Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1895-10-12
A BOOMERS STORY.

In 1855 the boys who used To have
their liars in the thick woods along
the hanks u the North Canadian river
near where Oklahoma City now
stands. We're III the habit OF coming
up 10 Ilie Santa he trains from the
north every night after dark TO get
q paper. Then they faded away aud
went back 10 hidden dneonts and
hnts To- hide for another day. They
Mers boomers" who were d.fying the
law against the oklahoma invasion
and some 81 the boys who used 10
crawl away in boles in the ground
arr now influential men in the terri
tory. many ~ them holding high gov
ernmeni positions.
Wilton Jnrkman dropped of the
train one night with the papers Tie
.-sastn.rS" eyed him silsp.cionsly, aud
Iatei that lie was rather handsome.
with biz gray eyes and THAI he ear
ried two Ni.shoui.fs and Winchester.
lie locked curiousiy ~ The assembled
mob ~ hungry appropriateness ana
newspaper correspondents, bui al the
time he kept hlE back TO the sllanty
depot and held his gun la his hand
lie yon n boomer asked lad
Es.kies.
4 expect 20 be- said the stranger
"Mhar l.e you from asked Dad
who had baen boomer even before
David Payne led the firSi raid. and
who buried wife and large family
that had died af exposure on the hii'
ris.i two six shooters aud Winchester
stv. leader from Dave Payne 10 Paw
nee hill
II might be from Texas. but !
Amt was the reply. Hell would be
nearer the mark. Anythin. else you
want 10 know
No one answered aud pretty soon
the boys bcgan 10 drift away In the
darkness and sought their hiding
pinreS The stranger WAS LETT stand
Ina on the platform.
"nurncsi unlikely, cross grained
cnss." Dad Eeklcs had muiiered as be
left the depot.
The next night The gray.eyc,i s,rang-
or was NJ the depot with all his weap-
opa handy. He bought paper, and
as the train pulled out for Purcell, he
Raid. II found half ruined dugoui
over east here by little lake. ! slept
there last night Any one own II =
at;ness II must be- Henry liill's
ranch" said Blil Stone. hut ] don't
reckon he'll ever care 10 take II. He's
ftcr higher game. See anything Of
little gal In q cave near thar
NO" said the stranger, with a
scowl. Il am not looking for girls
aud aim sorry TO hear there Is one
around"
"iIl not bother yuu. stranger. said
n girl ms she Slipped ont Of the shad-
ow ~ the building. MY name ~ Nell
lie blair and I have Ms good a right
here rs you have. DO You dispute
itY'
"Maybe you have better right"
said tho man with the gray eyes. un-
rraciously. 81 don't Ike women
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 boomer. who took q claim three
miles from oklahoma City. Indians
Ind found the old man bent him with
dubbed muskets and destroyed his
ducout. Some Of the boys found him
nfter the raid and nursed him. He
took n bad cold from exposure and
wrote 10 Nellie. She came at once
and watched her father die. Then
she uutetly took possession Of the old
mans ruined home and settled down
10 life Of hide and seek
avon had hest keep n quiet tongue
In yo,ir head" said John Jones. ihreat-
enipgly. III you don't like them
around. you can leave. over az nor.
man there are no women that ! KNOW
or
.sThanks for your information said
the gray-eyed man with q sheer
"This country suits me. Resides TINS
| girl will not interfere with my pians'
| Aty name is Wilton Jackmnn; I'm
from Montana, and ] am dead sho,,
ready 10 give an exhibition OF my
skill. day or night. at a target OF
| human.
Thes, the fellow walked away. Some
| of the boys wanted TO follow hiil'
hut Nellie said: "No. he amt worth !,
and besides. he did not say anything
to insult me-"
After that no one paid much atten.
| tion To .Iackman. He came aud wcii'
like the balance OF the crowd. When
| n raid was made from Fort heho an.
the boys were rounded up Ike jacl
rabbits, being driven into p's se'ht
Jnckman gave the first alarm. a ne,
/ gro company drove the boys gu, ~
| tho point of the bayonets, anu .nen
burned or tore down their houses
Vengeance was vowed then and there mere
on he soldiers When the boys once