Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1913-02-27

VI VI SndQy country Iodus dHu
vi pastures where sleek
cattle are contentedly
;razing great stacks OF
green alfalfa farmhouses with flow
ers and vines, as well as thriving
kitchen gardens windmills that pipe
houses with water as well as fill the
barn troughs; automobiles and good
roads-there ,ould hardly be a great
er contrast md it pleasant to
hear that tn. 0ioneers who suffered
incredible hardships during the lean
years are now reaping the reward or
tn ir toll, courage and versatile. In
domitable ingenuity.
The frozen soil ratified under the
horses hoofs; the wagon wheels rat
tied on their own count. A Decem
ber 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 hand.
some but for their sullen frown.
Il should call it getting good and
ready for a blizzard" observed the
other man on the board (seat the wag-
on had none); 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 pretty luxu-
rious young scoundrel Bixby says he
had a letter from him-very particular
about fire in his room. and plenty
of hot water and towels. Bixby ls
worried lest the boys make a fuss
with him in his hotel.
"Bixby is a coward from Wayback.'
was the drivers single comment or re-
ply.
Il don't suppose" he said in care
less tone, you fellows mean TO do
more than scare the lad we'll"
I'VE scared the last man. Doc Rus
sell got him fairly paralyzed; told
him bout the Shylock that turned out
the Kinneys, and Miss kinney's dying
In the wagon, she was so weak; and
Kin-somebody Ccourse he didn't men
ton names) shooting that man; and
their arresting Kinney and the jury
acquitting him without leaving the
box. Oh he told lot of stories Some
of EN-, guess, he made up out OF
his own head but that Iowa lawyer
swallered the whole batch, hide and
hoofs and all And he couldn't git
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?"
"No?"
Yes, sir. He's got the upper hand
of 'em all. They've bought up every
last bit of foreclosed land round here.
Yes, We was so mighty smart, we
fixed it that nobodyd dare to buy; and
nobody round here would dare, even
s'posing they got the money. which
they amt"
There certainly ain't much loose
money round here, Wesley. At least.
when l ran the paper | didn't find IT.;
was glad to rent an abandoned farm
and trade my subscription list for
enough corn to pay the frst install
ment on some stock and cultivator."
ob
NO; times got worse instead OF
better. Id have lost the stock and
the cultivator and every blamed thing
in the way of implement I've got If II
hadn't been for you fellows running
the implement man out of the coun-
try; he'd a chattel mortgage that
was a terror. But what were you say
ing 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 fore
closed land for a song. 1t goes all the
cheaper because its known far and
wide that We elected the sheriff not
to enforce writs, but TO resist 'em /;
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 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 misshapen
roof. The door and window openings
gaped forlornly; doors and windows
were gone long since, wrenched of
for other needs. Bit by bit the house
had been nibbled at-here q porch
platform taken, there a patch Of
weather-boarding, shingles pulled from
the roof, the corn crib a wreck, the
outhuildings carried away piece-mea
until, sadder ruin than fire leaves
1t faced the sunset and the prairie.
That farm belonged to as hard