Anna Schmidt is too independent for a woman of the 1800s. Worse yet she doesn’t have a man to curb her unwomanly tendencies. When she takes a claim of one-hundred-sixty acres and then another one-hundred-sixty acres for a tree claim, has she taken on more than she can handle? It’s work that could cripple a man; a woman alone can’t expect help or understanding when she takes on this one willingly. Flooding, blizzards, heat, dust, and an incredible amount of physical labor are all set to do this determined woman in. She takes it on and through the years succeeds despite the odds, despite not having a man to depend on, showing herself and the world that this woman not only can but will make a home, a farm, and a ranch on the wild prairies. Follow along in her journal telling of her experiences.
Genre: FICTION / Action & AdventureSold fairly well
Yankton, South Dakota. I stood in line all night. I am very, very tired. This is where you need to be to file on a claim though. So, this is where I am. I’m about fifth in line unless someone tries to cut in. I saw this once yesterday. In ended in fists and could have ended in gunshot if the sheriff hadn’t stopped it. The others around me have also slept in line. I didn’t sleep, dozed maybe, but with the cold, yells, gunshots, and general noise of the crowd, who could sleep? Plus, I needed to stay alert. Not too many women in this town and the ones I did see were either plying a trade or with their homesteading husbands and thus protected. Me, they didn’t know what to make of. Very few of the men I had met had ventured to actually speak to me. I was an unknown quantity, alone. Well not totally. They did occasionally stare at me. It could be the large German Shepherd sitting at heel next me. Standing in what should be a male-only atmosphere, I’m a bit frightened but very determined. This is the second day I’ve stood and sat in this line. Yesterday was pretty hot. Yesterday was pretty disheartening. All day in that line, inching towards the goal of that door. Then down to the fifth spot when they closed for the day. The yells of protest around me were very loud and not very considerate of a lady. I closed my ears to them. A lot of them didn’t even realize I was there. The ones who did see me probably thought I was with one of the other men around me or holding the spot for my man. I don’t have a man, but oh well, no loss there yet.
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Spanish
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Translation in progress.
Translated by Adriana Boccaloni
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