Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-12-02

A wear ago last spring young man
named Belden came to this country (Da-
kota) took up 160 acres OF land and built
himself a shack. Two week later girl
named Helen Chapman took up the claim
adjoining his on the west. and also built
cabin. The neighbors became slightly
acquainted, 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. Sac 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 year it he
had kept on in the way that he was gong.
After Belden 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
home. When he had been gone longer
than the time permitted by the land law,
Helen. who had been watching her oppor-
tunity, jumped his claim. and in less than
ten hours had shack of her own standing
on the farm. Belden returned at last, and
on finding that woman had jumped his
claim he said nothing. If it had been a
man 1t would have been his duty to 60 out
and fight him to his death. but as it was a
woman, and a rather comely one at that.
he thought he would say nothing and trust
to luck to get rid of her. Occupying his
own shack he was not more than 800 feet
from her new habitation. She held her
ground well, treating him as an interloper,
and never acting 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 girl to
jump his claim, he grew furious. Know
ing that the temper of most settlers would
brook no interference with girl farmer,
he went to town for consultation. First
he talked with some of his friends who
drank whiskey. They shook their heads
and said it was mighty bad job. Then
he consulted a lawyer who gave him some
hope.
two OF his friends and a lawyer to 60 out
to his place with him to see what they
could do toward patching up settlement.
Once on the ground it was agreed that the
lawyer should 60 and see the girl. He
was absent an hour and half, and when
he returned he said it was no use. The
girl was posted and he didn't see what
could be done about it.
IF it was man," he said, 1--WE could
90 over there and throw him by the heels
into the next county, but it won't do to
harm women
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 sack and leave his claim
alone. The lawyer started out on this
errand the next day, but he was back
again in fifteen minutes with lump on
his head the size of horse chestnut,
where he said she had hit him with an ak
handle.
After talking the matter over, every
body being mad, 1t was decided that they
would give her scare as soon as it be-
came dark. At about 9 o'clock all hands
went over to the girls new shack and
surrounded it. At given signal they
yelled and fired their revolvers in the air.
The reports had hardly died away when
shotgun was discharged from one window
of the shack, and moment later another
shot was fired from the other side of the
house. The men waited in silence tor
few minutes, when two more barrels were
fired. This convinced them that the girl
was not to be frightened, and they crawled
away as stealthily as they could. All that
night the girls shotgun Numbered at in
tervals. until her adversaries. who were
vainly trying to sleep, wished that it
would explode and blow her and her
shack to kingdom come.
In the morning Belden's lawyer and
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 to run across
the girl. and though they saw each other
frequently they both avoided meeting.
Things went along in this wav until
fall. Helen worked on her own farm
good part of the time, and Belden passed
many days in hunting. He had made up
his mind that he could tire the girl out,
and he believed that after she found that
he was not to be got rid of, she would
voluntarily abandon the claim. In this
he was mistaken. One day. while
out on hunting expedition, he
discharged his gun accidently. and re-
ceived several shot in his arm and side.
He got home without difficulty, and, ex-
aiming the wounds, made up his mind
that he would 90 to town in the morning
to have them attended to. The next dav
he was in no condition to move, and was
obliged to keep his bed. Growing rapid
ly worse. and fearing that his injuries
would result seriously. if not attended to.
he watched for his next door neighbor,
and when he saw her, he signalled for her
to come to him. The girl came up and
heard his story, and volunteered to 90 to
town for doctor. When the physician
arrived. and dressed Belden'' wounds,
Helen told them that she would look in
occasionally and attend to the sick mans
wants. and she kept her promise religious
". For nearly month she visited the
Belden shack regularly, cooked and served
Belden's meals. dressed his wounds. and
helped him as tenderly as relative could
When he got so that he could sit up and
help himself. her visits became shorter
and at longer intervals, and at length
they Ceased altogether.
his last spring it became necessary for
somebody to put in the crops if anything
was to be done. Belden had had no set
Element with the girl. and she appeared
TO be making preparations to work his
farm as well as her own. He didn't want
to give up beaten, and he could not quar-