Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1897-11-19
A WOMAN'S SAD FACE.
BY IHoS. p. MoNTf0RT.


the interest Of the cattlemen to keep
homeseellers out of the country, for SO
long as the land remained unsettled
Just so long did it furnish rich, free
pasturage for the great herds of cattle.
In their efforts to keep the pioneer
settlers from taking up claims and
building homes the cattlemen very Oft
en- went beyond the limit of the law. In
fact, in many instances they ignored
the laws altogether and were governed
in their actions simply by their per-
sonal wishes and their power to enforce
them.
Out in Ness county there was /, big
cattle ranch owned by wealthy syndi-
cate. The manager Of this ranch, man
by the name of Roberts, was one of the
coolest blooded and most unfeeling
wretches that ever lived. He cared for
nothing save his own interests and the
interests Of his employers. He was
dead set against homeseekers, and no
matter what their condition might he,
nor how much they were in the right,
he never yielded an inch to them.
The ranch comprised several hundred
acres of the best government land in the
county. and in time homeseekers began
to hover about it and covet the rich
prairie. But Roberts warned them to
keep off. threate ming to burn the wagon
and kill the horses Of the first man who
should attempt to enter claim on the
grazing lands of the ranch. He went
further, and hired the toughest and most
1awless set of cowboys he could find,
and to them he gave instructions that
they must keep the range clear of set
tiers. no matter to what lengths they
were forced to go in order to accomplish
that end. The cowboys nodded know
ingly. touched their pistols significantly
and remarked that they were there to
obey the boss orders.
Several attempts were made to enter
claims on the range, but the cowboys
were always promptly on hand to dis
courage anything Of that sort. and after
they had thrown out a few hints regard
ing the ''unhealthiness" of the location.
and the general ACCESSIBILITY Of seeking
home elsewhere, the wouid-be settler
was persuaded to move on. After awhile
the character Of Roberts cowboys be-
cnlne notorious, and the homeseekers
gave them and their range wide berth
Thus for Il long time the rauge was
not bothered with settlers. and the cat
tie continued to Craze the grass and
turn it into money. Roberts saw the
lands all about him taken up for homes
and he congratulated himself on his
foresight and his promptness to act
in taking care of his own interest
Things had been going on in this even
way tor some months when one morn
ing Roberts called his cowboys about
him and said:
Il have received a letter calling me
east. so I shall leave the ranch in your
hands. I shall probably be away two
or three weeks. but | think can trust
you boys to look after things all right
I'll give Jake Kline the management OF
the ranch and l shall expect the rest
of you to obey his orders. Keep the cat
tie together and keep those settlers Off
the range"
We'll manage things all right. Mr.
Roberts, Jake said. We'll take care
of the cattle. and if you find any settler
on this range when you get back he'll
be Il dead one"
Roberts had been gone about week.
when one evening some of the cowboys
saw an old covered wagon rolling slow
~ across the prairie behind q pair Of
small. scraWny mules. They watched
the wagon and at last saw it stop al the
foot Of a little mound. right in The CEN
TO nj % 81 rtf,fr lay
got out. embarrassed the mules and
turned them loose to Craze. Old Jake
kline's attention was called TO .he wag-
on and forthwith he sent 4 man 10 in
form the owner of it that he must move
on.
This message was delivered promptly.
and witt more force than elegance The
homeseeller. however. received it quiet
~. not to say indifferentiy, and re-
marked that he'd see abouti it.
you want to be seeing about it pref
ty sudden, them the cowboy said, be
cause we won't stand any foolishness
We'd just as lieve make bonfire of
your wagon and coyote feed of your
mules rs not
I'll leave here when | get ready to
CO. the man replied, "and not before"
The cowboy rode back and reported
to old Jake. The latter's eyes flashed
with anger in q moment and he swore
Il string of the most horrible oaths.
$50 the chap thinks he'll go when he
gets ready. chi" he cried Maybe he
will, but if he does. he'll! get ready pref
Iy soon. for I tell you he won't be long
about going
He then called his whole force and
rode down to the wagon. The settler
vas sitting on the ground with his
,ack against a wheel. his knees drawn
IN and I,is arms folded over them. His |
lead WAS bowed down. and his whole |
ttitude was that of the deepest deiec-
ON. The cowboys had approached
, within a few steps of him before he
card them. and then he looked up
stlessly. Dut did not offer TO move
Ike reined his horse and said: