Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-10-10

OS>~>>s
ing the crowd. collectively. II have
but this one proposition to make. If
you wish to retain your claims you
can do SO by paying me five dollars
per acre, and the terms can be ar
ranged so as to give you ample time
to pay out"
.tBut if we don't wish to buy the
land from you after we've owned it
and improved it. then what?" Hart
asked.
IF you don't wish to buy it. of
course you must move off and give
possession"
So it was settled. and as there was
no way around it the men left for their
homes in any thing but a pleasant
frame of mind.
s'What's the news. Felix?" Mrs.
Skaggs asked when her husband re-
turned.
Nothing. only we have to give up
the claim"
"Then there's no doing any thing
with the agentP'
''Not thing. It's possession Or five
dollars an acre with him, and with us
it's possession, of course"
During the next two weeks many
personal appeals were made to the
agent, and though he was mild and
gracious in his replies, he showed no
disposition to deviate from his first
terms.
II would be glad to aid you." he
would say, ''but under the circum-
stances 1 can not vary from my rules"
So in time the people, already sore,
began to think and speak of Mr.. Bah
cock as hard, unfeeling man, whose
whole object was to grind them down.
Finally Felix went away to seek an
other location, and while he was gone
Mrs. Skaggs became sick. and it was
necessary to send for doctor. Jennie
Skaggs. the twelve-year-old child, was
sent over to the Cross Roads to ask
some one to go from there.
'1ts a long walk to the store. Jen-
ME, the mother said as the child start
ed of. "but you can find the way east
ly, and you needn't be in any hurry
coming back. only SO you reach home
before night"
Jennie tripped away and in due time
reached the Cross Roads, where she
told her errand to the storekeeper and
| asked him to aid her in finding some
one to go for the doctor.
"Why, yes. I'll help you, of course -
said the storekeeper, 'but don't see
anybody here just now as could go.
There'll be some one here directly,
though, and if you want to go on back
I'll attend to it for you and send as
soon as possible
Jennie waited, however, fearful that
the storekeeper might forget. and it
was growing quite late when she de-
before she had gone half the distance
| darkness came on and she lost the
| road
While she was wandering about on
the prairie she heard the clatter of
horses feet coming toward her. and
waiting where she was buggy drawn
by two dashing horses soon drew up.
The driver caught glimpse of the
child's white dress and, halting, cried
out
Hello, here. what's the matter?'
please sir, I'm lost
''Lost, eh P" the man replied, in a
mild. kind tone. ''Well. now. that's
bad. Where do you want to go. little
girl ?''
"My pas name is Felix Skaggs and ]
want to go home. Doyou know where
he ives?"
Felix Skaggs? Um. why. no, be-
| lieve I don't. I haven't been here
long. and I'm not much acquainted
yet"
"Well, it's five miles from the Cross
Roads on the road leading out to the
| new coal mines. A little sod house
with a new frame house almost com.
pleted."
'1Oh. that's it, is it? Well. I know
the way there, and as it's very little
out of the way I'll take you home il
you want to ride. Climb in"
Thank you, sir. I shall be ever sc
glad, only I'm afraid it will put you to
too much trouble"
''Oh, it's no trouble. just get in. >
For a. little ways they went in 81
| lence and then the man asked, sud.
denly:
| 41OW Cdu1O yOo W OO Ouo oO .AoOS
and SO far away from homer"
| "My mother is sick and l went over
to the store to get some one to go for
the DOCTOR"
| 'Where's your PAP"
| ''He's gone away to hunt a place tc
get new home"
Then you're going to move away?'
Yes. sir; we have to, but it's awful
bad. Pa and ma both take it mighty
hard, but the agent is too mean to lei
us stay, so we have to give up the
place and every thing. It's terribly
bad. don't you think?"
Yes. it is. But you may judge the
agent wrong. I'm sure he doesn't
wish to turn you out. He has his in
structions, and he has to follow them.
whether he likes to do it or not"
do you know him?''
| ''Ye-es, to some extent"
| DO you think he's good man?"
''Well, wouldn't like to say as to
that. now, because none of US are as
good as we might be. I'm sure.
though, Mr.. Babcock wishes to do
| rioht and his svmnathies ara with the