St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-06-07
Frontier Life.

IL NounS iHdH-dDu gray is HOW SiNoI-
ing my hair-I had occasion to visit the
far west in government employ, with a
party of surveyors. The nature of our
errand, our numbers, and the elaborate
preparations we had made against any
hostile demonstrations, insured us from
any mOlestatiOn, save in few rare in
stances; vet in that wild country it was
impossible that we should remain long
without witnessing many scenes not
familiar in aw-abiding and cultivated
districts. To be sure we were not be-
yond the pale of law-that is, there
we're certain officers, widely scattered,
who occasionally shot down some
drunken desperado, if his friends were
not too numerous, but beyond such
heroic acts they seldom exercised the
powers they were supposed to possess.
Generally, each separate community
had recognized leader, some man more
muscular and reckless than his fellows,
and who by virtue of his qualities had
Il certain number of followers, who were
ready to see that his will was the ruling
power in the vicinity. OF course such
men were the real lawmakers, and
they were very seldom opposed or mo-
Tested.
Such a one was Jack Dunlaw. Jacks
headquarters were at the station on the
overland mail route where we CHANGED
to be located for few weeks, while
surveying in that vicinity, and we had
| a good opportunity to witness most
interesting incident in his experience,
which transpired while we were there.
In appearance he was formidable enough
as we saw him on the morning after our
arrival. Fully six feet six inches in
height, with long arms and legs, slight
| ly STOPPING, with a pOnderOus frame,
immense masses of hair and beard,
clothing i'll keeping with his general
appearance, and neither Over-cleanly
or attractive, bowie knife and re-
volver thrust into his belt as he walked
about the station. Jack was certainly
the man to intimidate any person of
moderate nerves.
For many years he had been recOg-
nized as the leading spirit in that vicin-
| ity. and from that position he had
grown independent of all restraint save
his own will. He had chosen band of
followers who were ready to support
him in every villianous undertaking.
We were not long kept in waiting be-
fore some of his peculiarities were
brought to our notice.
The keeper of the station, Frank
Russell, was a medium sized man, some
forty years of age, who had recently
come to the place, bringing with him a
family consisting of one daughter, his
wife, and young man who had been
in his employ several years, and who
was said to be the accepted lover of the
daughter, Cora. Stephen Ranney was
mis- name, a very quiet, gentlemanly ap-
pearing young man, some five feet nine
inches high, and weighing at a mOder-
ate estimate hundred and fifty pounds.
He seldom spoke unless addressed,
when his words were brief and to the
point.
On the morning following our arrival,
while the chief engineer of our corps
was preparing the work for the day, the
remainder of the party, after examining
their instruments and putting every
thing i'll readiness for service, disposed
ourselves about the station to smoke
and wait for orders. While wreathing
ourselves in vapOr, and longing for a
day or two of rest, in strobe Jack Dun
law, and demanded dram of whiskey
The bar keeper produced the beverage,
and Jack, who was already more than
excited by the pOtations of vile liquor
which he had swallowed, turned it down
with a gurgle. Just as he lowered the
tin cup which served instead of tum-
bier, Cora Russell entered the room
looking for her father.
Here, gal, give us kiss Jack eX,
claimed, as he caught sight of her.
A1nrn,a1 at hiS hruta nnapnar th6
girl turned to leave the room, but be.
fore she could do so the bully had
caught and kissed her repeatedly, will
his liquor fumed and tobacco stained
lips.
AS she broke from his grasp and es
capped at length, he turned to the ba
again, and with some beastly remarks
threw down coin and sauntered out
those of his admirers present laughing
heartily as he left the place.
As the scene progressed, | sprans
from my seat and took a step tOwart
the ruffian, but surveyor pulled m,
back, and with diffidence and coward
ice of which / ever since have heer
ashamed, | did not make a SECOND
movement.
) L saw the father turn slightly pale
but he made no protest, only following
his daughter from the room, and re
turning several minutes afterward a
calm as ever.
No one seemed to resent this fearful
: insult, which, perhaps, no where else il
the civilized world, would have beer
permitted to go unpunished, and in ;
} day or two we almost ceased to thinl
) of it, as other brutal acts on the part o
Dunlaw came under our notice.
The third day after the above Incl
dents took place we were off duty. I
} had threatened rain during the morning
and the day proved dark and cloudy
; Shortly after noon one of our party
anxious to see some specimens of th,
famed rifle shooting of the west, tool
from his baggage a finely mounted
, powder flask, which he offered as {
prize to the best shot.
There were half dozen volunteers
and the details were speedily arranged
Three shots each were to be allowed
at one hundred and fifty PAGES, and the
man whose three shots made the short
est string, measuring from the centre o
the BULLS eye, was to receive the flask
Jack Dunlaw and Stephen Ranney
J were among the contestants. | ha(
been quite curious to see how these tw,
persons would meet, but I noticed NJ
change in the young mans department
He spoke but little, and when the lis
was arranged for the precedence, vol
} unfairly took the last place, then fold
J ing his arms and leaning against th.
doorway, he carefully watched tn,
trial.
Jack was one of the first to try hi
skill, and when three shots had beer
fired it was found that one of his bul
, lets had struck within an inch of tht