The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1879-09-09
from Thursdays Daily.l
SAVED A RACK OF OATS.
An Incident Montana Travel.

The melancholy incident we are about to
relate took place only a few weeks ago during
the professional visit of a we'll known and
better liked dramatic company to Missoula
county. On the down trip, between Bakers
and Missoula, is encountered the Marshal
grade where a new road, builta along the hill
side at high-water level, saves a very bad pull
over the steep grades Of the old road Which
climbs to the summit Of the hill only to de-
scend again Immediately to the river bank.
The Marshal grade is thus a great convenience
to the travelling public, and inasmuch AS it
was not furnished gratis, by the handiwork
of nature, Il moderate toll is demanded of all
travellers, except footmen, passing that way.
Our theatrical friends formed no exception
10 this rule, being called upon as all Others
are to pay their toll before passing through
the gate and down over the grade. The
amount demanded was paid at once by the
business manager Of the troupe whose ideas
of economy received something of a shock
from the seeming extravaganza of the charge.
SO excessive did it appear to him that upon
~ ~ liSoCNtitL Tx VI I'l lIolI
making sone inquiries. when his worst sus-
picions were realized by learning that as near
rs he could make out he had been charged
double the rate paid the residents of Missoula
in travelling by til" same grade. This was
enough. His mind was made up in an i'll
stant. As for the money itself it was no
great matter; but the imposition-the sllame-
less, barefaced imposition pract;ced on a
stranger-tlere was the rub. Nomore of that
for him.. No one could come any such game
OH him a second time. No SIR! He'd make
a stand-off with those road harpies on the
way back, he would. Sure enough, on the
return trip when the ~toll-sate was approached
our dramatic troupe instead of turning to the
right to take the smooth, well tended Marshal
grade, the best piece of road on the whole
route, tul ned to the left and took the old
road leading over the hill. With the entire
party OH foot and by dint of much pushing
and pulling and just q little eXhortation to
the horses from the gentlemen of the .troupe
the party slowly toll up the hill in the broil.
ing sun and at length reach the summit, all
1aIu ltIo loNShAS tNSNS'CA ouN ACoSSA'
was not much better. The slippery footing
the choking dust and the scllorching heaI
T together exerted on the wa; tarers such a,
effect that Oh reaching the plain at the rive
bank they We're only too glad to camp for res
and retreshment. just as they stopped the!
espied the t%oll-gate keeper coming down tn
road on his return from Il trip up the river.
"You found the gate open, all right, didn'
you?" was the salutation Of his individual
, as he approached.
"Didn't come that way" gasped the bust
!, ness manager with what little breath was let
f. him. "We came over tie hill"
| What did you take that route for:w
GOV, a dollar saved is two earned. b
y coming over the hill we saved the price of
r sack of OATS"
Apeculiar smile broke over that ~toll-gatl
erer's countenance as he proceeded to answe
swell, you might just as we'll have come b
e way of the grade, because you paid toll .to
0 both trips when on your eray down"
Here was the explanation of the doubl
charge, but the shock of learning it so con
pletcly knocked the breath out of the populs
comedian that he has been threatened wit
pneumonia ever since.