The Land Claim — page 125: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ONE OF THE F. F. N.’S. ‘121 Flag introduced his wife. “ After you departed territorial life.” said he, “I found myself so low-spirited that I was obliged to take a trip to the East. While on the rounds I fell in with this lady, and made love to her. She was so kind as to reciprocate my attachment, and accept a home in the old claim-shanty, which, of course, I brightened up a little for her reception—but, come home with us, where we can talk more freely—I’ve got a very pleasant house here.” , “What are you doing here, if that is not an impertinent question ?” , “ Attending to the interests of the Territory which I repre- sent.” “Not an M. C.?” “Oh yes. You would have been Chief Justice if you had remained; or, more probably, Governor. ‘First come, first served’ in these new countries. We old settlers reckon our- selves now F. F. N.’s.” “I suppose so,” laughed Allen. “Can you tell me any thing about the condition of the Newcome claim?” asked the Lady Alicia Allen. “T purchased it,” said Flag, “ when the land came in mar- ket. It has at present a good house on it, and is under pretty good cultivation. It is called the handsomest situation oD the upper Missouri.” , “Ts it for sale?’ asked Allen. “ Why ? do you want to buy?” “ A Yankee answer! Mrs. Allen would like to own it.” “To oceupy it?” : “ Occasionally, perhaps; for instance, next summer, when I am off on a buffalo-hunt on the plains. What has become of the Wymans ?—we have quite lost the run of them, as well as all the rest of the Fairview people.” ' “Wyman has been unfortunate. He was laid up for a year about the time the lands were being entered, from an accident, and was not able to pay for what he had selected ; so he lost it. They must be very poor.” = “But, Sir Deming left some money with him.” “Well, he sent that to his daughter, whose husband was in trouble; and the old couple aré pretty badly strait- ened.” comiclbooks.com > -~-