The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1909-03-04
II.
WHERE THE DEVIL TREADS. WHO
LOOKS FOR SNOW?

$500 AeoOh htSbI &iS iiiS ioS r ~
holes; at the heel. Bald Eagle gar,
walled in on one side by Nance noun
tain, and cut deep by a little stream;
OF the toe, Cum Run gap, leading into
= populous valley beyond the clutch of
the ridges; and at the top, which is
puckered almost to a point, Roaring
Run gap, the vent of a small river
red from a spring from near the in
step of the stocking.
The scenery Of this last gap Is wild
and chaotic. Huge lime stone hulks,
~weathered into weird patterns, pro-
trude from the soil, or lie scattered
about as II the place a been "A work
shop OF the Titans. who had flung aside
these colossal gargoyles spoiled in the
making. In places the gnarled blocks
are piled helterskelter, forming grot-
toes and ragged l1ollows about which
grows a scurf of jumpers and laurel
scfags-a place to be avoided at all
times, and especially after dark. A
Few rods further on, the stream. break
Ing In a panic from the alluvial, sinks
whimperina down a wild gorge, and
lies sluggish and exhausted beyond.
Thfs chaotic five acres was old Pop
Ply Miller's farm. One lot was under
the pillow, a ragged little patch hug
glng he ridge as for protection, and
guarded at every avenue by the wealth
cred rocks which leered hideously, like
totem heads. Many there We're who
walked softly when they went to Mil
ierss, and they ayerred there was rea-
son. 1t was an ncann hole surely,
and untitled in every way for agricul-
ture, but old Poppy was reputed to
have other and sufficient revenues, of
which more later.
There was another rip in the hosiery,
well up the ankle, a gaping tear
through the ridge. known as Heller's
Sap. 1t had been through this opening
that Matthew Heller, purely by acct
dent, had burst into the valley one De-
cember afternoon in the days when the
land was King Georges, and he u
been greatly pleased with what he
found. In the very jaws of the gap
ne had brought thither his young wife
to make of 1t 81 home. He had hewed
out a little farm along the run and
butlt him a barn. and all had gone well
until the day when he had heard the
sound rf axes IN the pines down by
Gum Run.
There are traditions still vivid as to
how the first band of settlers, who had
come In from Sugar Valley, had been
startled on the second day OF their
clearing By the apparition Of a man
grizzled and gaunt, who had pro-
claimed that he was the sole owner n
proprietor and king of the valley, and
who had ordered them roughly to be
gone.
Then John Hartswick leader of the
clearing band. had challenged the man
to shcw his title deeds, which the old
settler had done promptly, and the in
truders, after looking wistfully at the
goodly land. lar left the region that
very night.
Then 10 years had gone by, during
which time occurred the struggle along
the eastern seaboard known as the
Revolutionary war.
As to what happened next, tradition
is vague. 1t would seem tina on a GER
* lain hnrti @d1X ~ Ifthp E EInrfc tpi r1y hnl
come again into the valley, descending
upon the old settler III the evening az
he sat at tho door of his cabin. and
producing a certain paper which rem
dered the original documents worth
less. AS to t-.st THAT means he had
taken. tradition says nothing at all.
Tor the valley population. who alone
preserve the story, know little of law.
Tla there was a serious defect, now
ever, in the older title is clear, and that
II was OF real moment and Well-night
~self-eyident to one whose attention
was called to 1t, is proved by the fact
that Matthew Heller then and there
had been forced to admit the worth
of the paper, though the add
mission left him not the ground on
which stood his cabin.
Then had foilowed a half hour that
even after q century is vivid in the
little valley.
Tn old settler had sat at first In
ISL 4 " r. ~ E I'll GADOSlulaIeQ
Morally and really the land was his,
A mere teciinicality could not deprive
him of land on which he. had resided
for 20 years. II was his ever by squat
ter'a rights. The letter OF the law
could never destroy the spirit. He had
the right on his side: he would fight
the matter In the courts; and no jury
In the world would decide against him,
The younger man, however, had re-
fnained firm. The land was his; he
alone had q clear title. Justice by The
law was an expensive business. and
he would sec that this case was nc
exception. He had not been idle dur
Ing the war; he had money to
spare; aid he would fight for his legal
right as long as he had al farthing,
hen suddenly he had ssunled a be-
nevolent lcok. He would not be hard
on him. He would give him a clear
title to his cottage lot and to the few
acres he had cleared about 1t. Really
he was in1uring him not at all. for he
was giving him all that he had evei
used.
The ~patronizing tone In the younger
mans voice had pierced the f~ree-air-
loving old woodsnlan as with q knife
His Helplessness. his total unprepared
ness to fight q legal duel involving
great expense. the perfect Justice 81
his claim, and the barefaced wronf
forced SO brutality upon him. sent thu
hot blood leaping to his head. He hat
burst n q paToxysln OF helpless rage
and had cursed the man with hi.
single inch which was his own. bu:
nevertheless he would stay where h,
VAS 1t was useless for hin, to fight
for he had no money, but none tn,
less he would hold h claim.
Then. In a paroxySm OF rage. h,
called on the devil to guard him am
10 bring evil upon every Hartswick, q
HartsWick emissary. henceforth an,