River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-01-20
MISCELLANY.
A MOUNTAIN COURT SCENE.

A MOUNTAIN COURT SCENE.
Old job Dawson had been duly elected
to fill the sponsibe position Of Justice
of the Peace, and this was the first case
which had demanded his attention. Job
was an old veteran mOuntaineer, aud had
lived in the shadow of the lofty peaks.
hunting, trapping and fighting indians, TO
use his own words ''sense Adan, war a
kid" In that rough region an accusation
of great crime against any one is but a
foreranner of changing bee" and a
trial even is seldom thought Of but in
the present instance wild "cuss" who
had been frequenting the settlements had
appropriated 9 broncho' Indian ponyl
belonging to a naighboring ranehman
and had been pursued. captured and
brought back. Old job was summoned
to try the culprit, and spot in the
rocky gulch near the 'squire's cabin was
selected as the sight Of the investigation.
A molly crowd of hunters, trappers,
miners. and raucherOs had assembled.
Some were lying on the ground others
sitting on the rock, all anXiously await.
ing the 'squire's coming. job soon came
from towards his cabin, and, with dig
nfied air, seated himself upon a boulder,
took off his bearskin cap, and said
"Fellers, tnc Govt ar ready to git
down to biz, an | want We to cheese yer
racket an let uD on that chin music
ACCORDING to law. Throw yer ha'r in
sight, an pay 'tention to the Court.
Everybody's hat came off at his com
mand, and His Homo" glancing around
the circle, said
"Whar' the cuss?
Three mountaineers armed with Hen
ry rifles and six shooters stepped forward
with the thief, a young man wearing a
bold, devil may-care expression. His
hands were securely fastened behind his
back with buckskin thongs. Clad in
buckskin from head TO foot, he presented
picturesque appearance as he faced the
Squire.
what do they call you when yer AZ
home e. asked the Court.
"Ain't got emmy home, leastwsys in
these parts, sullenly replied the prisoner.
"Ain't hey Well, what's the name
you tuck ven you left the States, tben!'
1.-The boys hyer on the hills cal. me
Tiger JIM.
"Wall, Tige, yer spotted as n boss
thief, an | reckon thar's sumthin' in it
or the boys wudn't brought yon in.
You cant expect a toney trial like you d
git down to Laramie or in eny of those
towns along the road. We hewitt eny
paper, pens tr ink, or eny o that sort o
foolishnrsS mp hyer in the hills, an thar
ain one o Us as could engineer EN- ef
We had, so Wen jist grind her through,
an do the best we Kin for You. In ,hc
name % the law ! now AK you did YOU
collar tibet hOSs-but stop 'er rite thar,
doggonc it, forgot to swar you. Cam
mItey near Gorgttin' Il, Hold up yer
right han -
Hold mp uothin'. How kun wien
thcy'r tied tilcr'n baaes T.
"Thet's so. Yer k'Icct. Tiger, hut
CESS any member o. the body II be, cord.
IN 10 law IN extreme eases Stedcv him
little. fellers, SOS he Kin hold up l6s
right foot
"rige" raised his moccasin.covercl
foot while guard on each side held him
IN position.
Now, then, amt fly on them ar law.
yrs all'ydavy's :. but IN make her stout
cnuli to hold Mexican mule. Tiger
Jhp., do You Swar by the holy Moses, ac-
NOINill IT. lllt ldWf ~ " lOulliE ItIIt-
tory, theft every time We chip inter my
racket yen give us the squar' truth.
An eff yer don't, do You hope that We
may git chawed up by grizzly. chopped
to pieces by Sioux, strung mp 10 pine
with rope 'roun' yer thieyin neck. an
fail 10 connect on heaven wen yer life
goes out, TO the best q yer Lndersta1din
AS provided by law, s'hclp yer God,
Ell p
That's jist vat does, pardy."
"Now hgo, yer under oath. an cv'ry
time yer speak yer want Ter hir the bulls
eye Did you nip thet boss !"
"Wall Uncle job there's no use o lying
shout il an in tell you Just how il war.
Last night you know thar war a iambo.
recover TO Al. wilkins rancho in Miller
gulch an ! war ther. Al. had been in Il
Laramie City and got keg o. good Old
bulge, an We an got putty fall. Artel
the dancin was over | pulled out fui
Rowles' rancho, whar I'm hangiu' out
an a. | was staggerin down round Noun
tain Cat Hill lruns right into the bron.
eho that war pickeied out into the gra.s n
aud war lst drunk enough to mount
him an lite out. know I'm gom' 1,
swing for it an III die game. too. | ain'l
worth q cuss anyway an ef it warn't ful
my COED old mother back in the State,
lhere the tears began to roll down hi,