The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-04-16
MOASICK'S PRE-EMPTION.

These remarks referred 10 remarkably fine
not to say notwithstanding young woman
who had Just reined high.mettlcd young
horse out Of the home. cate into the townwart
lane.
Take the kinks out Of him." said the ole
man, as he closed the gate behind the cavorl
ing sieed. To which remark the fair horse
woman made reply by flingng kisses from he
whiphand, and then dashlng away in clouc
of dust
ayes" he said, in response to my further
question, she's my Sal but she's not my da'
ter, nor she amt my wite's da'ter'
"BrOlher'ss"
mo No relation to either OF us by blood. ,
wait ="
81 dunno much what waif rightly is.
call her peremption."
"Do YOU mean a pre.emption!" l asked
gently.
"Wcll, no matter II We call il II ptrempticr
er a preemptIon," he answered, a shade testify
What ! mean is, that | took her up rs a wild
claim on the un-surveyed lands OF the U. ). '
Seems To be fine hOrsewOman," | said
half musingly, as we were approaching the
entrance TO the house.
Step in" he said; "thc DOORS open, and
that shows yc the old woman's not at home
and the way she'll raise CAIN and lectur' on
flies, when she does come home will be music
IN this camp, you bet your and the man
chuckled inwardy until he developed a touch
of the asthma that set him coughing in way
that was more COmical than serious. when
get into that kind Of a cough" he said, re
Stunning, 81 mos gin'cly take q little old rye
and loaf sugar" And SO saying he led me
into the dinng.room of his comforta le farm
house, asked me to be seated while he opened
the lower halidoors of the dish cupboard and
bringing out a sugar-bo~l, spoons, glasses, and
a culglass decanter he said, gently and inter.
negatively, Try littlcy"
Whether tried a little, or whether ! did
not, is question open 10 debate, which may
be settled by each reader according TO his OF
her view Of what man ought to do in such a
Now" said he, when he had carefully re.
placed the implements of hospitality IN the
cupboard, lets go out 10 the barn and see the
colts. There is where | can talk best Though
| amt fust class talker no time, can get on
better when IN seeing good, healthy col.
reaching for his hay"
81 reckon, now, he said after having shown
me his horses ssriattm, you're thinking I'd
Ort to tell you how 1 peremted the gal that
went out the gate on the jumping brown colt.
The way peremted Lainey was this. | was
in California when the Reese River mining
excitement broke out In Nevada in 1862, and
wasn't dong much good | bought little
cheap Mexican jack, packed my blankets,
grub, toois ana cooking outnt upon MS PACK
TOOK the ROAD behihd ms lail ana went aioo'
INTO the Nevada mountains, away cast Oh reese
river determined 10 ma silver nine. had
a little money on hand ana llttle more
coming to me from good men, when started
sunk II all IN two years ana worked haro
but found nothing In the mining way wuth
talking about. In the suhmer OF "a hearh
OF the drought in California, aud OF how cattle
ana horses we're dying there o! hunger, "hlic
where was there was any amount OF good
boss grass Now IL my chance, thought.
nj losing big money not having STOCK 10 eat
ms grass look my JACK ana started from
Nevada ON foot along the overland stage road
Tor California, calculating to fetch HOSES or
the shares to Nevada Besides my jack, had
also doS-a dog that perenl'ed mc-a mixed
dog-a KIND %! II. bernard aud shepherd dog
-anu he was mlghly wise dog.
"On The Stage road them days there was no
houses no houses anywhere near it--only the
stables aud 'ostlCrs quartcrs At stations fifteen
to twenty-five miles apart. At these stations
were'n, no women or iamihcs-just men, and
mighty hard citizens most of them men was.
There beng no place to stop at or fool away
time on, kept right ahead, day after day, with
my procession. There was fust the jack, then
me, then the dog, one behind the other, all as
solemn Gs could be- wasn't feeling no ways
cheerful myself, but by the looks of things
when my face wasn't too thick with dust, /
was the chcelfuGst of the lot. II the jack
wasn't solemn his looks belIed him, and as fol
tha, dog, Ncp, being black dog, with down
tail, think he was tho most serious critter
ever did see lie seemed moslly To he on tn,
point OF going to sleep, but he wasn't half u,
sleepy az looking. There was lightly llt,le car
rying on day or night within half mile o
him tina, he didn't ,abc And the fondcst dos