Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-27
A aIRn LuNlPEp HIs CLAINt.
Row n Young Arizona settler Lost BIS
Farm aud Won il Rack with y Wife.
Fron "a ~ York Snn

spring young man named Belden cam
to this county, took up 100 acres Of land
and built himself shack. Two week
later girl named Helen Chapman tool
up the claim adjoining his on the west
and also built q cabin. The nelgneor
became slightly acquainted, but bolh Wef
too busy to do much visiting. Beldei
was an easy-going fellow, none 100 Ioh'
of work, and Helen was an active, az
gressive, good-lOOking and au ultlou'
Young woman. She did two days worn
10 his one, and had better farm at Iht
end of 60 days than he would have had al
the end Of year if he had kept on IN Ine
way he was going. $780,
After B.lden had been on MS place
about tn, months be became weary OF
the monotonous life, and, going to town
10 have some fun, found SO much ENJOY
ment that he came pretty near forgetting
IN 90 home. When he had been gone lon
ger than the time permitted by the land
INV Helen. who had been watching
her opportunity, jumped his claim, ana
I'm less than ten hours had shack OF
her own standing on his farm. Bel
den returned at last, and, hndlnR Ihat
a woman had jumped his claim, he
said nothing. If it had been man IL
would have been his duty TO 90 cut and
uNNL MIN 10 lut ucdAhs DAh 40 ~ W 10 %
woman, and rather comedy one at that,
he thought he would say nothing and
trust to luck to get rid Of her. Occupy
ing his own shack, he was not more than
800 feet from her new habltatl0n. she
held her ground we'll, 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 a gFi
10 lump his claim he grew inrious-
Knowing that the temper OF most settlers
would brook no interference with a girl
farmer. he went TO town for consultation.
First he talked with some Of his friends
who drank his whisky. They shook their
heads and said it was mighty bad Job.
Then he consulted a lawyer, who gave
him some nope.
In the course of a 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 a settlement.
once on the ground it was agreed that the
LAWYER should 90 and see the girl. lie
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, eve could
go over there and throw him by the heels
into the next county, but it won't do to
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 II she wanted
to avoid serious trouble she had better
abandon her shack and 1eave his claim
alone The LAWYER started out on this
4 ho 10 mt hn " hant
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, it was decided that they
would give her a scare as soon as it be-
came dark. At about o'clock all hands
went over to the girls new shack and sur
rounded 1t. AT given signal they yelled
and fired their reVolvers in the air. The
reports had hardly died away when a
shotgun was DISCHARGED from one
window of the shack, and mo-
ment later another shot was fired
from the other side OF the house.
The men waited in silence for few min
utes, 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
regular intervals, until her adversaries,
who were vaiuly 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
they both avoided meeting.
Things went along in this way until
fall. Helen worked on her own farm a
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
ne was not to be got rid Of she would
voluntarily abandon the claim. In this
he was mistaken. One day, while out on
a hunting expedition, he discharged his
gun accidentally, and received several
shot in his arm and side. He got home
without difficulty, and, examining
the wounds. made up his mind that
he would 20 to town in the morning to
have them attended to. The next day he
was in no condition 10 move, and was
obliged to keep his bed. Growing rapidly
worse and fearing that his injuries would
result seriously if not attended to, he
watched for his next door neighbor, and
when be saw her he signaled for her e
come TO him. The girl came up and
heard his story and volunteered
to 20 to town for a doctor
When the physician arrived and dressed
Belden's wounds Helen told them thai
she would look in occasionally and after
10 the sick mans wants, and she kept hei
promise religiously. For nearly a month
she visited the Belden shack regularly
cooked and served Belden's meals, dressed
his wounds. and helped him as tenderly
as a 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.
This last spring it b. came necessary fol-
somebody 10 put in the crop, ii anything
was TO be done. Belden had had q settle
ment with the girl, and she appeared Il
be making preparations TO work bis farm
IS well as her own. lie didn't want "a
give up beaten, and he could not quarrel
with a woman, especially one 20 whom he
was under so many obligations. Find.
ing that things were becoming intolerablC
as theyiWere, he called on her one evening
In May, and they had long talk, the re.
suit of which has Iust beca discovered
After that consultation they were IRE
quently together. They worked both
farms this year and made big crops, and
last week they were married.
A Florida Railroad Sued.
JACKSONVILLE, F.A., Oct. 26.-Suit
has been filed in the United states Court
at jacksonville by William Bayard Cut
ting. OF New York, against the Florida
Railway and NAVIGATION COMPANY Tbi