Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-03-14
A DISPUTED CLAIM.
How the Matter Was Finally Ad.
tusted by an Accident.

IN one or the wild and romantic pOr-
tions of Dakota Territory lies a certain
section Of land, upon which had been
built, at some remote period of time. a
rude log cabin, evidently for the head
quarters of band of prairie pirates, and
which had been, for many years previous
to the time of which am about to speak,
deserted on account of wild and awful
rumors that painted the abandoned hut
as the abode of the spirits of four bull
whackers, who were slain at that place by
the freebooters years before.
In my line of business, 1 never had any
particular dealings with ghosts, but, ac-
cording to all accounts, they must be
pretty tough Gus toners to deal with. At
any rate, think that about the toughest
specimen any one could we'll scare up,
would be that of bull llwhacker.
For years this old cabin was stunned
by man, red and white alike. But at
length a venturesome mortal squat ed
upon the unlucky tract of land, built him
shanty at a short distance from the an
cient spook structure, and,
strange to say, was not bothered to any
great extent by his ghostly neighbors.
All went we'll for awhile, but one fine
morning as the squatter arose and went
forth into the open air. he was somewhat
taken aback upon beholding a column ot
blue smoke unconcernedly floating sky
ward from the log chimney of the ancient
cabin, which was in plain view of his
own.
This circumstance set him to thinking
and to revolving in his mind small ques
tion in natural philosophy, which, when
finally figured up to his satisfaction
amounted to something as follows:
It's thar any sech things as ghosts? No
sir, nary ghost. All dog gone myth. Z"
2-"What causes smoke asides firei
Nothin'."
tself outen the chimbly of an ole shack
don't it go fer ter show that some two.
legged human critter has got fire in.
side? Bet yer eye-balls it do"
This problem settled the squatter deter.
mined to go over to the old hut and in :
vestigate matters a little. So lining his
belt with bowie-knives and old horse
pistols, he started boldly forth in the di
rection of the cabin.
The squatter, in person, was fierce-
looking fellow, with one eye, and a nose
that closely resembled the beak of a Red
river owl, only being many sizes larger,
and with his belt full of savage-looking
weapons, he was enough to scare a COM
mon man into fits.
A roughly-dressed and hard-looking in.
dividual sat just inside the cabin. smok-
ing a huge black pipe, as the squatter,
with bood in his eye, paused before the
doorway.
"Wal, stranger, what dye think yer
tryin' ter do here" he accosted, in a men,
acing tone.
The stranger removed from his mouth
the huge pipe, took a good, long look at
the other, and then said:
swell, now, pard of the lone optic, II
IT'S all ther same ter you, may ask what
you're doin' around my premises, this
early in ther day"
"Your premises?"
"Yes, sir, my premises"
stranger. jest let me per in yer
ear thet this here section o. kentry ar'
mine by right o. persession; an 1 don't
allow no man ter infringe on my right. so
ye jest want ter be skippin' outen here on
ther double quick, afore We git yerself
inter trouble" and the speakers lone eve
glared fiercely upon the other.
"Then We don't allow no one ter step on
yer hind toe in this here biz. eh?"
mot muchl so ye jest want ter be
maxim mule-tracks outen this"
"Yer dangerous man ter buck against,
eh?"
"Bet yer eye-balls."
swell, ole pard, have cum here ter
settle, and settle Pm goin' ter, so put tina
inter yer fryin' pan an simmer it."
1t was plain the stranger had no notion
of yielding to the others wish.
stranger, it's plain that ye don't know
me, OF. ye'd never dare to make such talk
a. that But l want We to understand
that Pm a cuss what amt ter be fooled
with. Asidss, stranger, mebbe We ain'i
aware that thar's ghosts around this yere
old shanty bigger'n bull-elephants."
''Oh, yes, I'm aware of it, and hav,
the fattest OF 'em salted down ready fel
winter use," responded the stranger, will
q wicked grin.
Look here, now" cried the squatter
angrily, "this yere chin-music has gon,
fur enough. I'll give yer ontil noon ter
day ter hunt yer hole, an eff yer ar still
here then, why, Ill have to waltz owe
here am agitate yer etarnal stubbernes
plum outen ye," and with this threat tn
squatter turned and strode loftily back +
his cabin.
Promptly at noon he again made his an
pearancs, ;, only to find the stranger ssate,
in the doorway as before, contentedI,
smoking his huge pipe
.sThort told ye ter git up and potaterS'
cried the squatter, fsrceiy.
swell, what IL We dids'
what eff I d.dt Wal, now, jsst let m
tell ye that when the lion roars the gophe
had best crawl in outen ther blizzard.D
He had, eb?'
"Bet yer eye-balis, be had.n
"But ye don't see any signs o. me leav
I'M, do yeW
mo; an Pll warn We fer ther last tim.
ter make yerseIf scarce in ther diggin's
I'll give We until termorrow mornin', an
OK ye ar here then, yer shattered carkiss'l
itD
Then the squatter turned on his hee
and went back TO his cabin. Shortly af
ter day-dawn be again made his appear
ance, aud again he found the stranger
seated peacefully in the doorway.
'Iock-a-hersi stranger he cried
This thing has gone far enough DO Y,
intend ter git outen this, or notfn
Not by horn-fnll, Lone Eyes an
sWsred the stranger.
Then ye'd better spit ont q prayer o
two,D the sqpattsr advised 'sYs'd bes