The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-06-07
PLUCKY GIRLS.
Western Damsels Who Manage
Ranches and Run for Office.
The Phenomenal Success of
the Idaho "Horse Queen"

Inc girls OF the Nortnwest are pecui-
iarly self-independent aud self-reliant,
declares a correspondent OF the New
Orleans Times, writing from Fort Kc-
OCH, Montana. There may or may not
bo something in the atmosphere that
produces tho change in them, but GER
tain it is that soon after their arrival
from the states, from timid, frightened
and half-scared creatures, they soon
blossom out into self-supporting land
holders and farmers, and even go so far
as torun for political offices. Ono girl
not far from hero came to Montana
from Chicago dry-goods store, where
she was getting miserable pittance as
salesgirl for sixteen hours work day,
and working six days out of the seven.
She first went 10 Bozemsn as school
teacher. From school teacher she came
boldly out as candidate for county
school superintendent, for which office
.'brute of man" was her only OPP
ponent. Beauty and cheek won the
race, however, and the man was awfully
showed under, and has not been seen or
heard of since. Another girl came
West about four years ago and took up
a homestead claim on Middle Creek.
Matters progressed so favorably that
she proved up on time the limit allowed
by law. GAO acres, and then started in
to raise sheep. In this venture the
gods favored her, until the young and
enterprising damsel was compelled to
have an overseer for her flocks and
herds. Thereupon she sat down and
wrote to her lazy brother in the East,
who was out OF job, paid his fare out
and made him oversecr.
Now it happened that the adjoining
claim was owned by a young bachelor
who also had great many young lambs,
&C., in his cwn right. The two minded
their focks in company for some time,
and finally agreed to join fortunes. In
stead of two farms of GAO acres each
these happy wool-growers now control
1890 acres of the richest land in the
northwest, and their focks roam in
company as they used to do, only now
they bear one brand instead of two, as
of yore.
As a matter of fact, there are between
1900 and 1000 ladies in the northwest
today who are interested in one way or
another In ranch and stock property.
Many of them come right out and &C.
knowledge their brands over theil
own names, while many others again
arc interested in stock running under
other names, and in which they are vir-
tually silent partners. The history oi
their success, too, is not so very
strange. Beginning years ago with a
few milch COWS, living within their in
come and attending strictly to business,
decade of time, with no particular OIL
special drawbacks to speak of, is bound
to make sooner or later, wealthy women
of them all.
One of the most remarkable instance
of this kind is tho experience of Miss
Catherine wilkins, OF Owyhee County,
Idaho, popularly known as the 'Idahc
Horse Queen" When sho was baby
her father Invested $40 for her in q
filly, and from this simple beginning
all her subsequent wealth has come
Now that "Kitty' is of age, she find
her time pretty well occupied in looking
after her large band of Percherons
Morgans, Hambletonians and Normans
700 or 800 all told, besides larg'
herd of cattle, which also belongs tt
her in her own right. Still her tast'
runs to horses, as there is more none!
in it, and the wild, free life connected
with the ranching of them has some
thing decidedly fascinating about it
Again, fac, fat steer on the range i
worth about $40, while on the othe
hand a good horse is worth, at the yer,
least, 500, and as an animal, SO far a
range and feed and care are concerned
one horse, successfully raised, repre-
sents five head of beef stock, and al
for one-fifth the trouble of handling fv
steers. Miss Wilkins employs abou
thirty-fve herders and cowboys t
round up and look after her stock.
Girls of all ages, from twelve year
to sixty are rustlers ia this latitude
In Valley Creek is the ranch of w. N
Miller, who semi-annually rounds u
and cuts out from his herd cattle suita
bic for beef.
On all of these trips the thrifty ranch
man is accompanied by his twelve-year
old daughter, who assists generally i
rounding up the herd and in keeping
her father company. She is a fearles
rider, this twelve-y ear -old child, AM
can go scampering across the prarie ol
the back of her beautiful cayuse pom,
at rate of speed that would astonisl
some of our modern paper fox-hunter
in the East.
On the other hand, sturdy matro
of some fifty summers, whose hus ban
was away in she mountains prospecting
came riding into Livingstone a shor
time ago bound on mission of impor
tant business. From her saddle bo,
hung Winchester rifle, while the sad
die pockets were filled with ammuni
ton. Evidently this lady was eminent
ly able to care for herself under all cir
cumstances.
The journey in and out was over 10
miles, which she performed successful
alone and uuaided, without company O
any hind save her horse.
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