Mountain View Times (Mountain View, Okla.), Vol. 22, No. 21, Ed. 1 Friday, September 24, 1920 Page: 4 of 6
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Page 4
MOUNTAIN VIEW TIMES
Homesteader
By Robert J. C. Stead
Author of
•• Th* Cow Punchtr, ” Etc,
Illustrations bp
IRWIN MYERS
Oopjrljhl, All BlghU R«»«rT*4
..................
SYNOPSIS.
PRELUDE.—Despondent becauss of th.
Memirigly barren outlook of M* P0-1**®®
ab a school teacher In a email canaclaix
town. John Harris determines to leave it
and take up land In Manitoba, a ' Homs-
steader" Mary, the girl to whom he la
affianced, declares sbe will occompany
hltn
CHAPTER L—They are rnaiTled and
eet out for the unknown, desired country.
AJeck McCrae. pioneer settler and advia-
•r of newcomers, proves an Invaluable
friend.
CHAPTER II.—Leaving his wife with
the family of a fellow setUer, Fred Ar-
thurs. Harris and McCrae Journey over
the prairie and select a homestead. Mary
Instate on accompanying him, and they
begin tbelr life work of making the prai-
rie fertile farm land.
“Ready-for the road in the morn-
in, Jack? Don’t want to break up
your little honeymoon, y’ know, but
the month Is wearing on. Nothing but
horseback for It now, an’ they do say
the settlers are crowding up some-
thing wonderful. The best land’s go-
ing fast. Most of them will hold up
now, with the roads breaking, bnt by
slipping out on our horses we can lo-
cate an’ file before the real spring
rush opens. You should get some
kind of shelter up before the frost Is
out of the ground, so*s to lose no time
from plowing once the spring opens."
Harris needed no urging, and In the
early morning the two men, with blan-
kets and provisions, stnrted out on
horseback for the still farther west.
Hurrls soon found that more Judgment
was required in the selection of a
prairie farm than he had supposed,
and he congratulated himself upon
having fallen In with so experienced a
plainsman as McCrae.
“This is good enough for me," said
Harris at length, ns their horses crest-
ed a little elevation from which the
prairie stretched away1 in all direc-
tions, smooth as n table. “Isn’t it mng-
“Isn’t It Magnificent! All Free for
the Taking!"
nlflcent! And all free for the tak-
ing!"
“It’s pretty to look at,” said Mc-
Crae, "but I guess you didn’t come
west for scenery, did you?”
“Well, what’s the matter with it?
Look at thut grass. If the soil wasn’t
all right it wouldn’t grow native crops
like that, would it?”
“The soil’s nil right," answered Mc-
Crae. “Nothing better anywhere, nn'
you can plow 100 acres to every quar-
ter section. But this Is in the frost
belt. They get it every August—some-
times July. We’ve got to get further
west yet. Into the higher land of the
Turtle mountain slopes. I know there’s
good stuff there thut hasn't been tak-
en."
And so they pressed on, until, In
the bright sunshine, the blue line of
the Turtle mountain lay like a lake
on the western horizon.
Many times in their explorations
they passed over sections that Harris
would have accepted, but McCrae ob-
jected, finding always some flaw not
apparent to the untrained eye. At
length they rode over a quarter where
McCrae turned his horse and rode
back again. Forward and back, for-
ward and back, they rode the 160 acres,
until not a rood of it had escaped
their scrutiny. On the southeast cor-
ner a stream, in a ravine of some
depth, cut off a triangle of a few
acres’ extent. Otherwise it was prai-
rie sod, almost level, with yellow clay
lying at the badger holes. Down in
the ravine, where they had been shel-
tered from fire, were red willows,
choke cherry bushes, and a few little
poplars and birches; a winding pond
marked the course of the stream,
which was running in considerable vol-
mae, Even as they stood on the bant
■"great cracking was Tiearff. and huge
blocks of Ice rose to the surface of
the pond. Some of these as they rose
turned partly on their edge, showing
two smooth sides.
“Good!” exclaimed McCrae. “There s
some depth of water there. That pood
hasn't frozen solid, or the Ice wouldn’t
come up like that. That means water
all winter for stock. Independent at
your well—a mighty important consid-
eration. which a lot of these land-
grabbers don’t seem to reckon on.
Now there's a good quarter. Jack. This
coulee will give shelter for your stock
In raw weather, an’ there a a bench
looks as though It was put there for
your little house. There's light tim-
ber to the north, fit for fuel an’ build-
ing, within 15 miles, an' there'll be
neighbors here before the summer's
over, or I’m no prophet. What do you
say T
“The quarter suits me," said Har-
ris. "And the adjoining quarter Is
good stuff, too. I can take pre-emp-
tion right on that. But there’s Just
one thing Tm in doubt about. How
Pm going to square It with you for the
service you have given. My cash is
getting low, and-”
“Don’t worry about that I gener-
ally size up my customer an’ bill him
accordingly. If he has lots of money,
an’ seems likely to part with It fool-
ishly, I put as much of it as I can in
safe keeping. But there isn’t any
money fee as far as you’re concerned.
Fact is, I kinda figure on trading this
bill out with you. I expect to be rov-
ing this country, east an' west, for
some years to come, an' I've a little
policy of establishing depots here an’
there—places where I can drop In for
a square meal an' a sleep an’ a bit of
western hospitality. Places, too, If
you like, where there are men to say
a good word for Aleck McCrae. How's
that suit you?"
Harris took his friend’s hand In a
warm grip. He rightly guessed that
McCrae was not bartering his services
for hospitality, but was making It
easy for Harris to accept them by ap-
pearing to bargain for a service In re-
turn. Bo they shook hnnds together
on the side of the bank overlooking
the little coulee, nnd ns they looked
In each other’s eyes Harris realized
for the first time that McCrae was
still a young man. A sense of com
radeshlp came over him—a feeling
that this man was more of a brother
than a father. With admiring eyas
he looked on McCrae’s fine face, his
broad shoulders, his wonderful phy-
sique, and the question he asked
sprang from his Ups before he could
arrest It.
“Why don’t you get married, Mac?”
"Who, me?” said McCrae, laughing;
but Harris detected a tone in his
voice that was not all huppiness, and
the thought came to him that Mc-
Crae’s craving for hospitality might
root deeper than he supposed.
“It's a long ride to the land office,”
continued McCrae, “an’ you can't file a
minute too soon. We’d better find a
corner post an’ make sure of the num-
ber of this section, an’ put us much
road behind us as we can tonight."
After filing at the land office Harris
returned at once to the Arthurs’ home-
stead. The news that the Harrises
were to be neighbors within 40 miles
was received with enthusiasm by both
Fred nnd Lilian Arthurs. But Har-
ris wns now consumed with a burning
energy; he allowed himself only a
precious half day at the home of the
Arthurses, bade his wife an affection-
ate farewell, and, with a cheery good-
by to the warm friends on the home-
stead, he was away down the trail to
Emerson.
On arrival at Emerson one of the
first men he met wns Tom Morrison.
The two pioneers shook hands warm-
ly, and In a few words Harris told of
having selected his claim, waxing en-
thusiastic over the locality In which
his lot was to be cast.
“I must get out there myself,” said
Morrison.
“Do,” Harris urged. "There are
some other fine quarters In the neigh-
borhood, nnd nothing would be better
than to have you on one of them.”
The west-bound trip waB made in
good time, although not without diffi-
culty at some poiutB In the road, and
before the tenth of April Harris was
bnck under the shelter of Arthurs’
roof. He was for pressing on alone In
the morning, hut he found that his
wife had mode all her plans to ac-
company him and would listen neither
to persunsion nor reason.
"But, Mary, there's no house, and no
shelter, and no neighbors—nothing but
sky nnd grnss as far as you can see.’
“All the more reason I should go,”
she nnswered. "If you have to rough
it in the open you at least deserve
your meals cooked for you, nnd such
other help as a woman can give. I
really must be with you. I really
must, John, and you know—I’m go-
ing.”
So at last he consented. The sup-
plies of provisions were Increased, and
together they set out to wrestle their
fortunfes from the wilderness.
On arrival at the homestead the
young wife Immediately gave evidence
that she Intended to bear her full
share of the pioneer's duties. A com-
paratively dry spot was found among
the little poplars, nnd here she built a
tent with blankets and a bit of rag
carpet that came In most handy for
such purposes. Their stove was set
up, nnd although It smoked stubborn-
ly for lack of draught. It furnished
heat for cooking, and when Jack re-
turned from tethering the horses the
smell of frying ham and hot tea struck
his nostrils.
"Well, that’s hotter than rustling for
myself, I will admit," he said.
That night, before the darkness had
gathered too deep, they selected the
site of their house on the very bench
that McCrae had indicated. It was
■tea »»igt-1a- mint udUffia
Halfway between the praTrle’Tevel and
the bottom of the coulee, where s
small river was now running. • • •
It was quite dark when they sought
the cover of their little tent, and the
wolves were howling far down the ra-
vine.
Presidency they were stnrtled by a
crashing noise. as of some big ani-
mals rushing upon them through the
poplars, and the horses in headlong
ha<te, almost swept over their sleep-
ing place.
That wolf howl put the fear Into
the silly brute*," said Harris, speak-
ing calmlj1, although his own flesh was
creeping Just a little. “I suppose
they’ve ripped their tether ropes to
pieces. Well, we’ll tie them down
here, where they'll have company.”
And he led them back n <hort distance
Into the bushes.
A moment later, suddenly, as If con-
gealed out of thin air, on the bank
right above them, silhouetted against
the dim light In the western sky, stood
horse and rider. Instantly Harris'
mind came a warning of McCrae:
"Sleep with one eye open when your
horses are tethered out”
Harris had no proof that the strange
rider was a horse thief, but It struck
him at the moment that the terror of
the horses might not have been due al-
together to wolves.
He stole silently toward the tent
There wns a gun there, loaded with
shot for any possible gjtme on the prai-
rie. As he moved In the deep dark-
ness of the valley he stumbled over a
root nnd fell. The same moment came
a flash of light on the bank, and Har-
ris heard the "thulc" of a ball bury-
ing Itself In the sod. He lay perfectly
still. The stranger peered Into the
darkness for a full minute; then, dis-
mounting, began to come cautiously
down the hillside. Harris wonld have
rushed for his gun, but he feared to
reveal the whereabouts of his wife. So
he lay still, and the stranger came
on, the glint of his gun barrel showing
in the darkness. It was evident he
thought his bullet had found Its mark,
and fie proposed still to possess him-
st If of the horses. But he was taking
no chances. Presently he discerned
Harris’ body on the ground, nnd ngain
raised his gun to his shoulder. Har-
ris lay in an agony of suspense, pray-
ing that the aim would he faulty, and
that his assailant would advance un-
til he could spring up and disarm him.
Then came another flash, a loud re-
port, a yell from the Intruder, who
hnif fell to earth then scrambled t«
his foot, rushed up the bank, pulled
himself somewhat limply on Ills Imrse,
ami rode into the darkness.
••Oh, Jack, are you killed?" cried
the girl, rushing In his direction.
“Not oven hurt," he answered; nnd
she fainted In his arms.
He carried her to the tent niid ap-
plied water to her forehead. As he
wns engaged In restoring her his hand
fell on his gun. The barrel was hot.
He raised her face to his. nnd kissed
her again and again.
In the morning they found a few
drops of blood on the grass at the top
of the bank.
Harris and his wife allowed them-
selves no time for nerve stra'n over
the experience of their first night on
their homestead. The next meriting.
after caring for their cows, they
hitched the horses to the wagon, toox
an ax, a saw, their gun, and a lunch,
and set out for the valley, returning
late at night with sufficient logs and
poles for the framework of their house
and stable. The next day construc-
tion was commenced. Four stout posts
were set on end, enclosing a rectangle
12x10 feet. The tops of the posts were
connected by logs laid upon them,
dove-tailed at the corners after the
fashion of woodsmen, and held In po-
sition by wooden pins driven in auger
holes. Lengthwise along the center,
to form a ridge pole, another stout
log wns laid and the whole framework
supported by additional posts, among
which were two on the east side to en-
close the door. Small poles were then
placed on end, sloping slightly In-
wards and resflng against the plate
logs. Similar poles were laid from
the plate logs to the ridge pole to sup-
port the royf.
Harris found a southern slope where
the frost was out enough to admit to
him plowing some sods. He plowed
them, three Inches, thick and 14 inches
wide, nnd cut them Into two-foot
lengths with his nx, to the sad injury
of its cutting edge. These sods were
then built into a wnljjike bricks, rest-
“Not Even Hurt,” He Answered, and
She Fainted in His Arm*.
ing gently against the framework of
poles, from which, however, they were
swmi-nfud hv a DcdditUt of trrqss, which
Harris cut Tn a~sTougir with' bis scythe
and small willows from the ravine.
This mattress of grass and willows
prevented any earth shaking through
Into the house Itself. A framework
mode of a hewn log was Inserted in
the south wall to leave space for n
window, which shotfld be bought when
the family finances could afford such
luxuries. For the time being It would
be left open In fine weather and cov
ered with canvas when the elements
were gruff or unruly. The rng carpel
when no longer needed ns a tent, would
be draped In the doorway, pending the
purchase of boards to make a wooden
door.
For a roof grass wns laid on the
poles and covered tightly with sods
Then Harris found a sticky, yellow
clay In the side of the ravine, and
two or three Inches of this he spread
carefully over the sods, like Icing on a
great cake. The greasy clay soon
hardened In the sun, and became so
Impervious to wnter Hint the heaviest
rains of summer made no impression
upon It.
By this time the snow wns all gone,
except In north-fneing nooks along the
ravine, and the frost was out of the
sod In all plnces deep enough to admit
of plowing. As the stock were taking
no hnrnt from the ojten air, thanks to
the shelter of the ravine, Harris de-
cided to delay the construction of his
stable until after seeding and to pro-
ceed at once with the plowing of his
land. He had also to make a trip to
Arthurs’ for seed grain, and to bor
row a couple of sections of drag har
rows. With It all, by the middle ot
May he hnd sown 15 acres of wheat,
and notwithstanding a heavy snowfall
about the twenty-third, by the first ol
June he had added ten acres of oats
With his help Mary hnd planted a
small garden of potatoes and vegeta-
bles, and a few flowers were spring-
ing up at the door of the house.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
T i sh om in go—N e w
open near here.
quarry to
PUBLIC AUCTION
Monday, September 27
We will sell at Public Auction, at the East Wagon
Yard in Mountain View, on the above date, the
following described property:
35 Head of Cattle 35
5 head ot Holstein heifers, coming two
years old.
10 cows, 4 to 6 years old, giving milk.
10 cows, heavy with calves.
10 springers.
All these cattle are reds and roans, ex-
cept the Holsteins, hand-picked and
good ages. They are all gentle and of
the type that will do you lots of good.
7 Head of Hogs 7
1 thoroughbred registered sow, sixteen
months old, weight about 350 pounds.
Six of her pigs, all eligible to registration.
These pigs are from Orion King boar,
which coft John Graves $ I 700. Five
of these pigs are males and weigh
about ! 50 pounds.
These hogs are all the property of Col-
C. S. Johnson and owing to the fadt
that I am short of hog pasture, I have
decided to sell them.
Attend this sale if you want good hogs or cattle.
Sale begins at 1:00 o’clock sharp.
Sums of $10, and under, cash. Over $10, notes with approved security bear-
1 JCrf-IVlVXo ing 10% interest, due November 1, 1921. 5% discount for cash on sums
over $10. No property removed until settled for.
Luther Killough ™ C.S. Johnson
OWNERS
Col. C. S. Johnson, Auctioneer
First National Bank, Clerk
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Forgy, F. E. Mountain View Times (Mountain View, Okla.), Vol. 22, No. 21, Ed. 1 Friday, September 24, 1920, newspaper, September 24, 1920; Mountain View, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc914305/m1/4/: accessed April 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.