pavement near him. There were but few persons about the house at that time, daylight had disappeared, and every thing appeared peaceful and quiet. The Governor in his thoughts had apparently forgotten that he was the Executive of the State, and commander-in-chief of all its military forces, and in his feelings had become an Iowa farmer again; he gave a description of his own farm, how he managed it; stated that he had recently purchased a lot of steers from the western part of the state, told how he was going "to handle them," and the profits he expected to realize from his farm and steers.

It was a beautiful evening, the sky was clear, the stars shone bright, all nature apparently calm and lovely. While these things were being discussed, I noticed the gray bearded man who had made the threats at the court house come near where we were sitting, and take a close observation of the surrounding premises and then go away.

Soon after I saw a squad of men consisting of five persons, one in the lead and two abreast following each other in close proximity, with quick and hurried steps coming up the opposite side of the street from the hotel; when they got to the corner of the public square they turned and came across the street directly towards where we were sitting. As they approached near us. I discovered that the leader was the grey haired man I had heard make the threats at the court house. The thought immediately struck me that they had malicious intentions and designs toward the Governor. I sprang to my feet, placed myself at the door, so that my body formed a barrier between them and the Governor. They came in front of the door, made a halt, turned their faces towards us, stood motionless with a steady fixed gaze at their surroundings, not a word was spoken, but after a few moments passed they left.

The Governor soon retired to his room and I to mine. In connection with the many persons about town there was nothing in the coming, stopping, or departing of those men, which excited especial attention or comment, and nothing was said about the matter at the time, and their bearing would not have especially attracted my attention, had I not heard the emphatic threats of the grey bearded man at the court house. There was no explanation given by the party at the time, and no especial comment made by any one. The circumstances had nearly passed from my mind, when several months afterwards I was informed that those men had come prepared, and it was their intention to have shot the Governor, and if it had not been for my interference, they would have carried their intentions into effect.

About the time the Governor came to town, the man who I understood had been elected commander-in-chief of the Tally forces, came up to Sigourney. From him I learned that they had got their forces fully organized, and it was their intention to start for South English early the next morning. I told him of the information I had got in relation to the Governor's preparations and intentions, and how I had got it, and advised him to go back to the camp and as soon as it was dark have his men disperse and go to their respective homes. The Governor in his speech at the court house made no mention of his having out any military forces, and apparently it was not his intention to have it publicly known, but that night there came to Sigourney, or in close proximity to the Tally camp, the Muscatine Rangers, Capt. Satterlee; Washington Prov

ost Guards, Capt. Andrews; Brighton Guards, Capt. Sheridan; Richland Home Guards, Capt. Drummond; Fairfield Prairie Guards, Capt. Alexander; Fairfield Union Guards, Capt. Ratcliff; Abingdon Home Guards, Capt. Peck; Libertyville Home Guards, Capt. Cowan; Mt. Pleasant Infantry, Capt. Jericho; Mt. Pleasant Artillery, Capt. Burr; and Sigourney Home Guards, Capt. Price."

While one of the artillery men was standing guard over his gun, in the early dawn of the morning, a stranger, led by curiosity, or as a spy from the Tally camp, came up within speaking distance of the guard, and asked him what he had there, when he got the reply "That, sir, by is a butter

nut cracker."

As the "enemy" following the advice of their counsellor, had all disbanded and scattered during the night, no hostile demonstrations were made on the part of our troops, they were all put under the command of Col. N. P. Chipman to remain until notified by the Sheriff of the county, that they were no longer needed.

The camp of the Tally forces was estimated to contain from one to three thousand men, but as no muster rolls of them were ever made, or if made never published, their exact number was never known.

Upon warrants issued, twelve men were arrested for the killing of Tally, when Mr. Negus, who had returned to his home in Fairfield, was sent for by the Governor to assist in their prosecution, but the men all waived examination and gave bonds for their appearance at the next term of the District Court and thus ended the noted "Skunk River War."

For the prompt and decisive action of the Governor in suppressing this outbreak, much credit is due him, as it prevented the shedding of much blood, and a long train of domestic troubles and disasters that would have followed dilatory measures.

NEW IOWA BOOKS.

MEN AND EVENTS OF FORTY YEARS.

AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL

REMINISCENCES OF AN ACTIVE CAREER FROM 1850 TO 1890, BY THE LATE JOSIAH BUSHNELL GRINNELL, WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY PROF. HENRY W. PARKER, D.D. Boston, D. Lothrop Company, pp. 426.

OR thirty-six of the years included in this sumptuous volume the author was a prominent citizen of Iowa, and held high rank among the public men of the State. His work was multifarious, and touched the whole life of the Commonwealth from the days of the pioneer in the central region of the State to a representative seat in the Senate of Iowa, and in the lower House of Congress. In his active and enterprising career Mr. Grinnell bore a part in the discussion and settlement of every public question and he was familiar with all the public men of the time. A man of great force of character, independent in thought, frank and racy in speech he has preserved in this handsomely printed book his reminiscences of the men and

events that have made Iowa a name of honor. The volume is a valuable contribution to the history of the State. It falls into the error, p. 258, of representing Mr. Grimes's service as Governor as covering "two terms," whereas his election. which took place under the Constitution of 1846, was for a term of four W. S.

years.

HISTORY OF THE TRAPPIST ABBEY OF NEW MELLERAY, IN DUBUQUE COUNTY, IOWA, BY WILLIAM RUFUS PERKINS, A. M., Professor of History.

This is Number Two of a Series of Historical Monographs published by the State University of Iowa. New Melleray takes its name from Mt. Melleray, in Ireland, and this from

Melleray Abbey, a monastery in Anjou, founded in the Twelfth Century.

About the middle of the Sixth Century, St. Benedict gave to the western world the code of religious life called "The Holy Rule." Departure from the asceticism demanded by St. Benedict, was the occasion of the Reform of Cluny" early in the Tenth Century. At the close of the Eleventh Century, the Cluniacs becoming less spiritual, the order of Cistercean Monks was instituted at Citeaux, in Chalons. Out of this grew several establishments; that of St. Bernard, in Clairvaux: of Robert d'Abissel, at Fontrevault: and that of Vital de Mortain, at Savigni. Dependent upon the latter and following its rule was "the monastery of La Grande Trappe, the ancestress of New Melleray and the mother house of the Trappists."

La Trappe was founded about 1122, by Rotron, the antagonist of the renowned Robert le Diable. It takes its name from the resemblance of an opening into a valley of the mountainous region where the monastery was built, to a trap door.

The course of the Trappists is traced very clearly for more than six centuries until the Constituent Assembly of 1791 sold the property to individual purchasers. The property was recovered and was held until in the revolution of 1830, it was considered unsafe for the French government, under Louis Philippe, to harbor so many Englishmen and Irishmen as had joined the order, and still farther unsafe to harbor friends of the deposed King Charles X, who was a lover of the Monks. September 28th. 1831, witnessed the arrest of the Monks of Melleray, and two months later they were sent out of the country, at their own request to Ireland. They established the monastery of Mt. Melleray, upon mountainous and barren land leased at a nominal rent from a Protestant, Sir Richard Keane, who laid the first stone of the present Abbey by brief of Pope Gregory XVI. Its prosperity led to a colony in England called Mt. St. Bernard. Attention was then directed to America. A monastery had been founded at Gethsemane

in Kentucky about 1800. Efforts to find a suitable place for a colony from Mt. Melleray, were unsuccessful until Bishop Loras, from Dubuque, visiting Mt. Melleray, offered them a tract of land twelve miles southwest of Dubuque. The offer was accepted and on July 16th, 1849, was laid the foundation of New Melleray.

The corporation now owns 2442 acres of land which are thoroughly tilled.

Thorough communists they maintain a strictly ascetic life, following the Rule of St. Benedict as to:

The author closes the excellent monograph, the materials of which regarding New Melleray are drawn from manuscripts kindly furnished him by the Superior of the Abbey, with a brief summary. Among the sentences are found the following: "It is strange in the Nineteenth Century and on the banks of the Mississippi in the midst of the new and vigorous west to see the usages of thirteen centuries ago still active and fruit ful. * and that the community preserves the customs of mediæval times. * * Their faces betoken a spiritual

content.

* Their hearts are kind and full of love for

their fellow men."

Accuracy of statement and beauty of style make the monograph invaluable as part of lowa History.

RECOLLECTIONS OF INDIAN LIFE ON OLD MAN'S CREEK IN 1840.

OBOKESHICK "or White Hawk" the subject of this sketch was by birth a Fox Indian. He was born at the Fox Village, on Turkey river, near its junction with the Mississippi, in what is now Clayton county, Iowa, in the year 1783.