Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-03-26
CHAPTER XIV.
THE THREATENING wHIRLwIND.

ma 'py one 10 the young couple, work
ing away upon their claim at the
Slough.
True, they were poor, and were
forced to i've very economically; t
w at was pc ert. when they had love,
and health, aid the assur' nee that pow
erty would b. van ,uished in a few years
more?
It lacked less than two years of the
t'me when they could ''prove up and
get Government patent to the land
under the Homestead act, and by that
time they would have almost us fine a
fruit and vegetable ranch as the State
aho'd del; for here the frost never
comes, and with all fear of drouth ban
is ed by he certainty of an abundant
supply OF water from the yer tbrou IN
the irrigat ng bitches. prosperity
seemed assured beyond any possib. lity
of failure.
Then, too, branch of enc of the
lead ng ra roads was beng built near
them, an would BE- completed, and
furnish means of transportation for
everything they ia sed. by the tine
the / trees and vines were in full bear
ing.
And they had good neighbors. which
added much to the pleasan. ness of their
surroundings, for though never content
to be separate from each other. even
for II day, our young friends enjoyed
having their acqualnti es drop in on
them, and often visited among their
neighbors, spending the evening OF
S nday afternoon.
They heard regularly from Lucy S
parents, and quite ire uen'ly from Jen.
ME and her husband, who were still in
Chicago and doing well. At least En-
sign had steady employment, and they
were comfortable and happy.
Mr.. and Mrs. Parsons had now fully
decided to sell Their home on the mount
ain at the first opportunity, and move
to the Slough their out-of-thc-wa To-
cation alone operating against the ready
sale of the place.
Meantime Erastus and Lucy worked
The size of orchard and vineyard was
increased by the planting of other trees
and vines. Rose bushes were set out al
the corners of the porch and beneath
the windows. and evergre ms and
Towering shrubs in the front yard.
The main irrigating ditch having
been completed the year before. the
work of carrying the water wherever
needed, by means of small side d tches,
was comparatively easy and rapid. SC
that some pretty broad fields of grain
and grass We're beginning to stretch
away on every side of their cottage.
But now came terrible rumor
1t was told doubtingl at first, as
something that could hardly be posi-
ble-that railroad company laid CLAIM
to the lands about the Slough, and
would compel payment of their present
market value, all improvements includ
ed. or evict the homesteaders from pos
session.
The settlers generally laughed at thu
tale, as being started y some one fol
the purpose of givinr them Il fright.
WHAT they sad. 1.-THE railroad
company clai " our nds! Why. tn,
land was absolutely valuoless. though
not to be worth paying ,xes on, unit
we irrigated ii and built houses and pu
out orchards and vineyards.
besides, the ianl grant by CONGRESS
was made to a company whose charte
fixed the line Of tn I road more than ,
hundred miles away. on the other sid
OF range Of noun aim; and even thi
ago. the time in which the road was Il
ing expired two Years since, and tn,
road is not built yet.
IL seemed absurd for anybo " to tall
about a IA lroad com any having
| claim to their lands, when they had re
deemed them from tho de err, and wer
| almost ready to prove up on then
| under the Homestead and Presumption
| laws.
Yat tharo wora tboSa who woro loo
easily disarme of fear.
| II ey knew that in Iowa a railroa,
company had d.spos e>sed settlers VIII
had actua ly proved up a. d receive
dc d, to their homes from the Govern
ment.
| There were those among them, too
| who had suff Fred from the overflow Q
by raul mines, others from the Suscc
Ranch, and yet others who had uf1ere
from encroachment, of corporal ons i
other States and 9th r portions of thi
State, and these were prepared to be
ieve that nothing was too preposterou
for the railroad company to ella m, if it
officers thought there wa tie remote:
chance Of enforcing it, either by fai
means or foul.
When Erastus Hemingway hear
the rumor his heart sunk. for he ha
seen too much OF the hcartlcssness an
greed of corporations not to fear tn
worst, and he at once toei steps to a!
certain the truth.
He wrote to the headquarters of tn
company, repeating what he had heare
and asking if Their; was any truth in tn
statement tina. the company professe
to have any calm to the land in the v
ciniy OF the Slough.
In reply he received letter and ais
a circular.
The let er was signed by the Pres
dent of the railroad company. and ws
to the e. ect that tho company hoped I
be allowed the orig nal grant of lane
Il TT q "HR g