Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-04-06
IN THE FAR WEST.

first case which had demanded his at
tention. Job was an old veteran moun~
taineer and had lived In the shadow OF
the lofty peaks, hunting, trapping and
lighting Indians, to use his own words,
''sense Adam war a kid" In that
rough region an accusation of.a great
crime against any one is but forerun~
ner of hunting bee, and a trial, even,
is seldom thought Of. But in the
present instance a. wild scuss who had
been frequenting the settlements, had
appropriated a 'broncho' (Indian pony
belonging to neighboring ranch man,
and had been pursued, captured and
brought back. Old Job was sums
moned to try the culprit, and spot in
a rocky gulcEl near the 'Squires cabin
was selected as the site for the investi-
cation. A motley crowd of hunters
trappers, miners and rancheros had ass
sembled. Some were lying upon the
ground aud others. sitting upon the
rocks, all anxionsly awaiting the
'Souire's coming. Job soon came from
toward his cabin, and with dignified
ar seated himself upon boulder, took
off his bearskin cap, and said:
"Fellers, the court ar ready to git
down to biz, an I want We all to cheese
yer racket an let up on that ye all to
shin music according to law. Throw
yer har in sight aud pay tention to the
court.
Every hat came off at his command,
and His Honor glancing around the
circle, said:
"Whar is the dam cuss ?"
Three pountaineers, armed with
Henry rifles and ix-shooters, stepped
forward with the thief, a young man,
wearing bold, devil may~care express
sion. His hands were securely fastened
behind his back with bnckskin thongs.
Clad in buckskin from head to foot, he
presented picturesque appearance as
be faced the Squire.
swat do they call You when yer at
home ?" asked the court.
Saint got emmy home, leastways in
these parts, sullenly replied the pris-
ener.
''Ain't hey ? Well, watts the name
you tax wen you left the States, then ?"
'The boys hyer on the hills call me
Tiger jim"
"Wall, Tige, yer spotted as boss
thief, an reckon thar's sumthin' in it.
or the boys wudn't a brought you in
You can't expect toney trial ike you'd
git down to Laramie, OF In any o them
towns along the road. We hevent eny
paper, pens OF ink, or eny o that sort o
foolishness up hyer in the hills, an thar
amt one > us as could engineer 'em eff
we mad, so well jist grind her through,
an do the best we kin for you. In the
name o the law now ak you did you
collar tibet boss but stop erlite thar,
doggone it, forgot to swar YOU
Cum mintey near forgittin' it. Hold
up yer right han !"
"Hold up nuttin' How kin. I when
theyr tied tightern blazas ?'
E'That's SO. Yer k'rect, Tiger, but
CESS eny member o the body'll be cord>
in to law in xtreme cases. Steddy him
little, fellers, SOS be kin hould up his
right foot"
"rige" raised his moccasin covered
foot while guard on each side held
him in position.
"Now, then, / amt fly on them ar
lawyers affydavys, but I'll make her
stout enough to hold Mexican mule.
Tiger Jim, do you swar by the holy
Moses, accordin' to the laws of Wyo-
ming Territory, that every time We
chip into my racket yen give US the
squar' truth. An eff you don't do you
hope tibet ye may git chawed up by a
grizzly, chopped to pieces by Sioux
strung up to pine with a rope roun'
yer dam thievin' neck an fail to connect
on Heaven we'en yer lite goes out, TO
the best O yer understandin as provi-
ded by law, Shelly yer God, eh9
''That's jist wat | does, pardy."
"Now, Tige, yer under oath, an
ev'ry time yer speak yer want ter hit
the bulls eye. Did you nip tibet hossg''
"Wall, Uncle Job, there's no use O.
lynn ABBOTT it an III tell yer jist how it
war. Las night you know thar war a
jamboree over to AL Wilkins rancho in
Miller's guIch, an war thar. Al. had
bin in to Laramie City and got key O.
good old bulge, an we all got purity
full. After the dancin was over |
pulled out fur Bowles rancho, whar I'm
hapgin' out, an as ! was staggerin
down round Mountain Cat Hill | runs
right onto broncho that war picketed
out in the grass, an war jist drunk
enough TO mount him an lite out !
know I'm goin' to swing fur it an III
die game too. / amt worth a. cuss