The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1899-04-07
A CHANGE OF PURPOSE.
BY THOMAS P. MONTFORT.
WHEN silas Ryan, the proprietor

In southern ,AdnSss, nc sthieu "
good-sizeG hornets nest and brought
the. insects buzzing angrily about his
head He had no shadow of right to the
land. and naturally the settlers and
homeseekers resented his cool appro-
priation Of it to his own use. There
were men who wanted it for homes, and
who were entitled to it under the laws,
and these men looked upon Ryan's con-
duct as a base infringement on their
rights and were not sparing in their de-
nunciation of him and his order.
Near Ryan's ranch there was little
town known as Prairie City. 1t was an
insignificant place. with less than 200
population, but it gave promise of great
things in the future. Its inhabitants
and the settlers on the prairie about it
believed that in time Prairie City would
become one of the leading towns OF
Kansas. Unfortunately, however, the
hopes of those people were never to be
realized. A railroad was soon after
built through that part of the coun-
try, and it missed Prairie City by i"st
two miles. The result was a new town
on the railroad and the death of the old
one. Prairie City went the way of hun
dreds of other Kansas, towns. Its popu-
lation took up their possessions, includ-
ing their houses, and moved across the
prairie to the railroad.
In Prairie City's halcyon days, how
ever, it boosted of newspaper, the
Prairie City Eagle. 1t was not much of
paper, being small and poorly printed,
but it was quite as good as its patron
age justified. It's subscription list was
extremely limited and its advertising
business was dwarfed to one column of
display matter and a few lines of pay
locals.
The Eagle, as matter of course,
stood by the town people and the set
tiers, and when Ryan set his men TO
fencing in the public lands for grazing
purposes it came out with strong
editorial denouncing him in the sever
est terms. 1t pronounced his action dis
honest, as he was stealing the peoples
rights. 1t went further and said that
it was the lowest and most contempti-
bic species of dishonesty, since by it he
was stealing homes from poor, strug-
Cling men and their wives and children,
thereby robbing them of a chance to
earn an honest living.
ut is the duty of the homeseekers,"
it went on, "to protect themselves
against the entertainments of this
greedy cormorant, who, for the sake of
adding to his ill-gotten wealth, would
starve even the innocent, unconscious,
helpless babe in its mothers arms. 1t
is the duty of the settlers to band to-
gether, to take the law in their own
hands and cut the wire that shuts them
out of their own. Tear down the fence,
drive off or kill the usurper's cattle and
give him to understand that if the gov
eminent won't protect you you can and
will protect yourselves"
A copy of the paper containing this
editorial fell into Ryan's hands. lie
read it and boiled over with wrath and
Indignation. He was forced to admit
that there was much truth in the arti-
Gle, but it was more the more palatable
TO him for that. He swore vengeance
against the Eagle and its editor and
vowed that not another issue of the
paper should be published.
AT dinner time he read the article to
his employees as they sat at the table.
They were six in number. recently emf
grated from ranch down in Texas. and
had reputation for being the hardest
and most reckless 6aredevils that ever
rode the range. When Ryan had fin
ished reading he said:
What do you think of that?"
Il think it's blamed big growing
from a mighty little rooster" one of
the cowboys replied.
IF the settlers want to take that edi-
tors advice and try it on about cutting
the wires another said, ''just let them.
They'll find before they get through
with it that they've got into the hottest
and most unhealthy job they ever
tackled"
Then you boys will stand by me ?''
Ryan questioned.
"Of course we WILL" one of them an
swered. Were paid to work for YOU.
and we've not got any love for settlers.
Well see that your fence is not cut and
that your cattle are not bothered"
That's all right" Ryan said. "but
there is something else want you to
do"
ssWhat is it?r
81 want this paper squelched."
"We'll squelch it."
81 want you to ride over to Prairie
City tonight and clean the thing out
root and branch. Burn the office, smash
up the old press and chase the editor
out Of the country"
''Well do It,"
just after supper that night the cow
boys loaded their pistols carefully and
buckled them about their waists. Then
they brought out their horses, saddled
and mounted them, and rode away in
the direction of Prairie City at mad
gallop. just before they reached the
town they came to halt. One of them
said:
Now boys. we don't want to take
any reckless chances in this business,
so we had better be little cautious. /
guess that editor is spindle-shanked
goggle-eyed old rooster from the east,
who'd drop dead at the sight of pistol,
but still he may be a raiment of addffer-
ent color. For all we know he may turn
loose and go to pumping lead into us at
the rate of about GO bullets "a minute
1t will be safest to kind of slip up on
him and take him unawares."
The others agreed to this proposition
and accordingly they rode quietly into
town. dsmounted and tied their horses.
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