Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-02-21
MY BikTH RIGHT
How a Young Woman Maze Coco
Her Right to a Quarter Section
of Kansas Land.

Her Right to Quarter Section
Of Kansas Land.
EUREKA PLACE, Feb. 9, 1886.
To the Editor Of the Eagle:
The county of Meade, in Kansas, is,
as its namc indicates, wide aud beau
tiful stretch of meadow land. Upon
its fair extent many a settler has found
a home by complying with the laws in
regard to settlement on public lands.
There came time when l longed to
claim my birthright and pre-empt a
quarter section of the government do
main. l had that species of madness
which people call the "western land
fever" Ny friends at home told me
that Meade county was the land OF tie
cowboys and coyotes; that there was
no timber, and the cheapest coal was
$is ton; that it was sixty miles from
the railroad; that water was gotten al
200 feet; that the land would be worth
less for farming, as the county was an
uudHN siei'cu W ttouiii. iiiR' tHc '"e
tlemen were opposed TO settlers and
would annoy rs; that ON even winter
DAYS we would be visited by five kinds
of yenomous reptiles, to say nothing
of centipedes and tarantulars, and that
would pass through Dodge City.
where neither property or life was
safe. But bad heard the cry, the
west has boundless opportunities for
youth and ambition. / took my life
In my hand, likewise two grips, passed
through the famous Dodge nnscathed
and arrived, per stage, in Meade. No
fairer vision ever greeted my eyes than
its trel. SIS extent of prairie, covered
with thick, rich mat of brown buff
falo grass
do not wonder thai people go
cray after land. Its po.s' ssion
is "a del @h,. m in'oxi ati.n
WAS f"r an nu gh I" find "a
s.,.f; i-li -'-t.fl"u nin" miles 4 IA
the t-.ut. : -rat Il Ia eel * crh. Tor
alth asu much of Il l. broken il has
on it that priceless treasure, living
water | intended that my m .rher
ap'l rs, sell s'i"iIid lsre-.'iiii his raci.
Tie iir-t Thing WAS t. buili d 'liing
OF, each ella an. lou Il ihis an "xT'en-
s;ve business lit country where there
WAS no na'Iye timber. Each board
brought sixty miles from the railway
becomes almost worth its weight ia
gold. have erected what Is called
"box house." of heavy lumber roughly
put together: the root is not struggled
but covered with a--paper on the
boardS. In size il was l0xl2 aud had
a door and window, il had still TO
be comp eted By being surrounded by
two tiers of sod | found an old set
tier living mile away willing to I'M
dertake the job. lie lived in "dug-
OUT had sick wife, nine children,
and apparently no great wealth. But
the old settler never does anything in
a hurry This one got the sod half
way up the first day, then declared to-
morrow was Christmas ami he never |
worked on holidays" He afterwards |
completed his sodding and the house
looked like big black hay stack. 1t
may not be an elegant structure, but
il is at least comfortable and the
Meade county papers have boldly re-
ferred to it as my residence" l will
add for the benefit of would-be pio-
neers that its complete cost was forty
eight dollars.
On the anniversary mentioned,I sat,
if not under my own vine and fig-tree,
at least in the door of my own sbanty.
Some kindly neighbors with whom l
have been staying had gone to their
home in an adjoining section leaving
me TO await the arrival of my mother
and the freighter with our household
goods. The day was perfect, like In
dian summer; yet night approached
and they had not come, l was as en-
tirely alone as if had been the first
person born into the world. Not
sign of a human being could be seen.
A herd of cattle came over the hill and
gazed at me in solemn amazement. 1t
was not re-assuring when two great
fellows with horns like snak began 10
below; paw the ground in preparation
for n contest with each other. They /,
thought Better of ii, however, and 4,
went amicably off like the braggsdo-
clos they were. There were three
empty houses in sight, The supposed {.
homes of pre-emptors and homes, cad
ere, who. when ready 10 "prove up
will p-rjure themselves by swearing
that thr, have made continuous res {,
idence on their land. The Gun sank
lower in the west, then out Of sight.
At last decided my mother was not
coming, locked the door. sud started
to find my friend of the dugout. He
does not bear alone, however, this dis
ton. Most of "ur neighbors burrow
in the ground. had been ST HE I
home once, and knew the general di- /,
reeti.n across The prairie. But there |
are no "a, duarks here, no roads. no
tree | wandered on, never losing /,
sigat of my own house, and finally
and reluctantly decided il was better .
to return TO il than 10 spend the night
on the bare prairie TO be sampled by {
the coyotes or made football of by /
the Wild steer. A-- Ia
went back. There was but one {
thing in the room. and that vas .
board foot VIDE laid il on the ,
grOun,s, q there vas no hoor-they
superfuous here it you