward and beyond the regular passage way, s as to go by Keywest , and a couple of steamboat

We . our must pass , unobserved Havana is next place of destination . Here we shall do some trad ing expect to arrive there late to-morrow after

A -a-ll h a-a-a- ! u anch or a-h o-o nds p/ , y cried the captain as thedarkness was beginning to over shadow us in a tone that could be only heard on board the vessel and rather as a slur on the true call of a boatswain ; when the propellers began a slow but powerful revolution that put the water around astir in a succession of undulations and gurgling and sea foam as the vessel began mov

s ea the s .

sun m ornl n As the arose next g , I awoke from ’ my night s repose to find ourselves sailing south at a point southwest of Keywest Island and 1 00 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

- northwest of Havana , about three quarters of a ’ day s sail from the latter city . S hortly, going on duty again , the rest all but

the pilot, indulged in card playing, and apparently s f gambling, as everal of the men at di ferent got up and made the air ring with slurs and

in expression of their feelings . Just before a l ing in Havana, we met vesse to whom they e som fresh fish , which we had caught ; also so me trading with them . The captain , here , particular pains to inform them that while we e l xp orers, we also did some trading and a a e thing in this w y s w went along . Arri Havana and effecting a reception at the : port as traders , the captain at once said to me — I have nothing for you to do until to morrow now , I

. and you can consider yours elf at leisure ; but I

will pay you for your time . You can now take in the city until noon to-morrow ; then I demand ou are your presence . And as y a stranger in the

Proell city, , which name I will give him , can go with you and show you about ; he is also at leisure h ” t e o . at present , he c ntinued Here he pulled his hand from his pocket with a hand full of gold v “ coins , and handed me se eral saying, You may ’ e ou need money befor y get back, take this ; I ll ”

f a charge it towards your w g es .

Proell e At this juncture , stepp d forward and , spoke in favorable terms for us to go to the city

102 THE M YS TERI 0 US TRA VELER

h w hoe The meaning of t is is , he said , ’ it s finds this handkerchief in case lost , will be plim ented for his courtesy if he returns it

. w e owner living at this place Now , if are green ’ ’ horns we ll call her ; if we are up to the times we ll return it later on and receive the compliment ; what ” sa ! do you y he continued . “ Suit yourself ; live and learn is my motto , I said . Taking another direction here w e went to the suburbs of the city ; then visited the p rincipal places — of resort cafes and theaters . “ so But these prisons , what do they want many ” e ! of them for, and when will w get to the suburbs

I stopped and queried . “ ! Ho you are in the suburbs now , replied Pro “

ell . These are no prisons, this is the way they build their houses—the doors and windows de \ ‘ ”

f cont1nued . ended by strong iron gratings , he

Indeed , much of its style of architecture I found ,

belongs to the medieval period . Then we found so the streets narrow , narrow that two broad dray

wagons could barely pass , and into some of which sun s the can never shine, cau ing dampness the

year around , especially during the rainy season .

In consequence of these conditions , attended with c filth , is there any wonder of the past existen e of virulent cesspools for breeding such diseases as

yellow fever .

Proell Wandering about for a time , jerked out THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 1 03

a gold watch swung to a beautiful chain with a “ ’ its diamond charm dangling at end , and said , It s ’ w e now nine o clock , better be returning the hand ’ ! ” kerchief, hadn t we “ ” Y s e e s a . r , I aid with laugh If you expect to i m ” ce ve that compli ent . So turning in the direction of the street marked on r w e - the co ner, groped our way from lamp post to lamp -post with tallow-candle lanterns suspended on each , and from corner to corner, till finally we reached the residence with the same number on the handkerchief showing clearly on the door from the light shining within .

Proell , taking the lead , he stepped to the door , and rang the bell . A tall , swarthy and stalwart appearing negro came to the door . “ s Proell Going along near Main street , aid , ’ ‘ we picked up a ladyST afidkerchief with number of street and residence ; and thought we would call ” and return it .

Y esh er h me ard the young lady speak of it , s aid the negro , as though with a mouth full of mush , “ ” Ise tell her . '

Here , the damsel came to the door and gave thanks in refined terms of eulogy for our kindness and civility ; and ushered us into the parlor in the presence of an elderly lady and another younger on e.

Although , everything looked neat and orderly, 1 04 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

and the surroundings inviting and pleasant , for reasons unknown (laying it somewhat to being among a strange people and in a strange country un and city) , I did not feel at ease ; sensations of pleasant feelings came rolling up from within me ,

sa a as much as to y something w s not right . “What kind of an outfit is this ! ” I thought to myself, as one of the damsels was entertaining me with their albums , while the rest were bursting with acclamations of jollity on matters to them P ll . h roe selves Are they some relatives of t is , ’ dom 1c1le ! in whose he s inveigled me , or what And

' ” so can this ! if , what inveiglement be for e So , prompted by fe lings of uneasiness , at a late

Proell hour , I pulled out my watch and turning to “ Proell said , as I arose , I beg your pardon , Mr . , if you are no better acquaint ed in the city as to find in g a hotel for the night than I am , I consider it prudent to take our leave ; or if it pleases your honor, ” of course , stay longer , but you must excuse me .

Here , the elderly female bursted forth with some w what forced surprise , before I had the last ord “ out of my mouth : Why Monsieur ! Hotel for

! s the night You are now in a boarding hou e , and feel assured that you can be as well provided for ! as in any hotel in the city , and too at a less cost ” Be seated ; stay h ere as well as any place ! m So ewhat struck with consternation , I again seated myself ; whereupon Proell spoke and said :

1 06 THE . MYS TERI O US . TRA VELER

for rea for om s intended g t strength , and s e pecial purpose ; but never intimated that anything came under my observation , or that anything had hap pened which gave vent to my feelings . Shortly ,

w as m s lying in bed , I seriously thinking over the y tifi d l d l n Proell e o g g place we had entered , when “ : spoke in a low tone and said Dooling , what do those heavy doors leading to our room mean ! The doors to the other rooms are not of this kind . And those heavy window shutters , and that outside bolt — to our door I noticed as we came in what is this ! all for And then , those damsels had a lacking in and their sociability conduct too . I tell you , the ’ more I think over the matter, the more I m con ” inc d w e v e that are to be unfavorably dealt with . “ ” “ I noticed all this , said I , and it gave me feel ’ of ing uneasiness I can t explain , although I never ‘ ” i h in sa d an t . y g Here , getting up and going to the “ : Yes door , I returned and said , and the door is bolted on the outside now .

Proell , satisfied of this fact by seeing for him “ ’ It : s . self, he said settled , we are into it I wish m so un the captain was with me , we would ake it

an comfortable for them , they would never have other chance for such a treacherous conduct “ ” We must take things as they are , said I . My remedy is to take some of the bedding and sleep on the floor under the bed . This will give us the advantage of being wakened before we are located THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER 07

s . o s in case of intruder B th acquie cing, with few

w e spreads , here made a bed and went to sleep to be woke up by some unwelcome visitors should in dications prove to be correct ; at the same time hav ing a quilt on top of the bed with our coats folded and covered over to deceive them as much as pos sible upon their approach .

Sleeping unmolested until a late hour , we were suddenly awakened at the same time by a jolting six- of our pallet . Grabbing our shooters we watched from under the bed towards the door to

discover the cause which awakened us , when to

our w e saw astonishment, the floor upon which we had our pallet was being pushed upwards . In

e n an instant w u derstood the situation . There was a trap door in the floor under the bed through which the cut-throats were trying to force an en r . w e o trance He e , quietly took a p sition in the c r - o ner of the opposite side of the room , Six shooters o in hand , at the same time adjusting our cl thing as we watched in the direction of the bed for the in

ders tru . r Presently, the e peered from under the bed , the dusky negro seen before armed with a

u km fe c dgel in one hand and a large in the other , followed closely behind by the form of a female with a dark lantern . The negro was not more than

h is set standing erect with eyes on the bed , when a number of simultaneous shots rang out on the

e stillness of the night, when the negro fell d ad on 1 08 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

Th la e e e the floor. e nt rn b ing l ft lying close to

f e the bed , owing to the confusion of the fleeing it male, I picked up and reflected the light down

Proell r the trap door , when olled the dead negro ff o . , who fell to the bottom with a thud “ ” “ ’ It s for There , I ejaculated , shallow enough

our us to jump ; now is the time for escape . So on saying, we both jumped down the trap door a

Proell floor beneath , when shot at several fleeing forms as we ran out through the open doors into

the alley . “ h out of I just s ot the lamp her hands , as it is ” o sex against my religi n to kill any of the fairer ,

Proell said in a low tone , as we were leisurely glid of ing out sight down the back alley .

Entering another alley, we stopped in the dark nessand took a hurried consultation ; when we con c1udéd 1 to pull for our vessel for protection , as we th e feared through misrepresentation of things ,

authorities might give us trouble . Arriving at the f vessel , though with some di ficulty and fatigue at

Proell daylight , gave his signal when the captain in opened up , and in terms of irreligious tenor ’ ac quired what this meant . From the captain s

tion at first , it was apparent he thought that their man Dooling had given trouble ; but it was only a moment until Proell had him understand the

situation , when he bade us come in . br After eakfast , the captain turned and said , n o THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER

R CHAPTE X .

m o fo o n Saturday rning ll wi g , the sun rose and al shone with unusu brilliancy , the air felt soft and

sea sultry and a gentle breeze blew from the west , while the billows rolled smoothly forth and surged T with monotony on the sides of the vessel . his was the morning we bid farewell to Spanish Havana and set sail to visit American soil . as But the beautiful morning did not last . It w but a short time a fter we set sail till a density of clouds began to environ us . “ Th e pleasant weather of the morning must have = h ” a on been weather breeder , I remarked as I went deck where the captain stood gazing abroad . “ ” “ Y es , said he , and I wish we were back to ’ shore ; for I d about as soon be in hades as out in ” the Gulf in a storm . and The clouds grew thicker and thicker, the wind began to rage and the billows roll higher and higher ! The surroundings looked wild ! Th e very elements seemed at war with each other ! The h wind owled and moaned , and screamed , and the

billows surged , splashed , and sputtered ; and the

inky clouds let down sheets of rain , and made the THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER I I I

i s a nes sky blacker in t d rk s. Ever and again a jagged gleam would split the heavens with a blind

ing flash, and would be followed by a rumbling

v sea be crash that shook the ery , Then the sky came dark again and the w rnd settled down with a

dreary moan . At times the vessel appeared to be sailing under e water, as it wer ; of a sudden it would turn almost e on its sides and th n nearly on its ends , hurling

w a us one yand then another over the floor .

But through it all , I knew I had to remain on duty by my engine at a risk of being shot as a d coward and a traitor . The harder the wind woul

rage, and the higher and more terrific the billows would surge upon us only the more steam I would turn on to propel the vessel onward and keep it ~ fi . th s am e con erect While, at e time, I won the

dence of the pilot , who steered according to my

orders and instruction .

Finally the storm abating, the captain came to

me and asked my hand . “ You acted with great presence of mind , he “ ’ nd I a c . said , heartily ongratulate you Had it not have been for your attendance to duty and j udg of sea ment, no telling, the monsters the might now ” be feeding on our bodies .

Jacksonville , Florida , was our next place of desti

nation . This place we reached about three days a h . l ter, aving stopped a day at Key West for coal THE M YS TERIO US TRA VELER

n’ . o Arriving at the mouth of the St J h s river , I w as astonished to find a party with a couple of tug us boats awaiting ; one female in the party . “ of is What kind a party this , thought I , as

they were greeting one another , and shaking hands . “ Well , this explains the meaning of that letter I A found and read , which I could not understand . m ff eeting e ected through correspondence . Yes ,

se I e through it now . But some of the men ap "

to . see now pear to be strangers the crew Oh , I ;

they are running the tug boats , and are merely hired by the two spokesmen (w h o are members"of the gang) to do some transportation for them . ’ The St . John s river is too rocky from the coast

to Jacksonville for navigation , hence their meeting

- the vessel on the coast with tug boats .

- From the tug boats , they at once packed into

the vessel , box after box , what afterwards proved ff to be di erent kinds of groceries . They also had

several boxes of some kind of dry goods . As soon

as - of the tug boats were unloaded , two the men together with the female boarded the vessel with

r set S . the c ew , when we sail for the city of avannah

arr1v1n Before g at Savannah , the two strangers were set on shore in the hand boat , where they again made their disappearance . We then sailed up the river to the city . In a short time , here , the vessel w as unloaded ; the goods transferred to A quarters , I knew not where . s soon as the vessel

1 14 THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER

f o a o e s ing on ormer s ci l and d m stic tie , when it came to thefulfillment of the pursuances peculiar to m y e e rekind self, such fe lings would be suppress d by a

insi nifican e ling of my spirits as matters of g c . “ W e shall sail about a day northward to an old ” n port formerly a slave port , said the captai ,

where we will be at leisure for a time , and will om give you a chance to j our crew and be a partner . Under those terms you are required to be on duty “ — on the vessel no more than the rest of us each h is do to one will take turn in this , however work

which w e are b est suited . Pleased with the idea of winning the confidence

- of the gang, and with the probability of being with an the man more I was trying to overshadow, I “ sw ered : It goes ; and I think you will not regret i m m e a t after making me a me ber , for you will find ” wrestler . It w as not until the follow m g day when we

reach ed the place the captain had just mentioned . It

an ac was out of the way place , and the coast not cessible with the vessel ; thus having been obliged to sur anchor some distance from the shore . The

d as of a roun ing w rom ntic appearance , and well suited as a rendezvous for lawbreakers and refuge ff ees . o Some distance , though not in sight, there

s w a a settlement . “ ’ We ll go on shore and hunt the town and see ” what we can find , said the captain to me , as we got THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 1 1 5

e m up from the breakfast table n xt orning . Turn “ ’ ing to the women he said : We ll not be gone long

er than noon or shortly thereafter . Be ready then , ’ and if a rig can be gotten we ll take a ride in the ” country .

’

Taking along one Winchester and each a pistol , off we pulled out for shore, when we struck on

foot . The captain introduced himself to the coun trym en as a dealer in timber and lumber ; stating that he expected to explore the country about for a h is so see . week or , and what he can do in line ffi u Procuring a rig, though with some di c lty, we

rode out and took a lay of the country . On this — trip the captain told me many of their secrets the of w as number their gang, that he native born but that the others were nearly all foreigners , what they

' were doing at S avannahfi fi tim e he expected them to return , etc . and when they could initiate me as n He h one of their umber . also told me that whet er they were all under assumed names or not , he would advise me to take another name in case of any mis

About the time the captain had told the women

th e he would return , we drove to shore in sight of

vessel , where we were hailed by a couple of the

- crew and carried on board in their hand boat . After

refreshments , the captain and the two women took their departure for a ride in the country, leaving me ’ his and wife s cousin by ourselves . 1 1 6 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

w h i l l Oh , y is th s man eft a one with me not the man of the crew w h o suits the description of one ” in u ! my rog es vocabulary thought I , as I took a i newspaper and seated myself on deck n the breeze . “ Was it he , I would arrest him in a minute, and hurry him to the authorities before he realized his ’ situation . I d give the crew a lesson they would not ” ! w h ! forget very soon O , y is it not he The captain and h is two heroines returned late

in the evening , when I and the man left with me took charge of the rig ; the captain having made ar

rangements to use it for a week . Nothing but a monotony of the days p roceeding s occurred till the balance of the crew from Savannah returned , which w as one night in the course of a few days after our last landing . ‘ “ n - . I shall ride across the country to the cross roads ” m i n to pilot the boys in , said the capta the after noon , as he got up from a siesta , evidently taken in “ view of the trip . You can look for us any time after two hours ride from dark ; have supper h e . ready , he continued when took his leave Patiently waiting on board the vessel amid the

sea darkness on the , a keen whistle was finally “ ” “ Y e . s heard It is them , said one . , said my part ner , when he alighted on his feet , took the boat and

met them on the shore , leaving me on board the

vessel with the females . It was but a short time

until all the seafarers were on board , greeting one

1 1 8 THE M YSTERIO US TRA VELER

on e myself remained board the v ssel for the night , while the rest were set on shore to ride away in the darkness to places of rendezvous suited to their kind .

a at s The day fter, dark , was the time et for our meeting at the cross-roads to take a trip into the

of - hills after a caravan wild cat liquor . In the after

f rom sle noon of this day, the captain arose ep and s : Proell aid and Con get ready , for we must l shortly be on our way to the hills . My cousin wil he stay with the women . We will all three go in t

e buggy until w get into the country a ways , then ’ we will exchange our b uggy for some good man s wagon with the understanding that we have some

, hauling to do about camp for a couple days . We can ride in a wagon and have a wagon to bring a ; ” s ee ! Load back in besides . You

w e Well armed , rode away in the buggy about the m a iddle of the afternoon . It w s after several trials that w e succeeded in finding a farmer who had a wagon to spare . The exchange was made, when we were clattering along towards the cross-roads in a lumber wagon like some farmers on their way - th e home from market . Coming to the cross roads ,

i : 1 IS Captain stopped and said Well th s the place , and but where are the boys ; it is now getting dark , ” h e at least a couple should be here . Saying this , took a whistle from his pocket and gave couple THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER 1 19

if f low wh s , when the brush in from the road began

o . to p p, and one of the men walked out “ ” We heard the wagon coming, he said , and

thinking they were countrymen we went into , the

brush until they passed . Our horses are some dis ” tance from here hitched near an old road . Directly all the marauders had gathered to our

side . “ r the old We made a rangements with man , said “ to one, hustle us up couple wagons , and every ” thing is ready to load and pull out . “ ’ on We ll drive slow to the bend , said the cap “ et tain, and turning to the boys continued , you g your horses and come along behind just in sight of ” us . Coming to the bend and the road leading away

m one to_ th e_nistiller a n from the ain y, the Capt i “ and : Proell vou spoke said , you are acquainted ’ ride ahead and see that the way 18 clear ; w e don t ’ Want to come in contact with any of Uncle Sam s ” boys tonight . And turning to me he said , Con , et Si you go along and g the tuation, then return at once to this place and guard the entrance while we ” arrange and load . I went along and took a view of the premises and direction of neighboring distilleries , for there were probably as many as half a dozen at this time in ff b these quarters . I then returned , when , a ected y a kind of nervous impatience , I went on guard at 1 20 THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER

the entrance . The night was calm and mild and the moon and stars were shining brightly in the cloud

w as less heavens . It about midnight and every thing in a state of quietude save the creak of insect

and the occasional twitter of the nightingale , when

’ I heard a noise up the road , as though of horses

hoofs , approaching . My heart leaped with joy, thinking they might be United States marshals or deputies on th e alert ; for I was getting tired of the

ruse and perpetrations of the gang and in hopes of , being the instrumentality to bring them to justice . “ “ are f If they o ficers of the law , I thought , I

W 111 h divulge t eir plans and explain the situation , and we will bag the whole push without any ” trouble . w as The noise kept approaching, and it that of ’ a horses hoofs . It was a squad from up the road p ‘ i a IIroach ng on horseback . Now I he rd them talk

- ing . I groped my way near the road side amid some brush and tall weeds , from which place I

- could see well and over hear the conversation . “ ' h e s uck ff o a S t to me like hot ta y t knife blade,

I made out one to say .

Directly they were in full view . It was plain at once that they were a company of roysterers on

their return from a party . I let them pass by, when I again returned to the shade of the trees where I could better observe and hear and be least noticed . Th e rest of the night was passed in quietude until

‘ 1 22 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER sm cerity to their cause : I could now see that they

so kept themselves aloof from civilization , and dis in played such ruse their operations , that to try to form any compact with the officers of the law for their capture w as useless . I therefore concluded to desert them at my first opportunity, having been satisfied with the adventure and experience in this line ; but to do so without any altercation and in safety bore heavily upon my mind . "

The opportunity finally presented itself . We were crui sm r g along the coast of the Barba y States , when w we were hailed by an approaching ship . Our cre R appeared suspicious but responded . ushing to the side of our vessel , they came on board and com m en e s c d a search . I aw that an encounter would fol low . Whether our vessel was boarded by cruisers

mi or si lar to that of our own and as pirates , by whom , I know not . I knew my time for action had e come . By the comm ncement of the battle , my mind

a u —m i w s made p y plans were matured . To equ p a hand boat with necessaries , especially cartridges , to and make my escape shore, was the feat in which “ ” s I w a determined . It was succeed or death . But

t . no one knowing my intention , facilita ed the task

In the midst of the encounter , I lowered a boat and rowed away from the opposite side of the enemy ’ s

ex ecut vessel . I fought only in self defense and in

ow n th e ing my project , regardless of my crew or s new enemy . I received only a fle h wound in my THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER 1 23

left arm , but not severe enough to disable me . I

w h er knew the country ashore must be wild , and

ever inhabited , the people likely uncivilized . “ f ” But what di ference does this make , I thought ,

its nothing more than what I was used to . I tar off ried along on and the shore for some time , until I managed to take passage on a steamer going to

Bada ra g , a town on the coast that was formerly

known as the Slave Coast in Western Africa .

Bada ra Before taking the steamer for g , how

ever, I wandered about the ruins of the old civiliza “ tion . I am not far from the land of pyramids and o hieroglyphics , I will g thither for a bible lesson ,

I said . “ I wonder if Moses w as not profited by this civil ization in his law- g 1v1ng like Mohammed by the bible in his as I stood before the pyramids bedecked with hieroglyphics . “ ' But had it not been for the wickedness of ’ Joseph s brethren , how would Moses ever have got h ! ten ere , and this came to pass An outcome of good from evil ! ” I again thought “And the management and putting into place

‘ these huge rocks , many of which thirty tons in h ! ” t . weight , how was ever is performed I thought “Were it not for similar rocks in the quarries I would think that they had been manufactured in an artistic w ay by transporting mortar instead of ” the rocks and then consolidating afterwards . ‘ 124 THE MYS TER! 0 US TRA VELER

passage to Badag ra w as a long and weari some voyage, for the vessel was not first class ; then I was probably over-anxious to hasten my distance t from the perpetrators o whom I had been catering.

1 26 THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER

Bada ra I the country back of g , known as Yoruba . did this mainly ln v1ew of a relief from the - strain ~ of my previous and unusual experience, and recrea tion generally . On this expedition , I took a graphic

— sea account of the country its physical features , s natl ves ons, minerals and soil , vegetation , animals, ,

. h l u e af er to etc , and upon whic I ect r d t returning the United States . e of s r One prominent featur thi count y, I found , are mounds conical in form and terminating at the base to a near level as though they had been som re ground down by e mechanical device . They minded m e of some of the mesas off the caprocks in New Mexico . It was during part of August and September that I was fortunate to be here ; this being the best time \ for travelin g in these parts , as the air is cool and there is but little rain ; the dry season being too hot and frequently troubles ome to find good water . i Well equ pped with fire arms , I had fine sport kill f ing antelope, occasionally a bu falo and a leopard, wild cats , eagles , and small game, such as conies , i s squirrels , gu nea fowls , partridge , quails and dif f erent of kinds ducks and pigeons . We also caught many fish , such as perch , catfish , gudgeons , and other strange kinds . Occasionally we had exciting times killing large snakes, often measuring twenty feet in length . These large snakes were the boa constrictor and cobra de capello . THE MYSTERI O US TRA VELER 1 27

The towns of the natives , which , far apart I found surrounded by clay walls in consequence of frequent wars in the past , to serve as defense against

the intruders . All the inhabitants lived in these towns from whence they cultivated their adjom m g

fields . The chief towns that came under my obser

aw ff vation were i , Ibadan , Ijaj a , O a , Ogbom osh aw , and Ejigbo , any one of which contained a population not less that Their houses were of rude construction ; the walls made of clay mortar , and the roofs thatched with grass . The houses of ff the King , Governor and Nobles di ered only from the others in size . In features , the true Yorubas are typical negroes and distinguished by their low o h rganism , t eir jaws being prognathous , their

e 1 foreheads r treating, the r faces larger than their hairy scalp , their cons titution strong and vigorous , and are more capable of enduring fatigue and ex

osu e m p r to heat and the ra s than foreigners . In their m fe dress , they were si ple and unconcerned . The

s o male generally wore three wrappers , two fr m the th waist downward , and one over e shoulders which was th row n off at will without exciting either f thought or attention . The men wore di ferent kinds of o w trousers , and s me large flowing go ns and c wrappers . However , a customed to clothing as they are, they were still immodest, and had no feeling of

saunterm disgust . While g about , I found it com mon to be confronted by women dressed in na 1 28 THE MYS TERI0 US TRA VELER

’ ture s simple attire , or probably met bathing along the wayside perfectly undisturbed by my presence .

- Although , women in the back woods I generally found timid at my first appearance , being frightened at the figure of a white man when not accustomed to them , I have seen them bolt away from me

1 nto the brush with the greatest consternation .

Throug h the Yoruba interpreter, I found there were many prodigious exaggerations about the

- h wild back woods , endowing things wit abnormal

ecularities so i s saw p , ncredible that unles I it with ow n s I to or o ac my eye , was slow heed take int count . Returning again to Badag ra from our expedi

no set . w as tion , I had plans I for any place ex cept where I had been . Would I have met with a n co trivance to sail upwards , I would have been as — likely to have gone straight up a s any place any thing for new adventure and experience . But learning of a trading vessel to set sail for Cape

Colony, I directed my attention southward . I had an interview with the Captain and paid him for my passage , which I thought to myself was only a small amount for that distance . The most I can recall to my memory concerning this vessel or what was on board , I remember an elderly man , although very active , on board with a few head of horses ; and when we were nearing his place of destination he climbed up the top of the main mast of the vessel to look

1 30 THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER in seclusion ; not that I felt any guilt of having done

eo ar anything wrong, but for reasons not to j p dize the object of my former resolutions . Even of to disguise my nationality , instead conversing in

so the language of my country, I done in Dutch , trying as it was , for I had not practiced talking

Dutch since my school days . ‘ It w as not till on this voyage that it ever entered o my mind t circumnavigate the earth . The more

I thought of it, the more possible and practical it appeared to me after wandering away thus far from do' so America , until I formed a determination to

arr1v1n , and before g at Cape Town .

Finally, after a tedious voyage, we came to Cape

Town amid a confused swarm of people , mostly

English and Dutch . But I had no anxiety to linger

\here any longer than necessary, after learning that ‘ the British Government had recently proclaim ed th e annexation of the Transvaal to the British prov

inces nd n not s a of a thi g s in a t te quietude . THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER 1 31

HA R C PTE XII .

“ e Circumnavigation of the arth , I thought to myself as I w as walking to and fro on the upper deck enjoying the pleasant sea breeze of the even “ ” “ is ! ing, not this too great an undertaking No , greater feats than this have I wrought , if I only ” “ think came the response . Why there is nothing in circumnavigating the earth b ut enter a steam

sit boat, and read newspapers , and wait until it ” “ gets there . I again thought , There is Melbourne , Auckland and Panama to sail to from Cape Town and thence to the all and one has gone ” the rounds .

Conceiving thus , I immediately began making ar rangements for the voyage . But what if my means should run out before I make the rounds in w ay of expenses a nd the necessaryextravagance ” in that fandango society , came into my mind . “ Well , I will have to do as I used to when a school boy, fall back and peel potatoes or something to pay my fare , I again thought . “ ” a t But a p ssport , I thought to myself, I mus see about one of those . THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

How can you expect to get a passport here and ” you claim to be an American citizen , said one w apparently of authority , hen another one speak

ing said , Passports are nothing but a matter of

formality anyway, and no longer obligatory ; and many times serve only to discommode honest peo ” ple and aid the flight of rogues . i In a short t1me I got off on a Melbourne steamer w u ithout but little delay , and we were again o t at

sea. There was now no landing place until we came to Melbourne a distance of about three thous and O ff miles from Cape Town . the shore a ways , the

e h ship roll d heavy , as the sea was roug , at times the billows swelled tremendously and looked like

mountains . The water leaped against the ship , ‘ c urling and foaming with a loud roar, mingled with

a sound of dashing and splashing . “ out This is too boisterous , even to look , I said one day as I walked back into the cabin and took a seat by a table upon which I noticed a deck

of cards and dominoes . Having read and studied

’

the greater part of the day my m ind needed rest . I took up the cards and nodded to some half-breed

native of these parts standing near by, who I no b o ticed playing efore to come and j m me . Not able

to talk his language , I dealt out a hand . He took

it up approvingly by nodding his head , when a pan tomine though interesting game of betting for the

1 34 THE M YS TERI O US TRA VELER

shore g et their drinking water ; they get under those

ram rain clouds and when the drops of form , ” drink their fill . The noticeable sea-animals of these intertropical

dur1n waters , g this voyage , were the sharks , sperm

-fish whales , albacore , bonito , dolphin and flying .

ff as Di erent species with the animals of the land ,

I find have there geographical range . . The right

- whale of the polar seas , for instance , is confined to

h is ow n i e range , while those of the torr d zon are

impassable to him .

In reaching Melbourne , I sailed first to Sydney, a distance of about Six-hundred miles north from a e Melbourne , to t ke a st amer to Auckland . Here

at Melbourne and Sydney, the same as at Cape T own , I met with a confused swarm of people ,

se"emingly of all nationalities .

The main interest of the inhabitants , from general

appearance , is centered in securing some form of union of the different colonies ; though important

improvements are going on , while the great inland wilderness is fast being turned into homes for civ

ilized V men . Melbourne is the capital of ictoria and

Sydney the capital of Queensland , provinces which

originally formed New South Wales, the name

occu 1 d given to the country first p e . The wild animals peculiar to the inland wilder or ness , I learn , are kangaroo , dingo , echidna , and

ni h r n t o y ch us ; and some of the birds are the emu , THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 1 35

s pigeons , birds of paradise , lyre bird , crim on dory and the cassowary . This country also has plants and trees very dis — tinct from that of o ther countries . “ What tree is that with leaves of bluish - green

sun hue, and presenting their edges to the instead ! ” of their sides I said to a companion as I walked out for observation .

- That is the eucalyptus or gum tree , he said ,

are of which several hundred varieties , and grow ” th e probably to loftiest trees m the world . I understood some grew to be over four-hundred h " feet high . Then I noticed w at they call the beef wood trees . Instead of leaves , they have sheaths e e enclosing th ir branches , thus resembling in stru ” ture the horsetail . — s o t off In the course of a h rt ime , I was again sea at sailing for Auckland , now entering the waters of the Pacific Ocean . From Sydney to Auckland is a distance of about thirteen-hundred miles , the way we went . One event of this voyage was that of being caught m a hurricane , which , however , proved not materially harmful ; but rather only drove us onward in such speed as to cause un easiness of mind .

Early during this voyage from Sydney, I began in to feel rheumatic pains coming on my left leg, the thigh of which I had fractured by a gun shot S near the hip joint while in the tates . By the time 1 36 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

w e reached Auckland it became so swollen and pain

ful that I was nearly entirely confined to my berth . f At Auckland I received medical treatment , and a

set ter some delay , I sail for Panama . By this w as f time , I able to shu fle about with the aid of a f cane , but the hip joint has remained quite sti f ever since .

Z f is New ealand , o which Auckland the principal

an port , is probably unsurpassed by y country in the

“ r1ch ness world for of soil , healthfulness of climate and grandeur of scenery . The inhabitants of Auckland I found in the main part of Polynesian characteristics . The wild animals and birds of the interior are about the same as those of Australia ;

e unless the apteryx , a . bird which is said to be p culiarl t o . y confined this island , though very rare 5 A sun In leaving uckland , the shone from the north ; about midway between it and Panama , at r noon , it shone from square above us ; and afte crossing the vertical line and from thence on , it kept receding to the south . In consequence of these

r w as va iations , I continually bewildered with ref new and erence to direction . But these things made different impressions on my mind . “ ” I said It is all for a purpose , the inclination ’ of the earth s axis h as an important bearing upon climate and seasons ; these mighty waters yield of their abundance to refresh our lands ; these w ay ward winds blow and the billows roll for similar

1 38 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

and f i to land us re ght on the pier beyond , which “ extends into the bay , he said , the bay being too shallow for steamers . Colon and Panama were each the terminus of the railway, Panama on the west coast of the isthmus and Colon on the east . This is a magnificent bridge for this part of the ” as world , said a passenger we were crossing the

Chagres river . “ ” Y es w as , the reply, it cost several hundred six thousand dollars , and is over hundred feet long, ” and about forty feet above the water . T The bridge was of iron . he isthmus is tra " versed through its entire length by a range of moun tains several hundred feet above the level of the s ea ; from which streams flow 1nto the Caribbean sea on the one side and the Pacific ocean on the \ other . Much of the surface , I found covered with o dense forest . Conspicuous am ng the trees were the giant cedars and the palms . The climate is very hot on the coasts , but in the interior , relatively cool ; although fevers prevail everywhere . The rainy season had just set in when I crossed th eisth mus , and the blossoming trees and flowering vines But began to present a scenery beautiful to behold . very little of the country w as in cultivation . Maize in and rice were the principal grains . Cotton and digo were plants native to the country, and grow spontaneously . The population of the capital , Pana THE M YS TERIO US TRA VELER 1 39

w as ma , some over ten thousand . The houses were ' m ostl of y stone, built in the Spanish style . The

buildings of note were the cathedral , the churches ,

the cabildo , and the warehouses of the Panama rail

g way . Public schools be an to receive some eu

ra m n cou g e e t.

The isthmus , I find , has derived its chief impor tance from its supposed facilities for the construc

tion of the interoceanic canal . Next comes my last voyage to the States to com

lete p my circumnavigation of the earth . Instead n ’ of sailing for Galveston , from whe ce I started , I took passage in a steamer due directly for New

York City, to the most thickly settled part of the country , as my intentions were now to lecture again ; this time on my travels .

We stopped no place e n -route for New York ex

. cept, one , I think it was at Kingston , for coal The distance from Colon to New York City is about two thousand , five hundred miles . As we were a little north of the latitude of the Bermuda Islands I was on the upper deck walking to and fro in a triumphant air , murmuring audibly “ to myself, This completes my circumnavigation of the earth , this is about the line I sailed eastward ” in the cruiser . 1 40 THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER

R CHAPTE XIII .

It was now late in the spring of the year ; I think it was the first of June when w e entered the City

e of New York, for I remember remarks w re made ff to this e ect as it was unusually cool . Even peo

le 1n p appeared on the streets their overcoats . m Not having y lecture entirely in shape , I wished to withdraw to the country to some quiet

place and finish it and practice . So I bought a R ticket for ahway , New Jersey , about fifty miles

from New York city . Here I enquired for a private boarding place in the country and was directed to

s ee Frank Bullman , running a truck farm between w h o here and Elizabeth , out about three miles , was

then in town . Interviewing him , he said he thought

see the chances favorable , but for me to his mother and wife first ; and extended an 1nvitation to go

h 1s out with him , which I accepted . He and wife, h is M mother and sister were living together . y wishes were cordially granted ; and I think it took me tw o weeks to complete my first lecture and ffi practice it su ciently to deliver it . I introduced

s l my e f to Frank Bullman as Ferdinand Delaware ,

1 42 THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER

o e lectur1n ou e I enj y d this g t r well nough , and w as meeting with good success ; but was continually un easy that being engaged in such a publ ic pursuance I might run across some one who might recognize me and expose my whereabouts instead of being

L fa De a Ware, and be a reflection on the n name

of my people, before I could explain . M Kinn c e Co. I now bought a ticket for y, Collin ,

Texas . I knew where I was going, for I had been

in those parts before , though under assumed names ; and I knew that if any one would recognize me it S would be under a name of this kind . o , remem

se bering that for a couple of days , once , in this c “ ” tion of country, I bore the name Waters under

good repute , I assumed the name of J . C . J . Waters , which name I reta1ned and taught school under in

h is rt m e t a . a h p of Texas And as a tt r of general in ship , I entered the Grannan Detective Agency

so as a detective under this name ; that , in case of

any complication of names while teaching, I could show my credentials and vindicate a just position ;

1 . and besides , probably aga n do work in this line These credentials I still have in my possession to

this day . McKinne Now, after arriving at y and remember

1n . . R g two elderly good people, W E oberts and

wife, living by themselves a couple of miles west to of town , I concluded walk out one morning and

s ee if I could get board at this quiet place , and pre THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER 1 43

’ pare myself for the teachers examination , and t make it my headquar ers until I procured a school .

Mrs R w as . oberts formerly the widow of Captain

w h o w ar A l Johnson , fell during the Confederate . though having passed through here once and stopped for a drink of water , I thought that they would not recognize me merely by this , though I was confident I could fix it up with them even if they did . Favorably impressed with my appearance , they said I could board with them with pleasure , as they were by themselves and lonesome anyway . To those that are familiar with the surroundings

1 at that t me , it will not appear strange now that I i i should have taken up board around the turn of the

road back of Wood Hills .

a With the education I had , of course getting

i m er certificate was a l ttle att . I still have a First Grade certificate of this time under the name of “ ” w as Waters in my possession . It my ambition not wanting to teach more than one term at a place —to be with a new class of people and have a new

set of pupils is what I was ever striving for .

While teaching in this part of Texas , I invariably R made Mr . oberts my headquarters until I taught

the Roland school when I boarded with Mr . Wil

meth , and made that my headquarters for sometime

thereafter .

After my school closed the following spring, and learning throug h my official documents of a man 1 44 THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER

about Anna , Texas , suiting the description of one

” wanted for murder , I went up there and took up ’ board at Mr . Greer s to investigate.

I remained here about two weeks . Upon leav “

. a : ing , Mr Greer turned and s id to me Well , I ’ don t know what you are up to , but I take you to be a detective ; and you will always be known to ‘ ’ L . M . . . us as the mysterious traveller r J Greer , McKinne T R to of y, exas , and epresentative the

i L of w as w ith his egislature Texas , living brother

at the time, and said he also remembered this man ,

1ven and the name they had g him . w n In the meanwhile , hile I settled down teachi g, I commenced writing a book on political govern

1 ment and cap tal and labor at my leisure , which took to me four long years complete, and not until I left ’ Mr W ilm h s et . . I also wrote on religious matters

but which I never revealed to any one . I had the

political part published , mainly to review and pres i ent to my friends for crit cism , for it seemed use less at this time for me to try to bring it before the

people with much success under an assumed name .

w as o And my mind full of r mance , and I thought “ ” that the simple name Waters was not sufficiently

a d equate to have the book put out under as author. I So , had the book published as though written by “ ” ff and S traiho a di erent person , under the name , w a as author . The only y I can account for manu facturing this name is in way of combining my

1 46 THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER

I dreamt that I was present at dinner with an ’ e of fr ass mbly iends at my father s house, some of

whom were very popular and eminent persons . Among them was the president of the United

a States , and several college professors . It p

' peared to me that the President w aS A brah am Lin

w as coln , still he a man not of his stature , for his looks is just as plain before me at this writing as

though it had actually occurred and but an hour ago . I though t he was a small and slender like man with

black hair, dark eyes , and of rather dark complex e ion ; and whil walking appeared to be of a squatty , bow-legged order of men. He was commonly of one dressed , and I thought the front part of th e soles of his shoes w as worn off so much that

the forepart of his stocking foot w as slightly visible .

s w as A I standing up before some one talking, I

n saw thought he gla ced over and his shoe, when he : said audibly only to ourselves The old saying, ‘ ’ ’ the clothes isn t what makes the man , is only too ” w e true . This was while were all standing and sitting about waiting for dinner.

sat My father , I thought , on the same side of the on table next to me my left ; , and on the same side of tw o the table, or three persons down further still

on the left of my father sat the President . The most attractive dish to me on the table w as that of

fish so fish , pickerel , a common in all the lakes of w as my native country . The fish , I thought passed THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 1 47

from one to another on a platter which came to me

last . I took out a large chunk , such as I used to , when I noticed there were only several more pieces

left on the platter ; and I thought to myself, I

wonder if this is all of it . Some time after this and after President Cleve ’ adm inistratl on land s second , I had another curi

ous dream . I dreamt that I w as out with a party on a lake

- or bay duck hunting . Among the party was one noticeably large and fleshy, and with whom I liked best to hunt and associate . One day some one said “ to me, This is President Cleveland you are with , “ : when I appeared to be surprised, and said Why ” this is not such a bad man ! It may be thought that I am a constant dreamer

I —i - but not that way . t s only at great intervals — that I dream sometimes not for months, and then generally in connection w ith something of serious import . After teaching my first school in Texas and re R turning now and then to Mr . oberts , and while there devoted t o writing and study until midnight o h urs , the nature of which I revealed to no one , I noticed it caused the subject of much talk and ex pressions of opinions among the neighbors from the very first . And when I disclosed to them my shooting abilities , of which I speak in the ensuing chapter, it made it even worse . Althoug h , what 1 48 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

ever was said of me , was intended to be kept in

re the backgrounds , as I was at all times highly

s ected p and treated nicely by everybody . “ h Well , whose business is it what he as been or what he intends to be ; he harms no one that I ” R re know of, Bob oberts said once to a person , ferring to me ; he pays his bills and always acts the ” gentleman . u s Such mysterious mane ver , and talk and expres ions of opinions about me here and abroad nearly

is wherever I had been in those times , the way this “ ~ book came to be given the title, The Mysterious ” Traveler , the appellation given me by Mr . Greer at Anna . During my time in these parts , I skipped a number of years at different times that I did nor teach school . It was now my ambition to get a partner of the

sex R Mex1co fairer , and go to Seven ivers , New , in a country I had visited before , and settle down ; in vesting what I had a few cattle , let them grow to me and be supported from the increase (this hav ing been a wild and open country suitable for a pursuance of this kind) , and complete my writing on scientific subjects at my leisure . Having formed the acquaintance of a young orphan girl hereto fore in my rounds , a recherche of exemplary char acter , above the average in intelligence , and of a romantic mind the same as myself ; and knowing

as sh e had taken a fancy to me I to her , I went and

1 50 THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER

e help him get . He w nt before the board of ex am iners and received a first grade certificate ; for he was a smart man , excepting the failing that was in the habit of dragging him into the wallow , which “ so en I had suspicioned and proved to be in time , ” slaved to the indulgence of liquor . Through my influence he procured the school I taught the pre vious year . But before leaving , I made it con venient to overshadow him at times , as I claimed l this as a part of my profession . Fo lowing him up one Sunday in the backwoods , at hearing dis

( tance , I noticed him instantly coming to a stop and

’ hi at i s co . as j erk I w hid beh nd a tree and listened .

He hung his coat upon a bush , then stepped back : ! and addressed it thus What , Jack Johnson Jack Johnson of Greenwood ! ” Then the wind whistled through the branches and what he said was

a indistinct , and I withdrew as quietly as I had p

r h ed oac . p him , and again went about other business n Before he finished his school in the spri g, he did so bad that the trustees expelled him ; and he left . h is no one knew where . So , after departure , I kept “ thinking of the expression he had made , Jack John ” son ! Jack Johnson of Greenwood ! What could it have meant ! There was a man in the neighborhood son of by this name , Jack Johnson, the Captain John son R but and Mrs . oberts , whom he did not like ; associating the name with the place Greenwood was the mystery “This may be a refugee from jus THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER 1 5 1

s tice, I aid , upon whom there is a heavy reward , ” h e h as and insulted me anyway, I will look him up .

Turning to an atlas, I found the nearest Green in L wood was ouisiana , sixteen miles west of

Shreveport, to which place I departed . Enter

ing the village , I took up board at a hotel run by

a constable . I inquired of him about the man

his Stephens , giving description , and about the

man Jack Johnson . “ ” S is tephens , he said , there no man by that ” name of the description you give in this country . “ is of Now there an old drunken fellow , this des

cri tion p , gone a heap, and has given me some

trouble in town , that stays out here in the country

, with a mulatto negro “named Jack Johnson when ” is he about , he continued . “ ’ ”

z s i That s the _man , a d , Jack Johnson of ’ n Gree wood , that explains it , I ll give the gentle ” men a call in the morning . ! on Behold the morning I found it was he, who now had as before , fallen so low that he was driven ad to the negroes to seek shelter . Finding him f judged only with minor o fenses , I dismissed him

from my mind . of Feeling, now, like taking a novel form recrea to tion after this far abroad , I went back the hotel

for my lodging, and told the constable to tell the boys in his rounds I was a rifl e-wing shot and could beat the town for fun or money ; and for them to 1 52 THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER

meet me on the lawn back of the depot in the morning ; in the meanwhile explaining that the

tincans ff tc targets would be , snu bottles , marbles e . ,

thrown into the air , one at a time, to be hit by bul lets fired from a Winchester rifle before falling -t to the ground . I had with me a thirty wo caliber r d Winchester , which a numbe came and examine

that night before the shooting in the morning . Not wanting the man Stephens to be on the

' alert by the name Waters , under which he had known me in Collin County, I had assumed the name Adams under which name I did this shoot

1n g .

1 54 THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER

i o i K nney Democrat, and which I repr duce n the T hi i latter part of this chapter . he shooting ex b tion , as generally the case , was well attended ; even of ma s u n d out to e a sprinkle fe le t r e se . It w as in a shooting exhibition of this kind after some public gathering that I had first met my spouse ; and from which I h ad inferred that as her curiosity was aroused to see a romantic per f orm ance h er o s of this kind , pr clivitie must be s to imilar mine in this respect . now I went to Shreveport, and putting up sev th eral days at e City Hotel , I became acquainted

r s with Jacob Hawse , J . , whose father, Jacob Haw e , hi S . on s r owned it ; but lived out plantation , and h n wit whom his so Jacob resided also . The young man learning of my sporting avocation at the time , invited me out to the plantation to hunt and fish with him . I accepted . They had a large cotton plantation and had at least fifty negro men employed s working it , besides the women and children ; thu affording the young man amply leisure to sport with me . The negro men were mostly married and living in log cabins about on the plantation . Here ,

fish I remained a month and did nothing but , hunt and shoot . There was not a day but what I did not average one hundred and fifty shots at e m re flying targets, regardless of the shooting I did at game and still targets ; for I had a curiosity in know 1ng what the constant practice of a month THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER 1 55

e e O ne would do after already b ing an exp rt . form

sh oot1n w a of g I did here in y of practice , I would take a sack of large over-cup acorns in the back of of the boat and throw them off a distance and shoot

w as them while Mr . Hawse rowing on the lake and down Papaw Bayou . I had a negro boy servant

as employed to reload cartridges for me , this was cheaper ; and have him gather up the empty snuff bottles and similar things among the negroes cabins for targets to shoot at while about the premises .

Undoubtedly, there are negroes living in this neigh ' borhood now rem em ber tin f , who me by their snu f boxes pitched in the an and my shooting them out of existence and scattering the snuff to the four

” o winds . I went under the name f Adams at this d plantation , and retaine the name until I returned — m th to Collin County to tea e Roland School . The Hawse plantation was sixteen miles from Shreve w as port , and Greenwood their nearest village and -office post address . The balance of timebefore I returned to teach R e n the oland School , I d voted early entirely to sporting with my Winchester . Hearing of a pic t nic near the Texas line , I think it was near Atlan a,

Texas , I went over and entertained them by some s hooting . I then went into Arkansas and hunted e - som and shot about . The title Bullet proof Adam was here given me at some place ; after which I had circulars struck ' representing me 1 56 THE MYSTERIOUS TRA VELER

‘ under this title , some circulars of which I still have to this day . I gave several entertainments n while over there , one of which I think was g ive on the public lawn at Goodhope . re During cotton picking time in the fall , I R turned again and taught school at oland , after which I gave an entertainment of marksmanship to my pupils and friends ; since hearing of it, they

see to wanted to it themselves , which I alluded before . of Now , I speak these things , and reproduce the clippings not b oastingly ; but writing my his

so tory, I am obliged to do , otherwise I could not give a true account of myself and whereabouts .

cflIPPINGs FROM THE McKINLEY DEM

O RA T C .

Roland Tex ar 1 6 1 8 1 —A n en er a , , M ch , 9 t t in

ment was given by J . C . J . Waters , the Professor , on Friday of the last day of his school , compris

at ing speeches , declamations and rehearsals tended with instrumental music ; and in conclusion

a display of his marksmanship . The music was

m r given by Messrs . Charley Cox and S e ou

Brown . The form of the shooting given was as

e is indicated by the headings und rneath .

1 58 THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER

the d A I know of, I saw him hit thir shot , remark able feature of the shooting w as that he shot the one hundred shots in much less than two minutes

’ time ; having had three Winchesters and a man to load them . This may seem incredible , but will be plain when 1t is known that he can shoot three times

. w as a second John Calahan , who one of the men detailed to load the guns said he shot so fast at one time that he did not give the hammer time to fall down far enough to crack the cap and threw the’ cartridge out in place of a hull .

RIFLE-WING S HOOTI NG AT FLY ING BRI C K -BATS B Y THROW IN G T H E M I N THE A I R T H E N TAK I N G W I E TER A D TI E M A N C H S N S HOO NG TH .

" h d Under t is kind of shooting , he one about the same as with a pitcher . Here he would also throw up small tin cans and shoot one and two and three holes through them before they would fall to the ground .

S HOOTI G TI N C NS RI K -B TS ETC W ITHOU T N A , B C A .

S IGHT.

Here h e would have tin cans and brick bats set away from him different distances and then poke the gun out before him about hip high and shoot un them without sight . He would flip his g from THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER 1 59 one to the other and shoot wonderfully fast and rarely ever missed . He would shoot under cans without sight and knock them up and then throw his gun to his face and shoot them once and tw 1ce be fore they would hit the ground .

RIFLE-WIN S HOOTI G T S M LL MARB LES HI K G N A A , C ORY N TS A ND B U LLET THE A I E U , S S ME S Z OF

E RIFLE B A TH LL .

The judges pronounced him hitting four marbles

S ix out of , two hickory nuts out of three and two

m 1 bullets out of four . He says his sses were due to f changing to substances of di ferent velocities , and beside too sluggish muscles , due to confinement in the school room and shooting without practicing up . before hand .

T A RE T LL AR ET TH HT S HOO ING T TH E S I T G S WI S IG .

Here he had three posts off fifty yards from where he was standing, and about fifteen yards apart , with n a paper mark o each . He commenced at the left hand target and flipped his gun from one to the

other . and shot very fast , and with his own gun ’ the first round didn t miss a mark , hitting them all center enough to make them fall to the ground . The marks were a little larger than a quarter or about that size . 1 60 THE M YSTERIO US TRA VELER

HOOTIN A T THREE TILL TARGETS IT HOU T I T S G S W S GH .

On the same posts as before , he had three paper

s1 ht marks placed and then shot without g , poking the gun out ln front of him the same as shooting

without sight before . He shot this way one round

at three marks , and brought two of the marks to the to ground , having hit them center enough make

. T them fall , but missed one mark his distance,

shooting without sight was eighteen yards .

After this shooting with and without sight , he h a d some marks put up of the same Size as before, for the best marksman of the crowd to try their

hand . There were a number of Shots shortly fired and

a record taken , but there was no one in the crowd w h o made as good Shots with sight as he had made wi V thout Sight . ery likely there are some who will

doubt the truth of this shooting, but it is some thing I have seen with my own eyes and this is the

s rea on I write it . The judges appointed at the Shoot

: . . ing were Messrs Tom Brown , Guss Wilson , J h at . w o K Drury and myself, together with other

tendants in , I am sure will bear me out what I a have s id .

- That he hit the two last marbles , and threw a

bullet up the same size of the caliber of his rifle ,

himself, and then took his Winchester and drove it off w the first Shot, is enough to Sho that he can plug ’ h e it to em when he wants to . He says when first

1 62 THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER

sh o s ot . Only one trial shall be given to a sh o

i p erson w h o fail s tosh oot when th e target be ar e ss m k d a mi .

. e e to ract1ce e e 4 To make it l ss liabl p d c ption , and to enable b etter to d etermine when the targets

on es o th are hit , the c t t sho ting shall be within e

en range of tw ty yards .

r 5 . And to avoid t ouble which might becaused by an attempt to use shot cartridges the judges shall fi rst examine the cartridges and see that they are genuine bullet cartridges ; and then one of them s a ow n h ll , Slip them into the magazine with his

o e u t s b s . hand ; th rwi e , y them hem elves A number of articles relative to my shooting in

o i e t ff n s a th se t m s , I no iced in di ere t new p pers , the cl 1 1n s e pp g of which I never saved . Though aft r leaving Grayson County and becom m g editor of

’ e a a L Tea T xas Her ld at P ris , amar County , , “ ” f e ss n a S traih o e a t r a umi g the n me , wher of I s o en rt a e p k , an a icle appe r d in the Daily Dinner

H rn l n o , a c ippi g of which I still have ; and which I w l a so e r in i l l r p oduce, since in this chapter I am dul in n b a : g g o thi s su j ect . It came about in this w y

Here a s a t oth e aces un es c as io , r pl , l s o c n or recrea

ion em an e it neve h sa t d d d , I r had anyt ing to y about sh oot n or m ar sm an S o i g y m k ship . I had been at

ar s nearl a ea in r c t e P i y y r , I th k , st i tly a t nding to

new s a er w ork h en one da ear . p p , w y, I overh d Mr Fi elds telling th e boys w hat ki nd of a marksm an he THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 1 63

' e : s . Turning to the gentl man I said Today is

rda w e e s r o w e y and are at l i u e , supp se get ral boxes of ca rtridges and a Winchester and re

o d and a u to the fair gr un s t ke a ro nd ; if I beat ,

a pay for the cartridges , and if you beat , I p y for them ; I can afford to pay for them for the fun i ” there s in it . He willingly accepted ; but he had th e cartridges

da so o o pay for . And in a y or , the f ll wing article peared in the Dinner Horn H A MP I O N RIFLE S HOT— TH E EDITOR O F TH E TE ! AS ‘

H ERALD O F THIS C ITY E NTITLED TO THAT HONOR .

o Few people would pick out fr m a crowd Mr .

S tra h o and . i A . P A . , editor proprietor of the Her

ald o e , as a champi n rifle shot, but the cl ver work of this gentleman in the past certainly entitles him to

s n o ci “ di ti cti n in that capa ty. He sh oots a Winchester rifle with unerring ac “ ” r e e a o cu acy , n v r draws bead , but sho ts from the

A h traih o w o e . S hip . gentleman w nt out with Mr a few days ago stated that the gentleman threw a small oyster can out in front of him and put tw o

a e b lls through it b fore it struck the ground , and immediately after he knocked it up into the air by

e p utting a shot just beneath the can , then put anoth r

ball through the can before it struck th e ground .

S r ih Mr . t a o then took from his pocket a handful of

a m and pec ns , threw them in to the air one at a ti e r a b oke them with the b lls from the rifle . He also 1 64 THE MYS TERI 0 US TRA VELER threw up a lead pencil and cut in half while in the air .

S traih o Mr . is a modest gentleman and has never made a display of his Skill with the rifle , yet he is willing to meet all comers m a shooting contest for T points only . he gentleman would undoubtedly prove a winner at a turkey shooting .

am In Collin County, and under the n e Waters ,

I kept my marksmanship least secluded . But no one saw in the county , I think , me shoot a gun or heard

sa me y the word , till the holidays during the time I ’

a . w s teaching at Bois Darc Here, a party of about a dozen wrung me into a shooting match to see who In Should pay for a turkey for Christmas dinner . as e nocent appearing I must hav been , they of course thought I would have the turkey to pay for . But they were mistaken ; they looked at one another “ ’ ”

o . and said , Why that man s shot bef re

In a couple of weeks after this one Saturday , hav u e ing bought me a Winchester again , I went sq irr l hunting with Jack Johnson when I ’ bois darc tree , picked up apples , pitch the air and shot them in pieces before ground . Then I took some pecans a I had picked up going long, and pi one after another , and , as Jack had i i nto streaks of blue smoke . He told

1 66 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

e e a Sometim s , for c rt in purposes , on this account ,

I nder or e s in would go u m e or l ss disgui e . For

e m a s C r stanc , for a ti e in ollin county , I wo e my

n o s hair long , hangi g d wn over my houlders . To becom e an expert rifle wing shot one must be

m ot on and r e H s quick i ed of quick pe c ption . e mu t be u n th e o quick in j dgi g distances of m ving objects ,

e l c ie and r o e th ir ve o it s di ection of m tion , and th n l must be quick in calculating , not on y where to shoot

o as to hit , but be able to sho t with a fl h where he

t a e . wan s to , which t k s an abundance of practice

e e i n m e so N verthel ss , the course of ti , one becomes

“ accustom ed to it that he 13 prompted involuntarily

t n a c by a kind of ins i ct . The pr cti e to become an ex pert rifle wing shot may be likened to the thumps

e i n e om er an s on the k ys of a p a o to b c e an exp t pi i t , t h e different shots in the practice of rifle wing shooting corresponding to the thum ps on the keys of

an n m a a o n es s n a pi o , o ly it y t ke a c u tl umber more sh o a h e a o B ts th n t umps on the k ys of a pi n . y this

n ot n not m a be a re ki d of sho i g , I do e n to ble me ly to hit tin cans hurled in the a 1r or a fowl on the

n ona l n n ea o wi g occasi l y , but to hit a ythi g , r s nably

w e at an and all im es th e sam e as an e er ll , y t , xp t still rifl e- shot would hit th e sam e obj ects were they of ' e ua stanc and s ationar q l di e t y .

is r ar ne essar It p im ily c y , however , to have good e es nd e es h e r I “ now y ; a y above t ave age . begin to find that it is not only very straining on my eyes ; THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 1 67 but that they are failing me ; and it is my intention to quit this kind of shooting for m ere sport a s soon as I return home and shoot some in th e presence of my relatives .

s o R n o ak e After my ch ol at oland , I co tinued t m ’ W ilm eth s a a th e Mr . H . F . my he dqu rters during

th e n n s and res e time . I will never forget ki d e s p ct with which I w as treated while with the fa m ily ;

i s a e r e t e the fam ly con isting of the p r nts , th e lit l

a n n n girls and tw o tw in boys . I w s ow pri cipally e gaged in completing my book on political govern

o and a l e e a ment and lab r, in the me nwhi e l ctur d

s t few times . At thi time I also made a trip to Sou h

e s o n a America , when aft r a hort soj urnme t I ag in returned to Texas .

r o o f e n I In G ays n c unty , a t r teachi g at Jameson , run for County S ch oolj uperintend ent of Public

ut w as e n b . Instruction , d feated This is the o ly

f so h time I ever run for o fice , and did t en only for

s no e La ar the sake of my friend . I w w nt to m county and became editor and proprietor of the

Texas Herald . 1 68 THE M YSTERIO US TRA VELER

HAPTER C XV .

L use et me your editorial ticket to make a trip , you have more tickets you can ride out before ” w as ex ressio b New Years , a common p n y the boys

a roach m near the time of the pp g holidays . “ descri Yes , but these tickets are very rigid , my p

com l x1on 1s tion , even weight and p e entered in the S back of the book , and tipulated that the conductor

use sa . shall permit its by no one else , I would y “ ’ I ll get there with it just the same , let me try ’ it , you ll be out nothing, would be the reply . i “ If accommodations of this kind , and access to free railway fare and complimentary tickets to the aters and shows myself, constituted a success in journalism my experience with the Texas Herald can be called successful . But to make it a success financially I found the work too confining and in of compatible to my nature . In the profession ’ school work , the time before nine o clock in the morning and after four in the afternoon , and Satur days and Sundays , was mine to be devoted to other

so l n matters ; but I found it not journalism . Then the itineracy connected with the latter made it more

1 70 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

o w as e a e p int Sw etw t r in the next county south .

Le n e r r avi g Paris in Jun , I a rived at Sweetwate

e o a the latt r part of the same m nth . The m ny prai

ee e rie dogs , to which hitherto I had b n accustom d ,

ee er s med to greet me on ev y Side in the day, and the

o s n as coy tes ere aded me at night , though to make

a s me feel welcome s in the time of yore . n At the time of my arrival , I thi k there were but s ix s a chools in the county , the princip l school of

w as Ro o one “ which at by , a school of ab ut hundred - and thirty pupils and three teachers with the princi

. s pal After visiting with Mr . Philip , an acquaint

w h o e o L ance, moved h re fr m amar , I procured the

R . Center Point School south of oby, now Palava

r s ix o an n s I taught he e m nths , with i termis ion ,

ve S ix e o t . howe r , of w eks during c t on picking time

r e n r Du ing this int rmissio , I ode out the remain

a e ing edito ri al tickets still in my n m . I first went

s c o to El Pa o , then e south int Mexico , visiting the

o n and t a s . Casa Grande c u try o her pl ce However , th e n ue u n n earan cus u iq b ildi gs , stra ge app ce and

o of eo e c o th e t ms the p pl , the peculiar constru ti n of

a w as aren s , etc . , to which I had been accustomed , n no new thi g to me .

t r nish n th e t n Af e fi i g e C n er Poi t School , I pro cu red th e p ri ncipal ship of the High School at

Ro a n e ns o s by , h vi g thr e i truct r as my assistants

m a m s th e and one teacher of i nstru ent l u ic . At

s o I s r a o close of thi scho l , t aightw y taught a scho l THE MYS TERIO US TR A VELER 1 7 1

at or a s in h s ount and in th e m eanw l as D r t i c y , hi e s isted in th e publicati on o f a new spaper tem po

l h e o rarily pub i s d at R by .

h le in th is co nt I oo um er o f re rea W i u y , t k a n b c tion r s untin a nd fish n t d fferent a rt es t ip , h g i g wi h i p i

h e o nt e er e t t u r asu . R Re u a nd wi h C y T r , J . d , p d w n th e on h o i th e La d o G Rob o C c ; w th n l rd , . S . ert to th e S an ab en I m ade m ead s , S a (wh y h

ua r r at Manardville out a ont and w th q te s ab m h ) , i Paul Fi sher to Southwestern Tex as and S outh ern

Ne Mex 1 w co. Matters relative to th e country o f my boyh ood now e an to o m e b g w rry . “ Will I ever return hom e and m ake m yself

n l I e in o i o o e I a e s . k own , or wi l liv bl vi n f r v r , id ’ I am now far past m y teens and g etting up in

‘ ‘ ea s I ever intend to re ur it is e n y r , and if t n , b g i ” n e m ing to b ti e . “ l d e s o t a con I wi l bid a i u to thi c un ry , I fin lly

u e and o est to th e a n s t cl d d , g w h u t of my you h , ”

oca e re ru t an n ove . l t , c i up d thi k it r

S o s a n a o edd n on tr ppi g r ll of b i g my bugg y , s o m an st e w t ne ess r am n ns s I t ck yl , i h c a y c pi g ute il , started for the country along th e caprocks south and

m Ne ico s L er now u a w . we t of ib ty ( T cu c ri ) , Mex 1 72 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

CHAPTER V X I .

Here is one of the haunts during my youth in ” the wild west , I said to myself as I was saunter ing along lel surely to and f ro looking thither from

the caprocks . “ i so Here I am aga n, after long a time , I

d m 1ss1on as murmure , but not with a in days gone

’ b — a - u y no, but to look for location and meditate p ” on these pinnacles (mesas) over my destiny . After several days rambling about and medita

-be tion , I concluded to return to the Would Mesa ,

t L E . sou h and east of iberty, and now s/outh of ndee called th is -be and look around . We had Would

Mesa , because it is a mountain connected by a nar row neck of land with the plains ; and if not pro tected from corrosion by the weather and rains , in the course of time , it would be washed away and

the mesa stand out by itself like , for instance,

Soldiers , Mesa in New Mexico and Double Mts . in

Stonewall county, Texas . of This mesa has a surface of over a section land ,

is which quite level , covered with a beautiful shrub bery of cedars and pinons , and a soil Similar to that of the plains .

1 74 THE MYS TERI O US T A E R VEL R .

o e o as retaining my f rm r locati n for a p ture . I first.

c o e taught out a s hool , h w ver, at Dimmitt, the se ast county at of C ro County , Texas , w hich I had n r c e a . R . er i co t a t d to te ch Here I employed W . J n t m e to el r e and gan to go wi h h p imp ov build . But

owi ng to th e need of medical treatm ent f or his wife , he became alarmed upon being in this lonely country and so far away from physici ans that he asked to

leave , which I granted . After this I procured as

s istance as I could . “ s But I mu t be observant of an occupation , I “ e and n said aft r a time , get acquai ted with the

r a t e neighbo s , however dist n , b sides , it would likely cau se an unfavorable impression to live in too much ” se clusion .

S o s tw o tw o aying , I procured schools of months h fift eac ; y miles west of my location , the schools

ha e u e e . ving b en at Q ay and Dodson , s v n miles apart

a e s e w hich I t ught in succ s ion . The following y ar

e o l n I procur d the scho l the nearest settlement ,

m l n r i ee of . Old End , ten i es o th me In teaching th s

o I en o om scho l , w t fr m h e the greatest part of

m e n or n the ti , goi g in a buggy every m ni g and even

in st n e in th e es h as er e e g , as di a c w t ev b en of littl

ern conc .

a e In the d ys of my boyhood , I rem mber the

a h t m les f rom our il a e c county seat w s eig i v l g , whi h

n e e e and tow n my people freque t d . To go th r back

’

i a . e w as considered a b g d y s drive H re , it would THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER 1 75 only be a round th e turn of th e road and a drive

r st en em e e before b eakfa . Th I r mb r there w as

L a w en —five e e im , t ty mil s w st of us , people went

n e a b o a o . ee s cc si ally Th y would t lk a out it for w k , and g et up at midnight to make preparations for

. e eo the trip the following day H re , p ple drive it before noon in th e morning and never think about it either before or after . n n Old Endee , which spra g up si ce my first visit , is a place of some h istorv but bears a harder name th an ' it s i a de erves . L ke m ny other frontier places of s h ad its sal n s the pa t, it oo s , and in con equence

and o ff a it brawls sh oting a rays . On e ch side of

1n e the arroyo , Sig ht of the school hous door , are now w a the graves of men killed in this y. The

tw o o - graves of men are al ngside the play ground .

’ ' ’ upon which tomb rock S thE boys and girls thought

e s s f all l s ly recline and re t a ter their rounds . For

is this , and for all that there thus far no church

reach m e en organization nor ever any p g , the p rman t residents of this locality are a class of substanti al ‘ and u h en a n m er es prig t citiz s . I h ve a u b of tim

h t : Y ea is o enum e C s a t t ough , there m re g hri ti ni y among these people without p reachers than many ” i s e . place with them , where I have b en By th s it is not intended any intim ati on against th e chri sti an

l s h oc re igion , but rather an arraignment again t yp ris y.

A nd re e n I can sa with f re ce to the school , y the ‘ 1 76 THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER

pupils are an obedient and social set of children , I

believe , as I. ever taught . d d About this time , shortly after my school en e ,

I had a wonderful dream , thinking I had returned

home to my native village on a scout . L et the dream amount to what it may, it made me feel melancholy the following day ; and h ad a tendency to make me curious about the condition e at home , and hasten me in my arrang ments . I now disposed of my upper and lower places to

make a definite decision , which I did , such as given o in the introducti n . Whilethis location I had chosen is not by far the

' most romantic of places , I fancied it Since it is ff fronted to the south by the great plains , a ording s a healthy climate , fertile oil , plenty of fuel , and good roads to travel to market or for pleasure ; and as the country develops will be adapted to

nearly any calling or profession .

What else could I do now , but come to a con clusion to return home , or go to parts unknown ; for as far a s experience was concerned I had suf

fi ien c t. My mind had become settled conscien tiousl ff y on religious matters , governmental a airs ,

an s the problem between capital and labor, d thing of minor import .

w as To which once alluded , it not long during my search till I had found that for a man to be suc

1 78 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER of God to be a brave out-law and be enriched from the dishonest rich than to becom e enriched ” by being a lawful robber of the poor . That thieves and robbers do not meet with lasting

w a : success financially, I finally solved in this y That to engage in a pursuance of this kind was dem oraliz m g to the faculties necessary to conduct facul a profitable business , or m other words the ties of the brain necessary to conduct a self sus fl taining business and essential to man lay dormant and undeveloped , while those propensities akin to the brute creation are mostly developed ; so that in the course of time m isSpeculations and misfortunes the are consequence . Then along with this goes not only the misfortunes attending prosecutions for th e Of violation of the law the country, but the dt aw back and probably retaliation in consequence

- ne1 h o s of the ill will and distrust of g b r . a l In a similar way , thefts and robberies on arge scale and those of a national character must be re garded , only the consequences are longer in ter m in ff inat . g , and the e ects then much greater The f misfortunes and evil e fects , especially when of a national character, may even fall on the heirs of unborn generations . Many times have I thought of the bible where “ : it says Go to now , ye rich men , weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you . It seemed by this that any individual or collec THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER 1 79 tion of individuals depending on unfair and un righteous devices for support and not in a way of rendering services to fellow men , are upon the o decline , and in the course of time bec me so de moralized that calamity follows . The presence of this principle w e can even trace into the lowest kingdom . In chemicals , where the atoms and molecules are ineffectual in doing their part as f forces towards existence , chemical a finity prevails ; and combustion and destruction is the consequence . So on down the scale until we come to individuals forming nations , if the system of government is of a demoralizing nature , eventually it saps the

- m 15 life blood from the asses , and a catastrophe the consequence ; but out of the chaos will evolve a system grander, nobler and more beneficial to the people .

Yea , this world of ours is a chemical one , of which o I have many times thought . Truth , h nesty and n justice is power , gravity and e durance ; while

0 5 1 falsehood , dishonesty and injustice is corr on , de gradation and death . I many times think how true “ the expression in the bible : The wages of sin is ” death . By chemical world I mean a oneness of law not dissimilar to chemicals with reference to pre ternatural occurrences and mythology, and analog ff ous thereto in cause and e ect . Referring to the faculties of the brain necessary 1 80 THE MYS TERI0 US TRA VELER

to conduct a self-sustaining and profitable busi ness laying dormant and undeveloped unless exer

cised sa , I will y that I have many times thought

of myself in this respect .

return1n After g to the states , it seemed that my efforts in various pursuances continually met with draw-backs ; although experience having been my

object in view , regardless of income . While in

for the stock business , instance , I believe I was in

e 1n the saddle longer, worried myself mor recover

ing strays , worked harder and longer at night and stormy weather; and had more patience than other men ; yet it seemed I could not meet with the suc n cess others did . In Paris , in the ewspaper busi ness , I believe , I worked harder , sweated more

t set S anding up correcting and making up forms , u \ later p at night writing , and lost more sleep than any other newspaper man living ; yet it seemed that I could not meet with financial success . The same until the present time when I have been engaged on a lighter scale in connection with i and teach ng school , I try to work to an advantage save money , but it seems I cannot meet with the

s success I should , or with the uccess my father did f with the same e forts .

Neveth eless s , in the past during ober reflections to en relative certain unavoidable happ ings , my con science smote me , when I righted wrong by send

as ing money to parties damaged I earned it , which

1 82 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

CHA PTER V X II .

Angola ! Angola !” the conductor finally called ut o as we were nearing another station . This is the county seat of the county of my childhood , and only eight miles from the village , “ Fremont , the place of my birth , I thought, Oh ,

how curious and sad I feel . I will sit by the window and look over th e passengers for up the road as they

see approach the train , and if I can recognize any

one . “That man looks like one of the Michaels used “ t o , I sighed , and this man here some one called o Scott . Can this be Duane Scott, a f rmer school w h o mate of mine , I wonder , has grown out of my recognition ! k But what if they should now me , what would I ! ” do I am not ready for this . off Here I went to the rear, got unobserved , and

layed over till morning . ob Walking up town to the Hendry House, I

w as served that the town , which nothing but a little

backwoods county seat when I left , had now grown

to be a metropolis with its electric lights , telephones ,

water works , street cars and towering steeples ; and inhabited by a p opulation of total strangers THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 1 83

n In the morning, refreshed by a cha ge of climate

a 'liver and diet , I directed my course northward in y — rig this time for Fremont , the place of my birth , and to me the seat of wonderment . ’ Only eight miles , about an hour s drive , and I

w as will be there , I said as I left town and looking abroad while the team was speeding away .

Now we are near where Mr . Dunkle used to live , but I will take an indirect route and avoid so much travel on the county road . I will turn to my right and enter the village from the southeast . Yonder used to be all timber land I mur “ l iva 1 n cu t t o . mured , but now all is under And these wire fences were not here when I left , but

s rail fence in their stead . The people had never seen such a thing ; they were entirely confined to ” the wild prairies of the west .

But I am nearly to the village . Oh , how I tremble and how melancholy I feel . Yes , yonder ! is the town . What a change , houses every place What else could I expect after these many years

- twenty seven long years . Here used to be the dingy dwellings of Sam

Wolfe , but now there stands elegant buildings on th e each side of road . And this used to be the farm of Joe Bricker , but the old buildings have been displaced with anew dwelling and large frame barn sufficiently elegant to do credit to the country about a metropolis . 1 84 THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER

! 15 Ah here the railroad , but nothing looks nat

ural . There was but one house on the east side ; is now the street lined with buildings . Between here and the village there was only

see a single house , now I them in every direction . Here is where the Evangelical church used to

stand . Yes , there are some of the maple tre

so used to be on the west side , though much larger, which I used to look at with weariness and monot ony through the window during the long sermons at services ; but now there is a new and larger build

ing in place of the old one . I will now turn south and see if I can find the

w e . house where used to live Yes , yonder is a “ h house t at looks like the one of my father did .

Indeed , there are the high steps on the north adjoin in oak g the porch , and the large tree which used to stand on the opposite Side of the road to the north ’ m Merven s o . and fr nt of Mr is still there , and also the houses of the widow Shupp and Mr . Dewey on

th e h the opposite corners to east , whic still look nat ural . Yes , unmistakably , this is the old home . But alas ! Am I like the prodigal son returning ’ ! to my father s house No , not like he ; for I never e received my portion , nor sp nt it in riotous living,

but made the rounds through my own exertion . A yl I will drive by and see if there is any Sign of life . Yonder by the stable , a woman is crossing the

~ ! sh e is . street . See an elderly lady , with grey hair ! h w ho What can t is be my Sister, after these many

1 86 THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER

But what else could I expect after rem a1n1ng away for a generation . Oh , could I but once more enjoy the blessing of his presence . i r I w ll recline upon the g ave and weep . ! O , my God what grave could contain such a father and mother . What sepulcher to me could embosom the remains of so much human excellence and glory ! But I must not cry aloud for yonder is a man w h o might hear me and come over and en quire what is wrong. ~ But my time is short ; I will arise and look over h the graves of ot ers . I fail to find other near s l inscri relatives , beside I can hard y read the p tions for the tears in my eyes ; I will drive on to the lower grave yard while I regain my composure, and see what discoveries I can make thither

Two miles south and I will be at the place , I m urm ered as I climbed in the buggy and directly

a w s speeding by the depot to the south . Yonder across the field is the place of our old to home, but some changes seem have been made , and the distance appears so m uch less than it used “ to . The dwelling now looks old and dingy , but there are two red barns in the place of the former e to one . On yonder hill we us d coast down hill , but now there is an orchard of large apple trees

w as set at the place , which out and grown since

I left . THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER 1 87

Here i s where the house stood around the turn of the road across the fields that was burned after my father favored the tramp the neighbors would not keep ; but another house has been built in its place . e e -in- In the next hous is wher my brother law, e J . P . Isenhower , lived before moving to the villag th e m erch antile and entering business ; though , I see the house has been enlarged and overhauled . to to e Next in going south , I used come the grav s yard ; but a house has sprung up ince , I notice . Though yonder on the hill the grave yard is com

ing in sight . Yes , and below the hill is the lake L from which the cemetery derived its name , ake V iew Cemetery . r e of But oh , this beautiful g ov pines and ever n greens ! What a cha ge. If they were set out h w en I left, they were too small to be noticed ; now they are tall spiring trees over a foot in diameter . I remember the interment of no one particular so here , I will begin and overlook the tombs as

I come to them . H 88 . u r 2 2 1 . Almond J ardenbrook, died Febr a y , 5 one I knew no by this name . 8 S . 1 R . Harriet , wife of E . Doster , died , 95 , born 1 82 ! 4 . What is this the mother of John , one of my playmates in my boyhood ! ff— — F 1 8 1 8 . Go daughter Emma . , died This 1 88 THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER

must be one of my school mates whom I survive t t - hese twen y four years . And here lies another , formerly a playmate and afterwards a chum in

school , whom I survive . But what else could be

expected of him . For I remember he had given

away to the alluring cup in his youth , before the effects of which he must have succumbed like house plants wither and die when watered with the same

liquids . Ah ! here lies th e remains of a m an of th e same name upon whom public suspicion rested in our ' village as a safe-blower and robber before my de ! parture . O my God surely no such suspicion has rested upon me during these many years of my h ow strange wandering. Oh , can there, after my to dutiful conduct to my parents , my generosity my brother and sister , my kindness and uprightness to m yfriends and acquaintance ! O God forbid ! I h ad rather be dead and relegated into oblivion for ! ever than to let this be the impression . Alas will I be under the guidance of Ostler and commit self destruction and avoid any risk ! Aye ! this would

not better conditions and would be cowardice, and i n . consc e the greatest of all crimes Besides , I am

w as un tious ; and , then , this man demented and balanced , otherwise he would never have advanced such frenzies . But what can the impression be that has become ! ! of me Indeed , it must be mysterious Oh, why

1 90 THE M YSTERIO US TRA VELER

The milk is gathered up over the country in them and taken to the creamery ; another thing brought

1 c about s nc I left . ‘ to im The clay roads here , which used be nearly passable , have been heaped up and graveled Since ff I left , and now a ord good travel . There are new and different houses to what there used to be along the road , and the distance between them appears to be but a step to what it used to . ‘ h ow ! Oh , strange everything looks And the people o I meet going to t wn are all strangers to me, Ah ! there is ~som eth ing com m g with considerable

‘ ! speed over yonder hill . What can it be It looks like a hand car only it is boxed up around , and the persons don ’t go up and down to make it go like

t . see an . hey used to Oh , I ; it is automobile Had

e p ople met this in the road when I left, they would ' have thought it w as the tender of a train th at run ff o the track and coming down the road . Here used to stand the log cabin of the old gen tlem an m y —in-law , Isenhower , the father of brother ; but other buildings have taken their place ; and the thick woods adj acent to his farm h as all been cleared away . Just a half mile ahead on the corner of the road is where the school house of my brother used to stand ; and a few hundred yards around to the road is where he had his residence .

see l Yes , I bui dings in that direction now , which

is must be the place . Ah , here a school house , but it THE MYS TERI0 US TRA VELER 1 9 1 is not the little one as it used to be ; it is a larger one and of brick . And yonder is the same two story house Elias lived in the last time I w as here ; but instead of a log barn , as there used to be , there is now a large frame one . Lo ! I see some people standing around about ! It not will do for me to tarry, nor be too observant ; I will go over to the place where his children were buried and see what additions the Lord saw fit to make during my absence . ‘ n a 20 H . o . s . John , of E and C Str w , died July , 1 8 1 1 d Y e 1 8 1 2 . s 7 ; aged years , mo , . , this is the

is lot of my brother ; this the grave of Johnny, my

o - S ix nephew . Had he lived , he w uld now be forty I years of age . I heard my mother say , was three days the older ; that would make me be bOrn No vem ber 1 2 1 8 8 th , 5 . O God ! how fleet the years do pass ; it seems only a little while Since we were little boys together . But ’ I feel as young and gay as I did in my teens th e day

I left home . I am up in years , though I am strong in constitution and preservation , and the likelihood of my longevity the same as that of others in start

1n ! g from youth . Yea the longevity of persons of sobriety and determination and of temperate par ents may be likened to the longevity of the pine and — the oak the pine withers away while the oak en

dureth many years thereafter . But here are other graves to what there were

w I w as hen last here . THE MYS TERI0 US TRA VELER

e 2 1 1 8 2 Elias Straw , di d November , 9 . ! Oh can it be that my oldest brother , like my ! father has too died since my departure Oh , how many th e lapse of time does bear over the river of li ! fe While this I might have expected , still I was i ot able to comprehend its reality nor realize its gravity.

But I must be on my way . I will now return my h t e . rig, and take my leave for my abode in west But alas ! I failed thus far to find the graves of my brothers , George and Benjamin , and that of my sister Amanda . They are either still alive or have drifted far away and were buried elsewhere . I will do so through an enqul ry about them in con nection ff see with other a airs , and if I can locate them .

With a sigh of relief, after solving the query, I

m urm ered so l — , they are still a ive George and sister still living at the village of my birth and ” B en am m j at Coldwater, Michigan . to Yes , I will now again return the west, and

then after reflection , send my history first to brother Benjamin ; for I must be cautions not to make m y

self known to the living of myrelatives too abruptly .

1 94 THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER

are e be of to If you my broth r , I g you come home ; for all of us would be so very glad to see your face once more .

Sister Manda , brother Benjamin and myself are

. all that are left of our family Q

Please answer by return mail .

R espectfully,

RA . S T W . G W .

It would be hard to imag ine what queer and sud

as den feelings came over me . It w a kind of anxiety mingled with sorrow and gladness— sorrow for h av1ng caused so much trouble of mind among my relatives , gladness as I felt that my welcome upon my return would be infallible, and of course now anxious to return home as quickly as possible .

Indeed , never before could I realize the gravity of my past actions until now as my mind was refl ect ’ ing back along my life s pathway . So I immediately

o e e e . wrote the foll wing l tt r, which xplains itself

E E NEW E ! I CO 1 1 0 . DE . N , M , Dec 4 , 9 5

F m I ndiana traw re ont . G. W . S , , DE AR BROTH E R : I received your welcome letter yesterday . Yes , I am your brother ; and I read your letter With a trembling hand . Thereupon , I Will

send you herewith a sketch of my past history . THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER 1 95

It must indeed be a mystery to you why your brother should have wandered away, and remained abroad these many years . But undoubtedly you s be mu t have been observant, as I am now , that fore leaving I w as Wild and endowed with a spirit of restlessness . Wild and restless , not to do evil nor calculated to injure persons in life or property, but to be venturesome and learn the ways of the world . For you know from yourself and the record of the family that it is not in our blood to be doers of evil nor breakers of law and order . But I have no apologies to offer except the history of my life which I present to you .

It does look hard , brother , that I should have

ou so to treated y all as I did , after you were good — me you w as always as kind to me as a brother

a m oth er could be , Amanda like to me after mother

and al died , Benjamin never cross to me , father ways managed to have me surrounded with all the blessings and luxuries for Which a boy could wish . You may know from the writing I send you that I had not only come to the conclusion to return home , but had made arrangements to this end . The w a L re y I came to write to awyer Melendy , I had

su turned from a scout to that country , such as g introductor o f m h istor gested in the y y, y, and had used your and father ’s names in connection with names of strangers as a research into matters I had

e n glected . My intention was to have my history 1 96 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

to ro e e first printed and send a copy b th r B njamin , as I had already determined w h o were among the ’ living and the dead , which was the saddest day s ex n perie ce of my life . I had this manuscript type written , and had just sent it to the publishers , a letter from whom I enclose , which also may furnish some explanation . A ll this happening in the way it has , I shall now be back home some time in January . I have man aged to keep myself free from nuptial and other en tanglements so that at any time I could fly where

soever I wished .

e Tell Amanda to r st easy , not worry , all Will

is come right . As to Benjamin , if he as he used to

be , nothing will bother him . There are things in connection with my life that

a m y seem nearly incredible to you , but you may know I give it straight as I mention it in a way

1nv sti ation which leaves it open for e g . I wrote this history nearly all while I was herding my sheep on the would-be measa last sum

mer . As soon as I return home I expect to use m y

right name again , though , I prefer spelling it as d — I use to when attending school Straugh . Under a stand , I had right to go under assumed names from the fact that I had been more or less con s an l t t y enlisted in the detective service . I will add that you may know I am a m an of

1 98 THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER

— L Fa e L a ett . Now I am at St . ouis now at y Here I entered a telegraph office and sent a dispatch to

as as my brother follows , and I had promised .

LAFA E E IND 1 h 1 06 Y TT t . , Jan . 9 , 9

G t Frem ont I nd . W . r S aw . , , Will be at Fremont on the train tomorrow

S TRA I HO . afternoon . Your brother, A . P . A .

— Now I am at Ft . Wayne now at Angola . But here is some one that passed me going through the train looking at every passenger , I will follow him . “ ’ If he wouldn t be so fleshy, I thought , I might h take him to be my brot er George . x “ ’ i w ! ” h . Isn t t s G. Straw I finally demanded . i ’ s . Yes , and this Philip I wouldn t have known n ye any more . I went to Ft . Wayne purpose to ’ meet you , but I begin to think you wasn t on the

w as . train , the reply “ re Do you know this woman , he continued , ferring me to a middle aged and rather tall lady by our side , wearing a pair of gold rimmed spec “ ” les tac . It is Eva Isenhower , your niece . “ - - What, can it be Eva , the little four year old ,

- curly headed girl when I left , now a grown up a !” wom n like this I ejaculated . ! Oh , what a change “ Sister Amanda and my wife Laura Will be at THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER 1 99

us th e the station to meet , George again said as “ ’ train again moved on from Angola . You needn t — look for my wife to be an old womanz sh e is young yet, he added . “ L ’ 3 Oh , Manda and aura s hearts , I know , are ” itt - in now going p y pat over Philip coming, Eva terrupted as w e were coming in sight of the town .

Oh , what strange feelings came over me during our ride from the county seat to my home town the strangest of all strange feelings . It is not like a person having been gone this length of time when everybody knows where he has been and What he “ a a h s been doing . How will my sister look and p ” “ ! sh e pear I thought . I presume is an old maid and careworn over the mysterious disappearance of

sh e so . her brother , of whom thought much And how will the people act a tow ard s me after so long and strange an absence ! ”

All this time I w as too interested to be seated .

w as so sur Yes , my mind absorbed that the people rounding me were of no more significance than had

I been surrounded by so many trees . “ This must be my sister, I sighed , walking

accom away from the train , as an elderly lady, panied with one of her junior and a little g 1rl ap “ ’ roach ed p me . And this is George s wife and little ” girl Beulah , I added . It is in place to say that everybody displayed towards me a great manifestation of welcome , 200 THE MYS TERI0 US TRA VELER

a which w s equally appreciated . A number of old ac qua intances and a few school mates I met on the w ay but had they not been introduced w e would not “ have recognized each other . Ho ! you Spaniard ” L you , awyer Melendy said as I met him crossing ” the street , I know you . “ ‘ Why, he used to have such a fair complexion ” and light hair , I thought , I would hear them say “ h as now he a dark complexion and black hair .

’ “ Arriving at my brother George s , I found him l1v1n - g m a handsome eight room cottage, lit up by

electric lights , the rooms heated by a furnace from the below , and nicely furnished and of latest con

ni n s is ve e ce . I feel like speaking of this since it such a contrast to the torch light convenience of caves and the hovels and dugouts of frontier life

te which I had been accustomed . “ ” DO you think my wife w as worth stealing !

he finally ej aculated , after some familiarity with

her and the premises . “I must congratulate you upon your ability to capture such a beautiful girl as She must have been

so when you married . inasmuch that there are many years difference in your ages and sh e having been a young accomplished school ma ’am of exemplary

character . You must be specially gifted to have

had such influence at your command . Her reputa

tion , not only , but her actions show that She is a

good woman . With such a Wife and little girl

202 THE M YSTERIO US TRA VELER

A nd oh such reminiscence that came , to my mind as I leaf them over .

i Philli us S tram entum Here s p A . written in near l is y every book . This my name I had translated L h a into atin , and d never thought any more about it from that day to this .

is be But here a picture hanging on the wall , can it me before leaving they had since framed ! I would never have recognized it any more . Oh , how wild it looks to me now . But here is a history of Steuben m 1 88 county among y books , published in 5 and after I left , I notice gives a sketch of the family

“ It a of my father . speaks favorable of him s a man of ability and integrity ; and mentions my name also . I will read what it says about me “ son A His youngest , Philip . , is a lecturer of e wide repute , at pr sent traveling in Africa . He has had a fine education and being a fluent speaker and of natural talent he charms his audiences , and ” his services are in constant demand . Aha ! this makes me think of the one w h o fol lowed me out once after a lecture and said th ey all thought well of my lecture but were to cowardly to acknowledge it . Though a great trouble with

see now w as my lectures then , I can it , that in Show not ffi ing up the absurdities , I did give su cient in

sa see its place . So to y, I could only through a glass darkly . “What did father seem to think when he quit THE MYS TERI0 US _TRA VELER 203

! ” hearing from me I asked . “ ’

. so Oh , he thought it couldn t be He thought much of you . Whenever new preachers would

. h come, he would take them to the parlor and S ow

w as them your picture, saying it the picture of his youngest son and that he heard from him last from

Key West Island years ago , and thought he must ” have been drowned while on the ocean . “ ’ It s awful hard , sister, for me to think about, and were it not for the old adage that a father should

w a a train up his son in the y he should go , and th t ’ I am conscientious in my actions, I don t know What ’ ’ se I d do . But I can t e any‘possible chance that it W h could have been avoided . y, I used to be as fi h ” restless as a s out of water . “ But did you enjoy yourself while thus away ! ”

t sa Oh I hardly know wha to y, my mind having

so ff been absorbed with di erent things . Sometimes I would engage in games of cards just to draw my ” mind from them which tended to bother me . “How could you do such a thing—play cards While we were here at home crying half the night wondering what became of you ! ”

is - n But some one ringing the door bell . As Ma da " is out, I will go and open . A rather tall and slightly careworn man stood at the door . He was noticeably careful though not faltering in his speech , and appeared slow in press ing his business . 204 THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER

m Come , I said after he stood for an instant .

I so h is n doing , I began to recognize features in physique as that of my brother Benjamin . ' ! ” You re my brother , Benjamin , are you not I said . “ ! ” Can this be Philip he sighed . I would not ” have recognized you . That he should have come from Coldwater ex pressly to see me and where he knew I was at and

is then not recognize me a rare occurrence . h im But I will now visit with at Coldwater . I him found pleasantly situated , living with his wife u L Ella and one child , a da ghter , illian by name, in her seventeenth year .

The first thing noticeable was his small family, comparatively Considerin‘g . ob I thought , have my brothers been servant of the prophecy of Malthus , who a century ago startled the world by depicting the horrors which would follow over-population or - is it merely a matter of propriety and a means to other ends .

In our conversation , strange things presented themselves .

sa You y, brother , several years ago a runner was sent up from the Arlington to enquire about your missing brother . “ Who could this have been , I thought . Was it a man in whose h ands that letter might have fallen when I deserted the boys and in passing through enquired about me ! ”

206 THE M YSTERIO US TRA VELER

are avenues With towering trees and appears like a city built up in a Woods with the many trees left standing about to afford an abundance of shade dur1ng the sweltering time of summer . But I have now visited all the living of our fam ily . There is father, my brothers Elias and Fred , ’ my Sisters Annie and Elizabeth , and Annie s hus

R . band , ev . B . F . Wade, all died Since I left I will now visit with the husband of my sister n E . . , lizabeth , J P Isenhower , and my livi g nieces L amora , Sara and Eva , Ida having died during my absence . “ I can tell it is Philip as I view you from the ” r side , M . Isenhower said as he walked around gazing at me attentively . “Amanda showed you the valise sent us years a sh e g efrom Mexico found in a cave , did not, con he taining your diary and other things , continued

1nt rval after an e . “ ” Yes , I replied , though I had forgotten all about it ; but upon opening the valise and seeing a

- 1t . dog collar , all came back to my mind It was a f valise in which I carried cartridges about ; and it

for having become worn at the bottom , I used it

- other trinkets , and one day put in a dog collar and that was the last I remember of it . We were camp ing out in the wilds and I had picked up a large dog for the camp for which I had bought a leather ” collar . THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER 207

a But oh my nieces . What a change in their p pearance and surrounding ; all except Eva having married since I left and now have grown up child — L ren amora three boys and a girl , Sara one girl — n and a boy, and Ida two boys all bor and grown up during my absence .

Indeed , it seems like arising from the dead after a generation and returning again . Should by some mechanical device our universe at th 1s moment be turned forward and present to them the husbands and wives of their children with their families of grown boys and girls the panorama would be no more novel to them than this is to me now . “ No telling What change in my life it would have caused , had I came to you when you wrote for me from Eureka Springs , Arkansas , while at Ashland , ” L Wisconsin , Mr . Powers , _the husband of amora e—“ said after a tim no telling, I might not be your nephew by marriage and the father of these child ren . But I am glad you came back Phil . Your people worried about you a long time . And I must say they are a good people you came back to .

There is your brother George and Wife, and your sister Amanda— no better people the world ever

as needs . If the world w composed of such people ’ w e wouldn t need any laws , criminal laws especial ” ly.

Making my narrative short, I will next visit my — nephews , the children of my oldest brother Wil 208 THE M YSTERIOUS TRA VELER a liam , Albert , Gr nville , George , Harvey , and Her my ; Hermy having been born and grown up to manhood Since I left ; and none of the boys were

grown when I left except William , Who had just m arried . Katy , their mother, I found married

again , married to a Mr . Brown . I found them all

married except Hermy, and of families of children . “ ’ ” n You do t look much like you did , William “ interrupted , though leaving in your youth and

- away these many years , twenty seven , was it not, “ e what else could be expected . I well rememb r ”

saw . when I last you , he continued I had just i w as been marr ed , and living up stairs at my fathers- in-law when you had returned from a trip and made us a visit ; when shortly afterwards you

left again and was never more heard from , which makes it twenty-seven years according to my reck ” oning . “ Yes, I made a number of trips in that time before

I left to stay, and I was of the same impression as 1 8 you that my last visit home was in 79 , though some think I w as back again in the summer of ’ ’ 80 . For I know it was some time before that when I w as down in Texas and was writing home as though at college at Ann Arbor , Michigan , having mailed my letters on trains to mislead in ’ postmarks . And I don t think I staid at Ann Arbor over a week after I had been matriculated . But here are several letters from my nieces of

Kansas to my sister relating to me, I will read

2 1 0 THE M YSTERIO US TRA VELER

Aunt Laura has not sent paper with article about him , at least we never got it .

t us Some one write a once and tell about him , and send paper . Your loving niece , N HARRI O MA DA S N .

E WTON N 2 1 0 . 6. N , KA SAS, Feb , 9 2 2 1 Main Street .

Mr B i k F m W . c er r I s . r e ont ta , , r . 3 DEAR AU NT : Manda got a letter that U ncle

Philip came home . It seems it can not be true .

! a w e are all But oh how g l d , no one knows , for it w as - W e x1 a shock to us . are so an ous to hear a l l about him .

A ! se How nd oh I do hope we can e him too . we have wondered and wondered about him . =1< >1< >x< >1< >1< =1<

I TTIE ER MA L W I . u . G remain yo r niece , N

EW TON N 1 06. N , KA SAS , Feb . 3, 9

2 1 r 4 South West 3 d St . DEAR AU NT AMANDA : We are all overjoyed to hear that Uncle Philip was back again . I guess none of us ever expected to hear from him again , w e for I am sure I never did . How would all like to see him once again . I suppose he is getting quite

so . gray , having been gone long G ood bye, and love to all , I remain your niece, E E M MAGGI B H . THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELE R 21 1

’ w h o These are my Sister Annie s children , have

married and live in Kansas . There are four girls ,

and Clara , Mattie , Manda and Maggie ; two boys ,

w as Jerome and Fred . Their father a minister of the gospel and w as constantly abroad on different circuits so that I failed to be with them in my

youth like the rest of the family . Great changes I also observe among others than

my relatives . You say t hat is the daughter of Willy Garn quoth I as a married lady was pointed out to me one ! night at the opera . Why I remember , just before

leaving, I and that boy were out a squirrel hunting together and he w as just a gosling of a thing and ’ is I don t think ever had looked at a girl , and now a married man with a grown up and married daug h

ter ! Equal changes have likewise taken place in the

physical nature of things , and social , religious and of political as well , which I will speak in the con e udin a e l g ch pt r, 2 1 2 THE M YSTERIO US TRA VELER

CHAPTER XIX .

This used to be a scope of miry marsh and

swamps , virulent cesspools for breeding chills and ” fever when I left , I said , as we were driving along “ but to the east of the village, it has all been tiled

Since and now is a black , loamy region dotted with d ” farm houses an barns . ff ! How di erent it looks now All about , on the

as old homestead well , were similar swamps and ponds , most of which have been tiled and drained , and now instead of generators of malaria , grow the richest of crops ; and the much dreaded ague i s a thing of the past . i s . This not all These places not only , but mere fill hollows and valleys , I see have noticeably been ff ing up by the sediment washing from o the hills . What a change therefore in the course of time in the future , the hills wearing away and filling up the depressions , a leveling of the country , a change taking place I had not thought of before . Nor had I thought in my youth that these swamps and ponds ff could be drained so e ectually . Little did I think that they were a concatenation of swamps and hol l n so w s reaching to lakes and rivers , that they could

2 14 THE M YSTERIO US TRA VELER

man I met a year ag o by th e graveyard when I w as ” looking for the dead among my people , I thought . I was out of mood then and probably said more to

him than I should have said . “The graveyard looks fearful ragged it seems to “ me, I said . Here they have decoration days but ’ the graveyards don t Show it . Where I am from ’ they don t have them , but the graveyards look better

than this . But I will next look up the churches and go among the different church people and see what s change have taken place . Here is the Congrega

tional A Church , but it stands vacant now . church c ! without a prea her . What does this mean Is there

now x a lack of interest in religious matters in the town of my boyhood the same as I find in the cities ! In the large cities I found over half the population that never pretend to go to church and others w h o manifestly have lost their sincerity ; and statistics Show that th e tendency is constantly in

i a . this direction , and dr fting towards ph risaism I will attend the services in the churches with

Rev pastors and investigate this still more ; . Ren ner being the pastor of the Evangelical Church and

R R e . ev . eichelderfer of the M thodist “ It is with pleasure that I meet with pastors

’

of the church of my parents , I said , as I shook “

R R . hands with ev . enner I do not wish to con trary you in your religious convictions if you think THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER 2 1 5

n o on nue . you are doi g g o d , I c ti d But while I want to do what is right , I can believe in such things h only that will stand tests in the future , suc that ” are philosophical and lasting .

Yes , after investigation , I found the same mani festation of disinterest m religious matters here as elsewhere . In my boyhood , churches were crowded with scholars and young people from all classes , but I found only a few of them at services now ; and there is more going fishing and to places of resort on Sunday than there used to be . Then again so many of those that profess , Show by their actions that they themselves believe not in what they ad “ vocate . The sermons of fire and brimstone and Jesus Christ and his resurrection from the dead

- A cease to be a scare crow among them . new relig of ion , rid superstition and p reached in a practical m way and in har ony with the sciences , or essence of the true God , is what is wanted now . The cur rent religion has not kept pace with the material

n A S civilizatio of the world . man advances in civ ilization , he rises to purer and more comprehensive c con eption of God and religion ; and , it does seem to ’ me that the preachers should be ingenious enough to _interpret the bible in a way that is in conformity to these never changing laws of the true God and d Creator , and adjust their octrine to the new civ

iliz a i n t o . This condition as it is today is a clear

case of the blind leading the blind . 2 1 6 THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER

. R R But I must stop My brother says ev . eichel

derfer se is coming over to e me . “ I must not insult him now in his belief, I “ thought, for it is not only ill manners , but a duty of man to man to give one another the right to their

own convictions if they can not agree . And besides , I have found that those w h o think everybody is wrong except themselves and do not extend this ” right , bear watching .

now . Yes , there he comes He is bound to be a smart man or he could not direct his prayers to

the point at all occasions as he does , and I am glad

he is coming . “Don ’t you think that that which is known as ‘ ’ e heartf lt religion , as generally called , is nothing more than a kind of a reflex action or emotional feel ing brought on by a guilty conscience giving w ay to 5m acknowledgment and endeavor to do better, I

said after a time . Although I never belonged to en church , I remember instances of myself, after in gaging things my conscience smote me , and after getting the consent of my mind to retract and do ff s di erent , a wonderful feeling of atisfaction would come over me and such a pleasing change that I ” would feel like shouting aloud . h But I must make my narratives s ort . My brother George is going to the lake prospecting to build another cottage , he says , having sold the one he had .

2 1 8 THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER

o and s n o used to g hunting fi hi g t g ether . I will

se step over and e him . “ is A . re Well, this Philip , he said fter the ou w as port came back years ago that y killed , I “ s e never expected to e you again . Many changes ” “ took place since you left , he continued . I know the time when I could have bought this land along the shore for a dollar and a half an acre ; now it is ” fo -fi e selling r seventy v dollars a lot . “ Y es , yonder are springs where a party and I

fish had camped to hunt and a while before leaving, “ he w as I said, w n there nothing here but woods and thickets , and now there are elegant cottages ” is built along the beach and a place of resort .

But I have not given my views on religion yet . I must do so or I would not be giving a full Sketch

Y es e of my history . , I will do this , for seeing som ! inevitable changes for the good of humanity that are ff impending, I must put forth e orts to help adjust

is u it . Besides , it unquestionably the duty of all p right and liberty loving citizens to give expression to their honest convictions , for would it not have been for this in the past w e would still be brewing th in heathenism . With reference to myself and e bible , it reminds me of the ignorant boys that found a watch in the road and tore out the works and looked in to find what made the noise . So during

- the twenty seven years of my wandering, I looked into the machinery of the Creator and saw the THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER 2 1 9

ea es s works . The gr t t obj ection I found with the

is h is bible that it does not come up with greatness , as it h as been interpreted and preached by the

The first thing we notice in studying the works of the Creator is that everything is arranged on some great plan of order and harmony, order reigning n u iversally and with mathematical precision . In

sun our solar system , the , moon, earth and all ‘ the planets are the s ame in their operation today as they were yesterday and the same yesterday as they were twenty or forty centuries ago . It is the

i n same the mineral , vegetable and animal king

— sea doms of the earth the storms on land and , the peals of thunder and lightning and the physical changes , the growth of vegetation and their mode

ex t n a of reproduction, the is e ce of nimals and the union of male and female in begetting their young —all this is the same today as yesterday and the

ac same yesterday as it was ages ago , everything cording to some great unchangeable plan of order and harmony . Under these conditions , how else can such stories as the miraculous birth of Jesus

h is Christ and resurrection from the dead , Jonah in in the belly of the whale , and the ascension to heaven of Elijah in a chariot of fire , be regard ed by reasonable people and the thinking genera tions of the future only as similar stories in ancient ! o c mythology What sensible pers n ould believe it , 220 THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER

were it to be preached by some sect to have occurred today or yesterday ! How then believe that it oc curred in the past when the same laws of the Cre now ! ator were in operation then as No , to struggle against the overwhelming force of science and truth in Shielding mythological narratives under the

is notion of doing good all in vain . Some may think that the current church doctrine has stood ~ too long to fail ; but it is a mistake , as other idola trous religions had stood much longer and their peo ple bowed to their gods more reverently and de pended on them in fighting their battles with more ven sincerity than have e our people on the Trinity . It is just a matter of time till it must give way to L or the force of science . et this be ten years a

thousand years . “I he trouble in the Churches doing good in the future with success is that it is too much dead

weight to carry . It will pull them down and they will perish the same as have other forms of idolatry Th that existed . e most I can make of the Christian religion of today is that it was taken from the

sa Jews , and so to y, run into the ground . Instead doing the deeds of goodness and kindness as taught by the Jesus of Nazareth they have changed it into “ ” a man worship , worshiping the man instead of paying so much attention to the principles he taught and for which he was cruelly murdered or cruci d fie .

222 THE MYS TERI0 US TRA VELER

a e n t tr nsmitted from fath r to so for ages . Let his ’ it m a be as y, it seems that the Jews for all the many safeguards by which their devotion to the one and supreme being was p rotected in their religious sys tem , from the first were continually seduced into following false gods and idolatrous forms of wor

Ship . e The clergy generally of today, I find , use the bibl as a whole with all its fiction and superstition as a basis for uprightness and morality as theycannot conceive of anything else that would serve as a i e . s s e guide With me it just to the reverse . I that m ancan not do wrong and commit crime with out corroding the intellect and degenerating h im self . This , then , made the bases , similar to other

s . ciences , is the only reliable and true basis Why, m an can not do a Single immoral or unrighteous act u b f what it mars his human excellence . Nothing now could appear more ridiculous to me than to have mere tradition or mythological narra i t ves . for a guide For , this belongs to the dark ages and ignorance when people could do no better, as it is merely a hope to some end without any cer

as tainty . Besides it is a dangerous basis , it leads i s tOO . to false perceptions . It tangible It is like a Ship without a rudder . We must have a basis that is law and in which w e are certain . In our business transactions w e would not think for a minute to depend upon the like of this for cor ’ THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER 223

o rect results , never think of depending up n a hope to a n end without any certainty ; but w e have es tablish ed principles that are lasting and always the same and in which w e are certain we can depend m upon for results and which we can all agree .

It is the same in astronomy , physics, chemistry, — in surveying and navigation all these, people would not think of depending upon hope for re sults , they have established principles for bases , not ’ contrary to the Creator s laws , and in which they can agree and are certain in obtaining correct re s lts u . Why then depend on traditions and mythological narratives for a basis upon which people can not

e agree , for purity, human xcellence and happiness ! both in this world and the world to come No , it

s t ce is a farce . It i a prac i that the corrupt priest hood had fabricated and cherished in the past to

and r e confuse mislead the laity for t ibut , and which has been continued in some form to this day . It w as in this respect that I wandered about for h a time w it out a moral or religious standard . The

s Prote tant or. Catholic bibles as preached were no more a persuasion to me against crime and im o m rality than the one of Mohammed , and the one of Mohammed no more than that of a picture al

e see mana . But gradually I began to that there w as a true God in Israel , and that his glory and magnificence was science itself . And I find that 224 THE MYS TERI0 US TRA VELER there are others going astray the same way by th e thousand . v Again , the danger in not ha ing a logical basis in religious matters the same as in all other things e is that the lib rty loving people , the people who be lieve in worshiping according to the dictates of their

so a anst own conscience , will be divided g them selves that their opponents in consolidating might ' overwhelm them . There is the Roman Catholic church whose education of her people i s for them to yield the right of private judgment in religion c t and ac ept dic ation from the priesthood , which is a power growing and re ady to take advantage of the c Protestants in their division , hypocrisy and orrup

sa tion . I y division , because there are several hun dred different denominations more or less arrayed ag ainst one another , and as they have merely tra sa h oc ditions for a basis they can not agree . I y yp risy because there is beginning to be a large ele ment in the churches that believe not their doctrine themselves and are hypocritical as their actions

Show . And I say corruption , because the hypocrites and outsiders not having a standard of uprightness and religious duties in which they can agree , or any reason for such , are straying away into corruption ff and indi erence , which in all ages has been a men ace to civilization . As long as the Catholic church yields the right of private judgment in religion and accepts dic

226 THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER

had compiled , modeled on this style , which became m isplaced and lost in my rounds . I would strike out ' th e and instead miracles , of posing as a Moses , I

e s ie r would present it as a m re c nce , w itten by a hum ble citizen for the benefit of humanity . It may be inferred from the introduction that at one time and

r befo e I came altogether to my senses , I entertained

a r ideas of this kind . And I might s y that had I e mained in this notion , I probably never would have e returned home nor mad myself known to my people, not even conducted myself in a w ay that would have

1ven oc g my brother any clew , and given him an

- casion to write to me as he did . I would not have ’ been known as the Carpenter s son but my identifi cation positively would have been obliterated . It

w as seems however, that while this my notion , it w as my intention to pose as such only for a time and then make myself known and use it to make an im pression to prove the absurdity of these things . o Th ugh with reference to a Scriptural science , merely the Golden Rule do unto others as you ”

u . would wish them to do unto you , is a safe g ide This applied conscientiously will lead one happily through this life and land him safely in the home be

. see a IS yond For , I th t this a chemical world and

w e see that are chemical beings . I that mythology and superstitions have no more to do with the real ities of the world to come than they have with the

e realities of this world . When w come to die, it THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER 227

is the forces within us that will count and not the

whims , ceremonies and hurrahs that we might go

sa through with in this life . So to y, whenever the

' a l puts us into crucib e for a test , that alone 11 the story of our past lives ; and if the forces developed within us are in his likeness we are fitted

us to live in the home he has prepared for , but if the forces are after the likeness of the brute animals what else can w e expect but that w e will be prepared

to abide with those only of their kind . But let this

w e be as it may , if live right the soul will take care

of itself . It is in this respect that so many of the churches ’ are mistaken with reference to Christ s teaching . “ Christ said : Inasmuch as ye have done it unto

one of the least of these my brethren , ye have done ” it unto me . Beyond the great plan of order reigning supreme ’

l w e . y, the Creator s laws , have no need to bother

All with which w e have to do .are the laws of this

ff Th e world that a ects our being . mere belonging to church positively has in itself no saving power ;

one not belonging, if good , stands equal chances , as is the enobling qualities and nothing else upon

. h at it depends . I say this because I know of w I k O f ing . course , appropriate organizations are the promotion of these virtues and en ities or the good which the churches are " accom lish and striving to p , one whether ‘ 228 T E MY S VELE H STERIO U. TRA R he belongs or not should Shield them in their en deavors With reference to our unmistakable duty towards in the Creator , to our Father in Heaven , may be ferred by comparing the duty of mere children to the father in this world . What would a reasonable

r father think of his children , after setting apart thei

be work to perform , if they would daily supplicate

ne fore him with ceremonies and outcries , and even gleet the work set apart for them ! Would not the father look upon them with indifference and dis ap proval ! Why then should we not expect the same

our A llw 1se thing of Creator , our Father in Heaven , towards his children onearth ! Y es I think that all our Heavenly Father requires of us 15 the same as a reasonable father in this world Should require of his children towards him and themselves . And I think so much devotion to ceremonies and needless expenses of which most of the churches are

. w guilty , are all uncalled for I kno , for instance my conscience would be clearer to give my wine and f bread o fering money to some needy people . Though , i u I could not oppose them , or any nstitution that p holds and encourages morality and good manners ,

so if they are conscientious in doing , and give me the

same right to my views as they claim for themselves . A nd if there are some people they can make better

al by going on in their way I oppose it not . I was ways careful not to have anything to say or do

230 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER manifestation of reverence towards our Creator l from whom all blessings f ow . But as far as I am

and concerned , I am thankful at all times ; , the Crea

fa tor being allwise , he knows it without making a matic out of myself and make myself and others mis

erable . in this world If any thing , this is a Sin for

h is re the Creator being allwise , dignity is above the i m n u re e t . q of the like of this And , though inspira tions and blessings to some extent may emanate directly from Him through such prayers , it is not probable that w e could cause his set laws to change materially in our behalf . At least , I think in most respects it would suit Him better for us to have a little judgment of our own and use the reason He has given us and go ahead and do right without bothering him too much . im And in saying grace at the table , I see nothing

as proper . I have even thought that it serves a token oh of order in a refined family of people . And

' servance of a day of rest , Sunday , or the Sabbath , as you may call it , in reverence to the Creator for

his greatness and wonderful works is all right . Even set apart by law the same as for the com

see . memoration of other events , I not out of place

Besides , it is essential to our well being, physi cally and mentally to have such a day of rest and for

reflection .

And , to which I alluded , the great good that the

churches apparently are striving to accomplish , I oppose not—it is the mythology and superstition THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER 231

h aris ism and the p c , fanaticism and other corruption

I oppose . ! Why it is with reluctance that I say it, but I can

s - 1 not with tand , I have been with long ha red and cussing cowboys that showed and practiced a greater degree of genuine christianity than members of some

churches I have noticed . Instead of making fun of

- the poorly dressed and treated with unconcern , I have noticed that they would g 1ve them aid and

sympathize with them . Then I have not forgotten the experiments I made in my rounds by picking out ideal members of certain churches and approaching them as an unfortunate . It is in this respect that I denounce them as not believing their ow n doctrine as they Show it by their actions. Neither have I for gotten the corruption at the head of some religious institutions of which I could not approve . “ is u i n - Yonder an instit t o they call a nunnery, I “ said one day to a partner, they are needing facto

w e tums , I notice , suppose get us a job , and through ” some scheme explore it . “ There are nuns , and there are priests , I thought . ~ W hy! are they not of the same emotions and pas ! ” sions as other people that they should not marry “ w a I continued to think . I will grope my y into the ” recesses and investigate this matter . It w as after a time through this chicanery that I theorized the maneuvers and saw the good and the

v a e il as it w s .

No , nor would it profit a man to oppose the good 232 THE MYSTERIO US TRA VELER in anything ! For I have learned that good doing is power while wrong doing is demoralization and de cay . If a neighbor makes a practice to build himself

a up at the expense of others he will fall , for it is all

. A falsefier matter of law thief, a robber , a in his course develops those propensities peculiar to brute animals and destroys those powers that elevated him as is a man , and he likely to go beyond his abilities of control when he goes from bad to worse . His business and social qualities decay ; he is not himself, and he falls to that extent he reaps what he sows . And I see it is the same with a plutocracy in gov

nm n a f er e t l a fairs as with an individual . The con troling class of rich men that buy off conventions and bribe legislators to enrich themselves at the ex

en pense of other classes , are merely laying snares to

. trap themselves , and unless they change , miseries w ill fall upon them and their accomplices . Should they escape it in this world it will fall upon their pos terit n y The plutocracy will then have all to lose, the persecuted all to gain , corruption will reign supreme , and the end must come . This is the law of the God w e of the heavens , and might as well oppose the ex istence of thunder and lightning or the overwhelm ing power of an earthquake as to try to oppose it . And I think that if a man o f this kind who has used his efforts and money in procuring such unjust legislation and through this and monopoli stic m ea ns becomes wealthy and then does charitable acts to

THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER

A DDRES S TO HI S N EIGHB R I N O S A ND FR E DS .

B E T : T A T HI H H S U J C H W C A U N TED ME .

: Neighbors and Friends Many years ago , and while yet in my youth , I stood before an audience in this, my native town before .

w as That time my lecture on temperance . This ff time my address is of a di erent character . That time it was more to draw the minds of my friends m from atters in which I was engaged while abroad . This time more as an explanation upon matters w as with which my mind then absorbed , or as will “ ” very well express it, that which haunted me .

sa In the first place , whatever I will y, I wish it understood that I oppose not any thing in which there is any good . The great law of love as had b een preached by the Jesus of Nazareth is indis

th e pensable to civilization and happiness . To help f to a flicted and the needy , do unto others as you would that they should do unto you— no teaching is grander that this .

1t 1S t w a But while this is true , presen ed in a y by the clergy that does not harmonize with the progress of the world , and becomes less and less effectual in its purpose ; and as a whole more and h s i . w a more repugnant This is y I , a c tizen , take

e the stand I do . And I think that as w are all born equal , a good man or a gentleman will not e only give me a rig ht to my views , but would rath r THE MYS TERIO US TRA R VELE 2 35

o that I express them . And I als wish it to be un derstood that while I may tear down certain doc trines , I have something to give in its place .

As far back as I , can remember and as soon as

I became old enough to have ideas of my own , I found that I could not see, particularly in religious m e matters , as others see , which created within a spirit of restlessness . With this I was continu i ally haunted . By this I mean t clung to me and I could not get rid of it . When I began to divulge nd these ideas to others I fou that I was rebuked . I was told by the preachers that I w as dead m 8 111 ; e that that is what was the matt r with me , and that

I was on the road to hell . This made me vicious and desperate . It drove me away from home out

. t into the world The reason , I think hat I did not t continue at hat time in promulgating my ideas , was not only that I lacked experience to make m y u feel suffi self equal to the emergency, but lacked cient grit to express them . Even I tried for a time to avoid giving anything in my book that opposed orthodox religion and after my return home to re n sume ranching agai in the west as a pursuance , ' r and let the world and religion take ca e of itself . But the first thing I knew upon recruiting up and

re gaining my composure , the old Spirit again ’ v1ved t ; besides , I wasn at home but a few days till I was informed that my house and everyth ing in the west was burned down and all I had left was 2 36 THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELBE

s of w had a e a dreary wa te land , hich also t ndency to discourage me in that direction .

Now , my ambition is to do what I can in a rea re sonable way , from time to time, to exp ss my con i ions v ct . I will first review my investigations in this line before leaving home . In reading ancient literature at that time I found that every nation originally had its peculiar creed or form of religious worship of some kind .

The ancient Egyptians , I found , had their diver

S it ersom fications y of gods, and p of the elements , passions , senses , and were introduced . _ feelings

Their gods were divided into several orders . The first contained eight gods ; the second twelve ; and the third an unknown number . The eight gods of the first order were Amen , Mentu , Atum , Shu , ' S 6b , Osiris , Set , Horus , and Sebak, according to the Theban version . The other orders in like man ner had their gods . Some of these gods they had f- sel existent, others the sons of gods and some born of a mother only . I had found that the Baby lonians had , at the head of their system of reli w h o gion , Baal , represented , in a general way , the power of nature ; and along with him stood the

Baaltis goddess , as feminine complement , with whose worship all manner of licentious rites were associated . I read of the gods of the Celtic nations ; three

238 THE M YS TERI O US TRA VELER

rifices urifications , libations , p , banquets , lays and songs . Their sacred places consisted of mere hal lowed spots on hills and in groves or special build ings dedicated to a special deity . I had found that ancient Greece had its plastic w orship of nature , with its visible objects and its invisible powers ; of abstract notions , sensations , propensities , and actions ; of tutelary Numina , or household or family gods ; and of exalted men or h heroes , some of w om deified after death, and others sprung from the embrace of gods and the

of —a beautiful daughters men system , while com of posed widely discordant elements , yet a unity , and harmonious and consistent in its minutest parts . Of their gods , twelve were national , who together with a vast male and female retinue dwelt on the heights of Mt . Olympus around its i h ghest peak .

Then , of course , I read about the Pentateuch of the Hebrews , and traced them from Mesopotamia into Palestine , thence to Egypt , and , after a period of bondage , back again to Palestine , which country

1 they reconquered . I read of the r division to that of the Israelites and that extraordinary people a the Jews . Then after the B bylonian captivity and return of the Jews to rebuild Jerusalem , I read of them becoming animated with an intense feeling of x nationality , and guided by Ezra , began to e hibit wonderful reverence for the Pentateuch and the THE M YS TERIO US TRA VE LER 2 39

to e Prophets , and mak expositions and additions

thereto .

After all this , I then noticed that there was a similarity existing between most of the creeds of f the di ferent nations , and one nation patterning and borrowing from another to improve that of their own .

In the history of Egypt, the foreign deities , Bar ,

R ese h Baal , Ashtaroth , Ken , p and others , became engrafted into their religious system . Among the Bab lom ans Assyrians , y , Phoenicians , Carthage m t ians , and other nations , here was constantly more or less importation from one another and ingraft ow n ing into their system what, in their estimation ,

was an improvement over that of the old . Ancient Greece took her religious parapherna — lia from other nations and shaped it to suit her

own civilization in those times . It was the same with Rome .

I noticed that the angelology and demonology , w as wholly foreign to the older Hebrew religion , derived in all its essential characteristics from the Z be system of oroaster, with which the Jews had come familiar by their long and close intercourse with the Persian empire during the exile and sub

sequently . Then I noticed that these scriptures which come down to us as that of the Jews betrays the presence of religious conceptions borrowed

a from other nations than th t of the Persians , such 24 0 THE MYS TERI O US TR A VELER

R A as from Greek wisdom , oman law , rabic phi loso h p y, and even from modern science . Again , there is no mistake but what Mohammed in his scriptural writing drew from the C atholic bible

is of h time . I next found that from all these religious sys tems and scriptural writings of the past , the out b of come was seven ibles modern times , which are as follows

’

“ The Koran of the Mohammedans , The Eddas

S candm avrans Pitikes of the , the Try of the Budd

e hists , the Five Kings of the Chinese , the Thre

Vedas of the Hindoos, the Zendavesta of the Per sians, and our own Bible , which came down to us from the Jews . These bibles date back in the order I have named them the Zendavesta of Zoroaster and the Penta teuch of Moses having had the1r or1g 1n nearly the same time—Moses lived and wrote his Pentateuch Z C . about the fifteenth century B . , and oroaster Z n his e davesta about the twelfth century B . C . — All these bibles have an analog ous aim to ac count for the origin of all things and to explain the nature and human relations of that something t divine , which it is an instinc of the human mind to conceive as actuating and controlling all that moves . I then noticed that as the different nations rose in civilization and to more comprehensive concep

24 2 THE M YS TERI O US TRA VELER

teristics of the Jewish people as I find them . Where is there a people that is more artistic and ready in their dealings to trick others out of th eir posses sions than the Jews ! Is it then not as probable that they might have copied from the Parsee books as the other fellows from them , and even more so !

But let it be as it may, I look upon this scriptural a writing , which I c lled the best, and which came down to us against its mighty opposition , and whose progress can be traced back nearly four

m 1 surv val . thousand years , erely as a of the fittest

But I said , how could I think this scriptural writing to be in a state of perfection , although the best , when I knew the source from whence it came and of the corrupt hands through which it passed .

In the first place , ln whatever state of, perfection the old testament had been before the last Baby

e lonian captivity, wh re untold myriads of Jews were massacred and their buildings and literature put to flames , and thousands of people that were not massacred were captured and distributed among the Roman provinces and butchered m am

h ith eaters p , and others sold to slavery in Egypt ; afterw ards w h en , the remnant returned to Palestine to again nationalize themselves , they had to rewrite their bible or made a recension of other existing n copies if there were a y left . Now whether this THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER 2 2 3 rewritten scripture is any thing “ like the original or how much had been added is a matter incap able of demonstration or refutation . And what I want to impress on your mind is the chances that prevailed against the Scriptures remaining in a state of perfection and not having been corrupted . 'L ater on , there was a time when the people had not the means and facilities of printing as we have had in modern times , when there were only a few ' scrolls in existence , which were in the hands of the i corrupt pr esthood of the time, when again it was left to their mercy to add to or change if it chanced to be their fancy .

Neverthless , there might have been recourse for comparison by the critic to a scanty portion that had been engraved on stone or metal , and possibly h iero l ics ; to certain _ g ypli though it would be well not to press the latter too much , otherwise it might lead to the Egyptian hieroglyphics and be a refl ec

Mo S iS tion on Moses (Philo , vita y )

Then , the time elapsing between the old and new testament was a period of mystified traditions and

al writings . Much of this series of writings was together absurd and impious . Out of these writ

a w ings the New Testament w s compiled . There ere n of fourtee these collections or books , collectively known as the Apocrypha,that were never admitted into the New Testament by the Protestants . W hat I wish to impress is the manner m which 24 4 THE MYS TERI0 US TRA VELER — the New Testament was gotten up Simply a selec tion from a great amount of this kind of writing ‘ which was done mostly during the first three cen turies of the Christian era . During this period much discussion took place and different opinions prevailed about the nature

— as of Christ who he w . There was Theodotus and Artemon who openly taught at the close of the second century that Christ was merely a Jewish teacher of distinction . While

S abellius there was Arias , and others who carried out the same tendency in the opposite direction , making out Christ more or less as that of a God . Within the church the outcome of these controver — sies were three great parties the A th anasions

Euse ions A h anasi n b and the Arions . The t o s and '

A i , the. r ons held the extremes on the question while

Euse ions ~ the b held the middle . To settle this con trovers 2 R y, in the year 3 5 , Constantine , the oman

re re emperor, summoned a council consisting of p i es sentat v of these three parties . At length the council came to an agreement in which they de clared that Christ was of like and th e same sub

W 1th stance God , and upholding his miraculous birth , resurrection from the dead , etc . At a later s council at Con tantinople, the additional tenet of h the divinity of the spirit was added , w ich made s it about the ame as they have it now , the Father,

24 6 THE M YS TERIO US TRA VELER

e Under thes conditions , I say, what should be

more natural than for the council of Nice , with the heathen emperor Constantine presiding over “ ” them , to ingraft into their creed the son of god idea and other superstitious and prevailing dogmas of the times .

1 Then aga n , it seems that in the makeup of their Trinity at the council of Nice they patterned after another well known heathen idea of the time—that V of of the Trimurti or Trinity of the edas , which

as spoken . What w more natural than that they — should do this put such as the Father , Son , and V Holy Spirit in one Godhead , like Brahma , ishnu ,

the V and Siva existed in one Triad in edas . Yea ! all I can make of the religion of the wor sh ipers in our country today is that they took the idea of one supreme being from the Jews and com bined it with the son of god idea of the heathens and together with the tenet of the divinity of the con lom spirit , named it the Trinity ; and to this g c rated mess they bow and worship , and to it they have dedicated the thousands of temples (churches)

h e all over t land . It is with reluctance that I differ so widely from that of my religious friends , but I notice that there are so many people that begin to see the fallacy and absurdity of this Trinity and this form of wor u ship , and , not having any reliable standard for p

rightness and integrity or any reason for such , they THE M YS TERIO US TRA VELER 24 7 are in a state to do anything for their selfish bene — fits men among us steal , rob, and swindle ; men

of great minds steal railroads when they can , buy off conventions , bribe legislators and manipulate the channels of commerce and form trusts and mo nopolies whereby to enrich themselves with colossal fortunes at the expense and detriment of their fel see low men . Knowing this , I that we must have — a new standard a standard with the true and liv its ing God at head , a standard not in conflict with hiloso His works , and that is capable of being p

h ized p , and one that will Show to such men the consequence of their actions and the miseries and calamities that are awaiting them or their kindred

of future generations .

With reference to philosophizing a standard , I don ’t know but what the standard of the ancient heathens was more philosophical than that of ‘the

see Trinity of the people of today . Now let us .

intelli As I understand , in the dark ages , the more gent among the people conceived the idea of a u great s preme being or gods ruling the universe,

and in order to enable the more ignorant people , as

most of them were , to understand what they meant,

they made images called idols , to better impress it

w a on their minds , and in this y instituted a sys

w orsh l e tem of p. Now , I pray , what was ther wrong in this ; had they not drifted into corrupt and superstitious practices ! Was it not ph ilosophi 24 8 THE MY S TERIO US TRA VELER cal enough ! But what is there philosophical about a god coming down , and , contrary to all law and nature, cause an innocent woman among us to con ceive , and the combination with the other tenets that form this Trinity ! Even the doctrine of Moh am m edam sm is more reasonable and philosophical than this , inasmuch as it is based on the two articles of belief that God ’s is God and that Mohammed is God prophet .

e When I attended school yet , I us d to read in my school books about the seven wonders of the — world the pyramids of Egypt, the hanging gar of dens Babylon , the mausoleum of Halicarnassus , R the lighthouse of Pharos , the Colossus of hodes , a d the statue of Jupiter , n the temple of Diana but the eighth and greatest wonder of them all with me was how an intelligent set of clergy at this age of civilization and inventions could have the auda city to preach such absurdities and how an intelli gent and well educated people could believe it .

Now , my friends , all these were my investiga tions and thoughts while in my youth and yet h among you before leaving ome .

Nevertheless , through my experience out in the world , I found that there were wonderful truths in our scriptures , especially that which came down to us as the teachings of Christ . But as a whole, it reminded me of all the sciences and literature of different nations and of different ages garbled

2 5 2 THE M YS TERIO US TRA VELER

m e rec1sron cuted with ath matical p , both

terrestial and , and that human actions are I t . manner a mat er of law . will explain in way what I mean .

All the solar systems , with our own , erfo their orbs , rotate upon their axes and p revolutions with the same regularity and and never vary from their natural order of opera tion . One orb does not exchange its function for the function of another orb , nor that of one

sun constellation for that of another . The does not make its appearance in the east one morning and the moon “ in its place upon another ; but every thing is performed according to definite and fixed laws of order and harmony .

Again , in chemistry, the law governing the com bination of tw o or more substances to form an t w as o her, which discovered ages ago , is the same in today as it was then . For instance , the ancient ventors of glass , hundreds of years before Christ , are said to have been merchants , who , laden with natron or soda , placed their cooking pots on lumps on the sand, which sand and soda fused by the heat of the fire and formed glass . Today , this law gov erning the formation of glass is the same as when fi it was rst discovered . In the vegetable kingdom ,

as far back as botanical knowledge extends , the law of fecundation—the pollen of flowers fecundating the stigma—is always the same and never varies THE M YS TERI O US TRA VELER 2 5 1

from its fixed and established law of order . It is the same with the similar law of reproduction in the animal kingdom , traceable back to prehistoric man—always according to its fixed and established la w of order .

Now, my object in speaking of these established laws of order and harmony of our Creator is to set apart one and the same rule to apply to all scrip w determ m e tural writing alike , hereby to the truths from that which are myths . It is common for the adherents to mythical nar ratives in the diff erent scriptural writings to try to justify their position by saying any thing is pos sible with God . But in this there is no logic nor consistency and enables the rankest of the super

’ stitious to uphold themselves in their beliefs ; and it is an absurdity simply too gross for this age of

‘ elon S ' O a n civilization . It b g t age with persons of

- little, narrow contracted brains who cannot com prehend outside their immediate Sphere , with which ’ they became in contact by birth or chance . Would we admit of such a basis for a creed , then we would have no right to dispute the authenticity of all the

’ past mythical events and all the legendary tales of of all heathendom , some which are still believed to be true . But to place all alike to a test before the works and laws of what we know is the true and living God , is consistent , fair and just .

We will first take up the Seven Sleepers, which , 2 5 2 THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER

th e having been prevalent in East, was

by Mohammed , the writer of the bible c

Koran , who now has a greater following t - al- Christ . He calls them Ashab Kahf, the

the cave . These seven sleepers are said to have been seven w h o Christian youths of Ephesus , , to escape the Decm s 1 6 rage of , fell asleep in a cave and Slept 9

years before they woke up , when they were aroused by an inhabitant of Ephesus looking for shelter

' ask ou believe t for his cattle . Now , I , do y his story ! Can you b elieve that seven youths of Eph e sus slept 1 96 years and then woke up and walked about and were the same as before they fell asleep !

sa I do not . Followers of Mohammed may y every thing is possible with God and for that reason they

believe it , but that does not make me believe it . I do not believe it because it is out of the natural order ’ of things of the Creator s works . Why , to bring about conditions to make this possible , the Creator would be obliged to put out of gear his great plan d ' d or er an . of harmony, of which I have spoken L o iterally, he would be obliged t create , not only a new world , but a new universe to make it possible . And no one could make me believe that the Creator would put out of gear His great plan of order and harmony, nor create a new world or universe , and then change it back to its original plan of order and harmony merely for the purpose of enabling seven

2 5 4 THE M Y S TE RI O US TRA VELER

tiful daughters of men having conceived through the gods from heaven and starting new races of t people , which used o be believed by the people of

the same nations . But I have said enough in ex

plaining to make myself plain in this line . I will now take up similar stories from our Bible and see

what about them .

What about Elijah going to Heaven , in a chariot of fire ; Jonah living for a time in the belly of the whale ; and Jesus of Nazareth having been the son or offspring of the Virgin M ary and the God of

e Heaven , and aft rwards resurrected from the dead

“ and in a short time ascending to Heaven , body and

all . Why should I believe this ! Because it so h ap pened to be prevalent notions among the nationality f R people where I was born , and engrafted into t e ! h ir system of worship Nay, was I merely gov

erned by this , then had I chanced to have been born

among the Mohammedans , I would have been a Mohammedan ; had I chanced to have been born

among the Buddhists , I would have been a Budd hist ; or had I chanced to have been born among on any other nati ality of people , I would have been ’

. be and believed as they No , I don t believe it ,

cause when I put it to the same rule as before , it ’ won t stand the test . To bring about conditions to make these things ”

possible , the Creator would have been obliged to THE M YS TERI O US TR A VELER 2 5 5 put out of gear His great plan of order and har mony or literally create a new universe . And I ’ don t believe tha t the Creator would put out of gear His great plan of order and harmony or created a new universe and then changed it back again to its original order and harmony merely to ’ have enabled Jonah to live in the whale s belly, to have enabled Elijah to go to heaven in a chariot V of fire , and to have enabled the irgin Mary and ff the God of Heaven to have o spring , and the child , when grown , to die , become resurrected from the dead and after a while ascend to heaven , body and

No , all there is about it , we have been living as e yet , in superstitious ages , and these things have be n the outcome . The great law of love , recensed and

_ preached by the Jesus _o f - Nazareth was and is all right , and indispensable to civilization ; but it has been besmirched by the ignorance and supersti tions of the people . Even history itself, to which I ou alluded , shows it is that way ; y can read between the lines of the original sayings of Jesus that it was that way ; and even the Jews themselves , his ow n sa nationality of people y it was .

The great trouble with so many, with reference to a system of religion , is that they become per

lexed a p in looking to a higher power , some w nting to be guided by a mere feeling in their hearts ,

- others by some awe stricken fear of the Almighty , 2 56 THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER

and others by a supernatural something they don ’t w kno what . I lay this to the prejudices of the e of T peopl to the ideas of the age ignorance . he savage mother of Africa throws her beloved in

fant into the river to the crocodile , because She is and governed by an impulse of feeling, , as a peni e t t nce , to appease the wra h of her god . The Taouist priests of the east chant prayers from their d mystic ritual , amid the din of rums, gongs and

“ flutes , to appease the evil spirit that they suppose f the e a flicts p ople . To this , and nothing else , is

h as what mere impulses of the feeling led . And in our own time and nation it leads to mere divisions

of the people and fanaticism .

As I said , what we must have at this age of civili zation is a religious svstem with a ph ilosoph iéal

’ u basis . This is what the great law of love and jus

tice as a basis would be . And this is the form of religion I believe ih -to obey the great law of love o of the Creator and justice , or in ther words , Chris

tianit y rid of its superstitions , call it morality, spir

i uali o t ty or what you may . But it need not n ces ' sarily be made a mere system of more than a religious system of w orsh perstitious basis ; for if the conscience of tates to them to reverence the Creato and living God of Heaven and earth and supplications for h is great plan

harmony and almighty power, it is t

THE MYS TERI0 U5 TRA VELER

w r of instance , I very ell know that a pu suance per petrating crime corrodes the intellect and is de

see generating to man . I that it is the propensities belonging to the brute animals that are cultivated ‘ in man in committing crime and that it disquali fies him for legitimate business and the enjoyment of society to that extent . A thief, a robber, or sw 1ndler in hiS ’ career develops those propensities peculiar to brute animals and destroys those powers

s that elevate him a a man to that extent . If he s develops bad qualities , he reap the consequences ; ' he reaps what h e sows. Such practices and their consequences put into a scientific form is what I

’ h ave and mean we should , taught in our land the

as . same other sciences So , also , comprise as a science , of which spoken , Do unto others as you ” ou would that they should do unto y , in all its de tails ; such as the propriety and benefits in doing charity, being sociable , etc . I am fully aware of the fact that to change the system of worship and custom s of today will be b slow and attended with much resistance , ecause it of 0 1 is so riveted in the minds the pe p e , and it has become such a widespread and extensive profes sion of the preachers and they are so deeply preju diced to these religious practices . But I can plainly see that it is just a matter of time when it must give way to the overwhelming power - of science u and reason , and then will be looked on by f ture THE M YS TE RIO US TRA VE LER 2 5 9 generations as the people now look upon other su

“ perstitious systems that once existed . se Then , some of those who e the fallacy of the Trinity and other superstitious customs based on the bible, will be prejudiced towards them as they

IS h W not, as they think , to take from the sacred

r1 in s t w t g . But it is an error of judgment ; for his

h as . been the case from the outset Why, at first there was enough Hebrew literature together with the Jewish thought and learning buried in the Tal m udic writings , to make a half dozen such bibles , w hich was all knocked out except what now ré

1 i . ma ns n our bible Then again , just the other day, I took up and opened what is known as the Ameri can Revised Edition of the bible and the first verse “ ” I read I noticed the word adultery was left out, which is in the Authorized Version ; and in a fol “ ” lowing verse the word s parties and factions I noticed were added . I found such changes made h . w he all through the book This being the case , y prejudiced towards spurious portions which we know now exist in the book . w ish ~to Nevertheless , it is not my break up the churches , even if I could , nor to start new ones ; but what I would like to see is the preachers to ex pound the wonderful mechanism of the true and living God and the consequences that follow the a violation of His laws , and change the cl ss rooms to council rooms for appointing committees to hunt 260 THE M YS TERIO US TRA VE LER u th ffl n and e m p e a icted and eedy, d vise eans to ad N to . ow minister their wants , having given my religious views which I said had haunted m e in of my youth , I will speak again its bearing upon me in causing me to leave home and remaining away as I did . I will here present you some lecture tickets which I had printed and used in my lectures before leav in o g home , whose superscription shows the drift f h m my mind at t e ti e. The superscription is this “Chemical Temperance Lecture ! Voluntas Obli ” Moralit r L gata e Pro Voluntas ibera . By chemi cal to temperance lecture , I meant imply a discourse advocating that the laws of our Creator were a oneness and all our actions were of a chemical na of ture , and that all we do was a matter law and O der g ; and , by the latin phrase I meant, at the ifn l t e s . , what the phra e imp ies And I will say that

w e not s . must be too sure about the e things , for at one time the people thought that it was the sun that moved across over us in the day , when afterwards it was found to be an apparent motion . But after et more experience , I found that l it be as it may, we were under obligation to do right if we prosper , and that if we did not reap the consequence so s much our elves in this life , it would tell in some r form on ou posterity . ’ Some of these tickets I had left at my father s boxfull house before leaving home, and a of which

2 6 2 THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER

widely in my views from that of my religious friends ; but I am sure it will not cause them m the displeasure , restlessness and pain as the i portunem ent of their faith and methods of salva

tion had caused me . And it may cause some to

treat me with enmity , but if this is the degree they mark in the makeup of the scale of human ca ity, I n make out without their friendship

s in the future a I have in the past . I am not posing u as a saint, or as a Christian for that matter, tho gh “ there is enough Christianity about me not to hold

enmity against any one, and not only this but to be

sociable with every one that will bear it , and to render them help and assistance if I can when is needed . And any one that does not do this no ‘ h C ristian , for Christianity is a manifestation of love towards neighbors and never that of enmity

and persecution . hu Though , I think this is even a matter of ‘

n sa t . ma ity, y no hing about Christianity Some may be too sensitive m any tim es when apparently they are slighted or damaged by neighbors ; but this

should not be , as it may not be intentional . And

even if it is intentional , I look upon those as a lacking of the forces that distinguishes man from m ffl ere brute animals , or as we do upon those a icted

- — with lunacy or some other mind defect my sym h pathy for them does not vanis . h not h e Nevert eless , protestants should S ow nmity THE M YS TERIO US TRA VELER 2 63 towards me as I favor religious freedom the same as they did in the days of Catholicism and as they of Should now, and as I am merely a protestant e to so- protestants . And with refer nce the styled orthodox religions , I believe in their toleration as long as it does not interfere with our body politic and free institutions ; but any form of fanaticism or

e Catholicism that ndangers free speech and liberty , I consider nothing more than a form of deviltry and should be suppressed .

In conclusion , I will thank you for your mani testation of welcome you have shown me upon my return home ; and I wish you and all humanity, - e s ss good will , peac , pro perity and happine .

THE END .

fi r M t i th s t c a ter of S t. at ew n e N ew Testam ent th e h p h , , en i tr rom A b ra am n ea o s aced d ow o . oe ut g l g y f h t J s ph . B ° r h t r e e i s t e contradi cti on . I says t at C i st w as b orn of h J h h th e i r i n Mar of th e Ho G ost and w as h e S on of V g y ly h , t

G od . W e i h e w as th e S on of God and not th e son of ll , f , J ose th e ro es i es i n th e O ld Testament ave not b een ph , p ph h t rr r fulfilled in thi s respect. S o hi s co ob o ates ag ain m y ' “ ” s tatem ent t at th e S on of God id ea w as a h eath en id ea h , an d w as g rafted i nto th e Chri sti an relig i on in th e tim e of

Jons tantine .

Thi s para g raph w ill appear a t b ottom of pag e 49 i n f ollo w ing ed i ti ons A n anecd ote uni ue in c aracter h a enin i n m , q h pp g . y

out I W i also ere relate. y h , ll h U on a tri to E ure a S ri n s A r ansa a ter enterin p p k p g , k s , f g th e caves i n th e O zar Mts and see n th e e e fi k . i g y les s sh in

th e ub terra nean s trea m s th m a na er of t e a s , e g h c ves took

m e as id e to acuri os i t d e artm ent and am id m an t in y p , y h g s i t erto stran e to m e b e ex i b i ed a ar e d i am ond rattle h h g , h t l g

s na e w i c h e too i n h is arm s and ondled w it it a k , h h k f h s e a ne o m e t a r i w ith a toy. He xpl i d t h t afte t w as captured

a i veand w i d i n th e m ountains h e h ad a d entis t ull t l l , p ou

i t a n s and rem ove th e oi s on and s and t at a erw ar : s f g p g l , h ft ds

i t w as entire arm less . B ein convi nced o th 1s I ly h g f . th oug h t i t a novelty to tak e i t w i th m e to perform prank s

a t m conveni ence w i c I d i d a ter bu in i t. O ne tim e y , h h f y g

rri i t out and la ced i t i n th e ra s uno serve an ! ca ed p g s b d , d

r r th en ca lled th e neig hb o s to see th e eptile. Com ing w i th

c ubs and roc s to il i t I ran! m and too u th e sna e in l k k l , k p k

m arm s and entwi ned t ab out m nec w en t e l oo ed y i y k . h h y k

' upon m e w i th th e g reates t cons ternati on and called m e th e

- r snak e charm e .