Tales of the Colorado Pioneers. Alice Polk Hill
took our hearts along with our optics. There was a fine breeze, and it moved along with the swiftness of a locomotive. The sails were full set, and one man, whom we recognized as W. N. Byers, sat at the rudder, while G. M. Chilcott, David H. Moffat, Jerome B. Chaffee and George M. Pullman occupied chairs inside and were engaged in a game of cards. They puffed their cigars with an air of abandon, ease and comfort. As they passed, they raised their hats and mingled their voices in the negro song:
“’If we get there before you do,
We’ll tell ’em you are coming too; ’
THE WIND WAGON. 35
“Following it up with, ‘Go it, boys, we admire your pluck. Going to Pike’s Peak? There’s gold there; perhaps you will get some. Ta-ta. See you later. An revoir.’
“And the strange white-winged thing whirled away so rapidly that it seemed to vanish in mid-air.
“Their hilarity oppressed me, and had a general depressing effect upon our whole party.
“‘Think they are making themselves very facetious over nothing at all,’ said Tom.
“‘I can’t see the fun,’ said Bob Hudgins.
“‘Perhaps it is the effect of the light air,’ suggested Bill Wilson.
“Our spirits went down more and more. Conversation stumbled and blundered, and at last came to a dead stop, except now and then a rugged word thrown out at the toiling ox. We were all put out; that was plain to be seen. The dust was deeper, the oxen slower and the sun hotter than it had ever been before, and the melancholy desert seemed to have no end. All the world was running away from us. Would there be any gold left at Pike’s Peak when we should get there? Or would the fellows in the sail wagon get it all? Envy was gnawing at our heartstrings. But we went on in our slow way, reproaching our unlucky stars in severe language.
“The next morning we were in a more tranquil state of mind, and had not gone far before we came to a sudden and unexpected halt. Our way was blockaded—in short, our high-flyers were wrecked. It was such a wholly unlooked-for disaster that I was completely nonplussed. That they might come to grief, I had never taken into account at all. It seems their wagon was no good except on level ground and smooth roads. They had underta-
36 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
ken to cross a ravine, which was their ruin. The wheels struck the bottom, the sails snapped off, and the card players and cigar smokers of the day before were sitting on the bank in deep dejection. The aspect of things had changed.
“We took the men and their plunder (which was the office material of the Rocky Mountain News) on board, and all of us came on together to look for gold.
“Now, that is a thoroughly characteristic story of the early days,” said the Captain, complacently.
“Is it all true?”
“Certainly; don’t you believe it? Why, that is how it came about that J. L. Merrick got in ahead and issued the Cherry Greek Pioneer twenty minutes before the Rocky Mountain News. Byers & Co. bought the office of the Pioneer, and its publication was suspended. The News, under its capable and hopeful editor, held its own through evil and good report. It is still flourishing, and may justly be considered the pioneer paper of the State. It worked faithfully to build up the country, for which it was cursed by the malcontents, who gave the editor the reputation of being the biggest liar in the West. Now that his prophecies have all been fulfilled, Mr. Byers can exultingly say, ‘I told .you so.’”
“You started on that journey in August, 1859, and the Rocky Mountain News was issued on the 28th of April, the same year. How------”
“Oh, you ought not to be so particular about a little thing like that. Exactness in names and dates often spoils a good story.”
CHAPTER VII.
THE ODD FELLOWS LODGE.
“I can tell you an all-fired funny thing,” said Mr. George Clark, his face cheery with smiles, as if inwardly enjoying the story he was about to relate. “The first Odd Fellows lodge was established in Denver December 24th, 1860. There was a scarcity of members at the beginning, and two of them went out recruiting. They wanted men who would work for the glory of the cause, who had plenty of money, and disposed to be liberal with it. So they tackled Wolfe Londoner. They knew him to be a leader in all the societies to which he attached himself, and what was better still, it never hurt him to strike his pocket-book. At first he refused, but they finally over-persuaded him.
“The lodge was located over a grocery store approached only by an outside flight of rickety stairs. The landing was sheltered with rough boards. This became the resting place of a loud-smelling goat owned by one John Martin, who kept a livery stable, and because of the offensiveness of the creature it was often ordered away in a forcible and energetic manner. The groceryman also scented out the hiding place of the vagrant animal and pelted him away. Living, as it were, between two fires, the goat was constantly on the alert and ready to jump and run at the least indication of hostile approach.
“At the next meeting of the lodge two of the faithful and earnest workers buttonholed Wolfe. They said they would soon make him an officer; that he would look
37
38 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
handsomer than General Tom Thumb in the uniform of the order; that he could pay his dues and attend the meeting only when he chose. Which Wolfe thought was letting him off' lightly, for he was not the man to shirk the payment of dues or fines, still he felt a little nervous about climbing the slippery pole and riding the goat. However, he reflected:
“ ‘ I can but perish if I go,
I am resolved to try,
For if I stay away I know—’
“ The persistency of these fellows will make life a bur¬
den to me.
“ So, with an exultant member on each side, he directed his steps to the lodge. They laughed and chatted gaily to keep his courage up for the initiation ceremonies. As they approached the stairway the goat, evidently thinking it his old enemy, the grocery man, went down the stairs with a plunge as if just expelled from a cannon, taking the center man on his back. Wolfe ‘caught on,’ so to speak, and waving his hand said:
“ ‘ By Chaos! this is gallant sport,
A league at every breath;
Methinks if e’er I have to die,
I’ll ride this rate to death.’
“The two guides grew pale and looked unutterable things at the fleeing quadruped as he dashed up one street, down another, darting around corners and shooting through alleys.
“Soon a crowd of small boys, that would have done honor to a circus parade, followed in the wake, but Wolfe kept strongly in the lead. When they reached a corner occupied by a large drug store, the goat, dazed by
THE ODD FELLOWS LODGE. 39
the light, made too short a turn and went right through the show window, pitching Wolfe by a double summersault amid the wreck of matter and the crash of glass.
“When the clerk asked ‘why all this celebration,’ he said ‘it’s in honor of my being made an Odd Fellow. It was worse than Gilpin’s race. I would prefer taking my initiation in installments if it was not so odorous.’ The goat walked off looking dejected and forlorn. Wolfe paid the damages, purchased some liniment and a bottle of rose water, and made for home in double-quick time to wash up, for the air was redolent of him. He entered by the back way, sent his suit to the steam dyers, his linen to the laundry, and deliberated seriously about dropping himself in the cistern for a quiet bath.