The title of articles will show the cravings of Miss Manville to follow in her mother's footsteps in the choice of topics that are heart revelations, as "Shadows," "The Infinite," " Supplication," "Humanity," "When I die," etc. That will be her field to which she will tend more and more with better acquaintance with the realities of life, which, it may safely be predicted, will be of sterner character than any she has yet known, as the ways of life are rough, and as an only idolized child she has been shielded, as far as human power could compass it, from all its ills. With instinctive foresight was her mother prompted to say:

"Mother-love not always may

Pluck the thorns from out her way;
Womanhood has cares and fears,

Hopeless dreams and hopeless tears."

Allusion has been made to the giving way of the authoress to the craze for the dialect poem. She has also been capitivated, with hundreds of susceptible maidens, by the smoothly flowing numbers of Hiawatha, that immortal tribute of America's most cultured and finished bard, who has effaced that masterpiece of poetic legend and story, as an aureole to reflect forever the nobility, heroism and endurance of the unfortunate races of the Northwest. The poem entitled "Indian Summer," treats of the poetic fancy of its origin, which is to the effect that the smoke of a great sacrifice once made to the Great Spirit, who, in turn,

This poem is the most descriptive of any, and is a very truthful one of that pensive, delightful season. A graceful tribute to William Cullen Bryant, the most American of our bards, and the most accurate in the description of our scenery, may fitly close a notice of one whose early promise gives token that she only needs the sharp discipline the years will inevitably bring in their train, to justify that promise by performance, and with poems that will live when the brain that conceived and the hand that wrote them has moldered into its original dust.

THE DEAD POET.-w. C. B.

"Make room for the poet, my beautiful summer,
Make room for the singer, whose singing is done;
Give place in your great throbbing heart for his ashes,
Remembering few seasons such emblems have won.
Behold, after labor, the sleep of the righteous,
How calm and how peaceful, how placid his rest;
Close in the sanctified clasp of God's acre,
White daisy-wrought coverlets cover his breast.

"And then with your blessing, my beautiful summer,
The blessing of bloom and of bird-song and flowers;
Akin to pale millions, who watch over his slumber,
We leave in thy keeping this aged bard of ours.
And coming and going forever around us,
The quick for life's battle, the dead for its rest,
Still passes the visible forms of all loved ones
Into the invisible realms of the blest."

In the fall of 1862, just after the New Ulm massacre, the people of Lewis Valley were aroused from their quiet slumbers one dark night by men on horseback, riding at the top of

their speed, shouting, "The Indians are coming!" When the frightened people asked these messengers how they got their news, they replied:

On the following morning the citizens of Farmington, to the number of 100 or 150, gathered together at the Union Mills, and, having found out positively that there were no Indians anywhere in the vicinity, they became very indignant, and determined to punish D. J. S. McGivin severely for the fright he had given them. Some proposed to hang him, and at one time it looked very dangerous for Dan. Some thought a ducking in the mill-pond would be as severe treatment as the case demanded. Thomas Wilson, Ashbel Wells, and some others thought Dan's intentions were good, and had the Indians really been burning dwellings and murdering the inhabitants, as in his fright he supposed they were, then Dan would have deserved our thanks for the timely warning. Dan was surrounded by the excited crowd, who were only waiting for some one to take the lead in carrying out their threats, when John De Colen proposed to let the McGivins off if they would promise to leave the country in ten days. They gladly promised to do so, but when the ten days were up the excitement had died away and the McGivins remained.

Many rumors were afloat about the cause of Dan's fright. The one upon which the poem is founded is as follows: Ellen R. Brown (who is now Mrs. Ephraim Stevens) was teaching in McGivin's district, about two miles north of Union Mills, and it was said that she and some of her scholars remained one night after school to clean the schoolhouse. When they got through (just after dark) they left a fire burning, which they had made outside for the purpose of heating water, and the children, on their way home, made the hills resound with their merry laughter.

Another, and probably the correct, account is this: Some young men were out coon-hunting in McGivin's neighborhood, and knowing that he had lots of good melons, they concluded to help themselves. After eating all they wanted, they thought they would have a little fun at Dan's expense, and they left, whooping and yelling for all that was in them, which had a greater effect on Dan's nerves than even they expected, although they knew him well. If this was really the fact in the case (and I have no doubt of it),

Was Dan McGivin all to blame
For getting up this mighty flame,
Or was it not the boys who came
Stealing melons?

THE FOOTE FORGERIES.

On Saturday evening, April 1, 1880, Alpheus S. Foote, junior partner in the firm of Pomeroy & Foote, proprietors of Pomeroy's Democrat, was arrested for an attempt to destroy, by fire, the building occupied by them as a printing office. At about half past 6 o'clock on that evening, C. F. Huntsman, managing editor of the Democrat, being in the office later than usual, had occasion to go from his apartment to the room formerly occupied by Mr. Pomeroy as

a private apartment. The usual entrance door he found himself unable to open, and consequently went around by the bath-room and water-closet. In passing through this room, he discovered a cigar box in a corner concealed from view, filled with paper and other combustibles, in the middle of which stood a lighted candle. No person had access to this portion of the building, except himself and Mr. Foote. There were no outer windows, and when the candle, which was timed to reach the papers in three or four hours, had burned low, and the inevitable conflagration started, there was no possibility of discovery from outside, until the center of the building was in a blaze, which all the fire facilities would have failed to extinguish, until it had consumed the adjacent opera house with all its valuable and immovable contents, and perhaps other property near at hand. Mr. Huntsman comprehended all this as he gazed at the unique, but most effectual slow match which had been provided to do this destructive work. He, then, without removing or disturbing the position of anything, extinguished the candle and sought Charles Seymour, to whom the startling story was told. Mr. Seymour at once communicated with Chief of Police Hatch, who, upon consultation with these two gentlemen, deemed that evidence enough existed in Mr. Huntsman's statement to warrant the arrest of Mr. Foote, as above stated, on a charge of arson. The arrest was made at half past 9 o'clock at the house of a friend of Mr. Foote's, where he was spending the evening, when he was taken to the lock-up, where he spent the night. At 5 o'clock in the afternoon of the next day, the prisoner was taken from his quarters in the jail to the city building, where he was arraigned before Justice Hubbard. The complaint was read and by agreement of counsel was continued until 2 o'clock of the next day. Before being arraigned the second time, however, he was arrested on charge of forging the name of James Vincent, his father-in-law, on notes to the amount of $15,678, the announcement of which created more of a sensation than his arrest on charge of setting fire to the Democrat building. The fact of his forging had been known to a few for some time, but for various reasons the matter had been kept from publicity. The entire facts, which also give an insight into the partnership stipulations of the firm of Pomeroy and Foote, are substantially as follows: When it was agreed that Pomeroy's Democrat should move from Chicago to La Crosse, it was stipulated between the parties that Pomeroy was to furnish paper, while Foote was to fit up and furnish the office complete to the extent of $20,000. Of this amount Foote procured $2,000 in cash, and it is therefore presumed that he intended to raise the deficiency by forgery. The first notes forged were given to the Campbell Press Company to the amount of $5,200, in settlement of the firm's account with that company. The remaining notes were not all forgeries, but were forged or manipulated in a criminal way.

The paper that was known to have been negotiated by Foote was placed as follows: I. H. Moulton, $3,000; Batavian Bank, 2,000; La Crosse National Bank, $2,500; Campbell Press Company, $5,200; John Gund, $2,250; Shniedewend & Lee, $728, making the total $15,678. The case instead of coming up again at 2 o'clock of April 3, as adjourned on the 2d, was called at half past 10 o'clock on Monday morning, April 5, when the preliminary examination on the charge of arson took place. The case was finally closed, and Foote was held for trial at the next term of the Circuit Court, and his bail fixed at $500. He was again arraigned before Justice Hubbard, on Thursday, April 15, at 10 o'clock A. M., when his examination was waived, and he pleaded not guilty, and was bound over to trial in the Circuit Court, and in default of $4,500 bail was again committed to jail.

These cases came before the Circuit Court May 10, 1880, and, on application of the defendant, were continued. At the next term of the Circuit Court, these cases came up on November 22, 1880, and after a trial, lasting for two days, he was found guilty and sentenced to the Penitentiary for the term of five years.

A CHAPTER OF FIRST THINGS.

1680 First white person to view mouth of Black River, Father Hennepin. 1760-First view of La Crosse River by Le Suer.

1787-First resident of La Crosse, De Kauray (Decorra).

1805-First white man to visit site of La Crosse, Maj. Z. M. Pike, Sept. 12; also visited by Maj. Stephen H. Long, July 9, 1817, and Lieut. Martin Scott in 1823.

1835 First attempt at settlement made by Gen. Sibley, now of St. Paul, H. L. Dausman, of Prairie du Chien, and Francois La Bache. (See the letter of Gen. Sibley in the chronological sketch.

1841-First known permanent settler (N. Myrick) lands at La Crosse and builds a residence on Barron's Island, where he finds the ruins of an old fire-place, Nov. 9.

1842-First house on city site erected by Myrick & Miller in February.

First survey made by Ira Brunson, of Prairie du Chien, for Myrick & Miller.
First shingle roof and cistern made by Myrick & Miller.

1843 First white women to come to La Crosse, Mrs. Myrick and Miss Pierson.

First barn, warehouse and blacksmith-shop erected by H. J. B. Miller in absence of Myrick. 1844-First wheat raised by Myrick & Miller.

First raft from Black River to St. Louis taken down by N. Myrick.

First post office established at La Crosse; N. Myrick, first Postmaster. He was also one of the first Board of County Commissioners.

First marriage, by H. J. B. Miller, Justice of the Peace, of Peter Cameron to Emma Cameron.

1845-The first team and wagon to come overland from Prairie du Chien was brought through by P. Cameron and Asa White, with goods for the Indian trade.

First frame building erected by Levy, on the site of the International, in 1847.
First death, that of a little boy of N. Myrick.

First cemetery, on the site of Hirshheimer's works, northeast corner of Third and Badger

streets.

First baptism, a child of Miller's.

1857-First religious services, by the Episcopalian ministers, Drs. Buck and Merrick, Rev. Wilcoxson and Deacon Holcombe.

First fatal affray, that of Peter Cameron and Richardson.

1848-First sale of claims by N. Myrick, Asa White, J. M. Levy and Peter Cameron, at land office at Mineral Point, at $1.25 per acre.

1850-First death by accident, that of Willie Levy, who was trodden upon by a horse, killing him instantly.

First wharf-boat built by J. M. Levy.

First hardware and tin store opened by M. Manville.

1851-First court house built. Erected by subscription, to secure the county seat.

First lawyer to settle in La Crosse, Edwin Flint. Claim adjoined Myrick's on the east. First minister settled in La Crosse, Rev. George Chester, July 15. Methodist.

First hotels opened by Simeon Kellogg and "Scoots" Miller, the former the Western Enterprise, corner of Pearl and Front streets, and the latter in a two-story log and frame house on the corner of Front and State streets called the La Crosse House.

First survey of a town plat by William Hood, Myrick, Miller and Lieut. Gov. Timothy Burns, on the original Myrick plat, extending from La Crosse River to Mt. Vernon street. First town election in April. Thirty-six votes polled. Precinct embraced all of La Crosse and Monroe Counties.

First town officials: Chairman, Timothy Burns; Supervisor, C. A. Stevens; Justices, Robert Looney, J. Bean; Treasurer, James Read; Town Superintendent, Lodowic Lewis; Clerk, Lorenzo L. Lewis.

First county election: Judge, Timothy Burns; Sheriff, William J. Gibson; Treasurer, Peter Burns; Register of Deeds, William T. Price; Clerk of Board, Robert Looney.

First County Judge, who served in that capacity, Hon. George Gale.

First court held in new court house by Judge Wyram Knowlton; Wm. J. Gibson, Sheriff. Only business transacted, the drinking of a bottle of brandy, presented by J. M. Levy.

First order of County Commissioners, one to pay F. M. Rublee $2.50 for two blank books.

First meeting of County Board of Supervisors. Members: Timothy Burns, of La Crosse ; J. Spaulding, of Albion; Charles Whipple, of Pine Valley; Robert Looney, Clerk; Judge Wyram Knowlton, presiding.

1852-First meeting for La Crosse and Milwaukee Railroad.

First church built (Baptist), northwest corner of public square, on State and Fourth streets. First newspaper, the Spirit of the Times, A. D. La Due, editor.

First saw-mill built in La Crosse city at mouth of the river of that name, by J. S. Simonton, F. M. Rublee and S. T. Smith.

First organization of the Baptist and Congregational Churches, January 22. Revs. W. H. Card and J. C. Sherwin, Pastors.

First murder in the county, that of Darst, by a young man named Watts-a very coldblooded, brutal affair.

First organization of the Bible Society of La Crosse, in the old court house.

First road laid out from La Crosse to William Pettitt's, twenty-seven miles north, now the site of the town of Sparta.

REMINISCENCES AND PERSONAL SKETCHES.

In the succeeding pages are given those historical and biographical facts which can be told only in connection with the individual acts of the pioneers. The list contains some of the best known, oldest, and most respected residents of La Crosse, some of whom are still living to enjoy the fruits of honest work well done.

NATHAN MYRICK.

This gentleman, who is universally regarded as the pioneer settler of La Crosse, was born at Westport, Essex Co., N. Y., July 7, 1822. His ancestors, both paternal and maternal, were among the first settlers of Westport, being pioneers like himself.

He was educated in the academy at Westport, and was engaged as an assistant in the various woolen, saw and grist-mills of which his father was proprietor, until the age of nineteen, when he concluded to strike out for himself and make a home in the great West. Leaving Westport in May, 1841, he reached Prairie du Chien in June, and was employed by Joseph Brisbois in the post office, giving his services for his board. That fall, acting on the advice of his employer and his own judgment, he decided to embark in trade with the Indians. Procuring a suitable outfit of goods, obtained largely upon credit, and the loan of a forty-ton keel-boat from Gen. Brooks, commandant of that post, he left Prairie du Chien November 4, taking with him H. Curtiss, who was on his way with some goods to Black River. Sailing and poling the boat by turns, they reached La Crosse at sunset, November 9. Finding no fuel on the shore, they crossed over to the island, which was densely wooded. A similar reason induced him to build upon it, there being no timber upon the prairie. In a week he had built and moved into a double log house. At this time, to use his own words, "there was no white man in the vicinity." The Indians were absent at Turkey River, in Iowa, about fifty miles west of Prairie du Chien, to receive their annuities-about $20 per head. Myrick thinks a total of $48,000 was paid them in these yearly payments. If so, the Winnebagoes must have numbered 2,400 souls. In a couple of weeks the Indians returned. Myrick drove a brisk trade, and by the middle of December was out of many articles. On the 18th of that month he crossed the river, partly on the ice and partly by canoe, and, taking an Indian trail under the bluffs, afoot and alone, wended his way to Prairie du Chien, which he reached Dec. 22, having laid by one day on the route. He returned in January on the ice, with several teams loaded with goods and provisions. He employed two men during the winter in getting out fuel for steamers, which Myrick banked, hauling it with a hand sled.