TOLEDO TO DETROIT. 271 



full of concern as to ray welfare if the journey were to 

 be continued across the Plains ; and as she was in very 

 indiflPerent health at the time, I was about to abandon 

 ray purpose and return. The news of Custer's tragic 

 death had reached the East, and ray intended route 

 running as it did across the Indian country, filled 

 my friends with apprehension. Closely following this 

 letter, however, came another, informing rae that 

 ray wife was improving, and, with this assurance, I 

 decided not to turn back. By this time, the freedom 

 and charm of this mode of travel had aroused ray 

 enthusiasm ; the imaginary line, losing itself in the 

 Pacific, promised a rich experience, and the opportunity 

 was golden. The good news from horae was therefore 

 joyfully received. 



Strong's Hbfely 



Monroe, MicHiaAN. 



July Twenty-fourth, 



I was detained at Erie until after dinner, spend- 

 ing part of the forenoon in a blacksmith shop, where 

 Paul was being shod. By two o'clock I was on the 

 road again, riding briskly toward Monroe, for the 

 weather was so much cooler than it, had been during 

 the previous week, that I could move comfortably at a 

 good pace. Paul seemed very proud of his new shoes, 

 and, although I halted two or tiiree times, covered 

 something over ten miles by five o'clock. 



As i reached the outskirts of Monroe, I was con- 

 siderably surprised to find a large number of people 

 assembled on the picnic grounds. They were ac- 



