The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-05-07

4 landscape, and the hum Q
Tc< innumcrable insects Whic
had prolonged the summer months we
into the fall were growing fainter IN
less rhythmic with the advancing sea
son. The crops had been Sarnered an
the approach of frost brought no terro
to the farmers, but in some indescriba
bic way it affected the nerves of til
lonely woman standing before her rud
shack gazing toward the setting sui
Somehow the autumn had Away
brought shade of sadness into he
life. Even back in the old New Eng
land days-bcforc this horrible night
mare had transformed her liic-she hat
experienced the same feeling Of de
preston.
Il guess it's because I hate to SCI
things dying" she explained to her
self to stifie back 4 rising rebellion o.
sorrow. The summer was shor
enough back home, but out here its
all too short"
There was 4 drcary. homcsick eS
preston in the eyes, and through tho
struggling hair the bronZed forehead
showed little marks of premature
wrinklins. Dorothy Wellington in hel
Sirlhood days had been termed ''come
ly," word which just fell short OF
calling her good looking or handsome
But with time and experience her fea'
lures had grown harsher and yet with
out blotting out certain sweet eX'
preston of resignation. Eternal long.
ing for the impossible, however, eats
out the heart and ambition of the
strongest. and Dorothy was daily find.
ing her burden more uncomfortable.
'It isn't natural" she confessed to
herself many times. "rd rather give
up all and go back without a cent. !
could work and make living. Not IN
Dunbary, but somewhere else-any-
where except here"
It was strained and unnatural po-
s.tion for a young girl to find herself
IN, and nothing but strong, stern
sensc of duty could hold her to the
bargain another day. 1t was not home
ON the bleak Oklahoma plain. The
very quarter section On which they
fived was in dispute. The shack which
they had built for temporary quarters
might not be their own. Across the
dead line" there was another shack
a second blot on the landscape. To one
or the other the quarter section be-
longed, but to which none could say.
The slow-moving courts would in time
decide, but for the present there was
only an armed truce, and neither side
| dared venture on the property Of the
| other.
Jared Wellington had left Dunbary
| In the East to cast his lot with the
| early settlers of Oklahoma, and when
| the rush began he had been the first
to settle on desirable quarter section.
| But while he had beer busy stalking
out the section another had fled a
claim to the same piece Of land. There
was a dispute which threatened to
end in murder, but Dorothy had been
the means of quieting the two combat
ants. They agreed to let the courts
settle the claim, and meanwhile the
swo owners built on opposite sides of
the dead line," which they drew ex-
actly through the centre Of the quarter
section.
That was three months ago, and in
The meantime Jared Wellington and
Henry Egerton had nursed their wrath
IN silence while they planted and gath
cred their first seasons crops. Each
bitterly cnvied the other the crops
which by right should belong to him.
| With alert eyes and gun loaded for
active service, each watched the other,
determined to exact the full pound
Of flesh demanded in the agreement.
Had accident o: sickness forced either
over the "dead line" the other would
| unquestiona bly, have shot his enemy
m his tracks tie moment he set foot on
his property.
Such were til, bitter conditions under
which DOROTHY had lived for three
months, hoping and praying that the
| courts decision would shortly~settle the
controversy, but never did the law
Seem to lag more exaspcratingly.
Autumn was changing the whole face
| Of the Landscape and winter was aD-
preaching With it's long period OF
gloomy weather, but the "dead line"
and the EgeNon shack IN the distance,
continued tomake life for Dorothy and
aer father bitter and disagreeable.
Jared Wellington was as hard and
set in his Ways as the New England
granite hills among which he had been
yeared, and Dorothy knew his nature
zoo we'll to attempt to induce him to
compromise with his lonely neighbor.
| y,onely Helry Egerton appeared to be
IN his sha0, for neither wife, mother,
nor child appeared around his home.
| Daily he lad toiled in the fields all
! GUNNER, raurning to his rude home at
night timeto prepare his own supper,
and smok. quietly and solitarily near
shc door f his, shack until the moon
was darkued by the blood-red horizon.
! Dorothy lad watched these orderly
! proceedinss from her quiet retreat,
often wondering at the mans lonely
| !lfe, and ! her tender heart half pity
fag him. s..
He wasyoung and not hard-looking,
as she remembered him on that event
eul day Then she had interposed to
save bot from a possible tragedy.
But afte all it had been a f1eeting
glimpse f the flushed face and eyes
burning With anger and determination.
Those wre exciting days when man
forgot lis thin veneer Of civilization
and disLayed his savage origin. The
wild rus across the promised line, the
fights an struggles to gain possession
Of the hst quarter sections, the fear
and lamentations Of those who had
failed, nd the awful intensity Of the
calm witch had prevailed days and
weeks hfore the final word was given
to throw open the land to the eager
| ,rbl;o,ll those Dict11raS wpra burned