The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-24
IN THE FAR WEST.
A Mountain Court Scene.

mountain court oceuo.
Old lobe Dawson had been duly elected
to fill the responsible position of a Justice
of the Peace, and this was the first case
which had demanded his attention. Job
was an old veteran InouDtaineer and had
lived in the shadow OF the lofty peaks,
hunting, trapping, and fighting Indians to
use his own words, 'sense Adam was kid"
In that rough region an accusation of
great crime against any one is but tore
runner of a changing bee" and a trial is
even seldom thought of. But in tie pres
ent instance a wild ''cuss" who had been
freouenting the settlements had appropri-
ated sbroncho" (Indian pony belonging
to neighbor ranchman, and had been pur
sued, captured and brought back. Old job
was summoned to try the culprit. and
spot In rocky gulch near the Squire's
cabin, was selected as the sight for the in
vestiga,ion A molly crowd of hunters,
miners and rancherocs had assembled.
Some were lying on the ground others sit
ting upon the ROCKS, all anXiously awaiting
the Squires coming. Job soon came
towards his cabin, and with dignified air
seated himself upon boulder, took off his
hear-skin cap, aud said;
''Fellers. the court ar ready to git down
to biz, an want you all to chees yer rack
to law. Throw yer ha'r in sight pay ten
ton to the court"
Every hat came off at his command and
"his honor glancing around the circle,
said:
"Where is the dam cuss 2"
Three mountaineers, with Henry rife
six. shooters, stepped forward with the
thief, young man wearing bould, devel-
may-care expression. His hands were Sc
cureley fastened behind his back with buck
skin throngs. Clad in bucSsxin from head
to foot, he presented picturesque appear
ance as he faced the Squire.
swat do they call you when yer at
homer asked the court.
'sAn't got emmy home, leastways in these
parts" snlenly replied the prisoner.
"An't hey? Well, watts the name you
TUX wen you left the States, then ?"
''The boys hyer on the bills call me Ii
ger jim"
"Wall, Tige, yer spotted as a horse thief,
an | reckon thars srmthin' in it or the
boys wud't brought you In. You cant ex
pect tony trial like you'd git down to Lar
annie or ia any O them towns along the
road We havn't any paper, pens or ink
or eny O that sort O foolshness up here in
the hills, an thar amt one o us as coulC
engineer 'em eff we had, 30 we'll jist grint
her through, an do the best We kin TO
you. In the name O the law l now ak 20,
did you collar that hoss-but stop 'er ritz
thar, dog gone it. forgot to swar you
Cum nifty near forgittin it. Hold up ye
right ham," ~
''Hold up nuthing', How kin | wheI
they'r tied titer'n blazes?"
THAT so. Yer krect, Tiger, but ges
eny member O the bodyll be cordin to Law
in 'xtreme cases. Stedey him little, fel
lers, SOS he kin hold up his right foot"
'.Tige raised his moccasn- covered foo
while guard on each side held him in po
sition.
Snow, then, Amt fly on them ar law
yers affydavys, but Ill make her stout enuf
to hold a Mexican mule. Tiger Jim. d
you swa. by the holy Moses, accordin' t
laws of Wyoming Territory, that ever
time We chip in yer racket ven give us tn
squar' truth. An eff you don't do you hop
that ye may git chwed up by q grizzly
chopped to pieces by Sioux, strung up to-
pine with rope 'roun yer dam thew
neck an fail to connect in heaven Wen ye
life goes out, 10 the best o yer understand
in as provided by the law, shclp yer Goo
he?"
THAT'S jist wat does, pardy."
"Now, 1'ige, yer under oath, an ev'r
time yer speak yer want to hit the bull
eye. Did you nip tibet hoss? ~
"Wall Uncle Job, there's no use o lyir
about 1t aud III tell you just how it wal
Last night you know thar war sjambore
over 10 AL. wilkins rancho in Miller
gulch an war thar. AL. had been In t
Laramie City and got a keg O good oil
bulge, aud we all got purity full. Arte
the dAncin war over pulled out for Bow
lea ranch, whar Tin hangin' out, a as
was staggerin' down round Mountain @,
Hill Iruns right onto the broncho that wi
picketed out in the grass, an i war jul
drunk enough to mount HIM an lite out.
know I'm goin' to swing fur IL AZ I'll d
game too. | an't worth cuse anyway
an eff it &arnt fur my good old motht
back in the states (here tears began TO ru
down his bronzed cheeks) who never clost
her eyes 'thout prayin fur God to send II
back to her, I'd laugh at death, an help J
to fix the rope, but when / think O. thu
darling old soul / git weakern' a wounde
antelope. | tell We fellers I've been toug
cuss ever since struck out fur these moul
tains, and | spose the world'llt be bett'
'thout me in it. My old mother'll suffer,
know that, fur I'm her only kid and ht
sent her every ounce o dust | could spa
an its all she's he'd to live on. She's bin
good 'un to me, God bless her, an I'm sorI
I haven't lived SOS can camp with her
thar (raising his fearful eyes toward heavei
an boys won't some o we write to her, To-
Kirk thar knows whar she lives, an to
her got let out by an Injun, or peggf
out naturally. For Gods sake don't let h'
knowI war strangled. The news I'D XII
her. But then I'll cheese this CAB or you
think Pm weakenin', an the man don't Ii,
as can slleer Tiger Jim. Elevate me 30,
jist rs quick as we please. I'm ready WHIT
you are"
During this recital Jim's eyes were file
with tears, and close observer wou
have detected silent weeping upon all side
That magic word 'mother" had awakent
tender recolections in the breasts of ever
one of those hardy mountaineers Nj
who could face death in any shape witho
particle Of feeling did not try to hit
their tears at the mention of that a sacr'
name, mother How sweet it sounded
their ears. 1t carried them back to Il
happy days In the past when they VIC
hleeoad with tho love Of narenta before n