The Washington herald., 1913-03-30
THE SPELLBINDER -==:

Not long since the writer had occa-
sion to pass through the scene of this
story. 1t would be hard to find any
where a more pleasant and prosper
Gus land. Fertile fields and shady coun-
try roads and pastures where sleek
cattle are contentedly grazing; great
stacks of green alfalfa; farmhouses
with flowers and vines. as well as
thriving kitchen gardens; windmflls
that pipe houses with water as well
as fill the barn troughs; automobiles
and good roads-there could hardly be
a greater contrast And 1t is pleasant
10 hear that the pioneers who suffered
increditable hardships during the lean
years are now reaping the reward o.
their toll, courage and versatile, In
domitable ingenuity.
The frozen soil ratified under the
horses hoofs;. the wagon wheels ratified
on their own account. A December wind
was keen enough TO make the driver
wrap his patched quilt closer and pull
his battered straw hat lower over his
ears. He was a man of thirty, with
high. tanned features, and eyes that
would have been handsome but for their
sullen frown.
II should call it getting good and
ready for a blizzard" observed the
other man on the board (seat the wagon
had nonel: maybe he won't come
He'll come fast enough returned
the driver: you don't catch buzzards
staying in for weather.
Il don't know. He's a pretty luxuri-
Gus young scoundrel Bixby says he
had a letter from him-very particular
about a fire in his room, and plenty of
hot water and towels Bixby is wor-
ried lest the boys make a fuss with him
in his hotel
''BiNby is coward from Wayback.
was the drivers single comment or re-
ply. The other man eyed the dark pro-
file at his shoulder out of the tail OF
his eve rubbing his hands up and down
his wrists under HIS frayed sleeves. He
was young man. shorter of stature
than the driver. He had a round. geni-
al. tanned face. and a bad cold on him.
His hands were bare, because he had
loaned his mittens to the driver. but
he wore warm. if shabby. Greatcoat
and worn fur cap.
Il don't suppose" he said. in a care
less tone YOU fellows mean to do more
than scare the lad we'll"
We scared the last man. Doc Rus
sell got him fairly paralyzed: told him
bout the Shylock that turned out the
Kinneys. and Miss KinnCy's' dying in
the wagon. she was so weak: and Kin
somebody GCourse he didn't mention
namesp shooting that man: and their ar
resting Kinney. and the jury acQuittinC
him without leaving the box. Oh. he told
a lot of stories. Some of EN-. / guess. he
made up out of his own head: but that
Iowa lawyer swallered the whole hatch.
hide and hoofs and all. And he couldn't
get out of town quick enough, But
what's the good? Here's this young dude
come again. Say. did you know it's his
pa that owns most OF the stock in the
trust
Mo-
Yes. sir: he's got the upper hand Of
EN- all. They've bought up every last
hit OF foreclosed land round here. Yes,
we was 80 mighty smart, we fixed it that
nohodyd dare to buy; and nobody
round here would dare. even sposinE
they got the money. which they amt
There certainly amt much loose
money round here, Wesley. At least,
when l ran the paper I didn't find it;
| was glad TO rent an abandoned farm
and trade my subscription list for
enough corn to pay the first installment
on some stock and a cuitivator.
Did you pay any more?"
No: times got worse instead of bet
ter. Id have lost the stock and the
Cultivator and every blamed thing in the
way of implement I've got if it hadn't
been for you fellows running the imple-
ment man out of the country: he'd a
chattel mortgage that was a terror. But
what were YOU saying about the land?
Nobody would buy?
''Of course. nobody would buy, and We
hugged ourselves we was SO burned
slick. Oh, my! Now. here comes along
one of them bloody trusts that's eating
this country up, and goes to the land
company and buys the foreClosed land
for a song. II goes all the cheaper be-
cause its known far and wide that we
elected the sheriff not to enforce writs,
hut to resist EN- and the same with all
the officers; and we're ready to shoot
down any man that tries to push us off
the earth. That scared folks. and the
investment company sold cheap as dirt.
They knew they couldn't git anybody to
take up a farm round here Look a
there He jerked the point of the switch
that served for whip in the direction Of
a dark bulk looming against the glowing
belt Of red in the West. The outlines
Of a ruined chimney toppled over the
roof. The door and window
openings gaped forlornly; doors and win
dows were gone long since. wreched off
for other needs. Bit by Bit the house had
heen nibbled at-here a porch platform
tahFia' lhtIt n Du1 1CIl VI
shingles pulled from the roof. the corn
crib a wreck. the outbuildngs carried
away piece-meal-until a sadder ruin than
fire leaves, it faced the sunset and the
prairie
That farm belonged to as work |
ing, smart a fellcr as ever handled a |
plow. Look at them fields, gone to desc
lation like everything else. but the fur |
rows used to be as straight's a line with |
a ruler. He fought the hard times and |
the drought till his wife died and then !
he said to me. I'm beat: I'm going to |
take the baby back to Winnies folks. |
II I'd only gone last year I could have
took Winnie. too. The company kin |
have my farm, and ] hope to God it'll |
be the curse TO them it's been TO me-" |
There the farm is. And look further |
down"-shifting the switch to another di-
another dropping TO
pieces. Lord. when think of the stories |
they told me about the crops when Just |
came and put in $500 that I'd worked hard
for In sawmill. and ! think how We
used to set round the fire evenings. my
wife and I. talking about how the town
was growing and what 1t would be
when the trees was growed and our
children was going to school. and how
we'd have q cabinet organ and we'd have
top buggy. and we'd send for her mother,
who didn't Jest like it with Bills wife
We was jest like children. making be-
ieve! But that amt what 7 was driving
At. Here it Is We calculated that we'd
,e let alone. because the poor, miserable
remnants of stock and machines and
arms We got simply wasn't worth out
side folks taking. and inside folks
wouldn't risk their lives by dispossessing
Is. That's how we sized it up, amt it,"
"I don't see vet what youre after |