The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-08-14

1880
on his own homestead, thus making q
cheap pretense of complying with the
requirements of the homestead law de.
handing a place of residence on each
claim.
Then, before they had got more than
fairly settled, the Transcontinental rail
way put in an appearance, cutting their
claims III twain, and r~enunerating their
owners but scantily therefor.
No serious misfortune had overtaker
Mr.. Partlow, however, but his accus-
toned i'll luck manifested itself often
enough to keep him in mind Of the fact
that man is of few days and full of trou.
BILE.
The only cowpossessed by the partners
choked to death on almost the last OF
their turnips; the chinch bugs made
merry with their discouraged looking
wheat, and a train on the Transcouti-
mental SO frightened the team of horses
that Blue and Partlow owned Jointly
that they ran away with a borrowed
moving machine and Mr.. Partlow, ruin.
ing the former and endangering the life
of the latter.
But all this was nothing more than he
expected, he said sighfully, and it was
therefore met with becoming resignation
by Mr.. Partlow. But Mr.. Blue, less ia
miliar with misfortune, began to look
with suspicion upon his partner as a sort
Of modern and degenerate Jonah.
''Shouldn't wonder" commented Mr..
Bits.
It had been but lately that Partlow,
though feeling physically out of shape,
as he expressed it, had ridden to New
Chicago on an errand of nc interest to
US, and while returning had become
weak, i'll and delirious and, as he learned
afterward, had been found wandering
aimlessly about at a considerable dis
tance from the way he should have u
sued, and faithfully followed by his old
horse.
Partlow had been taken in and cared
for by kind souls, and was now only just
recovering from a severe illness.
He was ready to prognosticate moro
i'll luck for the future.
Prompted by what he had believed q
premonition, he had, before leaving the
double claim, given Mr.. Blue a laborious.
ly executed document resembling apowel
of attorney, giving him authority over
his claim during his absence.
And now it would not surprise him
much, he confessed, to find that Blue
concluding that he had feloniously run
away with the racking horse, had in
dulged in some retaliatory measure. He
could not see how Blue could avoid n
tertaining an uncomplimentary opinion
of him, at the very least.
"The claims air jest over beyond the
timber thar" he continued; ''an'
wouldn't be surprised if
His further f~orebodings were inter.
rupted by the appearance of a little
squad of horsemen, who came gallopina
toward them out of the timber, just
ahead.
'sThat's Ike in front. The rest all
strangers to me-" he said, gloomily.
"Wonder what's upg'
"Ike, what he began, as the horse
men reached the blackboard.
s'Shut up" broke in Mr.. Blue. "We've
gu q SuA PRISE 1O1 yOOs
Partlow doubled up a little closer on
the seat of the blackboard. They were
half way through the timber before he
spoke again.
wonder what they're up tor he nut.
tered to Bits. s'Mebby they're goin' tc
hang me, or sump'n'! Say, Ike, I hain't
done nuth'n' AMI
GsCl,,,+ 49, ~ Ir11ro -, Al. -1-LT--..-.a
dressed.
"Jest my regular luck" sighed Part
low. 'But 1 hain't done nnth'n'g"
AS they emerged from the timber he
looked up to see the familiar outlines OF
the shanty, on the line between the two
claims.
Instead he, wide eyed and open
mouthed, beheld new born, bustling.
booming Junction City, with its already
respectable showing Of houses and tents.
There appeared activity everywhere
men hurrying hither and thither, more
shanties and tents springing up, a build
ing just rolling in on tt ucks, a new de,
pot rising skyward-in short, the spring.
ing up of a prairie Getty"
Mr.. Partlow threatened to collapse.
"It's part Nv the surprise" grinned
Ike Blue. "You an me own half Nv the
town. Morn a thousand dollars worth
Nv lots sold already, an more a-goin' all
the time. Prices 'risin' every minute.
Well be rich men yet, Ork, ole feller!"
"I-my luck"-
elias changed at last. / found oui
where you was very soon after you was
taken sick, but as you want in any
great danger I reckoned on not lettin
you know anything about this till ]
could spring it on you all at once"
Il can't believe it!' faltered Part.
low. p
sOh. it's all truei'
''Rich-luck changed--I can't believe
my senses!' said Partlow, slowly. 81
reckon I'm losin' my mind or sump'n'!"
He rose to step down from the buck.
board, and weak from his recent illness
and the excitement fell forward to the
ground.
Ellis arm is broken in two places
was the verdict of the doctor who had
arrived at the settlement in good time
to DO called to the cabin whittier Partlow
had been carried.
The sufferer uttered what sounded like
q sigh of relief.