Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-08-08
4 BOOMERS STORY.

III 1888, Tue UOyS WIN uSeu W udS0
their liars in the thick woods along
the banks of the North Canadian river
near where Oklahoma City now
stands, were in the habit Of coming
up to the Santa Fee trains from the
north every night after dark to get
q paper. Then they faded away and
went back to hidden dugouts and
huts to hide for another day. They
were "boomers" who were defying the
law against the Oklahoma invasion,
and some of the boys who used to
crawl away in holes in the ground
are now influential men in the terri
tory, many Of them holding high gov
eminent positions.
4 Wilton Jackman dropped of the
train one night with the papers. The
"sooners" eyed him suspiciously, and
noted that he was rather handsome,
with big gray eyes and that he car
ried two si-shooters and a Winchester.
He looked curiously at the assembled
mob of hungry paper-purchasers and
newspaper correspondents, but all the
time he kept his back to the shanty
depot and held his gun in his hand.
'sBe you q boomer" asked Dad
Eckles.
81 expect to be- said the stranger.
sWhar be you from?" asked Dad,
who had been a boomer even before
David Payne led the first raid, and
who buried wife and large family
that had died Of exposure on the diff
ried two six-shooters and a Winchester
sive leader from Dave Payne to Paw
nee Bill.
81 might be from Texas, but I
amt" was the reply. Hell would be
nearer the mark. Anything else you
want to know?"
No one answered and pretty soon
the boys began to drift away In the
darkness and sought their hiding
places. The stranger was Left stand
ing on the platform.
"Durned unlikely, cross-grained
cuss," Dad Eckles had muttered as he
left the depot.
The next night the gray-eyed strang-
er was at the depot with all his weap-
ons handy. He bought paper, and
as the train pulled out for Purcell, he
said: II found a half ruined dugOut
over cast here by little lake. slept
there last night. Any one own it?"
"Guess it must be Henry Hill's
ranch" said Bill Stone, but I don't
reckon he'll ever care to take it. He's
after higher game. See anything of a
little gal in a cave near thar?"
"No," said the stranger, with q
scowl. II am not looking for girls
and am sorry to hear there is one
around"
'1'll not bother you, stranger" said
q girl as she slipped out of the shad-
ow of the building. "My name is Nell
lie Blair, and I have as good a right
here as you have. Do you dispute
itY'
maybe you have better right"
said the man with the gray eyes, I'M
around that's all"
Nellie was the pet Of the boomers.
She had taught school down near Ar
kansas City, In Kansas. Her father
was a boomer, who took claim three
miles from Oklahoma City. Indians
had found the old man beat him with
dubbed muskets and destroyed his
dusout. Some Of the boys found him
after the raid and nursed him. He
took a bad cold from exposure and
wrote to Nellie. She came at once
and watched her father die. Then
she quietly took possession Of the old
mans ruined home and settled down
to a life Of hide and seek.
"You had best keep a quiet tongue
In your head" said John Jones, threat
eningly. IF you don't like them
around, you can leave. Over at Nor
man there are no women that I know
Of"
Thanks for your information" said
the gray-eyed man with sneer.
"This country suits me. Besides this
girl will not interfere with my plans.
My name is Wilton Jackman; I'm
from Montana, and am dead shot,
ready to give an exhibition of my
skill, day or night, at a target or q
human.
Then the fellow walked away. Some
of the boys wanted to follow him,
but Nellie said: mo; he amt worth 1t,
and besides, he did not say anything
to insult me-" L..
After that no one paid much atten-
ton to Jackman. He came and went
like tho balance of the crowd. When
a raid was made from Fort Reno and
the boys were rounded up like jack
rabbits, being driven into big seine
Jackmnn gave the first alarm. A ne.
gro company drove the boys out at
the point OF the bayOnets. and then
Ss,sund nv tnrA dnsvn their hnua0a
Vengeance was vowed then and there