Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-07-26
A DESERT CLAIM.
By MARY E. sTIOKNEY.
Copyright 1894 by J. B. Lippincott company.l

Copyright 1894 by J. B. Lippincott Company.l
CHAPTER IL
The buildings of the K ranch were
grouped in picturesque disorder on a
little plateau dotted over with box elder
trees, forming a natural park at bend
of the shallow creek The small stream
deserved its name of Big Cow creek
only by way of comparison with tiny
consort three miles or so across the
country, to which it became united a
few miles below. In point of beauty in
deed both deserved fairer titles, but
the early settlers of Wyoming were
practical souls, given to considering ev-
cry object with reference to their par
ticular interest, the COW. In all the
country round no fairer grazing ground
might be found than this, where the
cattle might revel knee high in grasses
in this blossom time of June. The val
lev was walled in on either side by
abrupt, fat topped heights, revealing
the boundaries of the ancient river, and
along the banks ran procession Of old
elder trees, gnarled and twisted as
though they had joyously wrestled with
the winds of centuries, their fresh foil
age a glory of green and gold, while
here and there an old cottonwood tow
cred head and shoulders above the others
almost somber in the dignity of duller
and darker dress. Crowding down from
the hills into luxuriant masses on the
banks Of the stream was gay riot of
wild flowers Of every hue, as if, for this
brief carnival time Of summer, nature
had been minded to give beauty for
ashes with mad prodigality.
The house was low, rambling struc-
ture, complaoently violating every
known law of architectural style in the
series Of additions which had grown
upon the first settlers cabin, but within
it was most ingeniously contrived for
both comfort and convenience, lacking
few Of those luxuries that have come to
be the necessities of modern refinement
"It is not in the least an ideal cattle
RANCH" Edith declared, with a laugh
ing affectation Of disappointment. II
must reconstruct my ideas from first to
last. Icame expecting to rough it, and
find silk portieres and Persian rugs,
high art furniture and the latest books
I feel that I have been victim of mis-
placed confidence; that the wild and
woolly west is q myth. This is para
disc"
She was lying In hammock in the
shade Of the wide piazza, that, save for
one broad entrance way, was all walled
in on its open sides with vines of wild
cucumber. Through that wreathed open
ing one looked down a velvety slope Of
lawn to the creek, across which noble
group of trees joined hands, Pickering
lights chasing each other across the pol
ished leaves as the light breeze buffeted
the willing branches to and fro. A wood
On bridge crossed the creek in the shadow
of the trees, and resting on its timbers
at one side a small fume carried water
from the irngating ditch on this side to
the garden beyond, the tiny flow laugh
ing, gurgling and rollioking on it's way
with ten times the noise and jollity Of
the murmuring creek below. Bet cen
the swaying branches one caught sap
phire fash here and there Of the water
winding about among the wild rose
thickets, as though searching out the
fairest flowers, its low banks guarded
by diminishing line Of trees in. fresh
summer bravery softly outlined against
the misty gray Of the sandy bluffs below.
Under the trees by the bridge, pref
ty picture against the background Of
shimmering green's, young woman in
q brown cotton gown, bareheaded, and
with we'll rounded arms showing to the
elbow, was feeding a flock of downy
chickens, the clang of the spoon beating
against the pan calling her charges to-
gether sounding like an accompaniment
of oymbals in the drowsy summer SYM
"a