New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1902-08-02
TI.5O per Annu"
THE DOUBLE WEDDING Al SECTION
THIRTY.

| IHlkN
Uans Wolfram aud Gus liehcn-
hooker had concluded to move
West. They thought that Sonth
Dakota would about suit them.
Hans, however, left his family he
hind him and went to spy out the
land Hans aud Gus were broth.
ers in law. Hans had married
Gus's sister, Frcda Liebcnhocker.
Gus was also married, but that wns
to Katrina Droor, distant relative
of tho Wolfrnms. Hans and Freda
had three children aud Gus and
Katrina two. The families had
always lived upon the best ofterms
and they had mutually agreed to
settle on adjoining lands in the
West, aud bc close neighbors,
Hans spent six months looking
round. Then ho sent for Freda
and the children aud the Licben-
hockcrs; aud they all travelled
West together. The family re-
union was u happy one. Hans,
however, had not yet selected n
location. Tho two brothers in law
spent some time driving out into
the country. They had decided
not to buy lands, but to take up u
quarter section each under the
Homestead Act There was any
amount of land open for settlement
and il was excellent land, too.
But tho two men were slow to de-
eide upon an exact location, as
they wanted to make just the right
selection, 80 long M it was n ques
ton of n permanent residence in
tho Wcst.
They were troubled, too, with
another scruple. There was SO
much land open for entry TINT they
regretted exceedingly thnt Uncle
Sam allowed each settler no more
than one hundred and sixty acres.
But they could not be blamed so
much, for tho very best of them
become land greedy as soon ns
they go ont West.
Hans was very thoughtful, aud
had such frequent spells of mental
abstraction that Freda and Gus
were puzzled, not to say worried.
They could not imagine what was
weighing upon his mind. One
day while the two men were out
prospecting Hans broke n silence
that had lasted for some time.
"Yust wait a bit Let me t'ink
n leedlel" said he.
Gus was even mole puzzled than
before; for he had never shown
any inclination to hurry Hans nor
to prescribe his mental exercise.
But he did not seek for m explain
alton Of Hans somewhat myster-
ious exclamation,
The next day Hans consulted n
lawyer aud discovered that wom-
an who was of age and the head OF
a family could take up government
land under the homestead Act. A
widow or a divorced woman would
come within the purview of the
law. lie had no idea OF making
widows out Of Freda aud Katrina,
but still thought that there was n
way out.
When Hans unfolded his plan
to Fredn and the Liebenhockers,
the women did not know whether
to laugh or cry. Gus, however,
was elated. He gave his right
thigh n sounding slap.
"Py chimminyi" he cried, "vat
a beck hetl' and in sheer sportive-
ness he began to feel Of Hans
bumps.
"But der groundtsi" he said,
looking a little more sober aud
thoughtful. "Ilow vos doti"
"Groundts Grounds |" cried
the optimistic Hans, in tones Of
contempt. "Blenty! Blenty, undt
to share 4"
| "Yawl nv coarse II" returned
Gus, with touch Of sarcasm. "But
der sbeciiicationses! How vos
dot Schpit 'em oudt"
"Dot vos all righdt!" said Hans.
"For Freda, some tesertions for
Katrina some delopements |"
II was trna that Hous h0d unne