CONCLUSION
RETROSPECTIVE—THE OLD TRAPPER PASSES AWAY—MR. AND MRS. THOMPSON ARE DEAD—GENERAL CUSTER AND COLONEL KEOGH ARE KILLED—ERROLSTRATH BELONGS TO JOE AND ROB [Page 295]
THE RANCHE ON THE OXHIDE
CHAPTER I
TAKING UP A "CLAIM" IN KANSAS—THE TRAIL FROM LEAVENWORTH—ANIMALS SEEN EN ROUTE—PRAIRIE CHICKENS—BUILDING THE CABIN—THE COSY SITTING-ROOM—ANIMALS FOUND IN THE TIMBER AND ON THE PRAIRIE—WHY THE CREEK WAS NAMED "OXHIDE"
In 1865-66, immigrants began to rush into the new state of Kansas which had just been admitted into the Union. A large majority of the early settlers were old soldiers who had served faithfully during the war for the preservation of their country. To these veterans the Government, by Act of Congress, made certain concessions, whereby they could take up "claims" of a hundred and sixty acres of the public land under easier regulations than other citizens who had not helped their country in the hour of her extreme danger.