Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-12-24

LIFE IN MONTANA.
Teaming 10 Frsn Milc. CITY Over the
Deadweed Trail.
SCENES AT PRAIRIE BosrELRy-A PEN PICTURE or
MILES CrrY-How TWO MEN WE'RE SAVED BY A row.
DER ExPLoeIoN-rHE COWBOY IN HIS HOURS or
/ LEsuRK-F0RDNG STEFAN.
Correspondents of the EVENING STAR.
SOUTH EASTERN MONTANA, December 10.
had not been long established at the ranch on
Powder river, before IL became necessary to go 70
town for supplies, trip OF q weeks duration, as
Miles City, the nearest ''cowtown," is something
over q hundred miles away
had an old Scotch ranger for a companion, a
man like poor Yorfck, or INFINITE Jest and an mex
| haustible fund OF anecdotes: together we started
out In staunch Seudebaker wagon drawn
by two strong -lfmbed states horses and made
the trip over the Yellowstone divide without incl
| dent Our return was, however. marked by cpl
sodes and accidents which though common enough
here, VIII be novel TO your eastern readers.
After two days Of town life our long list OF
| things to do and to purchase, was checked or TO
the very last item, and paying a princely bill for
hotel accommodations that would rival the wretch
edness OF North river emigrant ''dive," we drew
out amid rough but kindly farewells from the mot
icy gr9up OF nsrders buyers prospectors owners,
cattle mems headquarters
AS we bowled along over rolling prairie the
strange phases OF life In frontier town gave me
plenty TO think about while the Scot was wholly
absorbed In hist and the difficulties OF the trail
nad made friends during my short stay In town
with cattle kings, border ruffians an English lord
an old miner, Spaniards Mexicans men fresh from
eastern colleges, criminals with price on their
almost every civilized country In the world
strange that this little out OF the way corner OF
the earth should reach out so far in its gathering,
ffer fal
should be content for the time TO be hand and
glove with each other but there all grades OF
cattle country.
SCENES m MILES CITY.
The two main thoroughfares OF Miles form a let
ter t. The buildings are all low and cheap, giving
| the impression of seaside town OF summer cot
| tages Nearly every other shop in the long row is
| ''gfn-mill," while the picturesque w1ldness OF
| things inanimate is heightened by the character
fsfic life OF the streets Filled at one time with
norses ana CATTLE and resonant with the vigorous
s sa1a,s OF Tr roosng sowooyat another with
agricuiturists: or, perhaps, a pitching broncho
makes IT lively for his rider and interesting for
the petl1ng spectators who lOll out OF the saloons
TO air their wit upon each other and the victim.
| lt Is always lively even II II is nothing more
IMAM majestic Cheyenne threatening TO shoot the
dogs which tipsy cowboys are setting upon the
| heels OF ''bg buck"
The stores, with the exception Of the handsome
brick bank are all OF the tenfooter species and line
but one side OF the dirty street. Inside the tawdry
saloons the life OF the town whirls IKE a vortex.
me men smoke vile cigars and drink straight fire.
water all day, and play stud horse polka all night
Win now and then lively sQuall and shoot over
the stakes.
TIE COWBOYS LEISURE HOURS.
The hard riding cowboy looks forward for months
70 spending his earnings in town. brief plunge
| into deprav1ty is his panacea for deprivation.
| week after he is paid he is In town and hard at
work blowing in everything. After his racket,
| moneyless, oftentimes horse and saddle gambled
away. and In q semi-stupid condition from liquor,
ne Is ready to shook up" with somebody for another
tnree months OF Spartan Life, then his orgie and
1t takes skilful manipulation OF the lines and
6raEe-lever to pilot heavy team through the DIM
cuitleS OF the DeadwOOd trail. MY Scotch John is
mastery driver, yet In spite Of his care the stude-
baker grOaned and cracked like Dutch steamer
or snorted up from creek beds over banks alarm.
ingly perpendicular, and seemingly unridable
Ones Ideas OF rolling prairie are somewhat skaken
compare the term prairie to the sea in a calm and
rolling prairie to the ocean nppled by waves say
makes the roll would fit in very nicely at the base
OF the White mountains and be remarked, even In
such surroundings, as billy country.
After eight hours invigorattng ride we sighted
Pumpkin Creek and Clarence's Road Ranch (ROteD
and our days trip was at an end.
PLEASANT EXPERIENCE.
1t was seven O'Clock when We had picketed the
horses made things snug for the night and strolled
ham and eggs and hot biscuit from the rustler who
served as cook and woman OF all work. But some
thing was wrong, no bright light, no hospitable
fire, but instead, few strangers Hitting silently
about In the half light and the uncanny Deadwood
stage-a miserable double-seated blackboard
drawn up before the door, while at intervals moan
Ing and sObbing, threats and curses broke the
hush OF outer solitude and night.
We pushed into the bar, the dirty northern half
OF the cabin and there found the stage-drfyer with
sOmbrero pushed lar back on his head and the
sweat dropping OF his chin while by the dim
what by the smell was PEPPERMINT and bad whisky
From him we learned the reason for the unusual
"Yer see stranger Clerencys roarin, drunk and
cussin things like sulpher and nghtnin, I'll les
gin him this var obliterater and then he'll fall
inter snooze and the rustler kin git suthn ter
eat He swarS he'll Kill her II she comes inter the
Kitchen and blow my leaders IL don't bleeve he'd
TO cope with his lusty patient II was nine O'Clock
when ali was quiet and things spread ON the
snowy cloth for tea
We were motley crowd, four rangers, two stay
ers bound for the Black Hills, the driver and a
couple OF COW boys. The conversation was general
and from the driver and the cook we learned the
cause Of the disturbances In the shack.
TOO MUCH WATER
It seemed that there had been cloud burst In
the hills few days before, and as result Pump
kin creek was a seething torrent. Clarency In
reckless ut had spurred and quirted his horse into
the stream, and tried to swim across, but the
cayuSe got 1r1gntened ana attempted to regain the
bank against the will OF his Infatuated rider who
madly tried to force the frightened beast to swim
out For half an hour man and beast struggled
on the shore and In the edge OF the current: then
the plunge was made and IL seemed as II the trial
to be successful, but when half over the rider
in petulence yelled In the ear OF his horse .Srhar
damn yer; knew yer could do it. and 1erked the
rein violently. The Mustang plunged rur1ously
and rolled over backward, directly upon his rider
and horse and man tangled noated down with the
torrent
Clarency got free with dificulty, and half
drowned managed to cling to the branch OF a cot
ton wo cd, which hung out over the water His
faint call for help was answered by the rustler
who comprehended the dlfnculty at once, returned
with lartat and as cOolly rOped the man as n he
were yearling and pulled him safely to land.
where he sputtered and swore "By the lfyin'
JehOya I've drunk more nor a bari OF water, and
now I'm damned II don't swallow that hull keg o.
whisky to take the taste out OF my mouth
And he put his threat into instant execution
The fair deliverer had been skulking about In ter
ror OF her drunken master all the afternoon and
was safe only upon the incoming of the stage The
driver found the nOtOus proprietor vociferuusly
drunk and in full possession OF the leanto s1yled
the Kitchen and vOw1ng the death OF anyone who
should attempt to serve supper for the half |
starved pilgrims, who were dropping In at night
fall.
We made our beds outside the cabin on the
ground, and soon after supper were fast asleep.
THE 'XANGY CURSES" GET THERE
In the morning the creek was lower but still |
nothing like fordable, but the mail had to be for
warded and SO the driver risked swimming the |
stage with two horses and two passengers once
49,, $1~axyx