The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-07-29

county, llllnolS, 10 the pklanoinh |
II border, and there, living for |
three months in their rickety old |
wagon, had planned and yearned i'm
patiently for the day when the signal |
shot would open to them the gates Of ]
the promised land. The boy was % his |
heart was set on owning his own |
farm" and day by day, as boomers and |
sooners swarmed into the waiting city |
of tents shanties and caravans his
chances of gaining the land he had |
chosen for his own grew pcrceptibly
Simmer.
He noted the groups of desperate
men, mounted on swift horses, armed
to the teeth, lurking along the margin
of the free lands. There were hundreds
of them. There were other bands equal
ly determined and equally reckless,
who came to the border in light strong
wagons. drawn by two or four Eallop-
ing mules ready to race with the
swiftest and hold their prizes even at
the point of the rifle. With such Dan
felt that he had small chance To reach
and maintain the quarter section upon
which he and his father had resolved
to build their new home. Their horse
was old and slow, their poor wagon
was literally falling to pieces in the
long drought. and scheme as he might,
Dan could think OF nothing better than
to follow his fathers advice and ride
with him in the old wagon with the
forlorn hope of getting a foothold
after the fieeter boomers had been
satisfied.
The eager Dan had begged his father
to let him make the race on foot. 1t
was full four miles to the edge of their
chosen section, but the youth was sure
he could easily distance the old plow
horse.
you'd have to go unarmed, Dan"
said the old man. "and theys kill YOU
like a rab bbt before they'd let you hold
that claim in peace. It's one of the
best in the ownship, and I'd rather
lose the whole territory than lose you,
boy"
AS the last day of waiting came and
went Dan was in an Intermittent fever
of anxiety and dispair. He mingled
among the most lawless men of that
struggling army, which stretched south
and west for miles that night Compet-
ing preparations for the desperate race
OF the morrow. 1t was past midnight
when he came back to the wagon and
woke his father.
Dad" he began, hesitatingly; I'm
going to ask you favor"
"No, Dan drowsed the old man,
'thrusting his head out under the flaps
of the wagon cover, II know you want
to make the run on foot. l won't have
it. YOU"
But l don't" whispered Dan, coming
closer. Il just want you to let me go
it alone. ] promise you | won't walk
or go on foot. I'll ride. I've got a new
scheme"
What is it?" as the youth hesitated.
Il won't tell you" (doggedly)
why, DAM"
Because you wouldn't let me do II
if you knew. Come, dad, don't say no,
because BECAUSE
Because why?"
We'll, if you say no. dang If don't
do it anyhow"
Dams father was silent for a mom-
ent and then said:
What about me?"
You must drive in alone. Take your
time. Don't worry about me. You
know where our section is. Well, when
you get there I'll he in possession
Leave it to me, there's a good old
daddy"
Col darn your hide, Dan" whimper-
ed the old man, II believe you can do
it. But don't take no desperate
chances. Remember your maw's heart
is all sewed up in you Dam
So it was agreed. Dan waited till
his father was asleep, took his Win
chester down, filed his pockets with
cartridges and slipped away into the
darkened city of tents and caravans.
Those who witnessed the frightful
scenes enacted on that day dozen
years ago, when Oklahoma was thrown
open to the boomers, agree that the
wild ferocity of the race, the monstrous
deViltry of desperadoes who, racing
ahead of onComing squadrons of set
tiers, set fire to the long dry grass,
the despair and exhaustion of those on
foot. the plight of helples women and
children trampled by men and horses,
the horror, the insanity, the pity of it
all, have never been adequately de-
scribed
One of the foremost vehicles in that
mad race was a light mountain wagon,
drawn by four fast galloping grey
mules. Two men fully armed sat on
the single seat, urging the beasts ia
top flight; two others sat upon the
long sheet-iron feed box that stretched
dIonB lHe Dtu OF lnc wagon. lhorG
We're four desperate men, and as thel
flying vehicle bounded across the praire
they even dared to fire their rifles al
the horses of rivals who Clattered
abreast or surpassed them, now and
then killing horse and laughing as
the battered rider rolled over and over
in the dusty grass.
But some of the flying horsemen who
escaped the bullets of these reckless
wagoners contrived revenge more ef,
fective and more far-reaching thar
haphazard bullets. The wagon haC
raced for nearly three miles when the
driver suddenly noticed for ahead, di
rectly in the path of their progress
perhaps a mile away, a wreath of blue
breeze-driven and fecked with red, 6
cloud that rolled toward them, frs
along the ground, then mounting anC
wavering upward like a tidal wave O.
smoke and fire.
1.-THE praire's on fire." shouted tn,
driver, suddenly checking his mules.
They could smell the hot smoke now
1t was rolling swiftly towards them, {
great half-circle, two miles wide. IL
ready panic had seized every soul n
the path of that fire, Men, womel
and boys for a moment forgot thei
desperate greed and turned backward
or struggled wildly TO reach swami
Or green thicket where stunted willow
or patches of lush grass hinted at som
slender protection from the fierce bu
swiftly passing wave of fire.