The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1907-04-27
dure q great mountain called Har-

And he found a beautiful quarter
that had a good spring upon it and
he SIT. Here will / st up my tent
and plant my vine and fig tree. And
o. this patch Of prairie l will make
a farm"
And again he liked to the west.
And he came to a beautiful little
city nestled among the hills. And it
was Npon th5 anks of a little river
called J!apia. And as he entered
the city, % III sound of the hammer
and Of the saw came to his ear
masons with trowel to be seer every
from every side and there were
where, and there were men with
all kinds of tools at work all about
him, and there were new railroads
being built into the town. And it
was a growing place.
And as he journed on his way 10
he met an old geezer, and one who
had been there SO long that there
was cacti growing up between his
toes for he was an old resident and
nc SAuo ohnlS LII
WHITTIER SO fast my young ten
derfoot?"
And he answered and said, II am
going to seek tho land Office that I
may file. For 10, I have discovered
a fine farm out upon the divide and I
would farm it."
And threup on the old geezer said
unto him, "Ha! hal, you be a ten
derfoot for sure. Know you not oh
grinned a mighty grin, and he said
youthful hero that this is not a farm
ing country, for verify l say unto
you nothing will grow here but the
cacti and prairie dogs and sage
brush. That it will get so dry here
that you cant drive a ten penny nail
into the ground and the gumbo will
roll up on the wagon wheel till six
horses can't pull the empty wagon
and the grass dries up and will not
sprOut and we have hail storms that
pound the earth till there Amt a
live thing left above the ground. The
water is full of alkali that will eat
tho bottom out of a beer glass if it
stands Owe night. The grass is so
rich that the COWS won't give any
milk On 1T and that starvation awaits
the settler who tries to live here
And does it never rain here?''
asked the tenderfoot.
Rain, l should say it does. 1t
comes down in water spouts, chunks
as big as a dry goods box and the
wind blows so that it moves the
gravel on the hill points. why"
70 added Zone Teller had a harrow
Gg on the hill and the wind
Y it twenty rods and broke the
CT all the way"
But the tenderfoot shook his head.
"Your story he said has about it
the odor Of pickerel and bass and
suckers. | will wait and see for my
SELF" and he passed on.
But even as he looked his bright
est hopes began to fade away into
the distance, and to take on a
blush tint as though seen through
colored glasses, for he did not know
that the man was q knocker. But as
he went along he met a carpenter
with his arms full of planes and
saws and other implements and he
said unto him:
"Knowest thou yon mar that just
lie me?"
"Ay, that | do"
How long has he been in this
country?"
Long enough TO get rich," was
the swift and pregnant answer
And again the tenderfoot took
heart for he said to himself.aIf that
man could get rich here l surely will
not starve, and again he said to the
carpenter, "Canst thou build,sme a
house."
Sorry my friend but / have some
six weeks work ahead"
And are all the carpenters busy
now?D
No carpenter or plasterer or any
other man who wants to work in
Rapid City is idle now. There is
much to do"
But that man told me that moth
ing will grow here. How can there
be SO much to do in a country where
there can be no farming?,"
And the carpenter answered and
said. Go you over to his place and
see how he farms" And the ten
derfoot went and 10 there they. were
breaking the sod. Three boys had
hitched their ponies to the pillow with
their lariet of ropes and another had
strapped a saddle upon the beam
where he could guide the machine
and they We're nlIwing to the best of
IIheir ability.
And the %tenderfoot went on his
way to the land at once and filed.
PART II.
Out upon the bleak and wind
swept divide some: thirty young pines
are seen. It lis the grove around the
settlers home. The carpenter has
been there and amid the pines q
coy home has arisen. InSthe door
way stands q youthful bride, while
~allsaround are thesevidences OF thrift
and Intelligent labor. The fat and
healthy looking mich cows lie chew
Ing the Scud In the corner OF the pas
tures fowls 8 various kinds roam
around the barns while at the gate
stands q nan in overalls. 1t Is the
tenderfoot OF few years ago. Near
him and seated In a buggy IL AZ