Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-05-12
DAILY SHORT STORY
Flash Scenes in a Life.
[Original.1

WIFI a hLllt NeAAAN as NOFCA Ph4A'o ~
four sleek horses was jogging along.
the outfit glistening in the morning
rays, presenting a prosperous appear
ance unusual to that region. Henry
Hawkins, pioneer, drove, and within
the wagon his wife and their two little
children We're sleeping soundly. Haw-
kins, who had rowing disposition.
having become dissatisfied with his
humdrum- business i'll the east, had
sold out. put the money into ''schoon-
err" horses, harness and general outht
and was going to rush for new
home in a region that was about to be
opened to squatters.
Reaching the boundary. he found
crowd of people waiting TO take advan-
tage of the same opportunity, which
was to occur the next day. Hawkins
made the effort with the rest. but lie
was unfamiliar with the process, and
they all got ahead of him. When he
arrived at the best locations, the land
was taken up. and he moved on to the
next best. There he entered a claim
and squatted.
The sun stood at noon over another
scene. 1t was a region unrecogniZed
by the government and was cOnse-
quently called No Mans Land. Haw-
kins' wagon, paint worn and rickety.
was pulled along by three lean horses
over a dusty road, and, as before,
Hawkins drove. He had tired of try
ing to wrest living from his unpro-
ductive farm, had pulled up stakes and
was going to find n new home in No
Mans Land.
He did not find a home to suit him.
Since the government did not recOg-
niZe the existence of No Mans Land,
there was no law there, and the set
tiers concluded to govern themselves.
Hawkins, being the only msn unoccu-
pied, was appointed sheriff. One day
in trying to arrest a refractory citizen
Hawkins killed him. 1t was an unfOr-
tunate event for the sheriff. The man
who was killed had friends, and Haw-
kins was made to feel their enmity.
He concluded to move on.
For years the Hawkins family
lowered on the borders of those re-
giOns that were about to be opened up.
ready to make run for home. But
Hawkins either never succeeded in
finding one or if he did did not keep
it They lived in the wagon and camp
ed by the roadside. The wagon was
now old. 1t had never been repaintcd,
but it had been patched. The horses
were used up, the canvas cover was
rotten. The wheels We're held together
by old pieces of telegraph wire, the
harness by bits of rope. Hawkins
,, d m W. known
everywhere. and lie had acquired the
name of THE mover" The Hawkinses
We're lean and hungry looking.
The sun was setting over the noun
tains. Two prOspectOrs passing down
Il dirt road saw n schooner, one wheel
of which had given way and let down
Il corner of the wagon. This had eff
fected complete wreck. y man stood
looking at it mournfully. y woman
and two children were crying beside
Il smoldering fire by the roadside.
do you know who that is?' said one
of the prOspectOrs to the other. That's
Hawkins, the mover Reckon he's
stranded at last. Hello. Hawkins.
What are you doing here?'
Going to lay out graveyard and
Settle was the mournful reply.
AS he spoke the sun went down be-
hind the mountains.
Five years passed. One morning a
horseman was riding on a road wind
ing upward. y mechanic, with bag
of tools slung over his shoulder, was
coming down. Just above cloud of
-, h.,
tain.
ITO the presidents house?" asked
the hOrseman, pointing ahead.
Yes; up there where you see the
smoke"
Has the new pump arrivedr
Yes; this morning."
The hOrseman rode on, but before
coming to the smoke turned aside to n
roomy and comfortable looking dwell
ing set in the center of we'll adorned
grounds. Dismounting at the gateway,
he went up to the house. OF the serv-
ant who came to the door he asked:
lis the president at home or over
there?" pointing.
Hes just going over, sir. He'll be
down in Il minute"
The president came down, and the
stranger said to him:
I'm Ingleside; sentSut to put in the
new pump"
"Ah. glad to see you. Wen go right |
over"
Mr.. Ingleside was invited to take up
his quarters at the house, and that !
evening while the two sat smoking to- |
Gether he asked the president how he |
came to select the name given his |
mine.
Mines" replied the president. "are |
the result of luck in most cases, and |
often their names are derived from |
some incident leading TO their discov-
cry. During my early residence in the .
west lived in n wagon. One night my 4
wagon collapsed right over there in 4
the pocket. y man came along and II
q SERd what I was doing tbprp Com II