The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-05-24
LOST BY A LAUGH.
A Moments Merriment Cost n West
ern HOmesteRder Coveted
Piece of Land.

MISS lQa RECORD Is pretty SShOo'-
teacher of Oakland, Ark, but she can
do several other things besides teach
school, and one of these things is to
ride horse. Jim McVey, who ran
a race with her the other day, can
testify to this, if he will, says the Lit
tie Chronicle.
Miss Record has been teaching for
several years in this little village nes-
tied among the Ozarks, just off the
banks of the picturesque White river.
The people there have managed
by hard work and self-denial, to save
money enough to build good school
house, and the teacher, with her wild
owed mother and sister, lives in
small Lighthouse near by. There never
would have been any question as to
the rights of the village in occupying
the bit of ground where the school
house stands, il it had not been for
the fact that the people of the county
have lately found reason to believe that
there were minerals in their land.
Everybody began to look closely into
their own and their neighbors' title
deeds and, while doing this, Jim Nc
Vey discovered that the schoolhouse
was built upon land that had never
been claimed by anybody. 1t occurred
to him that he might as well own that
piece of the earth and he made up his
mind to file a homestead claim on it.
Miss Record heard of his plan, and
at once decided that she would herself
| put in a claim for the property and,
after getting the title, would deed the
school building to Oakland. The town
| of Harrison, the seat of the land of
flee, was so miles away. over rough
mountain roads, but that did not daunt
the little lady, who was determined
that if Mcvey was going there to take
her schoolhouse she would get there
first and homestead it herself. She
called on her brother to help her. They
saddled their horses and the race be-
gan. The ride was long and exciting
On reaching White river Miss Record
learned that Mcvey had just crossed
She did not wait for the ferryboat
but urged her horse into the river. II
plunged breast high into the stream
and swan most of the distance to the
other side. Then on to Yellville with
foam-fecked sides the horse went, tht
plucky little rider never drawing reir
until she jumped down at the door o.
the government land office.
The clerk looked at her pretty, flushed
face as she told her story and, with
real disappointment. informed her that
McVey had been there five minutes be
fore.
But" he said. "this mans papert
haven't gone to Harrison. II you car
get there before they do you can have
the land yet"
It was Eve o'clock In the afternoon
but she mounted a fresh horse and be
gan the a3-mile ride. In the mean
time Mr.. McVey found that she and
her brother had gone to Harrison ant
he started after them. They all rod
up to the land Office together only u
find that IL would not be open unit
nine o'clock next morning.
Long before the hour Miss Recors
had taken her stand at the desk o
the recorder. McVey stood before TIL
desk Of the receiver. She was in higl
spirits and made several witty remark
at his expense. while the recorder wa
waiting. watch in hand. Finally Nc
vey laughed just as the recorder callei
slime" and at that instant Mis-
Record dropped her papers on the desl
and saidl II file these for record"
Mcyey's laugh had cost him tn
homestead; he was one moment to
late.