The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1909-07-02

man; much more intelligent than the
average negro. He never worked
without PLAN never thought without
a plan. to better his condition. For
the thousandth time he fell to intro.
spection and called into life the better
impulses of his being. There in that
car he was as other porters, things
apart and serving others, a slave to
discipline and perfection of duty GRAY.
ing the favors that might drop to him
in his mental subordination. What
was 1t doing for him-for his future
and the betterment of his condition ?
Micheaux was an inveterate reader;
i he always managed to keep abreast
of the times, to keep awake and to
keep alive. Notice of the opening of
that part of the Rosebud reservation
lying in Gregory county, South Da.
kota, came to his eyes. and ne be.
leved he saw the flood in the tide of
his affairs. Why not? He was a
United States citizen, he was a man
of good cunning, he possessed an
abundance of grit and determination,
and, good to recollect, he would not
be novice at handling a homestead
as he brought back distinctly his long
boyhood on a farm in southern Illinois.
And, best of all, thanks to his economy
and upright living. his few years on
the road found him something like
$4,000 to the good.
Oscar Gas he Is now known and
called all over the Rosebud) secured
a furlough from the Pullman company
and was soon in Bonesteel. He did
not prove fortunate in the drawing of
1904, but this did not discourage or
deter him. The first REIMBURSEMENT
sold after the filing was over that fall
was sold to Oscar Micheaux. He did
not hesitate there was no quibbling
over the price; he knew anything like
thousand dollars or less was cheap
for a 160-acre farm.
The land secured, Micheaux acted in
contradistinction to the racial traits
of his people. Instead of loafing and
killing time fer a while, he hustled
back to work. Just about this time
| the Stillwells were off for their an
nual trip south-over Mexico and
South America-and assistants and
body servants were supplied them by
the Pullman company. Arthur Still
well, the son, who knew young Mi
cheaux well and favorably, and i'm
pressed with his honest and reliable
character, secured him as his personal
assistant, and while in this service
Oscar enjoyed highly interesting
and profitable trip throughout Old
Mexico, western Brazil, Chilli and 9TH
er parts Of South America. He re-
turned from this tour in good time to
make improvements on his homestead
as required by the government.
Oscars claim Joined the old town
site of Dallas, four and one-half niles
southeast of Gregory. Dallas at that
the rogues and canaille of Gregory and
Trip counties, and Micheaux met with
all the trials and tribulations that
would naturally fall to the lot of
colored man on the frontier Didn't
those half-breeds taunt you into trou-
Bile, and try to scare you out Of the
country" 1 inquired of Micheaux one
day. Eyes, SIR" he replied, "but I
always considered it an improbable
business to get into trouble. I came
up here to better my condition; sim.
ply paid no attention to them"
mo alarm clock is going to ring
when time strikes the hour of your
opportunity. Fate never yet failed to
turn down the man who waited for
something to turn up" How well this
colored boy knew this! Neither wait
ing nor guarding the manner of others
procedure, Oscar got busy on his claim
and broke out 100 acres with one
horse and two mules. When he wasn't
busy at his farm he went to freighting
for the merchants of Dallas and in
this manner turned all his spare time
into money. In less than two years
April, 1906-Oscar purchased another
quarter-section of fine land for which
he paid $4,000. Last year he was Of
fered $4,000 for his homestead quarter
but refused it, of course. He now has
800 acres in cultivation and crop,
hSSPo q hiiCo Lhoi VI WV, SCl
entifically and makes the eyes of his
| white neighbors widen with wonder.
There are gaps in every mans ca.
reer which nerve, and nerve alone, can
bridge. There are times in every hui.
man life when Judgment ,wavers, and
experience fails, and counselors only
confuse. These are the crises that
call for nerve. Not brassy presump-
ton, but sustaining nerve. Nerve to
.lrry us across chasms where nerve.
less men must fall Nerve to believe
the things we think! Nerve to do the
things we plant" Tossed into more
or less incompatible element, lone
! member of his race and unwelcomed,
buffeted between the whites and the
reds, and taking the taunts and in.
suits from the riff-raff of these two
races, it was pure, unauthorized nerve
that stood by Oscar through every
crisis and led him out of the darkness
of doubt into the sunlight of success.
OF five colored men and one colored
woman who pre-empted homesteads on