Lafayette County WI Archives History - Books .....A Gentleman From Missouri 1881
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 April 18, 2013, 6:20 pm

Book Title: History Of La Fayette County

A GENTLEMAN FROM MISSOURI.

The accessions to the population this year being large, contained the complement
of miscellany usual to a community, the composition of which was chiefly of
miners. True, the morality of those who constituted the settlements was far from
gilt-edged, yet, as has been noted, they were men whose integrity, hospitality
and sympathetic natures were never appealed to in vain. As can be readily
inferred, the condition of affairs was mercurial, so to speak, constantly
changing. There were no courts for the enforcement of rights or the redress of
grievances. With the exceptions mentioned, neither schools nor churches. Every
individual and interest was measured by the merit, not claimed, but deserved,
and violations either of person or property were redressed summarily and
effectually. The days were occupied with labors in the field or mine; the nights
in the amusements only accessible at that early day before public sentiment
found outward expression of opposition to their presence. These included
gambling, horse- racing and sports indigenous to or growing out of their
indulgence. No sooner had the mines become objective points for all orders and
conditions of men, than sporting characters began to tend in their direction.
Games of chance found lodgment when the industrious miner was often without the
necessaries of life, and, sustained by the patronage extended became wealthy and
proportionally powerful as the industrious miner became impoverished and
dependent. The class of men who made up the army of adventurers of whom mention
is here made, were, the truth of history compels the admission, superior to
those who came during subsequent years and worked their schemes on the scenes
which were "placed" by the first arrivals. They are represented to have been
strictly honorable in their dealings, profuse in their expenditures and liberal
in their support of public improvements. Nearly all were men who, though fairly
educated and generously reared, being without honor in their own land, as the
Biblical prophet, had sought in fields of action, distant from the surroundings
of birth and education, the honor that follows the acquisition of wealth. In
nearly every instance their modest ambitions were realized, while in some cases
the "spirits" succeeded in amassing fortunes that have survived the extravagance
of succeeding generations. They are said to have been open-handed, brave, and,
though not reckless, unusually careless in their expenditures. Quick to resent
an affront, true to friends and uncompromising to those from whom injuries had
been received, they were a mighty factor in the days in which they lived for
developing resources and creating influences that have served to build up the
country, enrich the inhabitants and civilize the State.

Upon one occasion, a sport from Missouri, who frequented the resorts open at
that day, became involved in a dispute with a prominent operator in the fields
then opened for individual and corporate invasion, which resulted so ludicrously
that no apology is offered for its recital. Upon several occasions previous to
the occurrence here related, the operator had been prompted to intervene his
advice and suggestions to the Missouri emigrant, without solicitation on the
latter's part, and generally concluding with assurances of consideration the
opposite of "very distinguished." The contentions between them had become a
subject of frequent discussion among the miners, measured in its complexion by
the quality of intimacy which existed between the factions and the individual
factors.

One evening, the twain met at a faro bank, where and when the trouble was
resumed, with intense aggressiveness on the one side and apparently cowardly
timidity on the other, the crowd being attracted or disgusted as the war of
words waxed interestingly bellicose. At last, the trouble culminated in the
Missourian's resenting the volley of words directed toward him, and, with a
threat to shoot his adversary the following morning, the contestants separated.

The encounter was forgotten amid the scenes of "sport" visible in the place, and
little was thought of the threat promulgated by the injured innocent. But not so
with the sport from Missouri. On the morning succeeding the events narrated, he
appeared in the village, armed with an antique but effective army-musket, and
proceeded to hunt for the whereabouts of the Colonel. After diligent search,
that individual was found, and, having lost the drop, so to speak, sought safety
in flight, pursued by the man who had undertaken a gunning expedition. He was
driven furiously, rivaling in his speed the gait of Nimshi's steeds, and,
anticipating the early following of his assailant, took refuge upon the roof of
a building in the village of White Oak Springs, now occupied as the post office.
Stationing himself astride the ridge of the roof, he began a treaty of peace,
meanwhile accommodating his position to shield himself from the shots of his
pursuer by leaning in an opposite direction from that party, who hurried to the
opposite side, whence he was immediately followed, only to disappoint the crowd,
which witnessed the ridiculous by-play, by extending himself across the thither
beam. And so on the comedy continued, until the Missourian, wearied of his
pursuit, halted and began a treaty of peace. This was concluded upon terms
acceptable to the latter, when the Colonel descended from his perch, stood
treat, and, smoking the pipe of peace, became a fast friend of the bloodthirsty
sport, who was long after an object of special interest to the residents of the
surrounding country.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF LA FAYETTE COUNTY, WISCONSIN,

CONTAINING
AN ACCOUNT OF ITS SETTLEMENT, GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT AND RESOURCES; AN EXTENSIVE
AND MINUTE SKETCH OF ITS CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES—THEIR IMPROVEMENTS,
INDUSTRIES, MANUFACTORIES, CHURCHES, SCHOOLS AND SOCIETIES; ITS WAR RECORD,
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, PORTRAITS OF PROMINENT MEN AND EARLY SETTLERS; THE WHOLE
PRECEDED BY A HISTORY OF WISCONSIN, STATISTICS OF THE STATE, AND AN ABSTRACT OF
ITS LAWS AND CONSTITUTION AND OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.

ILLUSTRATED

CHICAGO: WESTERN HISTORICAL COMPANY.
MDCCCLXXXI. [1881]


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