The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-11-25
CHAPTER TX.
The Bio World.


because the big fattened fock
looked like turtles that had crawle,
up out of the cove to sun themselves
Among these turtles she would lie
watching the open mouth of the noun
tain horseshoe In the vain hope tina
Wilfred would appear from around tn
granite wall.
II was Brick who heard about WI
fred's adventures on leaving the Rec
river ranch, and as all three sat out
side the cabin In the dusk of evenins
he retailed them as gathered from q
recent trip to the corral.
1t was now ten years since the dis
covery had been made that in the west
ern part Of Indian Territory were IL,
100000 acres that had never been as
signed to the red man and which
therefore were public land. subject to
homestead settlement.
April %. 1889, had been appointed
a. the day on which the Oklahoma
country was to be opened up to set.
Element, and Il was to meet This event
that Wilfred Compton had left Greer
county. He was a unit In that i'm
mense throng that waited impatiently
for the hour of noon. when would be-
gin the mad rush for homes In a land
that had never known the incense of
the hearth or the civilizing touch of
the pillow.
At noon, wilderness, at night, a
land Of tents, and the morrow. a set
tied country Of furrowed fields. "Pio-
neer work is awful quick nowadaysr'
grumbled Bill Atkins as Brick conclud-
ed. 1T wasn't so In my time. Up
there In the Oklahoma country, fifty
years have been squeezed into a weeks
time. It's like a magician making a
seed grow and sprout and blossom
right before the audience"
"It's a grea< story" Brick declared,
with enthusiasm. 81 reckon it's the
greatest story that America can put
out In the pioneering line. There they
had everything In twenty-four hours
that used to wear out our ancestors
InJuns. unbroken land. no sign Of life
for hundreds of miles-and Just a turn
Of the hand and cities is a-coming up
out Of the ground. and saloons and
churches Is rubbing shoulders. and
there's talk Of getting out newspapers.
What do yos think Of 1t. honey"
Lahoma was sitting In grave silence.
Ger hands clasped In her lap. She turn
ID slowly and looked at Wilcox.
Brick. I'm disappointed"
"WhichY' asked Wilcox. somewhat
taken aback. where"
"In HMM Wilfred."
"As how sOT'
''Going into that wilderness life, IN
stead Of taking his place in the world"
well. honey, II he hadn't come to
this wilderness. you'd never Of saw
HIM"
Eyes, but he wasn't settled. and now
he's settled In it,"
"Ain't we in the same boxT
"Yes, and that's why mean to get
out of It some day. But it's different
with him. He's chosen his box and
gone in and shut the lid on himself
I'm disappointed In him"
well let 1t go at that" muttered
Bill, who was anxious to turn Laho-
mas mind from thoughts of Wilfred.
''We'll just go ahead and look for new
"Not till l make a remark" said VIII
lock, laying aside his pipe. Honey,
do you know what l mean by a VI
sion? II calls for big vision to take
In a big person. and you amt got 1t.
Maybe II wasn't meant for women or
1t least girl Of fifteen to see further
than her own foot tracks, so no blame
aid and nobody judged, according. II
you don't see nothing In that army of
settlers going into raw land and fall
ing to work to make 1t bloom like the
rose, asserting out to live In solitude
Tor years that In due time the world
nay be richer by a great territory,
why, you amt got big vision"
Lahoma did not reply, and Bill fear
d that under the conviction OF her
friends eloquence she had begun TO
dealize the efforts of Wilfred Comp
on. He need not have been afraid.
TO her imagination big people" were
rot living In dugouts or tents far from
big people" were going
o the opera every night and riding
n splendid carriages along imposing
,oulevards every day.
II reckon II amt right" said Brick |
Wilcox 10 Bill Atkins as they went !
me morning TO examine their traps !
,efore Lahoma was astir, ito keep our
title gal TO ourselves as we're doing. |
You're getting old, Bill. awful old
well. - IT," growled Bill, II guess
don't have TO be told. She's only |
eventeen years old"
Yes, she was only seventeen years |
Id two years ago. but she's nineteen
IOw."
Bill Atkins sank upon a rock at the
DOT Of a bristling cedar. Nineteen!
Who, Lahomaf Then where'ye been
II the timer
you've been a-traveling along at a