beauty, until we were
forced to leave for the want of food and to replenish our commissary.
When we boarded the cars to be whirled through the then wilds of Lower
Canada, we were liberally supplied with the best the country produced.

Upon the fifth day we rolled into Chicago, the cosmopolitan city of
the West. Two days later we reached Quincy, Ill., where we made
connection with the old Hannibal & St. Joe Railroad which was to take
us through Missouri to Atchison, Kansas. Missouri, after the war, was
not an ideal state for a law abiding citizen, much less for
inexperienced youths of our age, and we quickly realized that fact.
Many stations had their quota of what was termed the Missouri
bushwhacker, or, more plainly speaking, outlaws, who, during the war
and for some time after, pillaged the state and surrounding country,
leaving in their wake death and destruction. They had belonged to
neither side at war, but were a set of villians banded together to
plunder, burn, ravage and murder young and old alike; as wicked a set
of villians as the world has ever known. At many stations they would
nearly fill the car, making it very unpleasant for the passengers.
Their language and insults caused every one to be guarded in
conversation. The condition of the road, however, often gave us
relief, as we were obliged to alight and walk, at times, when arriving
at a point where ties or rails had to be replaced. Its entire length
showed the carnage and destruction of war, making travel slow and
dangerous as well as uncomfortable. On reaching the state of bleeding
Kansas and the then village of Atchison we were about used up. We at
once called at the Ben Holiday Stage Office and inquired the price of
a ticket to Denver, but finding it to be beyond our means, we decided
to go by ox conveyance.

COMMANCHE BILL

We were not long in finding what, in those days, was called a tavern,
located in the outskirts of the town. Having been chosen spokesman, I
stepped up to the rough board counter and registered. We were soon
confronted by the toughest individual we had yet seen. I pleasantly
bade him good morning but received no immediate recognition, save a
wild stare from two horrible, bloodshot eyes. I quickly came to the
conclusion that we were up against the real Western article, nor was I
mistaken. He didn't keep up waiting long, for he soon roared out an
oath and wanted to know where we were from. After telling him as near
as I possibl