Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1888-02-23
A DAKOTA ROMANCE.
BY IRENE G. ". ADAMS.


at once and found vacant quarter ad-
Joining Miss Banners. on histown plat.
He decided to take it as q homestead,
reasoning that If he remained at Dun
dee he could keep up residence" on II
and get title without paying the sl,2o
per acre that it costs to get title to
presumption. The U. S. Land Once,
where all land seekers in that district
must make their entries, was several
miles away He engaged a seat in the
battered spring wagon before he slept,
for they were TO start at -four o'clock,
sharp" the driver stated. The road to
WATERFOWL ran beside the railroad track
till it reached Windblow, the county
seat Of - county, and then struck OF
across the far blue hills" without . hs-
bitstion for any miles The party stop
ped at Twin Lakes for dinner-twc lakes
divided by narrow ridge upon wiich
the road is laid, and skirted by strag-
gIIng cottonwood trees, growing too far
out on the lowland for the ravages of the
prairie fire to destroy. The driver de-
tailed three Of the party to catch fish for
dinner, two to build = fire of the dry
sticks he had brought for the purpose
and the tall grass they could gather beside
the lakes, twisting it into roofs the size
of a mans arm, and about 40 long
Others helped picket out the little
mules, set out provisions from lunch bcI
that had served IS a seat in the wagon,
made coffee, dressed the slim, shining
pike as they houndered from the hooks
of the fishers, and laid them into the
iron pan over tho fire, where great slices
Of salt pork lay browning and saVory. A
tin cop and plate for each, and a pocket
knife comprised the dining set, but
ravenous appetite and jolly party gave =
relish to the meal rarely seen ut table
dscked with china and silver. Young
Byron made friends at once with ALL
His awkward attempts to make himself
useful brought down the criticisms OF
the men in volleys, but were met with
80 much wit on his part that they chose
another victim, for every squad Of men
IN the west must have martyr for their
sarcasm, and woe unto the comrads who
can not meet their raliery on equalterms.
No practical joke 10 too severe and ex-
asperating for them to perpetrate and
enjoy. The lack of better diversion cul-
inmates in this sometimes cruel practices.
The brute smoulderins in their natures
suppressed by fsvorins and refining home
influences, crops out in this form when
| removed from these yond restraints
But Lee Byron would never indulge in
low or vulgar language or pursuiss-he
enjoyed fun and nonsense heartily, and
was always the life of any party he
| chanced to be member of, but he felt a
| noble pride in his manhood that kept
him undefiled and sweet as a child be,
| side it's mothers knse.
Tho party Of land seekers lay upon the
grass an hour after dinner, giving each
other sn outline Of thar homes, PROBES
-ions, aud general reasons for seeking
this Wild region, with only such reserve
- each deemed essential for their future
| interests.
Lawyer, merchant, DOCTOR" Byron
enumerated at the conclusion of the con-
ference. Haven't We a profsssor?" he
asked, looking around the group; spro'
lessor of music" was the reply-''thsl
modest man vino reported asa 'csrpen'
ter was star in the Continental Concert
Troupe last year; / heard MIN sing, I'D
| recognized him st the hotel last evening
On sight"
"Well, IL l could get living by sag.
ing L never shove q plane or saw, an
swered Byron.
at took me too much from my family
and laid mp no money for home" was
the quiet reply.
"Will you give up music altogether
Intercepted another OF the group.
"Perhaps not-I shall not feel above
teaching . country singing school, OF
playing the church organ Of Dundee,
whsa we have a church there" the pro.
fessor replied. looking up with lustrous
brown eyes shaded by low, heavy dark
brows.
"Au aboard" shouted the driver with
swinging crack of his whip, Water
town at sunset, and buffalo hunt be-
sides. A half dozen guns had been fred
during the forenoon at herd of antelope
feeding upon the brow of hill beyond
rife range, and huge jack rabbit
neither of which we're molssted. A de-
risive laugh greeted the drivers remark
as they fastened to load into the coayey-
| ance. Two horsemen went tearing past
them, their poor breasts flecked with
foam, each rider leaning forward as if
to gain time in that way. "Watertown
or bustr the driver shouted after them.
There is race for the same piece Of
land; tue man who has the best horse
gets the land-it may be they are after
some that you fellows intend taking
That remark set them to thinking how
disappointed they would feel if they
should fail to get the land they had Sc
lected. Suddenly an attachment for the
undulating sod where they had set their
stakes for home blos,omed in their
hearts. How natural it is for "ours" to
take on brighter shades and larger pow
ers than theirs"
A narrow belt Of timber touches the
beautiful Lake Ksmpeska near the road.
As our travellers reached tins, the driver
halted, dismounted, handed the reins to
a passenger, and taking . gun from un-
der the seat, stepped cautiously among
the branching trees. Every gun was
carefully examined and every man on
the alert. A rumblns sound, a jarrirg
OF the earth, grey cloud of dust, and
Just observable in III midst, huge forms
plunging forwsrd. Crack, crack, went
the drivers rife; crack, crack. crack, the
guns from the wscon, turning the mon
sten cou,.s aside, end leaving one half
grown buffalo vnthins in the sand of
the beach. The mules were frantic with
fright, and the drivers attention was de-
voted to them sc uDcopcernedly as +
nothing unusual had occurred. while
hsrrsngne of cpithets fell about his head
like . shower OF hail5topes, from the
group gathered about the PROSTATE mou-
ster.
''You mute old ssloot, why didn't you
tell US, and givo rs chance at those
fellows?" Byron asked, half indignant.
81 dare shoot with any Of you; if you
doubt it let us try Iound.n