The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-10-29
MARK BURTON,
THE SQUATTER,
BY THOMAS P. MoNTFoRF.

years. a deep snow lay on the ground ana
though the SKY was clear, the sun gave
forth no warmth, but hung in the heavens
like great frozen ball
The north wind blew a regular gale,
sweeping fercely across the great wide
stretch If Kansas prairie, and filling the air
with fying fragments Of snow The few
scattering sod houses, the homes of the poor
pioneers. Law buried in snOwdrlts, and the
whole plain presented tie appearance OF
perfect desolatiOn.
At the little store at the Cross Roads
roaring fire burned in the stove, and five or
six Of the nearest settlers had collected TO
spend the day and enjoy the warmth ana
comfort Of the fire.
"a NV gracious, Joel" exclaimed old man
Harder. the store-keeper, but this is tough
on the poor settlers who are not prepared
joel recruited the fire, and stirred it up
until the stove fairly danced with heat, then
bringing out the board they settled down TO
"Wonder what's became Of Mark Bur-
ton ?" Ike Parks said, as they formed
around the table.
I'll don't know" the stOre-keeper replied.
Tie hasn't been here for two or three days.
Guess maybe he's left the country.
Hope he has, said Joel, Tor then we
be saved the trouble of running him out
The easier we can get rid OF such uen as
Mark the better, and the quicker we can
get rid Of them tie better.
a. He las no right to that claim. This
township belongs to the league, and no out
slider has any business settling on H.
yes, l know that" said the store
keeper, "but he don't see 1t that way. lie
thinks he has as good right here as us"
well if he hasn't already found out, 1t
will be our business to teach MN. AS soon
AZ. 10 r.t-ar 70 IN [ a
and see if he's gone, and il he amt well
see If we can't help him to start"
The settlers in a certain section of Kansas
had organized themselves into league, the
purpose Of which was to hold all the uu-
claimed land IN their township Tor friends
who were coming on from the East. 1t was
contrary to law, but might often governs,
and so far they had held their point. Two
or three efforts had been made TO enter the
land, but the parties were promptly ordered
of, aud rather than to have trouble they
went
Then one day Mark Burton, great, tall
Swapping MiSsOurian, came along and
squatted on one OF the best claims IN the re-
serve. BE was promptly served with no.
tice to move on, but he gave 1t little atten-
ton, and at the time OF the commencement
of the storm was known to be still on the
claim.
Ike was a sort of leader among the set
tiers, and when he decided that they would
visit the claim after the storm and see that
Il was vacated, the other men at the store
agreed to it, and so the matter was dropped
and the game of chess went on.
While the men at the Cross Roads were
thus engaged, 4 lone hOrseman was riding
across the prairie at a sweeping gait, bear
ing against the cuttiag blasts, aud now and
then beating his arms against MS oody 10
keep his blood in circulation. On lie gal
ioped through the storm and the snow until
he arrived at the store, and hastily DIS
mounting, entered
Here. storekeeU PERI he commanded, Il
want a sack OF flour, some meat and gro
ceries uuickI They are for the widow
Artman aud her children. Hustle the things
no for the poor children are starving. They
haven't thing 10 eat, and haven't had since
tHe storm set In.
The merchant hesitated moment, then
began:
Here, skinhint, I've got no time to talk
Do YOU know that ten-1ollar bill? Reckon
that don't owe you anything. Hustle out
those goods, and don't fool about 1t. Nice
time to mouth about owing, amt 1t and
she's one Of your league, too"
Without waiting for any further parley
the stOrpkeeper got the goods together in
one large bag. which the man threw across
his horse, ani springing behind 1t galloped
away in the direction he had come.
LOOK mere, I1diutl, chIAl UlI 4hcY WIlcn
the stranger lad disappeared IN the storm,
"do you know who that is?P
"No, | don't. His voice sounded little
bit familiar. but his head and face was so
bundled up that l couldn't see who he was.
well, If I'm not terribly mistaken, it's
Lish Allen"
"What? It's queer that Lish would come
here and not speak to you fellows, and not
even make himself known
ut is queer, sure. But fit amt him who
can it be? There's no one else out in that
section"
Lish, but don't understand why he acted
so curious"
81 reckon he was excited, and maybe
little out Of humOr. The fact is, boys, we
ought to have done something. for the widow
and her children before now"
Yes we ought" agreed Joel Nokes {;
''butI didn't think about them being so bad
off. | knew they were in close circum-
stances, but l thought maybe they'd get
81 was thinking of going over that way
when the storm came on" said Ike, but it
turned so cold l put it Off | expect we'd
better 90 down tomorrow and see how
they're coming on. You know that one Of
the principles Of the league is to look out
for the needy and help those who need as
sistance, and Joe Artnlan was one of our
best members when he was alive, and it
suffer. Wen meet here at 10 o'clock to-
morrow and 90 over, and while we're about
it we'd as well go by and look after Mark
Burton, for the claim he's on joins the
widows"
"Then we'd better get together as many
Of the men as we can" said Joel, land 60
armed, for Mark may not be gone"
Eyes, we want TO go prepared. Tell all
the men you can, and bring your guns"
And it's my opinion you'll need EN-, +"
1~.1 gfur Il Ia
badly mistaken you'll find Mark Burton a
tough customer to deal with"
About sunset tie wind lay, and the next
morning, though intensely cold. was far less
disagreeable than the preceding day. The
men met at the Cross Roads store, as per
agreement, twelve all told, and they came
armed.
In a little while they remounted and
started off for the Widow Artman's place,
which they reached about noon. Hating
at the gate, Ike "halloed' two or three
times, but receiving no response he got
down and went to the house, he peered in,
only to find the room vacated.
Boys, they're gone" he said, coming
back to the fence.
Gomez they repeated.
Eyes, gone"
"HumphP said joel, "thars queer.
''There do you suppose they have gone to"
''That's more than l can tell" Ike re-
piled. They're gone somewhere, though"
"Reckon they have, if they amt froze to
death in there. Better look good, Ike. and
make sure that they're not in the cabin"
"Ab, they're not there, Joel expect
Lish Allen must have took them to his
house."
fWhy. yes, of course. don't see why
we never thought of that before. Lish is a
member of the League, and of course he's
taking care of them"
'Well. we'll go by and see them, any
tt, I'll 4 .,.,lxo
Of them, Ny going over we'll make the
widow think that we've not forgotten her"
So they rode over to Lish's, and soon
reused him out from a warm fire,
''We heard yesterday that the widow Art
man was in need of help" said Ike, land
SO we came down to-day to see what we
could do for her, You have her and the
children here Isnppose 2"