Evening star., 1896-02-29
THE BABY BOOMER
BY HERBERT D. WARD.
Copyright 1895, by Bacheller, johnson Bacheller)
PART I.

PART 1.
Tara-tara-ra-ra-ra-ra-ra rang out the
shrill tones Of the 5ugle. AS far as eye
could reach from west to east, from wood
land, bog and prairie, a ncndescript, fever
fish, impatient mass CT rushing humanity
was seen, fully 20,OO0 strong. The hundreds
of United States marshals and troops who
had for so many days wearily guarded the
coveted territory from trespass sighed with
relief when the first notes of the pre-emp-
ton signal were heard. Long before noon
the thousands who had started for Arkan-
sas City. who had camped at Ponca, at
Black Bear creek. who had pushed on cheer
fully In spite of the swollen rivers, bottom
less mud and all the woes incident to an In
yading army, were ranged along the wire
fence that marked the Oklahoma line. Open
wagons, prairie schooners, sulkie5, buggies,
carts pulled by donkeys, mules, oxen and
horses Of all kinds and every blood were
stationed on the line. The great majority OF
the settlers had staked everything on Okla
homa, and many Of these were seated on
horses prepared to race for their future
homes.
On the dead line, next to a wagon which
bore the following words on its canvas
cover: "Chintz-Bugged in Illinois, Scloned
in Nebraska, White-capped in Indiana,
Bald-knobbed In Missoury, Prohibited in
Kansas, Oklahomy or Bust was modest
and neatly covered wagon. Though filled
with miscellaneous assortment OF house
hold utensils and farm Implements, this
wagon presented a curiously feminine ap-
pearance. Harnessed on one side of its pole
was hopefully feeble nag that seemed in
spired to pull or die. On the seat was boy
of eight winters. He was not humpbacked,
though he gave that unfortunate impress
sion, but the SHOWS of life had somehow
shriveled his little form, and he bent like a
bow. He clung to the battered reins, while
look of determination was set upon his
weakened face.
Keep a cool head, bub; after I've staked
my claim and dug a spadeful of dirt and put
up my shingle, Wee and 1 will ride back to
meet you. No matter what happens, keep
straight for the river
The voice was strong and pleasant 1t
came from woman on Observation-Disclosures
mother, who had mounted the nigh horse
to make a surer race for land. In front of
her Wee was safely tied, her baby girl, just
three years old. Bub was too young and
feeble to drive and care for his sister at the
same time. SO Wee went on horseback with
the adventurous mother.
These three people were among the great
army of Migrants who had staked all on
the Presidents proclamation opening the
new territory of Oklahoma to the public.
Tom Korall, the children'S father, had
died in the saddle booming somewhere in
the Indian territory, and Caddy Korau his
wife, was left III Kansas with the two chill
drsn. 1t was in her blood to scramble for
new land. Excitement and the hope of a
quarter section were too strong, and, now,
mounted on Jerry, she saw land and home
waiting for her on the banks of Cimarron
river.
The rustling now became a rushing and
shouting. Yells and shrieks quickened
the hoofs of even the most decorous mule.
The hour had come Twelve O'Clock was at
hand. The bugle blew. At noon precisely,
On Monday. April %. began the desperate
race, that all the world has heard of, for
good-byes now Caddy wanted to kiss her
boy again She couldn't reach him. She
kissed her hand instead and galloped off.
Bub urged his horse to the mockery of a
trot. The land sharks who but now had
made jokes at the boys expense and tried
to chaff the sihgle-minded mother were
off and gone on their fleet bronchos-the In
dian ponies. The day was bright and clear.
The race could be seen for miles over the
rolling prairie. Bub strained his eyes and
kept the two flying figures on horseback in
sight as long as he could see for tears and
dust He heard men swearing violently and
saw many brandish weapons The untam-
ed emotional natures of the boomers found
vent in yelling: "Yahoo! Yahoov' at the
top of their lungs. and in firing shots from
revolvers and Winchesters. The mother
fled, we'll in the van, among honest citizens
and prairie touShs, who meant to get
lard at any cost. I caid that Caddy was
well at the head. So she was. Jerry outdid
himsclf on that day. Yet she was not the
first. One, VINO had the bold eyes of a
cosmopolitan belle, the assurance of a Tex
an cowboy, ard who kept her saddle like
a circus rider, full quarter of mile
ahead. She led the race on a magnificent
rcan. She turned and challenged them all
with a laugh and with gestures of defiance.
Though she smiled insolently at the men,
she looked sympathetically at the pale.
slight mother who, with one arm around
the child and with the reins in the other
hand urged Jerry by sharp cluckS. Close
behind Caddy rode the leader of the noto-
rious gang of desperadoes who had done so
much to fleece and terrorize the farmer
boomers. This man went by the name Of
Grizzly jim The pace was terrific. The
three had turned more to the eastward,
away from the railroad. Grizzly Jim be-
gan to gain on Caddy. For fully eight miles
they had run nip and tuck. The desperate
could not overtake the leading girl. In his
anger the blood surged into his eyes and
blinded Kim Caddy was not ten rods
Winchester, took rapid aim and blazed
away. At which of the two had he fired?
Alas! which had he hit? Caddy's right arm
fell helpless. Jerry gave desperate plunge
in fright. The woman swayed-a faintness
seized her and she fell. With an oath the
brute passed her where she lay. Jerry,
conscious of a lighter weight, raced on
ward with the renewed speed.
Now, the bold rider of the yellow hair
heard the shot. She looked around and
took in the whole scene with her quick
eyes. With difficulty she refined her wild
horse and tried to intercept the baby's
perilous ride She set her teeth The wild
ness of her nature wrestled with the wo-
manly. This was her hour of glory-that
she, a girl, should beat thousands of men in
the struggle for land What would she not
do to stake tie first section on the northern
banks of the Cimarron river? She could see
the sardonic and cruel smile of Grizzly Jim
as he gained upon her in mighty bounds But
behind lay one of her own sex. helpless,
perhaps dying
Il guess I'll have to give it up" The girl
turned once more to the southwark, toward
the promised land, and then the adventures
in her yielded to the woman. She rode
bravely back to where the heap of mortality
lay close beside a scraggly tuft of sage
bushes.
"Oh, you ruffianr She shook her fist in
the astonished Jim's face as she passed
him like a flash of yellow light. The land
shark turned and saw her tenderly lift the
fallen woman's head upon her lap and kiss
the tremulous lips.
well, I'll be stewed, I didn't think she
had 1T in her; she's slouch, you bet"
with that semi-colon of admiration he spur
red his hard-breathing pony for the home
stretch.
OF all the fertile spots in the Cimarron
valley, this was the greeEest. So at least
a jaded horse thought as he cropped the
tender grass and paved joyfully in the
dark loam. He saddled; from dis