The Land of Lure: A Story of the Columbia River BasinSmith, Elliott
General
The Land of Lure: A Story of the Columbia River Basin
Smith, Elliott
Frontier and pioneer life -- Fiction; Northwest, Pacific -- Fiction
The drive home was a pleasant one and good progress was made. Everyone
was intent on locating at the very earliest possible moment the
windmill, surrounded by its village of glistening white tents, that they
were sure could be seen for miles. Numerous windmills were in sight far
across the plain, but none that they could distinguish as the one
marking their journey's end.
As they drew nearer to their homes, and after they had reentered the
road over which they had made their outward trip, evidence of a changed
condition was everywhere apparent. New houses, their unpainted outer
wall reflecting the bright sunrays, could be seen for miles; hundreds of
acres had been cleared of sagebrush, and small mounds of white ashes
surrounded by charred ends of brush over which the reawakening bunch
grass waved, showed where the bonfires had been made. In some instances
many acres had been plowed and harrowed, made ready for the sowing of
grain that would immediately follow the first of the winter's rains.
This evidence of advancement gladdened the hearts of our worthy friends
and speculation was rife among them as to the probable value of land
under these changed conditions.
In their eagerness to reach their homes no stop was made for lunch.
Water for their horses was obtained from a newly made cistern at the
edge of a large area of newly plowed land. Evidence of a recently
abandoned camp was near at hand, but no sign of life. The journey was
resumed after watering the horses and in a short while familiar objects
could be pointed out, and in some instances their individual homes could
be located. There was the old windmill, its weather stained wheel and
vane contrasting strangely with other windmills that glittered with
their newness on adjoining sections, the old landmark that had withstood
the onslaught of the terrific wind and sand storms for years, warped by
the intense heat of the blistering desert sun, drawing with tireless
energy the cool sparkling water from the depths of the well over which
it stood guard, and beckoning to the chance wayfarer to come and partake
of its refreshing draughts. Thus it had stood, known as "The Windmill,"
the friend of every stockman, homesteader, land owner or wandering
Indian that chanced its way since the day, many years ago, a progressive
sheep man, seeing the value to his herds of this extensive grazing
ground, had caused to be hauled for many miles, across mountain, stream
and plain, the machinery for its erection, for the establishment of this
oasis in the desert. Unconscious of the fact that he was erecting a
monument to himself and a source of comfort and blessings to hundreds of
human being for many years to follow.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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