Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-12-25
The Flagstaff on Mark Twain's Old
Cabin Taken Down.

In the years agOne, when this camp was
in its flush and pride. two geniuses made
their home in little cabin down the gulch
near where the China garden now is. One
of them has made himself worldwide
reputation as writer. wit and humOrist.
and the other. although never having es-
sayed anything in the literary line, is as
jolly and hearty as his partner. and to-day
his round. full laugh is pleasant to hear.
and reminds one of the deep music OF
basso quartette. These two happy chaps
were Mark Twain and Bob Howland. For
years the former has been in the East and
on the continent. but the latter still clines
to his gods, and can every now and again
be heard of at remote places where strikes
are reported.
Not long since he tarried in Aurora tor
few days. and while looking over the old
ground where. i'm the war tlays, he was
City Marshal. he cspied the flagstaff on
his and Marks old cabin. The thought
flashed across his brain that it would make
handsome canes, and as the old cabin has
become historical he determined to have it.
The fiag-pOle was about twenty feet in
height and 1.-the and tapering. of the
toughest tamarack. Iowland applied to
Ii. Il. StewartsOn. the present owner of
the cabin. and from him got permission to
take the pole down. When il was down
and sawed into suitable lengths Bob stated
that he would have it made into canes and
present them to his friends. One he would
have handsomely mounted and sent to
Mark and mate to it he would keep as
an heirloom for his children. The others
would be distributed as fancy dictated.
In connection with that old cabin are
many witty stories. One time, when Bob
and Mark were living on short rations. it
was the custom of the camp to eat great
deal OF canned goods, fruit, oysters. iellies,
etc. The empty CANS would be thrown
from the door OF each cabin.
and in most instances presented quite an ,
'rray of different brands, styles and kinds. !,
BY the number of cans thus disposed of ,
'ne could judge how the occupants of any !,
'ne cabin were living. One night Mark .
anne home with five or six dozen empty
'ans in gunAy sack and empires, them !;
'ut in front of the door. When Bob ask 3
ii him what he was about he replied that !.
he passersby should not know but they !.
we're living just as well as anybody if the !;
lumber of empty cans counted for any, 8
hing.
Bob also tells that when the cabin was ;.
eing moved from down the gulch to =
'here it now stand fifteen or twenty of the :
oys stood in to help. When they got as . .
ir with 1t as the Exchange saloon they = =
ut it down to go in and get drink. As :;
hey ranged up to the bar Bob and Mark p p
7ere awful jolly and happy to think how ;. =
asily and quickly they were getting their =, =
abin moved. But as the crowd began to a q
our in. each man showing how and r
here he had blistered his hands while as =,
sting to move the calm, it dawned upon :, D
lem that at two bits drink it would have :. =
cen almost as cheap to buy a new one =, =,
18th mansard roof and observatory. r
wo hundred and fifty men, at least. drank r r
that moving, and Bob says if he had =. =.
1t put in a demurrer they would have -. ~
zen drinking until now. Those were the =, )"
'ys when it was not necessary to ring ~
Ill or blow horn to collect crowd in :.
Ilrora. VI