The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1898-06-30
Wild Laud in Tennessee,

w men Jhe MlcllSanuef DOugnt 4OU
acres of stave timber land in Tennessee
at a bargain, he understood it was wild
land and didn't learn to the contrary
until he visited the property. Then he
found very little timber and six fami-
lies of squatters, each in possession of
about 20 acres. Some one told him that
old Bill Thompson was the boss Of the
community, and that whatever he said
the others would stick to. The Michi-
gander, therefore, visited the old man s
shanty and opened business by say
ing:
''Mr. Thompson, I own all this Ian d
about here, and want to arrange mat
ters with you"
Gown all the land, eh?" queried the
old man, as he looked his visitor over.
eyes, there are six families of you on
my land. Do you want to pay me
ground rent?"
81 skassly think we do, stranger
skassly think so.
'"Then would you like to buy?"
81 can't say as we would-I can't say
so. Can't be no mistake about it bein'
yo'r land, eh?"
"Oh, no. have the deeds here in
my pocket. If you don't want to rent
or buy, then I suppose you will va
cate?"
"Does that mean git OF move
away?"
"Yes"
"FhsA would't skassly say that we
will vacate-I skassly wouldn't. Yo'
kin show them deeds, kin yo' ?"
Certainly. Will you kindly tell me
what you will do in this case?"
'Yass, l think I will. That's my
deed to this yere claim on the heoks
up thar, and you'll find all the others
hev the same. Yo' kin see it, I Iecon2"
81 see rife hanging up there" re-
piled thq Miehigander.
"Wall, that's nay deed. That's the
deed I've had for the last 20 vars, and
nobody hai'nt said it wasn't a good
one"
"Then you propose to hang on?"
"That's my idea, stranger, and when
I once git an idea into my head I'm
apt to be sot."
"Then, to come into possession of
my property, Imustresort 10 the law?"
asked the rightfGl aynsr.
"Skaaply shat, stranger. In the fust
place the Lawd made Tennessee fur
Tennesseeans and not fur Michigan
ders. Then in the next place thar
hain't no law around here to appeal to.
In the third place the other Eve men
are ambushed aleng the trail, and if
yo' cOntiner TO think yo' own this land
l don't think yoll git outer the woods
alive"
"You' assassinate me for claimin my
own, would you?" demanded the
frightened, but irate Wolverine,
"Skassly claimin' yo'r ewA, stranger,
but fur cloimin' Qurn. But did they
tell yo' in tewn how many owners of
thia land had showed up in the last 90
y'arsH"
'No."
"Waal, I've got EN- notched on the
stock Of that are rife. Ten notches, [
recon, and that hain't cOuntin' two
sheriffs and constable. Stranger,
dye want to leave yer address mp in
Michigan, SOS I kin Nnswer any inqui-
ries from yer wfeg
/ 'I-I-don't think so.
/ Gust as yo' feel about it. Heve yo'
changed your mind about the land?"
81 think I have, I own it, but I
won't take possession"
'That's k'rect. Might sell ii to
some one else?"
eyes; I4I Go that,
! t'AAd let him cum down to run us of
and make number leven on that rife
stock. That's your best way, and now
I'll send boy on ahead of yo' to say tS
our fellers that You ar in love with
Michigan and don't keeE q durn ful
Tennessee, aud J. recon ye'll git back al
right Day TO you, sab, and if yOr
feel like smokin' them yer deeds viii
be good thing to light yo'r pip'