Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-12

| family and file upon any 100 acres OF
| land that is open to entry, sold the
master. 'What is more, l an very
sure that across the bay and along the
| fruit belt of the foot hills there is some
excellent land still open to settlement.
How would you like to try iii?
Small need of answer. The children IS
faces were radiant. To be raised in a
moment from the depths of poverty TO
the prospective ownership of 100 acres of
land-California land-with all its splen-
did possibilities and latent wealth-was
something so magnificent that they could
scarcely credit its reality. The school,
master saw their eSultation and tried to
check it.
ait means hard work, plain living and
self -deniaI-years of it'll he said. "'But
go home, take account of all your re-
sources, and report to me next Saturday
morning. Hold yourselves ready for
action. -
CHAPER nI.-THE HEAD OF A FAMILY.
When the boys went to keep their ap-
pointment with Mr.. Roberts the following
Saturday, they found the schoolmaster
seated at the desk in his study, with an
open letter before him.
"Well?" he said, as the boys took
seats near him.
awe have acted on your advice, Mr..
Roberts, replied Ned. 1--WE have
made list of all the things we have that
would be useful on q ranch, and another
of all we can spare. By selling these we
can raise a little over $50, less what it
costs US to live while we stay here.
The schoolmaster knit his brows.
''That is very little,'' he said. "What
Ned pulled a memorandum from his
pocket 1t read
Working clothing enough for one year.
Cook stove.
Kitchen table.
Three chairs.
One rocker.
Two beds and bedding.
Plenty of dishes and table linen.
One small carpet.
One screen safe for food.
One meal chest, nearly full of white
flour, oat meal, corn meal and Graham
flour.
One bureau.
One sewing machine.
One lounge.
Garden tools, rake, hoe and spade.
''You have made a wise selection,
boys, said Mr.. Roberts. "But speak
ing of garden tools reminds me of some
thing else. Your father was cabinet
maker. Didn L he have set of tools?'
''Of course he did, - said Martin,
quickly; and the incest ones you ever
saw-a whole kit-everything from a
brad-awl to spirit-level. ;"
ga good set of tools ought to be
worth considerable, said the school
master. "Have you seen anybody from
the faotory-since?'
''No, sir, "a replied Ned, "we
couldn t expect it. The men work early
and late. They never have any time to
spare until Saturday night. -
al think L III take time by the forelook
and go there to-day observed the
master. ''Now, boys, 1 have a letter
here that came last night. 1t is from
Dr.. John, the friend I spoke of who lives
in Alameda county. 1t lie dated at his
little country place.
soLANo. Sept. 5, iss-.
Friend Roberts-within radius of ten
miles of this place, a dozen or more
"Iooatlonsn on government land could
probably be made. These tracts are
generally at q considerable elevation
along the coast range, and consist of
rocky and billy grounds, affording fair
pasturage during the winter mouths, but
they would hardly repay cultivation, and
all are inaccessible and distant from
railroad or market.
There is, however, one quarter section
lying close TO me, upon which nobody
places any value, but which / should
seriously consider if 1 were about to enter
land. To explain its situation, must
first make you acquainted with the
Brook.
This mountain stream rises at the sum-