The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-12-31
JUMPED HIS CLAIM.
How q Young Dakota Settler Lost
Farm and Won 1t Rack with a Wife

Farm and Won 1t Back with a Wife.
A year ago last spring, writes Sui
ly, Dakota correspondent of the New
York san, young man named Belden
came to this county, took up 160 acres
of land, and built himself shack.
Two weeks later a girl named Helen
Chapman took up the claim adjoining
his on the west, and also built cabin.
The neighbors became slightly ac-
quainted, but both were too busy to do
much visiting. Belden was an easy
going fellow, none too fond of work,
and Helen was an active, aggressive,
gOod-looking, and ambitious young
woman. She did two days work to
his one, and had better farm at the
end of sixty days than he would have
had at the end Of a year if he had kept
on in the way that he was going.
After Beldeu had been on his place
about three months he became weary
of the monotonous life, and, going to
town to have some fun, found SO much
enjoyment that he came pretty near
forgetting to go homo. When he had
been gone longer than the time permit
ted by Tho land law, Helen, VINO had
been watchin" her opportunity, jumped
his claim, and in less than ten hours
had shack OF her own standing on
his farm. Belden returned at last, and,
finding that woman had jumped his
claim, he said nothing. Ii 1t had been
a man it would have been his duty to 20
out and fight him to the death, but us
it was 4 woman, and rather conely
one at that. lie thought he would say
nothing and trust to luck to get rid OF
her. Occupying his own snack, he
was not more than three hundred feet
from her new habitation. She held her
ground well, treating him as an inter-
loper, and never aching as though she
had any idea that he belonged there.
Belden's wrath began to rise finally,
and when he reflected ON the comments
that would be made if he permitted a
girl to jump his claim he grew furious.
Knowing that the temper of most Set
tiers would brook no interference with
girl farmer he went to town for con-
suItation. First he talked with some
of his friends, who drank his whisky.
They shook their heads and said it was
q mighty bad job. Then he consulted
a lawyer, who gave him some hope.
In the course of day or two he got
two of his friends and the lawyer to go
out to his place with him to see what
they could do toward patching up q
settlement. Once on the ground it was
agreed that the lawyer should go and
see the girl. He was absent an hour
and q half, and when he returned he
said it was no use. The girl was post
ed, and he didn't see what could be
done about it
''If it was a man." he said, 1--WE
could go over there and throw him by
the heels over into the next county,
but it won't do 10 harm a woman"
The four talked the matter over, and
it was finally agreed that the lawyer
should call again in the morning. and
represent to her that Belden's friends
were coming to his assistance, and that
if she wanted to avoid serious trouble
she had better abandon her shack and
leave his claim alone. The lawyer
started out on his errand the next day,
but he was back again in fifteen min.
utes with lump on his head the size
of horse-cheslnut, where he said she
had hit him with an aX-handle.
After talking the matter over, every
body being mad, it was decided thai
they would give her scare as soon as
! it became dark. At about 9 o'clock al
hands went over to the girls new
shack and surrounded it. AT a given
signal they yelled and fired their revol
vers in the air. The report had hard
ly died away when gun-shot was dis,
charged from one window of the shack,
and u moment later another shot wa:
fired from the other side of the house
The men waited in silence for few
minutes, when Two more barrels were
fired. This convinced them that the
! girl was not to be frightened, and they
crawled away US stealthily as they
could. All that night the girls shot
! gun numbered at regular intervals
until her adversaries, who were vainly
trying to sleep, wished it would eX
plode and blow her and her shack tc
kingdom come.
In the morning Belden's lawyer anc
two friends started for town, leaving
the jumped farmer alone in his misery
After their departure Belden did some
work on the place, taking care not t.
run across the girl, and, though they
saw each other frequently, they boti
avoided 4 meeting.
Things went along in this way unit
fall. Helen worked on her own farm
good part of the time, and Beldel
passed u good many days in hunting
He had made up his mind that he coult
tire the girl out, and he believed tina
after she found that he was not to b.
got rid of she would voluntarily aban
don the claim. In this he was mis-
taken. Ohe day, while out on hunt
ing expedition, he discharged his gul
accidentally, and received severa
SHOTS in his arm and side. He go
home without difficulty, and, examin
ing the wounds, made up his minC
that he would so to town the mex
MORNING to have them attended te