IN DAKOTA. 43 
of the farm he had secured the refusal of another 
place a few miles distant, until this matter should be 
decided. We thought best, however, that he should 
wait until Mr. Samuels came before closing the lease 
for the other place. If Mr. S. did not intend to oe- 
cupy the farm himself, possibly I might rent it of 
him for a year or two. It was not likely, though, 
that he would pay that amount of money for a placé 
only to rent. He could have done better by buying 
cheaper property. 
And so we both made our calculations to move, atid 
awaited Mr. Samuels’ coming. 
» VHAT WAS LEFT. 
_ My great expectations had vanished into thin air. 
I had made the best fight I could to retain the farm 
and failed. I had my tree claim left, a small but 
comfortable house on it, a small barn, farming imple- 
ments and some stock, and about $500 in money 
besides the difference—about $1600—between the 
amount of the judgment on which the farm was 
sold, and the $3000 Mr. Samuels paid for it. So I 
was not destitute by any means. | 
But how we do all dislike the idea of coming down, 
even though it does involve no serious discomfort. 
I could live well on that tree claim, be out of debt 
and have money besides. But that quarter section 
that was sold had been my pride. There were the 
trees I had planted that first spring I was here, and 
there were the memories of the labors of my wife and — 
