Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-06-17

In the Iall 10 years ago. anu round
place in a tinshop that would be w
cant in a couple Of weeks. In th
meantime l tramped the prairIes 70
Ia claim. fund some good lookin
land about 20 miles northwest, mil
from the present town Of Manchester
/ tramped back to Abilene, fror
there to Salina to file on my clair
then back to Abilene to work in tn
shop.
paid SIS a week for my boar
and after meeting other incidenta
expenses saved $40 a week. hal
a nice watch and several suits o
good clothing that were of no use Il
me while opening up farm. trad
ed my watch and paid $50 in cash fol
yoke of oxen. traded suit o.
clothes for a COW and traded othel
things / had In my trunk for a Gar
den City pillow. / made some othel
swappings and owned gun, Their
traded the gun for a second cow.
was now the owner of yoke of oxen
worth 1875, two cows worth $50 and q
breaking pillow worth $40 and was
ready for business. had the oxen
kept at the livery barn and the cows
got their board for their milk.
In the latter part Of the season
the weather was balmy, more like
summer than winter, SO I thought /
would view my possessions and make
improvements. l got about IL miles
on my way when night came on. |
found lodging with a man who had a
small house, big heart and fearfully
big feet. He had no stable room for
the oxen so l tied them to a wagon
in a ravine. Next morning 1t was
showing and blowing regular bliz-
card. While dressing to save time
l pulled on my friends big boots. l
united the oxen to move them to
more sheltered place, but as soon as
they were loose they started off for
Abilene. tried to head them off but
with the big boots on I could not run
last enough even to grab them by the
all. As I could not see even my
racks for the binding snow, and as
was afraid of being lost in the
torn I made every effort to keep
within sight of my team, but neither
# us stopped till we got back to Abr
enc.
When the weather became fine
gain / hooked up Buck and Brandy
nd made another effort. This time
got to my house, which / had built
nth a pick and spade. On the NOR
ow l hooked onto the pillow and start
d the cattle, but rJr the life of me
could not get that pillow into the
ID. The oxen went all right but
ne pillow went lob-adeAob, dur-a-de-
ub, scarcely leaving mark. tried
Il morning, then loaded up the pillow
nd drove over to consult my friend
it'll the big feet. He looked at my
low and then the ha-haing Logan.
Then he could laugh no more he
I'D me to take the pillow to the black
NTH and have the share sharpened
I'D the coulter adjusted. So went
1 the way back to Abilene to get
y pillow adjusted. My next effort ,
as more satisfactory, and / broke /
Early 40 acres of prairie that season {
It'll that pillow and those oxen to ]
Ill it. \
My house was dugout in the side
ravine, the front made of sod
ID the roof of poles and dirt. That
ason was very rainy. Some nights
9 rain would pour in torrents and
g water would stream down on top !
the bed. l shielded 1t off with my
lcloth coat. One night there was
awful storm, Water ran in the
vines like rivers. The water was :
} in my habitation to within cou-
Q Of inches of where / was lying. q
le front of my cabin fell out splash !,
to the stream that was rushing past.
ut the next morning the sun was :,
lining and the larks were singing
though nothing unusual had hap y
med. 1 did not breaking to make
pairs but slept in the hole without
roof.
After my first seasons breaking
rs done turned the oxen to pasture ?
lille l timed the roof of wooden :
III that was being built at Enter I
Use. Farms are selling here now at 4
ON $50 to $S5 an acre. =
JOHN TRoTT. :
anchester, Kan. +
He Found the Bottle. h