Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-04-23

Shyly she murmurs: "Ah! '*s',% -
How should know?"-Her cheekggrew red
why don't you ask mamma?"9
THE DEFENCE.
Rochester Courier.
Nehemiah Strong. d jealous and
faithful Quaker, was smitten with the
western fever" some years since, and
finally removed to the regions where
"squatter sovereignty" was being ex-
perinented upon. But squatter, or
any other sovereignty troubled Nehe-
miah but little. He was a man true
to his creed, and wherever his lot
might be cast, there would he live in
peace and quiet with his fellowmen.
The proper location was soon found,
and when Nehemiah had made clear
ing and built log house, hewas mon
arch OF all he surveyed and staked.
But Strong was not allowed long to
remain in peaceable possession.
Bolder and more evil men lived
in these western regions than he had
ever before met, and in the absence of
any very positive or very available
law, they did not hesitate to take the
| management of affairs into their own
hands. A few reckless men could thus,
by combining for common purpose,
rule a great number of more timid or
respectable people, driving them from
their houses, or dealing with them as
they would.
Strong, Notwithstanding his blame
less life and gentle religion, did not
long escape these vultures of the
West. His home attracted the
notice OF a desperate named Bob Eel
lows. who determined to possess it
inasmuch as that would be easier than
building house for himself, or per-
haps driving away more determined
man. Besides, the honest Quaker had
not forgotten wheat, potatoes, corn
and other provisions for comfort
able winter, which season was now
approaching, though still quite dis
tant.
Accordingly, one day Bob Fellows
armed to the teeth, and looking
especially ferocious, rode up to the
cabin and inquired for the owner. The
Quaker CHANGED to be inside at the
moment, and quietly answered the
summons.
"Does thee wish to see me?" he
asked, gazing upon the intruder with
some degree OF alarnn, notwithstand-
ing his peaceful nature.
"Wal, yes" growled tho ruffian. 1
thought I'd ride over and see what in
the old boy you'd gone and set your
house All my land for! That's all l
wanted to see ye fer"
''Thee is mistaken, returned Nehe-
miah. ''This land belongs solely to me,
one Nehemiah Strong, thy humble SER
want"
"You lie!" was the rejoinder," this
is my land, and now, as yer shanty is
stuck on here, just in the place whar I
was goin' to put my own, I'll be easy
with yer, and say nothin' about the
law, if yen jest get out OF here and be
beyond sight and hearin' tomorrow
mornin'. What dye say to that"
'*Verily, / believe thee villian!' re-
turned Nehemiah, finding that he was
not Immediately to be eaten up or
run through. "This is my home, and
tho home Of my family; yet thee seeks
to turn me from it, and leave myself
and family to starve, nay I cannot
cohstrain myself to depart thus. Thee
has no right or title here, to my knowl-
edge: If thee has, produce it, and I
will depart freely"
"Look ye, you old robber!" Kissed
the desperado, II hev claim here. I
surveyed this land near ten years ago,
and made my marks. II you hev cut
them down, it'll be all the wuss for
you. I've plenty OF witnesses who
know about it, and needn't tell ye
it's bad scrape to beguilty ofcuttin'
away yer neighbor' slandmarks. Now,
l shall be here to. morrow mornin' and
if yer know when yer we'll of, you'd
better not be here at the same time"
With this unmistakable threat the
outlaw turned and rode away, leaving
the Quaker in no enviable frame of
mind.
We might have stated. before, al
though it may be quite as we'll to say
here, that Strong's family consisted OF
his wife and two daughters, with a
SON Mark, about twelve years Of age.
The daughters, hearty, buxom girls of
twenty-five and twenty years each,
named respectively Ruth and Naomi,
were full Of natural lifo and decision,
quite unlike what the daughters OF q
meek Quaker would naturally become.
They, with the mother middle-aged
gentlewoman, who strove hard to live
as peaceable as the tenets of her faith
required, gathered about the husband
and father. The latter sank upon q
chair, seemingly quite discouraged and
disheartened by the event which had
had just occurred. >54'9 '.t+z. -
Verify, l know not the proper course
to pursue he moaned. II can't af-
ford to leave this house and the grow
ing crops smiling upon us with prom
Use of sustenance for the winter. l
fear this william is q rascal Of utter
dye, who will not hesitate at blood
shed. It may be we'll to go, yet Unjust
remain for a time" ~ Y es35s s.z = f
IN orx;o,,a n;~ht roa nassod ond