Morning journal and courier., 1886-06-17
MOTHER OSBORNE.
A Female Road Agent Who Was Fond
 of ConviVfalftY.


 of Conv1vfality.
 Speaking of female road agents, says Sadie (M. T) correspondent of the San Fran cisco Chronicle the most remarkable speci- men of the kind ever seen or heard of in the Northwest was a frightfu1 character called "Mother Osborne" The old virago died here in Montana a short time ago in a cabin on the Clarks fork of the Yellowstone from the effects of starvation and exposure. A cowboy working with an outfit near here knew the old dame very well, and says the last time he saw her was while he was round ing up cattle on the dry Cheyenne in north ern Wyoming. ''It was in August, he said, land our company decided to move their stock from the dry Cheyenne to the fresher bottoms of Beaver creek, some score of miles to the north. Now Beaver creek was the most talked of stream in the country in those days, for 1t the territory of Mother Osborne and her gang of road agents and desperadoes Two years before Mother Osborne had located on Beaver and companied by two men, who came from no one knew whithsr She was about fifty years old, enormously fat and spoIted quite beard. She developed wickedness in as great bulk as her fat
 fShe was perfectly fearless and wonder fully active for her build. She would ride any horse over the toughest kind of country with the greatest ease. She built 8 capacious cabin and soon gathered around her as des- perate band of ruffans ever loosened rein or killed man. The Black Hills near and the coaches were frequently robbed. Well, we finally reached our new pasture ground, turned the herd loose and after supper of antelope ribs we were about to turn in for the night, when suddenly there came on the clear night air the sound of horses hoofs in the long, steady prairie lope. Another moment and score of riders sur rounded the camp on every side. The leader strode to the fire and said he had come for us according to orders; in word that Moth CT Osborne was 8 little lonesome that night and desired our presence at late tea and dance. In view of the score of armed req sons standing about the pressing invitation was accepted with alacrfty, and in a few moments we were speeding to Mother Os- borne's ranch, which happened to be but a short distance off.
 "A sharp ride of half an hour brought us to the spot. In spacious room in an inn mense armchair sat wonder of obesity. This was Mother Osborne. About her huge girth appeared the shining butts of divers revolvers, while her lap appeared to be try ing to smother one of the old-fashioned, heavy barrelled Henry rifles. She greeted us warmly and soon had us seated at supper. Then came whiskey and cigars without stint and then began the dance. The mother al- ways kept about her dozen or more girls, and these brazen creatures were queens among the bandits. Toward morning the revel assumed a diabolical character. Pan demonium seemed to break loose. The mother had great ado to keep some of her interesting children from cutting each others throats On more than one occasion the long barrel of the Henry was invoked to prevent bloodshed. At last morning came. The mother dismissed us and we rode back to camp, to remember Mother Osborne as long as we lived"