Sun River sun. [volume] (Sun River, Mont.) 1884-1885, 1884-11-13
At Lonesome Ledge.

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According ia my memory, the story
which IN old miner told me at the
Grand Pacific the other day was this:
"We had put up the cabin that was
to bo home to us away up on the Yal-
lerstonc, and it was in them times
away out Of sight Of singt Of civiliza-
ton. Thar war seven Of us, and we
was all men who had met the world
all our lives the wrong way. I rekon
thar want man who hedn't he'd tho
iron driv into his soul and lincht on
the other side. Thar want man in
the crowd that ezcr had pleasant
story for to tell Thar want n man
as over l know'd who ever sung u
song. We called the place Lonesome
Lodge. We didn't git together in any
formal way, and we never past any
resolution about how good We were
before or as how we was goin' to re-
form. Ever man jist seemed as il he
know'd t'othcr one he'd tumbstun in
his heart, and it was sacrilege to go
near il.
"All but one. He was young
chap that we picked up on our way
out. He had his hair as yillar as my
hands, and kind Of stoop in his
shoulders, as ef he he'd u burden put
onto him aforc his time. But he he'd
awful blue eyes that war as soft and
plcadn in thar looks as the sky above
us. He said his name was Brixie. Ef
he he'd emmy other we never know'd
il, and we dih't know whether Brixie
war his front name OF his back name
and we never axcd him. He was as
frail in his looks as one Of them bean
poles that used to be in the garden.
Ef thar war ennything about Lone
some Ledge that was easy Brixie allus
got it Ore cvenin' We was all setlin
round Lonesome Ledge, each man
lookin' into the fire ez ef he expected
it war goin' to speak. Finally one
scz, 'Whars BrixieY scz he. Nobody
could answer. Ever man seemed to
say in his face, well, he's gone, and
that's the way Of all lifo.' We all
laid down on the floor, and I reckon
We all went TO sleep. Men in our sta
ton don't stay awake of nights. Next
mornin' when we woke up Brixie war
on hand, but nobody axed him whar
he'd been, and hc never sed. Well.
that thing happened ever few nights
for nigh onto three months, and still
nobody axod what meant nor Brixie
never sod q word.
'Onc night we saw him wash his
face and comb his ha'r. He he'd some
trouble to get it to lay down, but he
got it. Then be put some bar lie ON
his boots, and then he took his coat
and beat it again cedar that was
bout as frail as hc war. And then hn
put it on and walked away. Still no
man axcd II question. He were gone
the next night, and The next, and the
next, until thar was enough nights to
make week, and enough weeks to
make a month. Still no man axed
question. Ono night when We wus
all about to stretch out we heerd a
knock at the door If bar or Il
painter or kycot he'd of walked in
we would hev thought nothin' about
it, but to hear knock on the door of
Lonesome Ledge war strange thing,
and made us all look at each other.
We didn't know what to say or do.
l reckon no man in Lonesome Ledge
he'd heerd Il knock on the door for
more'n year. But finally one of the
boys got up, and snakin' as il he he'd
the ager, he seq: 'Why don't yer
come in, thnr's the latch string on the
outside says he. The door opened
and thar war BriXic, and by his side
thar war :shy-lookin' thing that war Il
woman. 1t war the fllst woman we
he'd seed in over year. Brixie jist
brougt her in, and he jist scz, Mrs.
Brzic, wife of Brixc.'
IL mover forgit that night. She
made us n supper with them little
hands; she wasn't up the tins, and then
she sot down in front Of the fire, and
l. know hers war the sweetest song
that ever war sung in thcm noun
tnins. Then we all got upand formed
Il cjrklc about her and took her hand,
and all at onct somcthin seemed to
loosen the lron in our hearts and thaw
us out. We know'd now why Brixic
he'd gone away of nights, and that
night we all slept out on the round
except Mrs. and Mrs. Brixie. Well,
sir, not to tire You, Lonesome Lodge
war broken up, and we'ro all goin'
back to where we come from in the
East years ago. All on account Of
Mrs Brixie, whose purity face and