The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-01-21
TIGER jim.

Old Job Dawson had been duly elected
to fill the responsible position of JUS
tice of the Peace, and this was the first
case that had demanded his attention.
Job was an old veteran mountaineer, and
had lived in the shadow of the lofty
peaks hunting, trapping and fighting In
dians, to use his own words, "sense
Adam war kid" In that rough region
an accusation of great crime against
any one is but forerunner of a chang
ing bee," and trial even is seldom
thought of. But IN the present instance
q wild "cuss who had been freQuenting
the settlements had appropriated
"broncho Qndian pony belonging to a
neighboring ranchman, and had
been pursued, captured and brought
back. Old Job was summoned to try
the culprit, and a spot i'll the rocky gulch
near the 'Squire's cabin was selected as
the site for the investigation. a motley
crowd of hunters, trappers, miners and
rancheros had assembled. Some were
lying upon the ground and others sitting
upon the rocks, all anxiously awaiting
the 'Squire's coming. Job soon came
from toward the cabin, and with diRni-
fled air seated himself upon Il bowlder,
took off his bear-skin cap, and said:
"Fellers, the Court are ready TO git
down to biz, an / want we all to cheese
yer racket an let up on that chin music
according to law. Throw yer ha'r III
sight and pay 'tenSion to the Court"
Every hat came off at his command,
and His Honor" glancing around the
circle, said:
"Whar is the dam cuss 2"
Three mountaineers, armed with Henry
rifles and six-shooters, stepped forward
with the thief, a young man, wearing a
bold, devil-may-ca expression. His
hands were securely fastened behind his
back with buckskin thongs. Clad i'll
buckskin from head to foot, he presented
a picturesque appearance as he faced the
Squire.
"W'at do they call you when yer at
home z" asked the Court.
"Ain't got emmy home, leastways in
these parts" sullenly replied the pris-
oner.
"Ain't, hevp Well, watts the name
you TUX wen you left the States,
then?"
m "The boys hyer on the hills call me
Tiger jim"
"Wall, Tige, yer spotted as hoss
thief, an l reckon thar's sumthin' in it
or the boys wudn't brought you in.
You can't expect toney trial like you'd
git down to Laramie or eny of them
towns along the road. We hevn't any
paper, pens or ink, or eny o. that sort O.
foolishness up hyer in the hills, an thar
amt one o us as could engineer 'em ef
we had, SO we'll jist grind her through,
an do the best we kin for you. In the
name o the law / now az you did you
collar that horse-but stop 'er rite thar,
doggone it, l forget to swnr you. Cum
mitey near forgittin' it. Hold up yer
right han !"
Hold up nuthin. How kin I when
they'r tied titer'n blazes 2"
"That's so. Yer krect, Tiger, but
CESS eny member o the body'll be cord
in to law in xtreme cases. Stedy him n
little, fellers, SOS he kin hold up his
right foot.
"Tige" raised his moccasin-covered
foot while a guard on each side held him
i'll position.
&" Now, then, amt fly on them ar law
yers' affydavits, but I'll make her stout
enuff to hold n Mexican mule. Tiger
Jim, do you swar by the holy Moses,
accordin' to the laws of Wyoming Terri.
tory, thet every time ye chip into my
racket yell give us the squar truth. An
eff you don't do you hope that we may
git chawed up by grizzly, chopped to
pieces by Sioux, strung up to pine with
a rope 'roun' yer dam thievin' neck an
fail to connect on heaven wen yer lite
goes out, to the best o. yer under
standin' as provided by law, s'help yer
God, eh2"
"That's iist what does, pardy."
"Now, Tige, yer under oath, an ev'ry
time yer speak yer want to hit the bull +
eye. Did you nip thet hoss!"
Wall, Uncle Job, there's no use o.
/ living about IT, an I'll fell Won list how