Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-01-06
How Tixer yin Escaped.

was an old veteran mountsineer. and had
lived in the shadow Of the lofty peaks,
hunting. trapping and fighting Indians,
~ .,se his swu words, :. sense Adam war
kid" In tina, rough region an accuse
tion Of q great crime against anyone Is
but a forerunner OF a hanging bee, !"
and a trial even Is seldom thought OF Bat
in the present instance a Wild tcuss.
Who had been frcquenting the settlements,
had appropriated broncllDv Indian
ponyl belonging TO q neighboring ranch
man. and had been pursued, captured and
brou gilt back. Old Job was summoned
10 try the culprit, and spot ia rocky
rulcL near the 'Squire's cabin was selected
A. the site for the investigation. A mot
lev crowd Of hunters, tappers, miners
and rancheros had assembled. some were
living upon the ground and Others siis!ng
upon the rocks, all anxiously awaiting
the 'sauire's coming. job soon came
from toward his cabin, and with a digni.
fed air seated himself upon boulder,
took off his bear.skin cap, and said:
. Fellers, che Court ar readyto git down
10 biz; an want We all 70 cheese yer
racket AN let up on that chin-music sc-
cordipg 10 law. Throw yer ha'f in sight
and pay ,tention 10 the Court
Every hat came off at bis command,
and " His Honor" giancing around the
circle, said;
"whar il the thiey'n cuss."
Three mountaineers, armed with Henry
rifles and six.shooters, stepped forward
with the thief, young man wearing q
bold, deyil-may care expression. His
hands were securely fastened behind his
back with buckskin thongs. Clad In
buckskin from head 10 foot, he presented
a picturesque appearance as he faced the
Squire.
wat do they call you when yer at
homer asked the Court.
"Aint got emmy home, Ieastways in
these parts, )" sullenly replied the prisoner.
Amt, hey? Well, watts the name you
TUX wen you left the States, then 7"
1.-THE boys hyer on the hills call me
Tiger jim"
"Wall, Tige, yer spotted as hoss
thief, an | reckon thar's sumthin' in IL or
the boys wudn't brought you in. You
can't expect a tOney trial like you'd git
down 70 Laramie or In eny o them towns
along the road. We hewitt eny paper,
pens or ink, or eny o. that sort o foolish.
ness up hyer In the hills, an thar amt one
o. us as could engineer 'em ef we had, SO
well jist grind her through, am do the
best We kin for you. In the name o. the
law i now AK you did you collar tibet boss
but stop or rite thar; d0ggone 1t, forgot
to swar you. Cum mitey near forgittin ii.
Hold up yer right ham,
"Hold up nuthin'. How kin | when
theyr tied titer's blazes:"
That's so. Yer k'rect, Tiger, but gess
envy member o. the body II be 'cordin' TO
law in 'xtreme cases. Stedey him little,
felers, sos he kin hold up his right
foot"
"Tiger raised his moccasin covered
foot while a guard on each side held him
in position.
Now, then, amt fly on them ar
lawyers atiydayys, but I'll make her
stout enuf TO hold a Mexican mule.
Tiger Jim, do you swar by the holy
Moses, accordin' TO the laws of Wyoming
Territory, that every time ye chip into my
racket yen give US the squar' TRUTH An
CT you don't do you hope that ye may git
chawed up by a grizzly, chopped 10
pieces by Sioux, strung up TO pine with
a rope 'roun' yer thiey'n' neck an FAM 10
connect on heaven we'en yer lite goes out,
TO the best o. yer understanding MS pro
yided by law, s'help yer God, EN-"
That's jist wat | does, pardy.p
Now, Tiger, yer under oath, an cv'ry
time yer speak yer want ter hit the bulls.
eye. Did you nip thet hossy'
Wall, Uncle Job, there's no use o.
lynn about II, an III tell you list how 1t
war Las night, you know, thar war a
jamborec over 10 Al wilkins ranch In
Millcr's Gulcb, an ] war thar AL had.
been in to Laramie City an got key o.
good old bulge, an we all got purity full.
AFTER the dancin' war over | pulled out
fur Bowles' ranch, whar I'm hangin'
out, an AS 1 was staggerin' down
round Mountain Cat Hill | runs right
onto the broncho that war picketed
out in the grass, an / war list
drunk enough To mount him an lite out.
| know I'm going TO swing for II, an I'll
die game, too. i amt woth cuss any.
way, an eli 1t wasn't fur my good old
mother back In the States there the tears
began 10 roll down his bronzed cheeks),
who never closes her eyes 'thout prayin'
for God 10 send me back TO her. III laugh
ut death, AN help yer 10 fix the rope; but
when think o. that darling old soul
get weaker N "A wounded antelope. tell
We, iellers, I've bin a tuH cuss ever sence
| struck out for these mount iBs and
s'pose the world'll be better 'thout me in
1t. My old mother'il suffer, l kaow that,
for I'm her only kid, an hey sent her
every ounce OF dust that / could spare,
an MS all she's he'd to live on. She's bin
a good I'm TO me, God bless her, an I'm
sorry hewitt lived SOS can camp with
her up thar (raising his fearful eyes
toward heayen), and, boys, won't some
o. ye write TO her--Tom Kirk thar knows
whar she lives-an' tell her got let out
by an lnjun, or pegged out nat'rallyY
For Gods sake, don't let her know war
s,rangled. The news 'ud kill her. But
then I'll cheese this jab or yoa'll think
I'm weakening, an the man don't live as
can skeer Tiger jim. Elevate me, boys,
just as quick as you please. I'm ready
when you are
During this recital Jim's eyes were
filled with tears, and close observer
would have detected silent weeping on all
sides That magic word mother had
awakened tender rccollections in the
breasts Of every one OF those hardy mount
aineers. Men who could face death In
any shape without particle Of feeling
did not try 10 hide their tears al the men.
ton of that sacred name, mother How
sweet IL sounded In their ears. Il carried
them back 10 the happy days in the past
when they were blessed with the love OF
parents, before the Unsuitable thirst for