eets of North Platte are
now beautiful with trees, and adjoining farms grow many more. It
is "Scout's Rest Ranch," however, that is pointed out with pride to
travelers on the Union Pacific Railroad.

Mindful of his resolve to one day have a residence in North Platte, Will
purchased the site on which his first residence was erected. His family
had sojourned in Rochester for several years, and when they returned to
the West the new home was built according to the wishes and under the
supervision of the wife and mother. To the dwelling was given the name
"Welcome Wigwam."

CHAPTER XXIV. -- LITERARY WORK.

IT was during this period of his life that my brother's first literary
venture was made. As the reader has seen, his school-days were few in
number, and as he told Mr. Majors, in signing his first contract with
him, he could use a rifle better than a pen. A life of constant
action on the frontier does not leave a man much time for acquiring an
education; so it is no great wonder that the first sketch Will wrote for
publication was destitute of punctuation and short of capitals in many
places. His attention was directed to these shortcomings, but Western
life had cultivated a disdain for petty things.

"Life is too short," said he, "to make big letters when small ones will
do; and as for punctuation, if my readers don't know enough to take
their breath without those little marks, they'll have to lose it, that's
all."

But in spite of his jesting, it was characteristic of him that when
he undertook anything he wished to do it well. He now had leisure for
study, and he used it to such good advantage that he was soon able
to send to the publishers a clean manuscript, grammatical, and well
spelled, capitalized, and punctuated. The publishers appreciated the
improvement, though they had sought after his work in its crude state,
and paid good prices for it.

Our author would never consent to write anything except actual scenes
from border life. As a sop to the Cerberus of sensationalism, he did
occasionally condescend to heighten his effects by exaggeration. In
sending one story to the publisher he wrote:

"I am sorry to have to lie so outrageously in this yarn. My hero has
killed more Indians on one war-trail than I have killed in all my life.
But I understand this is what is expected in border tales. If you think
the revolver and bowie-knife are used too freely, you may cut out a
fatal shot or stab wherever you de