Book Read Free

The Conquest: The Story of a Negro Pioneer

Page 1

by Oscar Micheaux




  Produced by Cathy Maxam, Glen Fellows and the OnlineDistributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (Thisfile was produced from images generously made availableby The Internet Archive)

  The Conquest

  _The Story of a Negro Pioneer_

  BY THE PIONEER

  1913 THE WOODRUFF PRESS Lincoln, Nebr.

  Entered according to the Act of Congress in the year 1913, by the Woodruff Bank Note Co., in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D.C.

  First Edition, May 1, 1913

  _To the__HONORABLE BOOKER T. WASHINGTON_

  _INTRODUCTORY_

  _This is a true story of a negro who was discontented and thecircumstances that were the outcome of that discontent._

  INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS

  PAGE

  Became number one in the opening 56

  Everybody for miles around had journeyed thither to celebrate 113

  Made a declaration that he would build a town 128

  Although the valley could not be surpassed in the production of grain and alfalfa, the highlands on either side were great mountains of sand 133

  On the east the murky waters of the Missouri seek their level 140

  The real farmer was fast replacing the homesteader 145

  Everything grew so rank, thick and green 160

  Had put 280 acres under cultivation 177

  Bringing stock, household goods and plenty of money 192

  Were engaged in ranching and owned great herds in Tipp county 209

  As the people were all now riding in autos 241

  A beautiful townsite where trees stood 251

  Ernest Nicholson takes a hand 256

  The crops began to wither 289

  The cold days and long nights passed slowly by, and I cared for the stock 304

  LIST OF CHAPTERS

  PAGE

  I Discontent--Spirit of the Pioneer 9

  II Leaving Home--A Maiden 18

  III Chicago, Chasing a Will-O-The-Wisp 24

  IV The P----n Company 34

  V "Go West Young Man" 48

  VI "And Where is Oristown?" 54

  VII Oristown, the "Little Crow" Reservation 61

  VIII Far Down the Pacific--The Proposal 67

  IX The Return--Ernest Nicholson 72

  X The Oklahoma Grafter 74

  XI Dealin' in Mules 79

  XII The Homesteaders 86

  XIII Imaginations Run Amuck 91

  XIV The Surveyors 94

  XV "Which Town Will the R.R. Strike?" 104

  XVI Megory's Day 108

  XVII Ernest Nicholson's Return 117

  XVIII Comes Stanley, the Chief Engineer 123

  XIX In the Valley of the Keya Paha 126

  XX The Outlaw's Last Stand 132

  XXI The Boom 134

  XXII The President's Proclamation 140

  XXIII Where the Negro Fails 142

  XXIV And the Crowds Did Come--The Prairie Fire 148

  XXV The Scotch Girl 153

  XXVI The Battle 164

  XXVII The Sacrifice--Race Loyalty 168

  XXVIII The Breeds 175

  XXIX In the Valley of the Dog Ear 182

  XXX Ernest Nicholson Takes a Hand 186

  XXXI The McCralines 193

  XXXII A Long Night 201

  XXXIII The Survival of the Fittest 208

  XXXIV East of State Street 216

  XXXV An Uncrowned King 233

  XXXVI A Snake in the Grass 241

  XXXVII The Progressives and the Reactionaries 251

  XXXVIII Sanctimonious Hypocrisy 265

  XXXIX Beginning of the End 273

  XL The Mennonites 280

  XLI The Drouth 284

  XLII A Year of Coincidences 294

  XLIII "And Satan Came Also" 297

  The Conquest

 

‹ Prev