Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1892-12-21

that name, and she did not Immediately

| that name, and she did not Immediately
make answer.
"Its awful ter be 80 no-account as /
am" the sick man walled. "l'm so weak
couldn't take my part agin q c-aw6sh
now; an thar's no use 'pealin' ter ther
neighbors, fur ther kinder down on me
cause I've refused ter become er men,
Der O. ther league. Hines is plumb shore
ter git ther claim" he reiterated, his old
spirit all crushed by disease.
"No, Hines won't" and the girl srrang
to her feet, her eyes flashing with the
fires of sudden resolve. "Ill stop him
myself"
Eyer, Nancy'"
"Yes, pap"
"How'n yer do itT'
"rll git on ther pony, ride over ter
Baxter, an tell ther land agent all erbout
ther claim" returned Nancy.
"Hines II beat yer ther."
"No, he won't, pap, fur I'm amin ter
start ternight an git ahead O. him."
eyer sha'n't 60, Nancy"
"But, pap, I must. Yer not able, but
am. Amt l. been actin yer boy, ar
tendin' ter ther stock" she reasoned
playfully, "an' wots ter hinder me frum
goin'?"
"Its so fur, child, nigh onter twenty
two miles, an over sicbswild puraries.
But ther nights ther biggest objection"
"It's er heap cooler ridin' at night"
she argued. "Say yes, pap, fur I'm
bound ter go. Jest think! Our homes
at stake, and eff thet VOLTS ter be relied
on erbout thar bein' coal veins along ther
creek, our claims mighty valyble. I'm
goin' ter save it,"
"But yer KANT git ther contract with
out my presence, Nancy" Hamlet said
despondently. 81 know thet pint O. ther
land law"
"No, pap, but kin see ther land agent
an tell him erbout Hines. An eff yer
willin' I kin take ther money yer've been
savin' ter build er house an pay down
on ther claim. Then We'll shore be ahead
O. ole Hines"
Hamlet saw it would be utterly use
less for him to raise any more objections.
Nancy was determined to 90 to Baxter
that night to outwit Dick Hines, and it
would require more than his spent
strength to induce her to give up the
mission.
! About eleven o'clock the brave girl
mounted her pony and rode away from
the dugout. Knotted in one corner of
handkerchief were two hundred dollars,
which Hamlet had given her to pay down
on the claim. That represented his en-
tire cash account, and had been saved
for another purpose that fall, but he
yielded it up gladly to Nancy's care, be-
lieving with her that it would be better
invested in securing contract for the
land.
She would have to ride about eight
miles across the unbroken prairie before
she reached the "Old Mission" road, as
it was called. That gained, she would
have a straight, we'll travelled way to
Baxter Springs, near the southern border
of the county.
The tract of land known as the Neutral
Lands comprised about eight hundred
thousand acres of fertile prairie, located
in the southeastern part of the state.
It had been owned by the Cherokee
Indians, who had ceded it in trust to the
United States about the close of the war
of secession. The secretary of the in
terror was the agent of the Indians to
sell the land.
After considerable wrangling over the
disposal of the land in parcels, as the
agent had been authorized to do, the en-
tire body was purchased by James F.
Joy, of Michigan, who became owner of
the Neutral Lands soon after the arrival
of the Hamlet family, in 1858.
The families or settlers who had been
located on the Neutral Lands before Joy
had purchased them declared the whole
business to be vast swindle, they main
tanning a perfect right to take claims
there under the pre-emption or home
stead acts.
Excitement ran high on those wild
prairies, and the anti-Joy settlers organ
lied leagues, and pledged themselves to
lesist the clcims Of the purchaser to the
death if it became necessary.
The settlers were deceived by the false
rumors of evil agitators, who had moth
Ing to do but ride from one cabin to an
other, keeping strife 80 stirred up that
the true situation Of the matter was
yelled from their understanding.
A league was formed near Hamlet's
claim, and though he had been invited
and even urged to join it he took posi-
ton of neutrality. He had faith that
congress would adjust the trouble salts
factorily, and went on making such rude
improvements as he was able on his quar-
ter section, content to await the final de-
cision of that body:
Nancy Hamlet urged her pony for
ward across the lonely prairie. There
was no moon, but the bright stars which
shone in the dark blue vault above her
enabled her to keep the proper course.
Alone in the deep darkness of mid
night, out on the prairie. the girls heart
felt sense of desolation and awe that
was almost past enduring. Silence
brooded somberly everywhere, broken
occasionally when her pony frightened
up some bird that had been passing the
night in the rank grass.
Gaining the main travelled road lead
ing to Baxter the girl felt revival OF
courage. Speaking more hopefully to
her animal she galloped away. as if
freshly animated for her mission.
It was a thinly settled region she was
passing through, and only lonely cabin.
where all was silent as the grave, every
two or three miles apart, rose dimly be-
fore her view.
She neared the small town Of Baxter
Springs just as theeastern horizon toward
the dark woods along Spring river began
to grow crimson with the first flush OF
dawn.
In the outskirts of the place she was
halted by military guard. who regarded
the girl suspiciously.
A sub-oficer was called, who, on learn
ing the dauntless Nancy's errand, cour-
.eously conducted her himself to the
boarding house where the agent for the
Neutral Lands had rooms
he was hastily aroused from his morn
ing nap, and presently appeared in the
little sitting room where Nancy Hamlet
awaited him.
After she had con6ded in him as much
of their trouble with Hines as she cared
to, and told her business in coming at
such an unusually early hour. the agent
aid:
well, Miss Hamlet, | must say you
have acted bravely in outwitting a vii
lain, and you and your father have my
true sympathy in your troubles. OF
course, as you are aware, your fathers
presence will be necessary to make the
contract valid. But you may leave a
payment on the claim in my hands, for
which will write you out receipt, and