Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-06-12


comfort that were sorely needed.
II was Erastus that broke the spell at
last He had been tho first TO riso and
had gone out Immediately to feed and
rub down the horses; and returning
had entered Just in time 10 hear Mrs.
Parsons speak of the title TO the clnim.
Then he, too, remembered the rttmor
which they had heard, and knew that
ii was true, and understood all that it
meant to those who had been the only
real friends he had ever known, and
his young blood grew hot and for a
moment he felt that he could kill tho
men who were the cause of so much
suffering; and then there came n great
wave of affection for the friends who
had given him all the love he had over
known, and, stepping forward, he said
in II tone of voice that gave II weight 10
his words which his years would have
denied him;
"Unclc John, If the land thieves
have gobblcd this place. too, let them
have it. There must be land some
where that they don't claim, and il
there is well find it, and make home
on it. L m almost q man now, Unclo
John, and I'll help you; so don't give
up. 1t will be all right yet. ~
"Ycs, John, cheer up. We will find
n place to start agan, somewhere, and
all beg IN together" said his wife. Il
know, dear, how badly you feel. You
have built the house for us and have
thought so much about welcoming us
here that it is harder for you than
for us, who only saw it for the first time
last night.
q never knew it till just the other
day." sad John. striving TO speak in
his natural voice; "thcy told mo
straight, and the courts had decided
that nobody had II claim on it that
would hold but the settler; but it pears
that the rich fellows that claim it raised
heap of money and bribed Congris 10
reverse the thing. The other squattcrs
got wind of it and had mccttn' TO SEQ
about it. That was while | was at Sac
ramcnto arrangin' with joe fer your
comm, and never knowd anything
about it till Bill Ritch'e, who has the
next ella m east. came over Thursday
morn to tell me that another meet n
was to be held that afternoon TO hear
the report of the committee that ha |
been sent to Frisco to find out if it was
true or no And so | helped Bill to
notify the neighbors, and we held the
mectin at l5ill's house, and the com
miticc was thar an they said we was
done for, sure enough; that Congrii
had decided that the hui Suscol Ranch
belonged to few fellows that never
struck blow, nor turned sod, nor
put up a shanty; and who never pad
nobody fer doin' it, but claimed it be-
cause some Span sh King or other once
| pretended to give it to some of his Gro.
II es before there was any Unit ID States
or anything else on this continent but
bullalcr, and bars an lniins.
81 ust to be proud of my country y
he continued, "and was fond of sayin'
that everybody stood an ekil chance
here; but it amt so. Nobody don
stand any chance except he is raski
and coward into the bargin stealth
'thout getlin' in front of the law. Their
amt no doubt but that Congris wa
bribed. Our fellows have even Leaned
where and when the money was iaised
and some of the Congrismna and Sen
ators who was bought to <Ute agin us
but we can't prove nGtinng in court
fer everything works agin the poo
man, who only wants justice, an il
favor of the rich one that is eekin' Il
rob him of his earnings; and III WASH
for the wimia and children that nigh
be left wis off if their husbands an,
fathers Wus killed, there would lie
fight before some of us give up ou
claims"
This allusion to possible violenc
frightened Martha Parsons. What
the squatters should resist and job
should be killcdp The thought almos
took away her breath, and she tried j
evervway to calm her husband whor
she had never before seen in so violcr
and bitter mood.
He did not really mediate resistance
however. Experience and Observable
had taught him that those who ccul
control both the Legislature and tll
Courts could bring aids to their assist
ance that made resistance by any fore
which the squatters could comman
worse than useless; and after a littl
while he cooled down and began 10 tai
of what was TO be done i'll the dircctio
of seeking a new home.
| cOllt VI .Illt ltllohS ilt I
goin' up into the foothills, above Sac
ramento, where they say thar amt II
claim of any kind on the land, an
where it is most as easy to grow grape
and peaches an apricots and sch as
is to raise. corn an hogs back in th
States. If they would pay for the wor
I've done on this place, or even enoug
to get lumber for another house, W
could start agin up there, and do purt
well may be, but they won't Stealth
is their game, and 'hlvin' paid Congri
to declare stealin' legal, | 'spose they
go for everything in sight.
Mrs. Parsons protessed to be please
with the idea OF raising fruit, which wa
really the case, for she had already see
evidences since arriving upon the coas
of the lberality with which nature deal
with such of her products in this cl
mate, and could She have felt absc
lutely certain that they could find tn
right spot and get claim which woul
not be wrested from them, she woul
have felt in no small degree contente
with the situation. And now she wa
ready to encourage any scheme tbs
would help to reconcile her husband
the inevitable.
The result of further conversation bt
tween the members of the family WI
that Mr. Parsons again mounted hi
pony and rode away in the direction {
Ritchie's shanty; and that that evenin
dozen sIuatters. many of them accon
panied by their wives, met at the co
tage, were introduced TO the new con
ers, and when they departed it had bee
arranged that John and Bill shoul
make trip to the locality spoken {
and see if it was really suitable fo
homesteading, while others were to 9
to San Francisco and ascertain beyon
possible question if there was any shaC
ow of claim hanging over 1t.
II don't never mean to settle o
another bit of ground that anybody ha
ever laid claim to 'ceptin God mighty,
said one OF those present; and all til
others echoed the sentiment.