Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1883-05-24
ANOTHER RANGER.
A Western Man Took a Look at the
Big BIigde.
Brooklyn n Eagle.1

This is something Of a bridge" observed
a mild looking gentleman to big burly fel-
low as they were both sauntering across that
structure, so dear to the city of Brooklyn.
"Yes, it's something of the style we bridge
CUTTERS out Vest
"Ah, then you are Western man ?" re-
marked the pale city toiler.
"You can ante on that, boss, every time
I'm Just landed from the bosom of the rip
roarin' West"
"Anl how is the West? A pretty nice
place to live in, fancy, but frem all I hear
it must require some nerve to face all the
dangefs." ......
"Nefve? Nerve? Well, should smile
why, man, you'd not live long enough in
that climate to pick your lot in the ceme-
terry. I'm from Dakota, hear me? From
the land of glory, scalp locks and busted
the1mometers"
Indians there? Why l had supposed
they were all at peace now and gathered in
the agencies"
Agencies" snorted the Western rangers
"why, las came down the Missouri, I saw no
less'n ten thousand in war paint and feathers,
Did you ever see an Indian pony?"
The.cit man never had
"Well" continued the plainsman, II was
coming down from the up country to strike
the Missouri, when was set onto by red
devils. Twas just coming dark, and
heard such hullabalOo as would make you
shake in your skin, horses stamping greasers
yellin'' and bullets fyin' all around me. l
knowed it was run or die, and just let that
pony 60. He was of my trainin', and just
200 miles between that and daylight Oh,
we travel out West"
"Well, did you outrun them ?"
II should smile. Long about midnight l
heard the last yell, and when struck the
Missouri was as empty as contribution
box and dry as prayer meetin'."
And the pony ?"
"Oh, he was freshern when he started, but
was no good, as I'd made up my mind to
come down the river"
"But where did you find a boat ?" asked
the pale man.
Boat, who said l wanted boat? Why,
man, did you ever hear of the Missouri
river? Did nobody ever tell you what a
current that river has? first took a COM
Portable sized log, mounted that, and with a
couple of branches padded out into the
stream. Once in the current, l first stretched
myself ON the log and went to sleep, waking
up that afternoon at Fort Buford, 300 miles
Uc1O"s4 ouI IlNCIS nave Cu1ACulS, tACy hCA
glide, you bet"
Il suppose you have been something of a
miner, too?"
"Well, there stranger you struck my
racket pat I rather think I've shoveled dirt
Me and my pard washed claim that panned
81 900 to the foot. We rolled up wealth till
we sickened of the yellow dirt, and then put
the whole thiag up Oh poker hand"
"And lost ?"
Lost? No, but won bigger one than
our own"
"And where is the mine now ?"
Where we found it," sneered the fierce
plainsman. We people west make money
when we start. Not ten-dollara-w week clerk
business, you bet"
And this game of poker, how's that 2"
timidly asked the city man.
Never play it? Why, man, you don't
mean it? Let's licker up, and I'll teach
you. That's my game. But will play square
with you and show you some points. I'm
the champion poker player from Glendive,
do you hear me ?"
Presently the quiet city man and the roar
ing terror of the West were absorbed in a
game of poker in the back parlor of Full
ton street saloon. The crowd gathered; the
play went on. Luck favored the city man,
and he raked in his opponents money-ten,
twenty, fifty, one hundred. Then luck
turned and he lost, and kept losing until the |
hundred first won and four more were in the
hands Of the plainsman. Then no longer
daring to lose, he grasped his hat and fed
amid the roars of the crowd.
Lets imbibe." s4. .g.s. i....- ..
The crowd stood up. The champion
poker player flung a ten dollar bill to the
bartender. .-..... .....s !
"Dot ish no goot." t .rts........ ...
Another and another was presented and
refused.
Done, fummixed, Skinned by an Internal
tenderfoot," the Dakota man, f1inging his
roll of counterfeit bills on the floor