Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1896-04-11
A VALUABLE CLAIM.
BY WILL LIsENBEE.

lHve-colored ribbons of earth which the
plow was turning over. The two yokes
of oxen that drew the plow were show
Ing no inclination to hurry through
life, which disposition was in perfect
harmony with Bucks own feelings on
the subject. He did not believe in phys
ical precipitation in connection with
common labor. To be in n hurry seemed
to him 10 be species of folly that was
totally ineXcusable.
On reaching the end nearest the cabin
he brought the team to a halt, and, al
lowing the cattle to Craze on the lux
uriant grass, seated himself on the
beam of the plow and lighted his pipe.
'There amt much better land than
this in these parts" he mused, IAN as
fer watermelons, it can't be beat this
side NV the Rockies"
A covered wagon, drawn by pair of
shabby sorrel mules, came to u halt in
the road close by, and n bushy-bearded
man got out.
"My names Billings-Zelte Billings"
he said, as he came up to the spot where
Buck was seated. I'm looking for a
claim to buy. Can you direct me to
where L can find a good one which L
could purchase at reasonable figure ?'
aye couldn't "a struck it better if
ye'd "a searched fer a week." replied
Buck, removing his pipe from his mouth
and blowing n cloud of smoke from his
bearded lips.
"That's fortunate" responded the
stranger. "Then l may infer that you
can give me the desired information 2"
"Ye've sed it,"
"Thank you. Is the land in question
near here?"
"'Bout six inches from where ye're
standing"
"Ah, see. Your own claim is for
sale?"
''It can be bought"
'How much land is in your claim? I?
A full quarter section?"
"Ye've sed it,"
'Is the land good?"
"Thinl I'd be a-plowin' pore land? I?
What do ye take me fer? Must think
I'm powerful fond Nv work."
"No oIfense, assure you," replied
Billings. what advantages does your
claim possess besides that mentioned ?"
"Tain't more an four miles ter wa
ter"
"Why, do you call four miles from
water close?"
'Ye would if ye'd hauled it &c miles
fer one season."
"But l wouldn't live in such a coun-
try as that. man wouldn't get any
thing but water-hauling DONE"
''Thar warn't anything else ter do
thar"
Didn't you raise any crops?"
+'Nary crop"
what made you stay in such coun-
t-yP"
Couldn't git away"
"What made you go there?"
"Ter git a claim"
"Why, what on earth could you want
with a claim in place like that?"
"a mans got ter meek a livin'."
"Make living? How did you expect
to make living in desert where moth
ing would GROVE"
''Sell my claim"
'How did you happen to find buy
er?"
''It allus rained oncet year; then
we hustled ter sell out fore the ground
dried. That was our bizy time"
what do you suppose man would
think of you for selling him such
claim?"
81 never stayed ter see"
81 suppose not. What did the man
that bought your claim do when he
found out what kind of place he had
got into?"
''Lived thar till the next rain"
"What then?"
S'He sold out ter another feller. The
west is great edicator. A feller can't
stay hyar long an be a tenderfoot. Yell
say so fore ye're hyar year. Now,
this yere claim Nv mine"
'To be sure-we were talking about
your claim. 1 can see that the land is
very good, and l suppose water could
be got by sinking a well. like the lay
of this piece of land, and if your price
is reasonable, might strike bargain
with YOU"
"Ye've sed it,"
"What would you call fair price for
your claim?"
Bout er thousan' dollars"
"A thousand dollars! Why, man, I
can get as good a claim as can be found
in the county for 5000. Remember you
can give no deed, but only quit your
claim"
II likewise knows all that; but this
yere amt no common claim. Say $5OO?"
"No. Two fifty is the most 1 can
give"
"Then the claims yourn."
"Very well. 1 will come back in
few days and have the papers fixed
up"
"That seems fair-like; but l puts it
like this: Ye're a stranger ter me, an
mebby ye comes back, an mebby We
don't. If 1 holds this yere claim fer
ye, ye pays me now $25 in hand, the
rest ter be paid in three days, when
ye gifts the claim"
The stranger took out a book, and