Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-01-22
What the Woods of Wash
ingtOn Hide.

In the deep woods of Washington
Mary Adams had taken claim.
She was graduate of a State Nor
NAL school in one of the New Eng
land states, and came West to secure
a position in the public schools Of
Seattle, but there were many appli-
cants for schools and she was forced
to be contented with position in a
ter Of civilization.
The schOOl-hOus was made of logs.
The pupils, seven in number, were
docile and eager to learn; their pa
rents were .illiterate people, rude in
their way of living and rude in their
manner OF speech.
All Of these settlers were living upon
claims, and, hearing them talk about
Stand entries,'' ''proving up" etc.,
first suggested to Miss Adams the
idea of settling upon claim herself.
If she had continued following the
dull, prosaic calling of teacher this
story would never have been written.
4 man by the name Of Haskins had
taken up claim, lived upon it for
time, but left the neighborhood be-
fore "proving up" His claim was
considered a poor one and no one
had, as yet, filed upon it. Behold
Miss Adams, six months after her
school had finished, upon this claim
with half breed girl for a compan-
ion. There was good cabin on the
claim, and about half an acre Of land
partially cleared.
Miss Adams entertained very indie
pendent ideas about the equality of
the sexes. She intended to demon
strate what she regarded as fact,
that woman is the equal Of a man,
morally, intellectually and physically.
In a few years she and her hand
maiden, Luto, would have the whole
ranch cleared. Visions of Holstein
cattle grazing over her rich meadows
dwelt often in her imagination. Her
Old play fellow, Harry Smith, who
asked her TO wait for him until he
was established in a business that
would warrant his taking a wife,
would doubtless forget her and marry
some one else, but then the indepen-
.dence Of her life would compensate
her fer the loss Of a husband. A great
coarse man would prepare ground for
potatoes at once, but she would show
the superiority Of her sex by satisfy
ing the aesthetic cravings Of her ma
ture first. Before coming on the claim
she had purchased years supply Of
provisions, tools of all kinds, five
hundred rose bushes, two good re-
volvers, two trusty rifles and faith
with Swanzee and Fillep, Luto's
brothers, to bring the mail once a
month. The ground must be prepar
ed at once for the rose bushes. Luto
was an invaluable coadjutor in every
plan and labOred nlanfully with grub
hoe and in clearing the ground. Their
days passed quickly and pleasantly,
but the night time filed them with
terror. Nero, the dog, howled mourn
fully as if something were the, matter
with him. Fear took possession Of
both the girls. After they had retired
they would hear something that
sounded like q person at work with
pickax and shovel. When they would
open the door to listen the sounds
would cease, beginning again las soon
rs they retired into the house.
One bright, moonlight night the
girls were lying awake with their re-
volvers clutched tightly in their
hands. The outside door was eau
GousIy opened and man Of about
fifty years Of age entered the room.
He did not seem TO notice the girls,
but seated himself careIessly on box
by the fireplace as If he were in his
own home. The girls, at first, were
paralyized with fear, overcoming it
they fired simultaneously The smoke
cleared away, the moon shone as
brightly as ever through the little
sEindow, but no man was there. Luto