Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-11-12


Just lately thet they're calm meetin'a
1t the settlers cabins aud organiGin'
leagues. Thars a heap of excitemen,
out hyer, stranger, over these neutca!
lands"
II reckon they won't trouble iae."
"Ef they do, Tom Byors will see yer
safe through. I'm not Lacquer mn q
anti-leaguer jest reserve Ger right 70
act rs ! please, as any free American
citizen ought TO DO"
"Thet's me, too, Mr., Byers, But won't
yer lite, give yer beast rest, an take
supper with us.'
''Thank yer, don't keer if do" aud
he threw h nlself from the saddle and be-
gan prcpars lions to lariat his pony. "I'u
COIN to ride ON ter Fort Scott tonight,
fur I've got ter be thar on important bust
ness in the morning, but | reckon Pop
corn an ne kin travel ell Their faster az
ter little rest hyer along with you uns.
But what's yer name, Stranger
"Hamlet-Adam Hamlet. Eyer, Nan
cy, this gentleman is Mr.. Byers, who
lives near Deer creek, wher we air bound
fur, an he's goin' ter stay fur supper"
TO Ton Byers it was the most delight
full supper he had eaten since he had left
his mother and sisters back in Kentucky
There was q vast and an agreeable diff
ference to him in slowing away food
which pretty girl had prepared from
having to fare morning, noon aid night
on hard, tough biscuits and meat burnt
to scrap.
Tom gave the newcomers much inter-
esting information about the country
and settlers where they expected to es-
tablish their home. He nearly forgot
his business to Fort Scott as he sat on
log in the little woodland, answering
the fair Nancy's questions. But when
the moon rose and began to shed her
silvery luster over the prairies, he mount
ed Popcorn and rode reluctantly away
from the little camp fire where some
witchcry mad seemed TO enchain him.
Quiet brooded over the camp of the
tired travellers, and they soon slept
soundly But Tom Byofs pursued his
lonely journey, the music Of a new,
sweet voice ringing in his heart while
pair of wondrous hazel eyes smiled at
him .com every moonbeam that darted
across his path.
Bright and early the next morning
Hamlet and his daughter resumed their
journey southwark.
The man seemed inclined to bestow
much praise on their acquaintance Of the
preceding night, but Nancy was entirely
non-comlnital regarding the opinion
which she had formed of the young
ranchman.
When they reached the Cherokee
county line they left the military road
! which led to Baxter Springs, and took a
rough wagon trail that zigzagged across
/ the prairie in a sOuthwesterly direction
toward the Neosho river.
/ AT four o'clock that evening they halt.
ed before log cabin, where Joe Dugan
primitive Kansan, having settled there
in 1877, kept country postotiice, tc
which the mail was carried once week
from Baxter Springs, nearly twenty miles
distant
Adam Hamlet presented his note Of in
PRODUCTION from Tx Fender, and Joe
Dugan and his wife cane out 60 the
wa"1u and talked in a most friendly
manner for more han All hour.
When the travellers were ready to starr
on, they having declined the Dugans
pressing invitation 10 stay overnight al
their cabin, the ola bor9erman said:
We'll, seem yer won't stay with us
IllpuJ Ned on the pony an Let hin 'acor'
yer ter ther claim. Deer creeks erboui
four miles turUer on; bit Ned know.
Pender'a place Ike q book, fur many
the day the boys spent with Fender il
his duyout when tho huntin' was eAtry."
Under the guidance OF Md Dagan, q
strapp.13 70 a " seventeen. the lam
lets reached their claim ON Deer erect
just before the s.:n had dropped below
the tree tops along the Neo5ho river.
Deer creek was prairie stream, Will
thiokcts Of wild plum ana blacllberr,
vines along its banks, with now an(
the. a cottonwood OF 3 wild cherry tire,
10 break The nloroto1y. 1t took Il south
westerly course, flowing into the Neo
Gho about six OF seven miles from Ham
lets clam.
There were no cabins on the stream
and rude rock chimney protrudin,
from . high bank and showing abov
the tall prairie grass proclaimed the stu
alton Of the dpgout, which was to b
tneir Meditation for the present at least
"Well, I'm plumb glad ter Sit hyer a
last, pap, eff it is only duyout," Nancy
remarked with u sigh OF relief ~ tn,
irel team halted before the habitauOn
followed out Of the side of steep bank
There was smooth bank about e;ghteel
, feet wide, hard IS a hu3r, right befor
the dugout door, and sloping very grad
tally 10 the little creek bed below.
I'm afeaIod yer goin' ter find i
, mighty rough liNiu' i'll Il dugout, Nancy,
said Hamlet rs he inspected the anything
but clearly interior.
"Oh, III slick it up a heap, pap" salt
, the girl, who had followed him inside
"till it'll lool; plumb different IL
home, pap, an thet means sight t
, folks like us, who hain't he'd one o the
own fur Il long spell"
Yer right, Nancy; an we'll make
regular home Of it ef it is only a ole dug