good quarter section of
land on which to put up a house. I have been thinking that as I have
never pre-empted, and have therefore a right to do so, I may as well
do it."

The hunter laughed scornfully, and said,--

"Good many folks about here pre-empt more than once."

"But that is illegal," replied the minister.

"They don't stand about that."

"But they are obliged to take oath at the Land Office that they have
never availed themselves of the privilege."

"And they take it."

"But they perjure themselves in doing so."

"Yes."

"Well," said the clergyman, with a sigh, "I can't understand how a
person can break the laws and take a false oath for the sake of a
little land."

"Nor can I," replied the hunter, almost fiercely; "and I makes no
pretensions to _piety_, either. I pre-empted once, and afterwards sold
out; and I hev moved about considerable sence; but I have never
cheated government out of a cent yet--nor anybody, as to that. I don't
own nothing here; this is government land that my cabin sets on, and
if it was put up for sale to-day, by the proper authorities, I
couldn't say a word if it was sold, improvements and all. I have to
take my risk, and I'm contented to, rather than own the biggest farm
out doors, and get it by lying under oath. No; they calls Joseph Jones
a worthless dog, and _I_ don't say he isn't; but let me tell you,
neighbor, that I haven't it on my conscience that I went into the Land
Office and lifted up my right hand, solumly promising to speak the
truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and then, when I
knows that I have pre-empted once, or maybe a number of times, swear
that I never hev--as some of your praying, psalm-singing folks has!"

"Do I understand you to say, Mr. Jones, that professing Christians
living about here have done this?"

"That's _just_ what I say," replied the hunter; "and I have as much
respect for sich whining hypercrites as I have for a hissing adder:
that's why I never took much to meetin's, I suppose. What I gits, I
gits honest--don't I, pet?" and he caressed his rifle as if it were a
living thing, and understood what he said. "I brings home what the
good Lord sends inter the woods an' over the prairies fur me. 'The
cattle upon a thousand hills are his'--that's Scripter, I believe; and
it means, I take it, that the deer, and the elk, and the bear, and the
geese and the hens, belong to _him_: nobody ken say, '_I_ owns them
all,' and keep them