The Billings herald. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1882-1885, 1883-02-01
AS Others See Us.

Eastern papers still take peculiar
delight in picturing Montana as The
arcana of border ruffianism and The
scene of sanguinary and horrifyinl
enactments. According to New
York publications we are a bad
tribe out here on tlle frontier, tc
whom law and order are things o1
tradition, and crime, l;iwlcssncss and
belligerence are accepted realities
We are represented. as being wild
and woolly, with long hair and no
other clothing to speak of except a
desperate looking six-shooter and a
clay pipe. Yes, we are a villain
Gus lot, consisting mostly of hostile
Indians. A recent number Of one
Of Frank Leslie's publications CON
tains an Illustration. ''sketchcd by
our artist on the spot" representing
a scene at Fort Keogh, in this coun-
| ty-"a body of Indian scouts haunt-
ing the scalps they 'have taken in
a foray against menacing hostiles. y
An explanatory item sagcly re-
marks that "such incidents are bv
no means ofinfrcquent occurrence, >
and that the presence of a large
body of troops at the Fort is me
ccssarv for the protection of SET
tiers" The whole story, with its
accompanying Illustration, wins our
admiration from its. mere absurdity.
We are one Of the settlers aforesaid
but we have never been conscious
of this military protection, nor has
it been necessary for at least six
years past. We doubt not that the
appearance of a horde of scalp laden
redskins would as much surprise,
not to say alarm, the occupants of
Fort Kcogh as it would the dcni-
zens of New York.
We would like to inform our
Eastern readers thatsshd heathen
scalp is displayed ilf grcatprofusion
profusion around the walls Of our
wigwams, but truth compels US to
say that a scalp without a full grown
Indian attachment would be as
great curiosity in. our midst as in
aesthetic Boston. The settlers
along the Yellowstone valley do
not ]ivc'in any greater terror of be-
ing set upon by hostile reds than
did Horace Greeley when he raised
turnips within easy reach of the
metropolis.
The Police News, which Bill Nyc
describes as an ILLUSTRATED family
jonrnal of great merit" also gives
Montana generous send off in its
last issue. In Il highly. wrought
wood-c it illustrates a long-haired
individual riding on noble stall
lion Up the stairs of Il hotel and at
the same time engaging in deadly
revolver war with a more civilized
looking person who peeps over the
banisters. This lively scene is To-
Gated at Missoula and the town
doubtless feels grateful for the no.
toriety thrust upon it minus sollcl-
tation. We know Of a truth that
no such incident every occurred i'll
Missoula or elsewhere in Montana
Such a story was started by some
person who had more regard for the
sensational than the veracious, but
was promptly stifed. in its infancy
by truth-seeking public. No; the
stairs of Sam Arthur's Missoula
clearinghouse never resounded tt
the footsteps of the festive cowboy !
untamed bronco. It seems q pity
to disillusionize the sensitive read
ers of the Police News, but such is
the case. Occasionally tableaus
are presented here in Montana
which would satisfy the cravings o
any ordinary wood-cut admirer
| but we have never seen then
transferred to paper. The Gotham
artist reproduces detcstable repre-
sentations of S'his OK and his as
and the stranger within his gates,
till they pail upon the taste OF al
art-loving public, and he is forcee
to seek faesh fields whcreon to ex
crcise his skill. He sits in hi
| work-room, looks out upon the ad
iacent chimney pots and draw
upon his inauguration and hi
former dime-novel education. An
Ilo! the result. We Montanians ar
RECALLED with illustrations tha
: represent us as an association {
!, outlaws, without any redeemin
. feature or moral adulteration. Th
$ aspiring Eastern youth gazes upo
$ the wood-cut and becomes amb
tious to reach Montana and begl
: -. . bnll bod rnan