The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-30
A FRONTIER HOUSEWIFE.

Mrs. ,Jilkins called Liesh and 'Lisbeth
and set them to ''seein' bout supper;" sent
"Cheeket'' to the spring for water; directed
old Mack, the herder. to go up on the bluff
and unhobble Black Billy, SO that he might
come down to drink; and. having thus set
the various wheels of her domestic ma
G inery in motion, settled her camp chair
at comfortable angle against the stout
cedar post which formed tho central sup
port for the Ety. that shaded tn, entrance
of her tent. and proceeded with her knit
ting and her conversation, says the New
York Times
.sYes," said she. ..rm boss O. this ranch,
and Jilkins knows it. If it hadn't a been
for me he wouldn't a had buncL O cattle
or anything on four legs on the range, and
Jack Jilkins would a been punchin' sheep
right now for a few bits month and
his board, and I'd beer lookin' to the cat
fish iE the river to supply me without
any lard to fry 'em in, either. He was as
tricky as one o. them wo-year-olds of
Baldwin's when I first had him: he'd be
goin' along all right, and, first thing you
knowed, he'd buck and pitch when you
waren't expectin' it, and you'd be nowhere.
call to mind now just when l first put my
foot down and let him see as how was
going to be boss and he might rs we'll come
down quiet like and give in.
s'rwas when Leish warn't more than
five or six years old. Josh was Ia; If re-
member right he'd jest broke the brown
tilly. We were pretty bad off then. Jllkins
had the reputation of bein' a first-class
shearer, and in the spring and fall he'd
take in a sight Q, money goin' round with
the shearers from one ranch to the next
but then, all night they would gamble, and
~ kos1 lnoo mud Ind moved
often for fresh range, he said (for fresh
deyilment, as knowed), that we never had
formulated nOthin' worth speakln, of. and
we weren't counted as bein' nobody; and
heard as how they was sayin' round on
the Divide that Jilkins' chickens we're SC
used to movin' that when they saw the
wagon bein' hitched up, they'd come up,
lay down and cross their legs awaitin' to be
tied, without givin' us the trouble O. runnin'
them down.
well! l 'monstrated and 'monstrated
with Jilkins bout this tritlin' way o dom,
an he wouldn't pay no 'tention to nuthin'
I'd say. Finally, jest as we'd got settled
down there on the river. by that place they
call Dripping Spring, where there was a
nice little stretc. o grass for the sheep an
a good place to pen 'em at night where the
wolves didn't prowl. he took a notion he'd
move over on the Nnaces. and he'd sit up al
night when was takln' my dip of snuff and
thinkin' what a no count thing he was fol
all his good looks, and tell ME what he was
goin' TO do when he got over there; how the
range there was SO fine an the flock would
MT be crowded; how he was goin' in partner
ship with ST Henderson. ana ST was to ge
one o. them thievin' Mexican rascals (jes
from across the Rio with only blanke
and dirk knife for clothes) to herd TO
'em; and how but = never mind. I'll get OF
and show you how l squelched it all.
II never said much; listened to all Jill
kins's swagger and talk as to how we'll h
was goin' to do over ON the Nuaces. II
heard him say them same things before
bout other places we'd been Goin' to.
begun to pack and git ready jest as If
didn't care two bits bout movin' way OF
there and runnin' the risk of my life witt
them there treachersome Mexicans. whost
ies. as lief cut your throat for dollar a
not Jiikins. he got ready too. He haule'
the wagon down in the river and swelle
the tires tit had been pretty dry that year,
and then he hauled 1t up over the rock
again and creased the wheels good, an
fixed place in the cover for the stovepip
to come out of, cause he said as how it wa
likely to be kinder cool at nigh
and we'd need the stove. He patche
up the chicken coops ROod ar
strong and tied 'em well on behind tn
wagon; and when the mornin' came tina
he'd pointed to leave he put good low
ance q things in big pack on old Rocky
back and hithed him on, to lead, 90 as til
two other horses wouldn't be put to it S
hard, cause he said there was some might
strainin' hills fore we'd git Gross til
Divide.
He Knocked down tho bedstead and pu