Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-11-28

morn tree, white with blossoms and
redolent with perfume. they plighted
their troth. and the love which devel-
oped between them was one Of the
o beautiful things that ave grew
IN Pennsylvania forest. It was de-
cided that h wedding should take
place on Thanksgiving day: for in the
country even now. a. then. 1t 10 not
unusual for marriages to be celebrated
upon great holidays.
It was about the first of October,
The early frost had set the woodland
aglow with the gorgeous colors OF his
train which mimicked the rainbow,
when h weekly stage from williams
port to Painted Post over the William
son road, stopped at Adam Harris
notel. There clambered out a lone pas
senker, dressed In costume In strange
contrast to the pioneers. He wore q
blue coat, .ruffled shirt front. satin
Waistcoat. nee pants and big silver
buckles on his shoes. He spOrted u
large seal ring. was short, stocky.
apoplectic and very bald. His little re-
ceding black eyes. like a pigs. seemed
nounced in a bishops voice that he was
benjamin Clymer, IL you please. agent
and attorney for the PENNSYLVANIA
company, which owned all the land
grants in that section, and that all per-
sons holding titles from any other
company must buy owe again of the
sessed by the sherif, whose warrants
Clyner had signed, sealed and deliv-
cred to- him. Those who had bought
and paid money to the Connecticut
company had been defrauded and I'm
posed upon, and such deeds and pay
ments were null and void"
the news travelled rapidly; the peo-
pie stood aghast at the crushing It'd
tngs. Those who had labored years
M wrested from the wilderness
enough to pay one company had to nay
again to another corporation. It was
too terrible to be true. But there was
Clymer armed with the authority of
the law. and would not be gatnsaid.
pioneer In out-of-the-way gulleys.
Threats OF assassinating Clymer were
freely made. But what was the use?
II C!ymer were killed, other agents
would come to take his place. The
sner1n and posse would be sent to dis
possess them OF their lands and homes.
and there. was nothing that could be
done to right the wrong.
After Clymer's arrival, occasionally
at night, b woods would be liRhted
up Tor miles around by q bright blaxe.
some settler who had BY the greatest
pr1vation paid for the land once. SEEING
no possibility OF being able to do 90
1sain. q taken his stock and fam
n.y., set nre to his buildings, the work
m savings of years. and gone to an
otner location where you q for land
put once. and then It is to YOU and
your heirs forever"
unwilling that the unjust company
should beneft more than possible BY it,
g~reediness, the buildings were torched.
longings which could be toted were
packed up, the women, children and
gooos IN wagons, the men on foot. by
the light OF their blazing homes. struck
another trail where Justice was meted
out to all deserving 1t.
Next morning. after a hearty break
fast, Clymer had q long talk with the
landlord, and then started out on his
business rounds. The first place he
visited was the home OF the widow
K He knocked pompously on the
door n the widow opened It Just e
crack. Seeing this ~portentous. mer-
ensry-Iooklng individual outside, she
Who lives here?" he thundered.
The Widow Baker and her seven
children" said the woman, holding ne
door almost shut.
MY name is Clymer," r~everberated
thea attorney. II am from Philadelphia.
and agent OF the Pennsylvania com
pay for this farm Of 200 acres that You
are squatting on which belongs to the
Pennsylvania company"
IT don't belong to no Pennsylvania
company" said the widow. 1T be-
longs TO us. My dead husband bought
u OF a Connecticut company, and
neres the deed" she said, showing thAt
paper gingerly through the crack In M
door. but no far enough out for ely
mer to grab Il even if he had 40 d..
sired. ~e
That deed e no good" said Clymer.
dertsively. THE Connecticut companv
didn't own this land. Never did. All
mus lana up to the New York state
, 81 witt; Ual1 pride' % ~. I;, vo, ne - said; swelling
It you must buy Of us. You have rot
20 pay the owners, not persons who
nave no titles to convey" he said
gruffly. -
Il understand you have a husky how
IN VOW family" patronisinsiy contin-
i don't know the people In this
northern Tier section. I understand
our claim. wh would value my lie at
ABOUT the expense OF q bullet" at which
aying he grinnsd. what I NEED n q
Dodyguard and guide. and IL you have
q boy big enough ana smart enouef
ano Wiling TO accompany me ON my
somewhat disagreeable Journey through
tnis section. I will give you q free deed
to your farm" he said. $3.50
me Widow Baker went to the door.
n taxing n empty powder horn blew
on Y q blast. It was q signal agreed
upon never to be used except to sum-
non ner eldest son in time Of ereat
distress. It awakened the echoes even
beyond he woodlot where he was
working, and he came to the house on
the run. Clymer made the proposition
direct to Samuel Baker, and. both
mother and son asked till morning to
decide. Clyiner,, grunting an assent.
returned to the hotel.
The Northern Tier has witnessed few
such nights of agony In primitive
no ZONES as OF that Of the Widow Bakers.