davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-04-30
SHOT INTO WONDER AND D1H5{1 Hn zl FS Ro

was the guilty man SO far as the theft
Of Rawlin's dust was concerned. and l
held to it that he must have been at
the back of the murderous assault on
me; but IL was inconceivabIe that such
horrid hostility should have arisen
from the original dispute about our
claims.
What strange thing had happened to
make him and Reagan so bitter? And
were others in the camp involved in
the conspiracy?
More than once 1 tried to draw
Rawlin into conversation on the mat
ter, but on all occasions he lapsed into
his Yankee dialect and evaded the
subject or refused to discuss it to any
extent whatever.
Well, all the doubts were dissolved
and all the facts exposed by DIR. Ga
brlel Won Dietrich. the explorer: not di-
rectly. TO be sure. but as a result of
what befell him.
Now. If you care to do so, you may
take the most recent, most complete.
map of Australia and see for yourself
just where we went
, Run a straight line from Brisbane in
a direction slightly north of west until
1t has extended 10 the representation OF
just about a thousand miles You will
find there a large blank space. This
supposedly "unexplored'' tract has an
area somewhat larger than the great
State of Pennsylvania.
! On the northern and western borders
| you will see indications of mountain
ranges. and you will observe that a few
rivers are indicated as flowing into the
| tract but without coming TO definite
outlet Some Of these rivers are con-
| tinued by dotted lines. showing that cx-
plorers and map makers have guessed
| that they flowed somewhere. but even
| these dotted lines do not extend clear
across the space.
/ That is well. The geOgraphers have
not even vcuturcd to write the word
| desert" upon that tract, habit they
used to Indulge in freely when mapping
a region of which they were wholly ig'
norant. BY refraintng from the habit
on this occasion they have saved them
selves from committing most erro
neous statement to paper. We shall see
about that later.
The point to bear In mind at present
Is that our party followed substantially
the course referred to for more than tive
months.
We had to turn aside for many a steer
mountain and many a broad lake, 81
that our actual line of march was Yer!
crooked, but Won Dietrich held stub
bornfy to the general direction, complain
ing not a little because the conforma
| ton of the country compelled him L
diverge even slightly from an exac
Nesterly course.
1t was a hard journey. AS l init
mated in the beginning. Won DietrIcl
was severe pace maker. but he had tn
lknack of inspiring his companions will
some measure of his own enthusiasm
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-04-30
Need Men to Work.

AS much as the matrimonial side Of
the affair has been jolzed about by the
various newspa pers in the country, it is
something more than n laughing mat
ter with the young women They must
have some one to look after their farms
and 20 do the heavy work. Who is to
be the one?
There are 125 young women who re-
quire men about the farm, and there
are ba rely forty single men in Bonesteei
who have not drawn claims on the
Rosebud. The outlook. therefore. Is
rather embarras sing, TO say the least.
The hundreds OF candidates who are
looking for a fine farm with a wife at
tached do not find much favor with the
girls The letters are laughed at. and
all Mr.. Keller's advances 20 bring about
an understanding between writers and
young women are unavaIling. If the
men want them, they will htve TO go
to RonesteeI
Most OF the farms owned by the
women farmers lie some distance out of
Bonesteel. The buildings that are
erected usually consist Of a two-room
frame shack and a barn. a good many
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-04-30
A Gallant Rescue.

Nearly all have a large amount of
personal effects. and their appearance,
standirg In the midst of chairs, carpets
and crockery. IS the cause of much
hilarity among the citizens. The single
women in particular seem the most per
picked. Some of them have never seen
their land, and when they are told that
it lies thirty miles or more from town,
they almost give way to tears.
A girl standing dismayed IN a pile of
luggage is too mucn for {. BonesteeI
boy. 1t is not long until he is volun-
teering help. and soon bag and baggage
are safely loaded in a wagon. One of
these women was driving to her farm
hcme one day last week, when the
team she was driving broke from her
and dashed down the street ct a break
neck speed
The girl succeeded in jumping from
the wagon. unhurt, only TO gaze at the
fast disappearing team which was
heading for the unbroken stretch OF
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-04-30

I stopped in some confusion, realizing
suddenly that l was taking a good deal
FOR granted in thus introducing my com
panions, /. who had not even told my
own name or learned that OF this man
who seemed SO soon to be a friend,
It proved that I had not overstepped.
The stranger shook hands with both
my companions, addressing Hugo in
German and Rawlin in English.
And .you?" he said, turning TO me.
Il am Otto Schmidt.
my name,' he then said. is Won Diet
rich, DR.. Gabriel Won Dietrich, if you
please, I am crossing the continent. Are
you explorers, too?'
With poIiteness as subtle as ii was
sensible, the doctor put this question in
English, for Rawlin had confessed his
ignorance of the German language. So,
though II was evident that we all I'M
derstood it equally, it was natural that
Rawlin should answer.
I'VE are, in a way" he said. but our
only quest is gold
"A very proper thing TO look for said
Won Dietrich, gravely: 81 should make
a note of il If I came upon any indica-
ton OF the metal, but my quest is OF a
broader nature. I seek everything from
majestic mountains and mighty rivers TO
the tiniest insects
You'll find plenty of all three in this
country" Rawlin remarked with a grin.
Doubtless, and as I am a living inter
rogation point, I do not hesitate to ask
you for any information you can give me
of the region beyond. 1 take it you have
just come from the interior"
mot very far, DOCTOR said Rawlin,
but one of us has made a considerable
journey In the direction you are taking
and has sketChed q good map OF his
route"
That is most Interestingly" exclaimed
Won Dietrich. with more animation than
he had yet shown. May / see that
map?"
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-04-30

most heartiness. Even Hugo was eager
for it.
RawIin bluntly confessed that he
wasn't much interested in the advance
ment of human knowledge. but he rec
ognized the value of science in the
search for gold.
You can name all the mountains and
rivers. DOCTOR" said he, and I'll help
you catch bugs and boongaries If you'll
agree to keep one eye open for gold and
let me drop out if we come to a vein
that promises we'll
Certainly the doctor responded
I've no wish to bind you in any way.
| simply reserve to myself the right to
| dismiss you If you hinder the progress
of the expedition or interfere with its
work
Such placid frankness was most re
freshing after the recent experience at
The Gap. where the atmosphere seemed
/ thick with suspicion and double deal
| ing. 1 believe I would have gone with
that man in the capacity of hired
servant If there had been no other
| way, so Immediate and strong was the
! impression he had made upon me.
| Speaking OF servants, it proved that
| the two whites in the doctors party
were of that rank. They were Germans
and for that reason agreeable. but be
! ing menials and holding themselves as
| such. they came into NJ close associa-
| ton with US.
They did our bidding rapidly as
| they did the Doctors, and toiled dog
gedly after strange fruits, queer weeds
and proving beasts, while the blacks
eorged themselves with honey, or snor-
ed in the shade.
! One of these servants-Mark was the
only name [ ever heard him Called-hao
| a fine knack at drawing. 1t was part
Of his duty to prepare sketches Of the
doctors discoveries. and while we were
discussing Hugo's map, Mark drew &
picture OF the dead boongary, for tho
doctor declared that the specimen was
not OF sufficient Importance TO justify
haying it and adding the skin to the
packs OF the carriers
| u shall be lucky" the doctor said, ii
manage TO keep my carriers through
out thu Journey. Therefore l shall no
load chem unnecessarily. but as the pro
visions are gradually exhausted l vii
keep the burden about even by adding
specimcns for the museums IN Berlin
and Hamburg"
When Marks picture was finished thu
Iexpedition prepared TO proceed. i tool
some minutes TO get the lazy blacks int
marching order and during this inter
wal ] noticed that Hugo was talking
with one of the natives, a tall, sou
looking fellow who evidently com
handed the respect of the others.
Won Dietrich observed this fact ais
and was Immediately interested.
DO you know Morbora?" he asked O
Hugo. in German.
Yes" my cousin answered, he wa
with me during a part or my 1ourne
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-04-30
A Good Influence.

Before their arrival the saloon ele-
ment reigned predominant and whisky
was considered the harmless paEacea of
all His and the natural beverage Of
mankind. Now the young man who is
seen entering a saloon or gambling
house runs the risk of forfeiting the
pleasure of the society of the single
woman. As Bonesteel, up 10 the time
the Indian lands were thrown open,
was a frontier town in every respect,
women were scarce. and the young men
who had grown UP there find this
sudden rush OF marriageable women
10 the spot much to their liking. They
know what it is to live in a town with
out women. and they dare not run the
risk OF the women's displeasure.
Many of the women have LEFT behind
them cultured and refined homes, and
the influence they bring is being felt
in Bonesteel. Almost Immediately after
their arrival a society entirely con-
trary to that of the saloon and the
gambling house sprang up Whist clubs
were formed, dances given. and social
meetings of all kinds are being given.
Many of the men who drew claims
are single, but they are practically out
of the matrimonial market, SO far as
these women are concerned. The law
provides that should any of the women
drawing claims marry any of the men
who also have claims, only one of the
two can retain a claim. With the pros
pect of losing their claims before them
| those who are so much sought after
elsewhere are merely women. the same
as thousands of others, TO these men.
Besides it is hard to find one of these
men who has not a photograph of the
one and only girl hanging up somewhere
| in the little frame shack.
| Some of the o1d-timers take this sud
den change with a marked degree OF
| unfriendliness. One old fellow who re-
! membered the time when filing on the
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-04-30

land around Bonesteel meant an alb
rupt trip to the next world with no re-
naming lock of hair to send relatives
III the East. has pronounced views re-
garding women
What the country needs is more
bosses and less weemen," he said
Look at this thing" he continued,
pointing 20 an animal which in mo-
ments of enthusiasm he called ''hoss,
look at him, He's spawned an lame
ands has the CHAMBERS, bin locoed an Is
tW enty-two years ole come mex spring.
Here be l, drivin' from the hotel to the
daypo. / kin drive him fer two more
year an when he's no more use TO me
I'll sell him to Uncle Sam for to pull a
mail Vaughn. Kin you do that with a
woman? No. stree: Uncle Sam don't
want 'em, an is sendif.' en- out West
for TO make the prairie bloom like a
dern rose 1t amt natural for one of
| en- 10 come out West Here's ev'ry
suipe of {, kid putin on hair oil an
washin his face, an, by gosh, wearin'
linen collars. Mex thing viii be silk
hats an kid gloves. Wot's; the consi-
uuense? The purtiest has all the boys
a-hookin' after her an jest plum blind
mad at one another. There will be a
mighty lot of persniscous shootin' pref
ty soon if the dern foolishness doan
stop These weemen come out here
| sayin' they intend to raise hay, an
corn, an pigs. Pears 10 me they've
| done mighty little, but raise hell so
| far
OF course, the saloon men sheer at
the new order of affairs. The swell
SET" as the clique of new arrivals is
termed, is ridiculed in every possible
way But as each woman enters the
town the stronger does the swell set be-
| come.
Saturday a dance WIS given by one
of the proprietors of the ifotels. Dressed
| in ffnery which was to7auy new 10
BonesteeI the new arrivals took the
| floor Some of them had passed the
winter in Bonesteel and had already
spent a few months On their claims
| They could be distinguished from Others
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-04-30
CHAPTER VII.
The End of the River.

For quite half an hour the learned
doctor pored over HugO's map and ask
ed him no end OF questions concerning
the region that IL represented. He be
came more Interested the longer he talk
ed and at last. without any beating
about the bush. he asked US II we would
60 with him.
This map. OF course" he said. Gov
ers but q small fraction of the territory
| purpose to explore, but it is an i'm
portant part and it shows unusual in
f=lligence III the making. You three
are men of experience in the wilds. and
you are educated whites. Your pres
cnce and cooperation would undoubted-
" contribute greatly 10 the advance
ment of human knowledge, which is the
end and aim of all my efforts,
1t hardly need be said that we fell
Ia with this suggestion with the at
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-04-30
A Lonely Maid.

Lco.k INTO ore Of these homes lying
about eighteen mics from Bonesteei-
II is nearly dusk. The girl oHner stands
~ the doorway of f7er SHACK, gazing at
the long line Of lonely prairie stretching
Is, the horizon and dotted ar long inter-
vd.s with litt.c frame shaczs Ike her
| own.
It seems dull, monotoaous and lone
| a1-appallinsly lonely. That intense
evcntide silence of the prairie has set
| tied over the land. y chill wind soughs
over the small. grass-coYered hiIioe!<s
and wines and whistles through the
| approaching night. seeming as if ths
| spirits OF the departed Indian Dra-
are signing over the land which has
passed from their kind to the paIefaee.
! At one corner of the 4arsn a Htt.e creek
Ysends its way. Not with the gurgIe and
ripple and tinl.Ie OF its sister brooks n
ether lands. but with a ghost-IIke swish
and sob. The whole land speaks Of sad
nes,
| The girl walks out, and IN Eer face.
too. there seems to be depicted the Joy
| lessness Of her surroundings. Size is
| living alone. and is not afraid. By and
! by. a sister will join her and things
will not be very lonely.
She had been a school teacher in Mis-
souri, and was lucky enough TO draw
| prize IN the lottery
IN the daytime It is grand she
said but in the evening it is so silent
j and the nights are 50 terribly dark-"
Her house vas a model Of neatness.
| In orc corner stood bookcase heavily
laden with masterpieces. BY it stood
an upholstered easy chair, brought from
| the home in Missouri Everywhere were
| photograph a dainty lamp was light
ed. giving the room an appearance of
coziness. which made the outside seem
even more desolate.
| She was fond of the mandolin. TAX
| ing the instrument from its case she
/ started TO sing and play. II seemed
but natural that she should sing Kings
/ ley's sad song. THE River Bee As
| the last waiIing note died away, she
| laughed.
IN give you the blues at this rate, -
| she said and then began to talk OF her
| prospects She intended 10 hire a farm
/ hand when her sister arrived and she
| would leave the heavy work for him.
| In response TO a question she laughed
/ again.
The prince has not come yet. and. be-
! sides. a prince would look SO Drosaic IN
/ overalls."
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-04-30
Chance for Matrimonial Agency.

Apart from the young men Of Bone
steel, there are hundreds of other men
who would like to make q good i'm
preston on some of the women. Every
evening the one and only train which
arrives daily q Bonesteel brings a large
bundle of mail for United States Land
Commissioner J. D. Keller About 10
per cent OF the letters pertain To legiti-
mate business; the rest of the letters
are from men. who, having heard that
there are number of women who dc
sire husbands TO run their farms, ar
offering themselves as candidates in the
matrimonial market. This has happen
cd because he gave an interview 10 the
newspapers about these young women.
It has been cynically declared that
matrimony is % a large extent a mat
ter of money. Any one looking over 8
portion of the letters would soon come
70 the conclusion that the marital state
is indeed TO be considered only from q
financial standpoint
From the southern borders of New
Mexico TO the Canadian line, from New
York to San Francisco, in half a dozer
different languages and in a Thousand
different STYLES of spelling these let
tiers are coming All of them show very
plainly that the writer's want to cor
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-04-30

and Morbora proved TO be SO influential
with the natives that We lost not more
than a fourth Of the carriers by deser-
ton.
We we're comparatively : short time
in coming to the end of Eugo's route,
but it proved that Moroora was really
familiar with much of the country lying
beyond. and We came to regard him as
not only an Indispensable factor in the
undertaking but a perfectly trust
worthy guide as we'll
Rawlin stuck to the work most faith
fully He made frequent side excur-
sions to prospect for gold, a diversion
that met with the doctor hearty ap-
prevail, for thus so much more Of the
country was brought under observation,
| but with one exception he always re-
| joined us by nightfall. When he over
| took US after that one occasion that
| involved his absence over night he shook
| hands with me as eagerly as If we had
not met for months.
| | thought surely he had made great
| discovery and was thus giving express
| sion to his delight. You've found some
| thing" said I; Il congratulate you"
Yes" he answered enigma tically,
| I've found you
| Not another word did he give by way
| OF explanation save that he had dis
covered no trace of gold. and j had tG
| baliegaS therefore. that he had acquired
an extraordinary fondrcss for me. moi
an unpleasant conviction. you may bt
sure. and one that warmed my heart
toward him.
| We had been descending the noun.
tain range of western Queensland fol
IL !, 4,
| we came 10 river that flowed pacidl!
among the foothills into what appeared
to be a great plain extending west
ward Indefinitely. Morbora told tin
doctor that we could raft it down thi;
river for a hundred miles or more ant
so save the carriers. who We're show
ing signs of rebellion.
There is n village a little below here.
he said in effect, and 1 don't believ
it will be possible TO get the carrier
past il unless you make them some con
cession. Ease their work by taking L
RATS for q time, and probably they can
be persuaded to stick TO US
Won Dietrich suggested thar new car
rers could be engaged at tn,, village
whereupon Morbora declared that h
would not undertake to engage an'
manage them. They are rot of m,
people," he said by way of excuse.
SO, to avoid trouble, and as the doc
tor was by no means averse to utilizing
the river, we spent day in construct
ing Il large raft.
t Won Dietrich was not altogether SAT
isfied with It when It was finished.
We ought to build two, he sale
I'VE are crowded here. and suppose w
, should come upon some unexpected RAP
, ids or dangerous obstruction; our Who'll
outfit might be wrecked. whereas il tn
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-04-30

land beyond and shedding crociery and
knick-knacks along tf4e tra.'.
oh, my" said the girl.
a couple of lads who were Oh ponies
saw the runaway and the girls dis
nay. and with regular Wild West
wnoop dashed after the team One Of
| the boys. a straight-iimbed. clear-sl<.n-
ned bog from Trippe county way, forged
ahead by degrees. and catching mp with
the team, swung in his saddle and
picked up the dragging linz. II WAS
about as pretty q piece Of horsenansllip
as the girl had ever seen.
"0-o-oh. my" she remarked again
The lad came back laughing, driving
the team.
Here. miss" he said. II guess every
thing is ali right That evening the
lad and the girl danced most of the
dances together, and she picked him 10
guide her to her new home the follow
ing day
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-04-30
Dakota LandLottery Has
Produced a Curious
Situation.
rs Pretty Young Wom-
en- Have Secured
Good Farms,
And Now They Are Be-
ing Ardently Courted
by the Men.

- PRING is here. but hundred and
twenty-five lonely maids on
claims of the Rosebud land lot
terry In South Dakota scorn matrt-
mony, What is more. they are giving
hundreds of suitors the mitten each
week. There may be no giving and
taking in marriage in heaven. they adj
nit, but they insist that marriages
should be made there. Stoutly they
stand out for love and romance and
frown upon the marriage Of conven-
ience.
Wen it is that they do so,H otherwise
they would have been snapped up long
ago by men 200 lazy to work for a liv-
ing. incompetent. or mere fortune hunt
ers For each one of these adventurous
young women is the owner, in her own
right. OF many acres Of good farm land.
From Bonesteei. S. D.. which IS the
town nearest the Rosebud claims, comes
the news that the community is in the
throes of palpitating, trembling excite
ment. The single men are looking
religiously neat and clean. Since the
arrival of the fair farmers they have
lost their taste fer drink and shooting
things up. They have become orderly
citizens, and the authorities are patting
themselves on the back every time they
think OF land lottery and the fine crop
of young women IL brought.