Evening journal., 1908-11-21
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
The Squatter.
sssssessssssssssssssssessl
Tcopyrlsht. 1sOS. by T. c. MCCLURE. !

had happened in his life before, but
nothing to compare with this. A gang
Of half dozen men were crossing his
lnnd. He had squatted on the land
twenty years before and therefore call
ed it his. One of the men was squint-
ing through a surveyors instrument,
others were using a chain, and still 9th
ers were cutting down brush and driv-
ing stakes. Pop got to his feet and
rubbed his eyes and scratched the back
Of bis head. Then he exclaimed to
himself. "Dawg gone my catsg and
sauntered down to the strangers and
asked Of one Of them:
Now, then. what you all doin'
yereT'
Surveying" was the brief reply.
"What furi"-
"a railroad"
zone O. them things that boots and
draws kyars behind 'em"
yes"
"Then git offn my squat! You all
can't build no railroad yere. don't
want the hootln', and won't have It."
The men laughed at him, and he
went to the cabin and got his gun and
threatened them. For this he was ar
rested and given three months in jail.
Els old wife and his son Joe took 1t
philosophically
Got him in jail, hey theyT quered
the wife when she heard the outcome
of the trial "Waal, he won't git his
feet wet in thar, and mebbe the whis-
ky II be better"
When Pop came out Of jail they were
building the roadbed across his land.
He sat down in his old place In the
sunshine and glowered and muttered,
and his son Joe came along and said:
'No use, Pop. Them railroad folks
are too hefty fur you. That hooters
bound TO cum along fur shore"
But have l ever done anything to
the railroad?" demanded the father.
Reckon not"
"Then what do they want to come
along yere Dustin up my peace O. mind
fur?"
Cant say, pop, only they are COM
in"
"Not il 1 know it, Joe; not IL know
it, I'm n man as has got to have n
chance to think. and how m goin' to
think with a hooter a-bootin' along
yere? I'm a-tellln' you, my son, that
it's got to be stopped"
you hain't hefty nuff, pop"
/ Pop went down 10 where they were
laying and spiking the rails and said
that if work did not cease at once he
would kill a man. A constable was at
hand to arrest him, and he was taken
to town for another trial. This time he
got a year in jail.
What fur?" he asked the judge.
"For interfering with the railroad
and making threats"
But didn't the railroad interfere
with me first?"
"As to howT
"As 10 bustin' up my chance fur
thinkin'. Jedge. I'm a man what thinks.
I've got to think. I've got to sot down
with my back to the cabin and think a
mighty heap. I've allus had to do II,
and now IL this dinged hooter is comm
along yere to bust me up l might as
well hang myself"
what do you think off,"
"Of how TO git whisky and terbacker
and bacon and meal"
When the boy came home from the
trial the wife and mother asked nc
questions for an hour. Then she care
lessly queried:
Glow much this timef"
"a year"
"Shoo. Pop is gainin' on it,"
When pop had served two months OF
his sentence he broke Jail and came
home He arrived at night. AS be en-.
tered the cabin his wife awoke and
called out:
"That you, pop?"
"Yep"
'What ye doin' outer jan?'
Busted out"
Coin to HIDE away in the woodsY
Cant say. Don't talk 10 me any
mo-, fur I'm dog tired"
Powerful hefty for your size, pop.
said Joe as he awolie, ''but We hain't
hefty 'nuff. Better let 'em alone"
When morning came pop ate his
breakfast and said little Then he de
parted for his thinking log in tn,
woods It was almost noon when h,
returned TO take down his rifle from
its hooks.
Better let it alone, pog," cautioned
, Jim.
! "Shoo, but how cantankerous. whis
pered the wife.
Pop walked down on the tracks OF
which trains were running regularly
lie took his stand between the rails il
, full sight of the cabin, and his wife ant
son came out TO see. No word wa
4 spoken between them. After ten min
utes they heard a passenger trail
. whistling at the highway crossing
10 mile below. Then came the rumble 0
wheels and q sight OF the train itself
AS it came into view pop drew hi
! rifle to his face and stood like a rock
The "hooter" hooted at him. AS tn
engine drew nearer the enginee
whistled for brakes. The train hal
only slightly reduced its speed whei
a pop was struck and hurled thirty fee
high and off 10 one side The mOthc
and son walked down to the spot q
the train passed on. When the
-. IL ka