Evening star., 1886-12-03
How Western Women Work md Vote.

Fort keogh Letter TO the Philadelphia Record
In all political canvasses out this way. when es
timating the number OF votes which NAV ma
counted upon at the polls the votes OF women ara
noted, recognized and sought In every way. The
poll-taX which every voter between 2l and 30 Il
obliged 10 pay. whether male or female. is spe-
clally for school purposes. As one OF the girls
puts it: "0ne OF the principles for which the rryo
lutionary war was fought was that taxation
should have representation: and the justice of the
principle Is as unquestioned to-day as IL was 100
years ago.
As farmers, the ladies are also entitled 20 the
cake. Women have been typified as tender vine
cinging TO the sturdy oak which Is supposed To be
emblematic OF strong man. out here I'm the free
northwest IL is quite the reverse and every day
one can see or hear OF examples where the gentler
Sex prove supporting oak 10 the weak tendr1ll
man. well-known married woman little west
oa,h, ., mere, 1 Whose husband has been absent nine
rounding up cattle, during the past spring and
summer, did all alone and unaided her own plough
Ing. When ploughing time came this enter
prising mother constructed box on the plough
In which 10 carry her baby, and thus she pouChed
the burrows. She then proceeded 10 harrow, plant
ana cultivate, and I'm this way produced a fine
crop, which she harvested and packed away by
the time the old man came home. This is only
one example out OF hundred. some OF the g1ris
In Dakota and Montana have taken 60 editing
newspapers As rule, the papers edited by the
territorial girls are credit 10 Journalism. Miss NJ.
r. Mills has besides getting out on time the weekly
edition OF The Hduiey Star, proved up on pre-
emption, planted I'VE acres on a tree claim, built a
county. Her turnips look like yerItable cart
wheels, and took the first prize al the agricultural
fair. This damsel now has the modest lump OF 4sO
acres In her own right.
The solution OF the woman problem seems TO b.
that woman may do whatever she can. Girls on
the praiTies or Dakota and Montana are now nv-
Ing alone, In Isolated cabins, miles from human
ity. and vet they are safer IA all respects than IN
large eastern titles. These pucky homesteaders
spend whole summers alone on their claims, and
neither fear nor have cause 20 fear the least in-
trusion. Such absolute freedom from all rest raInt
Is rarely enjoyed by anybody; but here II is "A
idct and no mistake. True, II Is little lonesome
at times, but then when the girls are in pairs
one can ride, walk, run, saunter, wear old clothes
q sun bonnet or hat, can sing, shout, carol trill
chant In seven octayes and nobody Ia complain
about II. They Tree and light-hearted OF
course, and the very picture of rosy health. Most
all OF them can shoot, and when they do n ne.ts-
cessary, they shoot to KILL
Last week Mr.. and Mrs. Evans were out 10 their
STOCK ranch near the mouth OF Belt creek, 10 look
after their cattle. They were on horseback. and
after gathering the animals together and COUNT
Ing them- found that a dozen or were missing
Mr.. Evans then started across Belt creek. where
he had seen number of head the day before In
structiDg Mrs. Evans 10 go back about mile and
take a trail up the ranch, on the lookout for any
missing cattle, deciding a place where they
would meet. She had not proceeded far. how
ever, when she saw In little basin before her
three of their calves and two enormous gray wolves
with them, the latter engaged In the pleasant
pastime OF eating the calves alive. on the i'm
pulse OF the moment never thinking Of
and was soon I'm the midst Of the wolves and
their prey. Then she industI1ously laid
about her with her riding whip, driving the wolves
back, although they We're snarling mad and en-
ceedingly savage about leaving. The wolves
made dash at her, whereupon the pony SHE'D
and nearly unseated the fair equestrian. but she
quickly recovered her balance and dashed back at
the brutes with such energy and determination
that they fled from the field and LEFT the brave
woman in absolute possession. Two OF the calves
died from their injuries that night and the other
one was literally torn 10 pieces. When it II con-
sidered that hunters and cowboys, We'll armed,
wolf Oh the prairie, IL Is all the astonishing
to think that one woman, alone and unarlned,
would dare TO attack and do up two such mon-
sters I'm such a brilliant style as Mrs Evans
handled her brace OF gray customers.