The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-11-03

EEeh<-T NhfN pihhic WAS, uOb
ESy& =. many years ago, q
I5SssIIS; Iji5S.. ssSISS'rS M country all Of giant
!: !: +; : :! !. !; !: s: ::
to the harmony Of
nature, and wavered to and fro like q
river. A bird rising from the scar
buffalo grass wheeled wide orbit up
and up, and out OF sight. In one vast
curve God had drawn the mighty
sweep OF the far-reaching horizon, and
had arched above it the limitless vault
Of azure.
1t was lonely land of vague dis
tance, unbroken silence, oppressive
stagnation. The one sound was the
faint whimper of the wind among the
grasses, whose bending blades gave
the one sign Of motion. Over oil this
wide desolation the sun was scorching
relentlessly, when q young girl came
riding slowly down the dusty trail.
No feature Of the landscape i'm
pressed her; it was too familiar Nor
did the heat seem intense, she took it
as matter of course that the air
should be swelteriug in July, aud she
sat calmly upright, singing ioyously as
she went an old hymn that her
mother loved:
"How firm, a foundation, ye saints of the
Lord"
Where her trail joined that which
led TO Hammerville, she met old Daddy
Dolan. The encounter was no sur
prise, for they had seen each other as
mere dots in the distance. Their
greetings were very cordial. for COM
pauionship is most appreciated in
widely scattered communities.
"'Pears like yer mighty pert to-
day." chirped old Daddy.
Pert is. no name for it,, laughed
back the girl. 'Why, Daddy, I'm
eighteen to-day, and I'm on my way to
take up homestead"
"Well, welll' he drawled, smiling
down into the girls glad face "You
don't look more'n fifteen. An what
do you want a homestead fer?"
"Oh, ain't getting it for myself,
really. It's for father. He clerks
down at Cosgrove. OF course he
couldn't throw away his job to come
out and get one for himself"
'Does yer dad know about yer tax
ing this claim?" broke in the eager
listener.
'He know" she answered, happily.
"Of course not. That's the best of it.
He'd never dream was we'll enough.
l was sick last winter, you see, and so
they sent me out to Aunt Mirandy's
claim to get better"
"Does yer dad like farmi ing?" quer-
led the old man.
"Oh, he just longs TO get back" an
swered the girl, 'but he never could
get money enough ahead He has
worked hard, too; but we children cost
80 much. Once there were five be-
sides me, but they took sick one after
another and died. That's expensive.
Clerking at Cosgrove doesn't make a
princely living Father is as patient
as he can be, but he can't clerk for
ever. Now you see why I'm taking q
homestead"
''But you'll have TO live on it, Bess, +"
worried the old man, 'an' that amt
an easy job.
Nonsense" she answered, con-
temptuously, ''that's nothing! Be.
tween me and you, Daddy, the claim
next to Aunt Mirandy's hasn't been
taken. Aunt had it in mind when she
built her house right on the line. I'm
going to put lean-to against her
house, but on my own land We will
live together, don't you seer Isn't il
iolly?"
'Well, that amt so bad" admitted
Daddy, with relief.
They went to the land Office together.
The agent looked mp with a smile as
they entered. Daddy, you wretch,
what makes You always bring such
weather." he jeered, affectionately
Then he turned TO the girl. ''Do you
want a homestead, Miss Bessie9"
"You guessed It'll" she answered,
ioyously. "Tm eighteen to-day, aud
want the claim next east of Aunt
Mirandy's." 4"
The agents face fell. "It's toe
bad, Miss Bessie" he said, regret
fully, "but that claim was taken yes
terday"
"Who took it9" she asked, breath
lessly
"a boy named Watson. He cam,
of age just one day ahead of you"
81 thought-it was mine," she fal
tered, turning white. 'I-I-wantet
it so-badr'
The agent looked at Daddy uneasily
Don't cry, SISSY" said the ol'
man, humping her kindly, but heavi
ly, on the back 81 reckon we XIII
find ye something better There
there, nowr'
'But then / can't live with Aun
Mirandy."
"Oh, hush nowp purred old Daddy
''What you want is a free farm fer ye
dad. You amt afeard to live alOn
out here; there's always good neigh
bors."
The girl swallowed q lump ia he