The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1898-02-17

HH1tkSXAA~ b Hill III Ndtltbds nv
N"vxT~TA settlers had de-
%M cided thatitought
" to be done, aud
the method of it's
carrying out was left TO a committee
consisting of the storekeeper, the teach
er, and one of the leading cattleInen
who, rumor said, had once owned a Ii
brary.
'Of course it amt proving nothing
about u honesty that we do this sort
of thing" remarked Borden, the rancho
foreman, but it's the right thing to
do
"Yes, Washington was a fine old
gentleman" added the storekeeper, AN
we Nirginians always will stand by
him"
Mighty nice thing to be %honoring
the leader of a revolution" broke in a
gruff voice from the real of the store.
1t was the Englishman who was over
seeing the fencing of the Olympic Cas-
tie company's new lands. He had been
n farmer over in the Cimmarron coun-
try, and was always obiecting to what
ever was on foot.
Hush up, you got too badly licked
to talk was the rejoinder from Bor-
den; and Glade, the foreigner, sub
sided.
The celebration was to take place in
the schoolhouse out on the edge of
the tiny settlement. From its door
could be seen the haze that covered
the tops of the Spanish peaks off TO
the west and also the sunken lines of
the Cimmarron. 1t was all the concep-
ton of the pretty school mistress, who
thought to thus raise enough money to
buy a flag for the buildings roof.
There were other inducements for the
two men who helped in the prepara-
tions-Borden and Grade. The cattle
man thought there was no one like
Lizzie Demand the Englishman
thought the same.
"You are to be Washington" said the
director to Borden, and the part fit
ted him well.
"All right, I'll lick the Britisliers out
of their boots" he declared as he
pranced around with a stick for a
sword, and cast ugly looks at Glade.
And you shall be Corvallis" turn.
ing TO Glade. This, too, seemed salts.
factory.
Night after night they met at the
schoolhouse preparing the rendition of
the play. The half-dozen actors were
determined that there should be no
ground for criticism. Spring was early
on the prairie, and the gray and brown
grasses were dry as finder. The close
curling buffalo grass was, like that of
the blue stem, crinhling in the br eeze.
and the cattle were nibbling it away to
get at the tiny spears of green be-
meath.
One night the play was nearly over
when Borden remarked, in tones thai
came TO the ears of the entire com
pany: If | had my way, I'd order
every one of these red coats off the soil
of America"
"Mbybe you can't do any better thar
did your first president at that" was
the sneer that came from back in the
flies (curtains strung on pieces OF
twine) somewhere.
Borden grew angry. swell, / can
. AlAA VII AC h0 IN nc Non Ill llt
cr'. | helieve."
The E%nglishman came out in the
middle of the room. 81 would not adj
wise thee to try it," he drawled. The
words were not more than out of his
mouth when there came a crash OF
scenery. and along with the flies and
nearly everything portable came Bor-
den from the stage which he left with
a leap. He made straight for the throat
of his adversary, but what net his
grasp when he reached out was-Miss
Deans hand.
There. there, let this stop right
here. The man you represent would
never have fought in the presence of a
woman"
Borden. ~abashed, stood back, and
then went to the stage. But il did
not mean the end of the trouble-every-
body knew that. The men haa q fight
after the evenings practice was over,
but il settled nothing, except that they
were both very much in love with
Lizzie.
The school did not amount to much
those days. for all the scholars were
practicing for their parts in the COM
ing drama. The work on the ranches
suffered likewise, for there wss the
same interest among the older people.
On the night before the festal dsy there
was a final practicing at the school
house. and again the two representa-
tives of the opposing sides in the reyo-
luton had their warfare of words.
In his speech the American took pains
10 insert a few words rejecting on the
Englishmen who came u to the west
to run cattle ranches. and the English
man said some cutting things that
pointed at frontier manners.
"See here, gentlemen" said Lizzie,
"this has gone far enough, 1 cannot
have you quarreling all the time. You
must settle your troubles somewhere
else"
"All l want is to win you," whispered
the Englishman behind the a
few minutes later. '.Will you give me
the answer"
mo. this is . warfare that you must
settle with Mr.. Borden. / would like
TO see how this contest of the rival
powers comes out.n