The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1896-05-01
THE BABY BOOMER
By HERBERT d. WARD.

RaCnel!er.
Tara-tara-ra- rn.ra-ra-ru! rang out the
shrill tones of the bugle. AS for as
| eye could reach from west to east,
from woodland. bog and prairie, Il non.
dessript, feverish, impatient mass of
goo strong. The hundreds of United
States marshals and troops who had
TOR so many days YEARLY guarded the
| coveted territory from trcspass sighed
with relief when the first notes from the
presumption signal We're heard. Long
| started for. Arkansas City. who had
campcd at Ponca, ut Black Bear Creek.
who had pushed on chcerfully in spite
of the swollen rivers, oottomless mud
and all the woes incident to an invading
army. We're ranged along the wire fence
wagons, prairie schooners, sulkies, bug
sles, carts pulled BY donkeys, mules,
oxen and horses of all kinds and every
blood were. stationed OF the line. The
great majority of the settlers had
staked everything on Oklahoma. and
prepared to race for their future homes.
On the dead line, next to Il wagon
which bore the following words on its
canvas cover: "Chinlz Bugged in H.
linois. Siclonea in Nebraska. White
capped in Indiana, Bald-knobbed in
cAAsSo"IS, Ill NuNSstS, oNll-
homy or Bust was i modest and neat
ly covered wagon. Though filled with
4 miscellaneous assortment of house
hold utensils and farm implements,
this wagon presented curiously fem
mime appearance. Harnessed on one
size Of Of its pole was Il hopefully iecbl"
nag that seemed inspired to pull or
die. On the seat was IL boy of 5
winters. He was not humpbacked.
though he gave that unfortunate inn
preston: but the SHOWS of life had
somehow shriveled his little form, and
he bent like a bow. He chung to the
battered reins, while look Of deter,
face.
keep a cool head, Bub; after I've
staked my claim and dug spadeful of
dirt and put up my shingle, Wee and
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 or horseback
Bulbs mother, who had mounted the
nigh horse to make q surer race for land.
h In front roht, Of her Wes was safely ted
%as t too yG S s n fse gear" to S s1
care for his sister at the same time SO
Wee went on horseback with the ad-
venturous mother.
These three people were among the
great army Of immigrants who, had
stakcd all on the Presidents proclama-
lahonla to the public.
Tom korall, the childrcn's father
had died in the saddle booming some
where in the Indian territory; and
Caddy Korall. his wife, was left in
Kansas with the two children. Ii was
Excitement and the hope of quarter
section were too strong, and now,
mounted on Jerry. she saw land and
home waiting for her ON the banks of
the Cimarron river
The rustling now became a rushing and
ened the hoofs of even the most de-
corous mule. The hour had come
Twelve O'Clock was at hand. The bugle
blew. At noon precisely, on Monday.
Apr -. began the desperate race, that
all the world has heard of, for Okla
homa land. There was no time for
her boy ar H she eculdn i reach 10 hiM hs
She kissed her hand instead and gal
mOckery of n trOt The land sharks
who but now had made jokes at the boys
expense and tried to chaff the single
minded mother. were off and gone on
IT, their fleet bronchos-the Indian 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
III sight as long as he could seq for tears
and dust. He heard men swearing vio-
lently and saw many brandish weapons.
The untamed emotional natures of the
boomers found vent in yelling: "Ya-
hoo: 1ahoo!' at the top of their lungs,
ana IN firing shots from revolvers and
Winchesters The mother fed. we'll in
the van, among honest citizens and
prairie toughs," who meant to get land
at any cost: said that Caddy was well
at the head? So she was. Jerry out
did himself on that day. Yet she was
not the first. One, who had the bold
eyes of cosmopolitan belle. the assur-
ance of q Texan cowboy. and who kent
her saddle like a circus rider was fully
4 quarter of a mile ahead. She led
the race on a magnificent roam. She
turn and challenged them all with n
laugh and with gestures of defiance.
Though she smiled insolently at tho
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 notorious gang of despera-
does 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 began to gain
on Caddy. For fully eight miles thew
had run nip and tuck. The desperate
could not overtake the leading girl In
his anger the blood surged into his eyes