A hunter's life 20" 



again with the same oflFer ; but still he would neither pay 

 any money nor give up the land ; whereupon, I had the 

 land surveyed, returned ray certificate, with the money due 

 on it, and in six months took out a patent. I then wrote 

 to Lewis, and informed him of what I had done ; telling 

 him that if he would give me the fifty dollars I would 

 make him a deed for his hundred acres. Bat still he would 

 do nothing. 



Finding that I must enter on a troublesome law-suit, I 

 made him yet another offer — that if he would bring mo 

 two two-year old steers I would make him the deed. But 

 it was all in vain : he would not even do that. 



I waited two years, in hopes that, through the influence 

 of his wife and family, he would come to terms. But, find- 

 ing him deaf to all, and determined to keep possession, I 

 sued out a writ of ejectment. He hired a lawyer, who 

 entertained a great hatred for me, and kept me seven years 

 in court, paying fees and costs. But as I had undertaken 

 to eject him, I was bound to succeed, at any cost ; and at 

 last I outgeneralled Lewis's lawyer, and obtained judgment 

 against his clieut. Then I put the sherifif on him and took 

 possession of the land. 



One of his sons then rented it from me for one year, at 

 twenty dollars ; of which they swore me out of every cent. 

 I could not get a tenant to keep possession for me ; every 

 one being afraid to live so near them. My dear Mary, 

 having been thrown from a horse, was laboring under the 

 effects of the injuries she received, when I rented out my 

 farm, took possession of the disputed land, and built a new 

 house on it. During this time my wife suffered such great 

 pain that she was compelled to have some person con- 

 tinually with her ; and as Mrs. Lewis was very kind to her, 

 and attended to her wants at all times, I told her that I 

 would give her fifty acres of the improved land as long aa 

 she I'^^d. 



