Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1900-09-13
Observation-Disclosures:
: : TUCKER AND ROSE !:
BY Chas. E. Brimblecoin.
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THE deputy assessor snapped the
elastic band around his bulky book
after duly setting forth herein The pos
sessions of Tucker d Rose: Real es-
tate; $. {. !, section 10, township 5
south. range , west. etc: So acres or
chard. II acres pasture and hay land. IS
acres timber land"
well. YOU amt a-goin' before din
ner. so jest set right down here" said
Ezra Tucker genially. and,he tired Of
fetal did not hesitate to accept a seat
on the cool veranda beside his host
'Nou've lived here long time" said
the deputy.
"Twenty -seven years this spring" re-
piled Tucker. MADE some little
changes in that time, too. Mighty nigh
this whole claim was thick woods when
l fust seen it,
Twas a curious thing. too. I'll tell
you how twas. You see. kinder got a
notion that it would be a good idea TO
take up some gov 'ment land. so ! rode
up here from Santa Cruz. is mile over
a pesky bad trail, and my friends. the
CrawfordS. over here ON the San Loren
70. they showed me this quar,er-sec
ton.
"There was a little shack of cabin
on the place, built by Tom Tutor. a
Teller who used to hunt and trap for a
Twin but he never pre-empted the land
and at that time he'd gone to Arizona
SO took up he ranch. wit hout amy idee
OF trouble. and then Went back to Santa
Cruz to Git some things. cause corclin'
to law you had to live on YOUR claim six
mont his before you could prove up
"But the next time ! come up, NAL
colin Crawford he told me that he'd
heard there was another Teller pros
pec1ln' round my ranch. He'd been up
there himself with his gun to inquire
about it, but didn't see nobody; but he
said Ia better git up there as quick as
the Lord would let me and hold down
the claim.
II left my horse at Crawfortl's. cause
there wa much feed in he woods.
and made up a pack of flour. bacon. cot
fee and sugar. and Malcolm lent me a
shotgun that he said might come i'm
handy. On he way up fired both bar
rels of the gun at some quail. and then
found that I'd forgot to bring any ann
muntion.
"Everything was still as DEATH en-
cept the crickets chirpin' with lone
some sound. and put the things in the
cabin. There was a little fireplace built
of muo and sticks in one end, with a
chimney of split boards. and | built a
fire to gilt bite of supper.
AS ! was standin' in the DOORWAY
feelin kinder doleful. see a man wit h IL
pack on his back comm up the trail.
He was stout and his face was pretty
red, and when he see me it got quite a
bit redt!er. He come up putin and
seemed put out bout sonnet hing. and
Jest then it come into my head that
mebbe he was the other feller.
What YOU dom in that cabin 2" he
says. real cross.
My residence at present. says I.
Won't YOU come in?'
"'None O Your blarsted SARGE wi me-
he says. This ere is my claim. and
want you to Git off it directly.
"'You're laborin' under a slight mis-
take. says l. This is my claim: but
YOU needn't be in hurry bout ~oin.
Stay till mornin. anyway. Darned if |
amt glad of company
Well. we talked awhile. and he KEEP
gittin madden and madler
you've got the advantage of me
now. he roarS out. but if it wa mt for
that bloody gun you've got so andy Id
put YOU out of my cabin quicker'n a
wink
Iou needn't fret about the gun.
says. Cd leftit outside leanin' against
the cabin.) why. fired off both bar
rels al some quail Gown here. and
didn't bring mite of ammunition
With me-
10y on carn't come it on me- he says.
kinder sneerin'. You're like to hrntice
me to come on and then let me ave it.
wouldn't you??'
well. take the pesky gun arG see
for YOURSELF | says. hole!in' ii out to-
ward him.
mo YOU don't. old smoothly. he
says. ,urnin' away.
Come in and have bite of supper.
anyhow. says. The waters bilin'
and LII make some coffee in itfv.
He grumbled something anG went
off and calnpeG under an oak tree a lit
tie ways off. That's The very tree Gown
there by the barn.
10 Gone my best to be sociab'e. so
made my coffee and fried some bacon.
Some way twas kinder pleasant TO see
the other feller's fire. but he looked
mighty crusty and didn't have a word
more to say.
After supper lit a piece of candle
and read a newspaper that I'd brought
from town. but | got sleepy pretty
quick and spread my blankets in the
bunk. l shut the door and put a. prom
agin it-not that l was afraid. but /
Jest happened to think that didn't
really know anything about the other
Teller.
II was off TO sleep in minute. anc