Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1931-05-21

feeding on kind of crazy excitement,
and there WAS wild light in their
eyes. II you had n bit OF food you
divided II with some one. finally got
n cup of water-fer a daliar. after Il
standing In line for three hours. and
then woman just behind me-"
"A woman - Cousin Arminia Green
wood (of the Georgia Greenwoods).
And Sahra Cravat echoed the words in
a shocked whisper
"You wouldn't believe. would you.
that women would 90 IT alone In
fracas like that. But they did They
were there with their husbands some
of them. hut there were women who
made the Run alone
What kind of womenf" Felice Ven
ahles tone was not one Of inquiry hut
of condemnation.
'Women with iron in EN-. Women
who wanted land and home. Pioneer
women
From Aunt Cassanlra venallle's end
of The table there came a word that
sounded like, 'IlIssies !"
Yancey rravat caught the word be
meath his teeth and spat II back.
"Hussies, hehl The one behind me In
the line was a woman of farty-or
looked tin calico dress and sun
bonnet. She had driven across the
prairies all the WAY from the north OF
Arkansas In springless wagon. She
was like the women who crossed the
continent 10 California In 40. A gaunt
woman, with weather-heaten face.
Rough hair. and nnlovely hands. aud
boots with the mud cakes on them.
It's women like her wha've made this
country what Ii is. Yon can't read
the history of the United States. my
friends. without learning the great
story Of those thousands OF unnamed
women--women like this one I've de-
scrihed-women In mnd-caked boots
and calico dresses and sunhonnets
crossing the prairie and the desert and
the mountains enduring hardship and
privalinn. Good women. with ter
ril.le and rigid goodness that comes OF
work and self-aenal Nothing pic
tnresque or romantic about them.
unprecedented occasionally one OF
them flashesRelle Starr the outlaw
Rose of the Cimarron--Jeannette
Daisy who jumped from a moving
Ias.
hut the others-no. their story's never
really been told But it's there. just
the same. And II It's ever told straight
You'll know It's The snnhonnet and not
the somhrern that has settled this
country"
Talking nonsense drawled Felice
Venahle.
Yaneey whirled On his high heels
to face her. has fine eyes blazing.
you're one Of them Yon came up
from the South with your husband to
make 4 new home III this KANSAS
II am not reiartna felice Ven
able. with enormous dignity. And Ill
thank yon not to say any snch thing.
Sunhannet indeed I've never worn
/ sunhnnnet in my life"
ooh. mamma. Yaneey didn't mean
he meant courage To leave your home
In the South and come nn--he wasn't
thinking Of Yaucey. do get on with
ynnr story of the Run You got Il
drink of water for dnllar--dear me ,
IL ~,
the calico and the sunhnnnet--"
/ He looked little slasepish We'll
matter If fact II turned out she didn't
4 have n dnllnr TO spare, or anywhere
near it, hnt even If she had 1t wouldn't
| have done her any good. The fellow
! selling II was a rat-faced homhre With
one eve and Mexican pants The trig
| ger finger Of his right hand had been
| shot away ia some frncas or other. SO
/ he ladled ont water with that hand
/ and fnted his gun In his left RuDged
M he was plenty BY the time got
| to him there WIS one emp of water
J left In the bucket. He tipped II while
| held the dipper and II trickled out,
/ just an even dipperfnl. The last cup
OF water on the border. The crowd
waiting In line behind me gave kind
/ OF sound between 4 groan and moan.
/ The sound you hear herd OF cow AMI
mails give. out on the prairie, when
their tongues are hanging out for wa
! ter in the dry spell. ! tipped up the