102 TOMS EXPERIENCE 
his mind that he wll go, and will get through some 
way, he can do jt with very little money.” 
“Well, I’m just in the situation, and in the state 
of mind to say that, and to do anything honest to get 
a start. As for myself, [d walk there, and when I 
got on tomy claim would live in a dug-out, or any 
other way, if I could only see, somewhere in the 
future, a chance to havea home of my own. But 
while I would be out there, [ would have to provide 
in some way for my family. And how a man with no 
money at all to start with is to do that, is more than 
I can tell. For all that I can see, J shall have to dig 
away here until, by some stroke of good luck, I can 
go to Dakota, or some other part of the West. There 
seems to be no hope of my getting there very soon.” 
A PROBLEM, 
He said this in such a despondent tone that my 
sympathy was aroused more than ever, and I felt 
determined to see if something could not be done for 
him at once. So I said: 
“The problem seems to be about this: Given, a 
man in Central Illinois, temperate and industrious, 
with a wife and two children, and no money; how 
can they be transferred to Dakota and put in a way 
to get a home of their own?” 
“Yes,” answered Jim, ‘ that’s about the problem, 
and I don’t see how it can be solved short of a 
miracle.” 
“Well, let us see. My friend Mr. Bright, when he 
