The Bossier banner., 1894-08-09
THE SQUATTER'S CLAIM.
How His Dying Child Touched the
Hearts of Three Outlaws.

The day named for the formal open
ing of the Oklahoma territory came
around at last and at noon the grand
influx began. The broad, wild prairie
was at once dotted with white-topped
wagons, all moving on to the south,
while the tagged and iaded horses
that pulled them were urged at the
point of the lash to the greatest pos
sible speed. Every wagon bore
party of poor homeseellers, who for
months had waited for this day, and
who now joined in the grand race for
the new land of promise, intent on
getting a claim and a home.
One rickety old wagon, hauled by
span of poor, bony mules, headed off
to the west late in the afternoon, and
for an hour raced straight toward
small body of timber that lined a water
course. 1t was after sunset when the
timber was reached and the mules
pieketed, but before it became quite
dark fire had been started and
scanty supper prepared.
Shortly after dark three horsemen,
ACdf1Ay dI1lCti, lOllS Oub ol Jllc GlllUSI
a mile or SO below the wagon, and,
stopping, one of them said:
Boys, this is the spot I picked out
for us, and | don't believe you could
find better piece of land if you were
to search the country over. There are
just six claims here-just enough for
us and the three men who are coming
with the wagon, and SO guess we are
fixed about right"
Guess we are" replied one of the
others, ''if nobody amt gone and
squatted on the ground"
There's nobody on the land yet, l
guess. At least, l don't see any signs
OF any camp anywhere"
There may be some settlers along
tomorrow, though, and if they should
beat our wagon here they'd have the
heels of us
Maybe they would, Sam, and maybe
they wouldn't. That would sort of de-
pend, you know"
Depend? How?'
Why, it would depend on whether
there was more of them than there is
OF us. If we was in the majority l
reckon we'd be pretty apt to make our
claim good. If it should come to shoot
ing, reckon we know about as well
as the next ones how to finger a pistol"
suppose you are awful nigh cor
rect there, Jake, replied Sam. But
some other fellow gets on the land
nrst the law gives him the right to it,
don't it?"
Law be blamed! We didn't come
ooSn here to monkey with no blamed
1901 faw. This is law enough for me-"
ana Jake touched the pistol at his
sde. I'VE come here to take up and
mold this land, and guess we'll do it,
Il any other chap gets on it before our
wagon comes and we get our tents
pitened, why, he can move off, l guess"
Inc others nodded significantly at
snls, and the three men rode out lit
se farther from the timber. They had
gone but few steps when Jake came
70 a short stop, and pointing away to
the south, said:
Boys, see that"
What is it?'' Sam asked.
See that light up the creek What
40 you make of it?'
a flre-fy, l reckon" replied Sam.
nre-fy nothing. Guess they don't
nave e-fiies down here as big as hens,
ana 1t would take one that big to
make that sort of light"
mats so, jake" said Sam, thought
'uliy' What do you make it out?''
], make it nothing more nor less
.ilan squatter, and he's on our land,
too, guess"
les, 1t must be squatter, and of
0ourse he's on our land. The blamed
assal has got cheek for you, sure
les he's got cheek. But what are
We gong to do about him? That's the
question now"
!. ven, we'veegot to rout him out of
sAere' and we'd as well do it now.n
We can't do it any too quick, and
.e might as well ride over there and
-: lar. nm off and take possession of
s, - nre. 1t twill save us the trouble of
making one of our own
M. ans proposition meeting with a
loSa. luious assent, the three men gal
'0pea on toward the light.
Ds lix' boys!" said old Jake, as they