Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 January 1904 — LETTER FROM J. W. DOUTHIT. [ARTICLE]

LETTER FROM J. W. DOUTHIT.

The Democrat editor received a long letter from our former townsman, James W. Doutliit, a few pdays»ago, from which we take the following extracts: I notice that about all who left Jasper county at the time we did or after, to the various portions of the west, have been back on a visit except us, and we are the “Bad Bills'’ that have never returned and perhaps never will. My wife says, however, she Is coming back some day on a visit. It seems like that some of them are keeping the oar tracks warm by coming and going. It is a good thing for the railroads. But it teems to me that their pocket books will soon be exhansted. The Chicago fire struck the Leopold family very hard. Death comet with “silent tread to the cottage door add the palace door.” If I should see Rensselaer I would miss the familiar forms of Chllcote, Washburn and Wright. “The fierce spirit of the glass and scythe" has not been idle. It makes me sad to think of Charley Price. He is the first man that I became acquainted with in 1878 when I struck Rensselaer, and be and I became fast friends. He was a candidate tfiat year for re-election to the office of county clerk, and I was a member of the election board and we had an understanding that I waa to signal him as to how the vote was going on the oount. He stood on a chair and looked over the transom window and when

it was favorable hit countenance would brighten up and when it waa unfavorable he would turn the other way. After the vote waa counted some unfavorable news came in from an out township and he thought he waa beaten, but soon news from other townships made up and he won. He was brilliant and eloquent, a natural born he had a heart aa broad as the universe. A better ‘ mixer'' never lived. 1 will never forget his speech at the meeting held when Garfield died. He wrote it out and submitted it to me and I suggested a few alterations and additions and I tell you he was eloquent. But let us look to the present and the future and not to the past. I received the briefs in your case against the county and I think you will win in the higher courts as well as in the lower. Politics is beginning to liven up in this county for next year. We have in this city p democratic club that meets once a month and It is making its influence felt. The democratic paper here is a great supporter of Hearst for president and I think the Territory is favorable to him, but we have not yet reached our majority and cannot vote. Some wanted to call the club the Hearst Club, but others objected and called it the Democratic Club. They pouted a while but have now got on the band wagon. I will now tell you something about the weather. There has been no rain or snow here this w inter. There have been a few cold days, but generally it has been warm and pleasant. Well. Frank, I had a call to Lawton a few weeks ago. It is in Comanche county and is the county seat. It was where thegreat Law ton prize was at the opening of the country in 1891, the year wecame here. James R. Wood won the prize w hich was worth fifty thousand dollars and he took his land clear across the section to shut out Miss Mattie Beal, a Kansas girl, who drew second prize, and the papers of the world denounced, him. Well, he took sick and died and tome papers rejoiced at his death, for treating a young lady as he did. After his death people said that he did not win the Lawton prize, but the man would who married the widow. A young widow, holding in her right a claim worth fifty thousand dollars would not have to wait for suitors. It w as not long until this young widow “vowed again t 6 love." and threw off her mourning and drapery and dressed in white and was again a bride. The fellow that won her no doubt thought he was in clover, but she in a few months "wraped the drapery of her couch around her young and beautiful body and laid it down to rest." And she did what few women have the sense to do. She made a just and equitable will. She gave one-half to her son by Mr. Wood and onefourth to her parents and one-fourth to her husband. It is now valued at 165,000. This has all taken place in three years. It shows thevioisltudes of human life. Three years ago Lawton was an unbroken prairie. Today it is a city of seven or eight thousand. It shows how cities can spring up in the West. Returning I came by El Reno. It is a city of 10.000 to 18.000 people. The South-Western Normal is going on. but the building has not been occupied yet. I think that they will not get in it until this spring. They hold school in buildings In the city. There are a / good many students. Well, I must dose. My family are In their usual health. My wife, for her, is as well as could be expected. When it is warm she does not complain, but when it is cold her right lung hurts her some. The babies are well. Little Nora is quite a little lady and Vivian is a stout, healthy child and will soon begin to talk. Read The Democrat for news.