The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-01-24
''ne1l make dat opp some odder way

Hans and | meant to take these two
| quarters as hoElesteads, but we could
not prove up on our presumption before
the breaking season the following
| spring, and as settlers came focking
in we began to fear that some one
might get ahead of u.s. There was no
law, save an unwritten one that had
been quite generally respected, enti-
ting settler to hold a claim like this,
to which he had no shadow of title.
| While claims were plenty, no land
seeker cared to incur the enmity of
his new neighbors by jumping one of
this sort; but when the good land was
mostly taken, settlers became less
scrupulous. Turpit's eldest son. a
beardless youth whom no one believed
to be more than eighteen, filed on the
prospective claim of one of my neigh
bors, making oath before the register
that he was over twenty-one years of
age in order to do So few weeks
later Hans and l saw old man Turpit
tIamping over our homesteads. We
went out to see what he was doing,
but he hurried off when he saw US
coming in a way that aroused our sus-
picions
l went hunting prairie chickens next
day, and came across the Turpit boys
hauling hay. In the course of our
conversation one of them said they
were going out for big hunt in
week or so, when two of their cousins
came out from Missouri. That made it
pretty plain to Hans and what the
old man had been viewing our intend
ed claims for, and we watched the
stage as it passed our places each aft
ernoon with much anxiety. A week
later the stage stopped near Turpit's
place to leave two passengers. That
very evening, just at dusk, we saw
Turpit with two young fellows walk
ing along the river, evidently taking a
look at our homesteads.
| That settled it with us. We could
file tree claims at any time and hold
the land in spite of them. and we
meant to start for the land Office, sixty
miles away, the next day for that pur-
pose. | was to stay at Hans cabin
that night, for his team was heavy and
| slow and we would need to start very
early if we reached the land Office in
time to file our claims. The rumble of
a passing vehicle startled US as we
were eating supper. and. hurrying to
the door, to our CONSERVATION, we saw
Turpit's spring wagon with three men
in it going at lively pace toward the
land office.
"Shiminy cracky"' gasped Hans,
''dey is after dat liant, sure as you're
born't! Dey'll beat us dere, too!'
Beat us! l guess they will"
echoed in dismay. Your old nags
could not begin to keep up with Tur-
pits, let alone overtaking them" and
we went back to finish our supper in
anything but a contented frame of
mind. There was no use in hitching
up and starting then, as Hans sug-
gested. Turpit's team was as last
again as ours, and we berated the old
rascal soundly while we finished our
meal in gloomy discussion of the sub
ject. Then an idea popped so suddenly
into my head that l sent half the
dishes rolling on the floor as l sprang
up, slapped the astonished Hans on his
broad back and danced about his bach
elor cabin.
I've got it. Hans! | shouted.
Got it? l guess you hat, and got it
bad, too. Wy, you yump rount like
crazy. What ails you?" said Hans.
Without waiting to explain l CT apped
on my hat and rushed over to my
cabin. Quickly DOMINIC my wheeling
costume | stuffed lunch of bread and
beef in my jacket pocket and, mount
ing my wheel, whirled off down the
stage road Hans was out to meet me
in front of his place, as l knew he
would be. He fairly screamed with
delight when he saw me coming.
dat bicycles! Shining era clly. nef-
fer fought OFF dat! You hat beat Tur-
pit vonce, you can do it again and safe
your claim yoost like a mice!" ex-
claimed the genera us-h earted fellow.
Yes, and yours, too!' | called out
as slowed up. Hitch up quick and
come on, Hans I'll have it all fixed
when you get there Hans stared at
me as though sure was crazy now,
but / saw him hurrying toward his
stable as l rolled away
Though no racing man. had taken
more than one hundred-mile spin, and
with that sixty miles of level, springy
track ahead of me | made up my mind
that Turpit's four-year-olds would
have to let out an extra link or two of
speed if l did not reach the land Office
as soon as the old man. The night was
moonless but as light as stars could
make it. The path showed up plain and
smooth, and with no danger of headers
| bent low over the handles of my tall
Columb ia, for that was before the
days of safeties
"Now's the time to show your
metal, old boy!'' said aloud, as pat
ted the neck of my silent steed.
You've never failed me yet, but we've
never tackled this kind of a job be-
fore" My own spirits seemed to ami
mate the lifeless steel and rubber that
sent me bounding forward with fresh
speed in response to each pressure of
the pedals. There were nc hills to
speak of, but just enough swell here
and there to relieve the strain of
steady pedaling. Turpit had a good
hours start. l struck into ID steady,
| even pace but spurted for all that was