The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-09-17
HOW ARIZONA BILL LOST CON-
FIDENCE IN JIM BLAINE.

Il
| Arizona Bill had just come in from
Powder River, where he had been hunt
ing and trapping for period of 81,
months, and consequently knew very
little about the late Presidential election
Meeting a brother hunter on the street
he yelled out in stentorian voice
Jim, do you know who's boss of this
yer political claim in Washington
The newspapers say that Jim Blaine
have wiped Clevelander's eye and walked
away with the stakes. Are that SOP
No; that Amt so, Bill. Clevelander
is the high tyee he scooped in the
pot. table and all. He's boss of the
claim, sure"
WHO told you, Jim?"
Who told me? Don't you suppose
| kin read? But didn't have to read :;
| knew it were so. Yer see, Bill, L are
kinder superstitious like, and go my
alsee On anything onnateral. Yer know
my partner, old George Chandler?
Wall, ole George is kinder ratified on
politics. He run for Sheriff of Miles
City twice, and was so badly beat the
last time that he just went and sot down
on the bank of Tongue River and tried
to kick himself in. He took it to heart
like, and went on an awful spree and
wanted to chew up the town. When he
was SOLDERING up, he run across young
tenderfoot from the East, an they struck
an acquaintance. The young Teller had
pet coon. George took shine to the
coon and give the tenderfoot two kitten
beaver skins for him. We took the coon
out on the trapping ground with us, and
you bel, he was daisy. He used to fol-
Ter us like dog, and steal! Why, Bill,
that coon was worse than a Crow injun
in a Yankee peddler's wagon. He stole
most all our sugar, and one day l catch
ed him a-trying to open a can of con-
densed milk with my bowie knife fact,
Bill One day while we were trapping
IN the Powder River canyon I took my |
rifle and went hunting for camp-meat, |
and while / was out run across nest |
OF cyotes. catched one and fetched |
him into camp, and then the row COM
menced. The coon thought he was in
suited, and the cyote didn't care cuss
if he was. They sulked and growled at
one another fur week, but after while
they made up their minds to strike an
About that time an old
partner of Chambers came into our
camp from Miles City, and said the
people were having big pow WOW over
lection; that Clevelander and jim
Blaine was runnin' agin one mother to
see who would be boss Agent Of the Gov
eminent. One night after that we were
a sittin' in camp and I told George was
a-going to give my cyote nam, de plum
hat | We're a-going to call him Jim
Blaine. George was roarin' Jackson
Democrat, and he said if I did he were
a-going to call his coon Grove Cleveland
Or. We use to feed the coon and cyots
every night, and I noticed that Grove
Clevelander use to eat his piece of meat
right up and then watch Jim Blaine.
Jim Blaine was kinder economical like;
and would only eat part of his meat and
then sneak out inter the brush and bury
the rest. That night, after we had roll
ed up in our blankets, heerd an awful
howl, and L knew Jim Blaine was III
trouble. IgOt up atwonst and went out,
and there sot Jim Blaine, howlin' to
beat creation. Grove Clevelander had
gone and stole Jim Blaine's meat.
Grove was perched on top of the ridge
pole of our tent, with the meat in his
paws, a-making faces at Jim Blaine.
After that didn't have any more re-
spect fur Jim Blaine. AS / said alore,
| are kinder superstitious like, an my
idee of politics are limited"
Arizona Bill wiped his eyes with FIVE
dollar silk handkerchief, frightened up
his revolver belt, and said elf that
are so. Jim, have lost all confidence in
Blaine, sure let's drink"
A life sketch from my memorandum
book. ED. G. HUGUNIN.
The writer of the above article has not
given it to the press with any vain de-
sire to appear in print, but simply to il
lustrate the broad humor and exagger-
ated style ofthe early pioneers and hunt
ers of Montana Territory. AS class,
they are fast disappearing, and will soon
be known only in history ard story. |
Those / have known have been splendid |
specimens Of physical manhood !; gener-
o'is to beggary, and noble even in their |
faults. They possess two traits of char
acter that are generally Indicative of a |
marked individuality and an affection
ate nature. They never desert their
friends in hours of peril and distress,
and have been seldom known to spare
vicious and an aggressive enemy.
W ould that society might initiate some
of their virtues and shun their vices.