Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-08-06
DAKOTA'S GIRL FARMERS.
Young women Who own the Land
They Cultivate.

abhOrr6ace OF nOIOriety, pee 3uSe OF
the number of bores that are sure to
hunt them UP, either in person or by
letter. A floating paragraph about a
Young women who has farm near
This place, which appeared in the
newspapers few months ago,
brought her more than a hundre' let
ters inside of three months. These
nissives were OF every variety under
the sun, and included nearly every
thing from an offer OF advice on
wheat planting to propositions Of
marriage. While speaking with her
Yesterday ON these subjects she said /:
II had some of the funniest letters
Won ever saw. About dozen Of them
were from men who wanted to marry,
evidently a shlftless lot, for not one
of them could spell, and in every
case the letters indicated ignorance
even of the common courtesies of life.
They were principally from widow
ers, and all began by saying that hey
had been thinking OF going to Dako
ia for long time. / suppose they
all thought that would jump at the
chance TO get them l nsver answer
ed any of them. Some of the letters
were from old ladies in the Eastern
and middle States wno wanted to
give me good advice, and others were
from girls, widows and old maids,
asking how / managed to get along,
and what was necessary for them to
do in order to get themselves estab-
lished as we'll as | am. | answered.
some of these, and two or three Of
them have written to me since.
THE worst nulsances that have to
deal with she continued, "are the
men, young and old, who come out to
see me. They are about the toughest
lot [ ever heard of. | have had to
drive some of them off the place, as
they seemed determined to stay. /
suppose it is the same everywhere, but
it seems strange that woman can't
90 ahead and accomplish something
for herself without being worried to
death by all the old bummers, cranks,
widowers, and dudes within q thous-
and miles. One young fool came to
see me last spring. and after following
me around sixty acre lot twice, just
because | treated him decently, actual
ly had the nerve to ask me If my
thougts ever turned to matrimony. |
told hlm that they never had, though
/ didn't know what might happen If ]
came across just the right person.
That seemed 10 help him on little,
and he asked what sort of person it
would have to be. l told him didn't
know, and called his attention to the
fact that my of horse was little off
his feed.
"'How would I dor said the young
fellow.
"'If | had ten acre lot full of such
fellows like you | wouldn't take the
trouble 10 scrape you ap with horse
rake
Zone elderly man from Pennsylva-
MIA came here last fall and, stopping
in town, he would drive out here
every day. He began at first by pres
tending ho had deep religious interest
IN me. Then he wanted 10 know how
| stood financially how | got my
farm, and how much ] made from it,.
1t took him several days to fine
ovt what he wanted to know,
and he then intmated a wish
on his part to take tea with
me, and spend an hour or two in the
evening at my house, as there was
something that he wanted to say to
nae. | tried to get rid of him, but he
was old enough to be my father and
was so decent about tAings generally
that / finally consented. After tea he
took a couple chairs out on the east
side of the house, and when we had
both seated ourselves, he said:
81 have been thinking for long
time about marrying again. I've
GOT
CHOW, you stop right where you
are, said l, 'or I'll set that dog on
you. If that's the nature of your re-
marks, Wen adjourn this meeting
right here. I've got work to do, and
don't want any fooling around
You never saw man get up and
cit like he did He never said word,
and | have never seen him since.
Il rather like some of these young
chaps from the city, though the kind
that are pot making love, but who are
always wanting to help you. They
think they are so strong, and when
anything is to be done they are so
quick to take hold; but, gracious
goodness, / could break a good many
Of them in two, if | wanted to
They're good boys, though, and |
never say anything against them
This young lady, who is as brown
as berry and as solid as russell,
with all the spryness and grace of the
geutlest of her sex, owns 100 acres of
good land, and has 1T under pretty
fair state of cultivation. Some old
farmers might make fun of few
things, and she readily admits that
she has much TO learn, but she man
ages to make her living and consider
able more. Her mother lives with
her, and with the assistance of stout
maid.of-all-work they get along with
out any male help. Before heyoung
woman came here she tried TO make
ner living as a dressmaker in small
Michigan town, but she failed at that,
Id finally determined to come here
end settle down on farm,
Up near B lunt there are two young
sisters, not more than % years old,