Courier Democrat., 1904-05-26
By STEWART
EDWARD
WHITE

1
northern peninsula"
"Good morning, Mr.. Morrison. Archie,
there, will attend to you. Archie, see
what Mr.. Morrison wishes"
The lumberman and the other clerks
consulted in low voice, after which
the official turned to tumble among
the records. Not finding what he want
ed, he approached Smithers. A whis.
pered consultation ensued between
these two. Then Smithers called:
"Take 4 seat, Mr.. Morrison. This
gentleman is looking over these town
ships and will have finished in few
moments"
Morrison's eye suddenly became un-
easy.
II am somewhat busy this morning" {"
he objected, with shade of command
in his voice.
III this gentleman''- suggested the
clerk delicately.
II am sorry," put in Thorpe, with
brevity. "Afy time, too, is valuable"
Morrison looked at him sharply.
my deal is big one," he snapped.
n can probably arrange with this gen.
teman to let him have his farm"
II claim precedence" replied Thorpe
calmly.
"Well," said Morrison. swift as light,
''I'll tell you, Smithers. I'll leave my
list Of descriptions and check with
you. Give me receipt and mark my
lands off after you've finished with
this gentleman"
Now, government and state lands are
the property Of the man who pays for
them. Although the clerks receipt
might not give Morrison valid claim,
nevertheless it would afford basis for
q lawsuit. Thorpe saw the trap and
! interposed.
."Hold on" he interrupted. II claim
precedence. You can give no receipt
for any land in these townships until
after my business is transacted. I
have reason to believe that this gentle
man and myself are both after the
same descriptions"
"Whaty' shouted Morrison, assuming
surprise.
"You will have to wait your turn,
Mr.. Morrison" said the clerk, virtuous
before so many witnesses.
The business man was in white
rage of excitement.
II insist on my application being filed
at oncew he cried, waving his check.
Il have the money right here to pay
for every acre of it, and if know the
law the first man to pay takes the
land"
He slapped the check down on the
rail and hit it number of times with
the fiat of his hand. Thorpe turned
and faced him with steely look in his
level eyes.
"AIr. Morrison" he said, you are
quite right. The first man who pays
gets the land, but have won the first
chance to pay. You will kindly step
one side until finish my business with
Mr.. Smithers here"
II suppose you have the amount ac-
tually with you," said the clerk quite
respectfully, because if you have not
Mr.. Nlorrison's claim will take prece-
dence."
II would hardly have any business
in land Office if did not know that"
replied Thorpe, and began his dicta-
ton of the description as calmly as
though his inside pocket contained the
required amount in bank bills.
Thorpe's hopes had sunk to zero.
After all, looking at the matter dis
passionately, why should he expect
Carpenter to trust him, stranger.
with so large a sum? 1t had been
madness. Only the blind confidence Of
the fighting man led him farther into
the struggle.
Thorpe's descriptions were contained
in the battered little notebook he had
carried with him in the woods. For
each piece of land first there came the
township described by latitude and
east and west range. After this ge
neric description followed another fig
ure representing the section of that
particular district. So 49-17 VS.
meant section 8 of the township on
range 40 north, II west. If Thorpe
wished to purchase the whole section
that description would suffice. On the
other hand, if he wished to buy only
one forty he described its position in
the quarter section. Thus SW-NW
49-17-S meant the southwest forty of
the northwest quarter Of section in
the township already described.
The clerk marked across each square
Of his map as Thorpe read them the
date and the purchasers name.
In his notebook Thorpe had Of course
entered the briefest description possi-
BILE. Now, indicating to the clerk, he
conceived the idea Of specifying each
subdivision. This gained some time.
Instead of saying simple, Northwest
corner Of section g." he made Of 1t four
separate descriptions, as follows: North
west quarter of northwest quarter;
northeast Of northwest quarter; south
west Of northwest quarter, and south.
east Of northwest quarter.
He was not 10 foolish az to read the