The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1910-09-16

is Polk electedy' I asked the cap
tain Of the train.
He nodded. He shore u.s.. said he.
We're comm out to take Oregon.
What's the newse"
My own grim news was that Oregon
IVES ours and must be ours. I shook
hands with a hundred men on that.
our hands clasped In stern and silent
grip, Then, after time. ! urged
other questions foremost In my own
mind. Had they seen small party
eastbound?
Yes, had answer They had passed
this light OUTFIT east OF Bridger's post.
There was one chance In hundred
they might get over the South pass
that fall for they were travelling light
and fast. with good animals. and old
Joe Meek was sure he would make II
through. The women Well. one was
preachers wife, another an old
Gypsy, and another the most beautiful
woman ever seen on the trail or any.
where else.
Then they began to question me re-
garding Oregon. How was the land!
Would II raise wheat and corn ans
hogs? How was the weather? VS.
there much game' Would II take
much labor to clear farm!
or course II came to politics. Yes,
Texas had been annexed, somehow,
not by regular vote OF the senate.
There was some hitch about that. Ny
leader reckoned there was no regular
treaty. II had just been done by joint
resolution Of the house-done by Ty.
Ter and Calhoun, Just In time to take
the feather out Of old Folks cap! The
treaty Of annexaticn-why.y yes, Il was
ratified by congress. and everything
signed up March 3. Just one day be-
fore Folks inaugural! Polk was on
the warpath. according to my gaunt
leader. There was going to be war
as sure as shooting. unless we got all
Of Oregon.
DO you seen that writin on my
wagon top7" asked the captain. Fifty.
Four Forty or Fight. That's u.s."
And SO they went on to tell us how
this cry was spreading. south and
west, and over the north as well; al.
though the Wings did not dare cry II
quite SO loudly.
And so at last we parted, each the
better for the Information gained, each
TO resume what would to-day seem
practically an endless journey. Our
farewells were as careless, as conf.
dent. as had been our gree tings. Thou.
sands Of miles Of unsettled country
lay east and west Of us. and all
around US. our empire. not then yoa.
made the journey across the oo6th
pass. the snow being now beaten down
on the trails more than usual by the
west bound animals and vehicles. OF
all these now coming on. none would
get farther west that Fort Han that
year. Our own party. although over
the Rockies. had yet the plains In
cross. ] was glad enough when we
staggered into old Fort Laramie In
the midst Of binding snowstorm
Winter had caught US fair and full
] had lost the race!
Here, then, I must winter. Yet I
learned that Joe Meek had outfitted
ut Laramie almost month earlier.
with new animals; had bought . little
grain. and, under escort Of cavalry
troop which had come west with the
wagon train, had started east In time.
perhaps, to make II through to the
Missouri. In q race Of 1000 miles, the
baroness had already beaten me al
most by month! Further word was.
Of course. now unobtainable. for no
trains or wagons would come west
no late. and there were then no stages
carrying mail acrcss the great plains.
There was nothing for me to do ex-
cept to wait and eat out my hear. q;