The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-06-17
Unexpected Friendship.
BY ThOS. p. MONTFORT.

4 NNE Sunudy ulOl HiHS III -AoS 49, -
II the year 1870 very aged and feeble
" oman crouched in the tall grass at the
side of Il road which ran across stretch
of wild Kansas prairie. She was poor
" clad in worn and faded garments.
and her pinched features and ENACT
ated body tod all too plainly that she
had suffered for want of food. She pre-
scented touching and pathetic appear
ancc, sitting there all alone on the open
prairie. with the hot sun beating mercl-
lessly down on her head, and her aged
form dropping and trembling under the
burden of cares that had fallen to her
lot.
Presently the Sabbath stiffness was
broken by a wild, unearthly shout that
came from away off to the north. In
stantly dozen other shouts, equally as
wild and unearthly, followed. The poor
old woman started up in alarm and
looked fearfuliy out from her shelter in
:,ne grass. a half mile away up the
road she saw small body of men on
horseback ga.loping down in her direc-
ion. Her eyes were weak and dim, and
she could not make out much about
hem al that distance, but she knew
from those shouts who they were.
With an expression of fear on her
face. she shrank back in the grass and
tried 10 hide. Again there came to her
ears series of those hideous shouts.
She Put her hand to her heart, and her
eve, filed with tears and her lip quiv-
cred.
Its those dreadful cowboys" she
gasped, land they're coming right this
way. Oh, l wish l could hide. They're
so mean and I'm so afraid of them. 1t
would be just like them to shoot me or
ride over me-"
She looked eagerly around, but there
was no place to hide. Then she tried to
get up and run away, but she trembled
so that she could not stand. She sank
back helplessly and sat quaking with
alarm. Presently a half dozen men
gaiioped up, and, seeing her. came to
halt. They were cowboys, rugged out in
their Sunday attire, going to town for
day of it. They stood for a little while
gazing at her in silent astonishment.
while she cast furtive, timid chances at
them. Finally one of the cowboys, a
grizzled, bearded old fellow, spoke to
the woman.
What in the name of blazes, he eX-
claimed, "are you doing out here?"
She looked up at The speaker, but did
not reply. She was too terrified to utter
word. After the lapse of a moment
one of the cowboys said:
II reckon, Sine, that maybe she's
squatting on this claim"
'Of course she's squatting on it, Sine
replied. ''We can all see she's doing
that"
Il mean maybe she's going to take
it up and settle on it," the other eX-
planned. eff she is you'd better run her
off, you're SO poison fond of chasing set
tiers off government land"
no, no." the woman said, hastily
you're mistaken. I'm not a squatter
and | don't want to take up any claim
l just stopped to rest awhile, and if You
won't hurt me I'll go away directly.
will, sure"
THE cowboys exchanged glance and
then smiled. Directly Sine said:
Look here, aunty, you haven't got a
notion that were're going to hurt you,
hope?"
Cowboys amt like settlers" she
said. land was afraid you would think
wanted to take up claim"
Old Slime laughed.
Il reckon" he replied, you couldn't
take up enough land to break up the
cattle business entirely. But. serious
ly, aunty, what are you doing out here
like this, anyway"
I'm going to town." she piped in her
thin. quavering voice. ''to get myself
put on the county. I amt got any1home
or friends any more. nor any money"
A plying expression came into old
Shines face, and when he spoke again
his voice was gentler than it had been.
That's bad condition to be in" he
said. "a mighty bad condition, sure"
Eyes, it is" she agreed, land it hurts
me soreiy, for I never expected to live
To come to such pass. When my old
man and I came to Kansas we had a
little money. and we calculated to get
us claim and build nice little home
to live the balance CT cur days. But low
he's dead and I'm homeless and penni-
less. Oh. it's bitter. bitter!"
"Iiow did it happen you didn't get a
home?" Sine asked.
I'VE took up one claim and built us
house. but some cowboys came along
and drove MS off," she said. 'Thev
claimed we were on their range, but if
,wc were we had right to be there. for
II was government land. Then we
stopped on another claim and planted a
crop, but some more cowboys drove
4 their cattle into our field and DESTROYED
our corn and wheat"
emery. sneaking cusses!" Slime OBJ
served in q low voice.