Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1911-04-08
CHAPTER xxx.-Continued.

The captain stood at the head of the
front team, his hand resting on the
yoke as he leaned against the bowed
neck of one of the oxen. The men and
women were thin almost as the beasts
which dragged the wagons. These lat
ter stood with lolling tongues even
thus early in the day, for water here
about was scarce and bitter to the
taste. So, at first almost in silence,
we made the salutationS of the desert.
So, presently, we exchanged the news
of east and west.
There is to-day no news of the quail
ity which we then communicated.
They knew nothing of. Oregon. I
knew nothing of the east. A national
election had been held, regarding
which 1 knew not even the names of
the candidates of either party, not to
mention results. All 1 could do was
to guess and to point to the inscrip-
ton on the white top of the foremost
wagon: "Fffty-Four Forty or Fightl'
rs Polk elected?' 1 asked the cap
tain of the train.
He nodded. He shore Isl said he.
Were comm out to take Oregon.
What's the news?"
My own grim news was that Oregon
was ours and must be ours. 1 shook
hands with a hundred men on that,
our hands clasped in stern and silent
grip. Then, after time, 1 urged
other questions foremost in my own
mind. Had they seen small party
east-bound?
Yes, 1 had answer They had passed
this light outfit east of Bridger's post
There was one chance in a 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 it
through. The women? Well, one was
a 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 i?
Would it raise wheat and corn and
hogs? How was the weather? Was
there much game? Would it take
much labor to clear a farm?
OF course it came to politics Yes,
Texas had been annexed, somehow,
not by regular vote of the senate.
There was some hitch about that My
leader reckoned there was no regular
dSdty 1t udQ Just Deon done Dy 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 Internationally. yes, it was
ratified by congress, and everything
signed up March 8, 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 top?" 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 it
Gcste 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 greetings Thou
sands of miles of unsettled country
lay east and west of US, and all
around us, our empire, not then won.
made the journey across the South
pass. the snow being now beaten down
on the trails Esore than usual by the
westbornd animals and vehicles. or
all these now coming on. none would
get farther west that Fort Hall that