The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-07

people imagine. For instance, during the
winter iHE INDEPENDENT office is often Wis
tied by miners who are, by force of circum-
stances. compelled to spend the long months
in lonely cabins on the hilisides. When in
town they drop around and ask for old ex-
changes to which they are always welcome.
1t ls quite safe to say that no papers in the
country are more thoroughly read or appre-
ciated. The other day l had chat with
red-shirted and full-bearded miner after he
had politely asked for few old papers. To
my surprised found man we'll posted on
the silver situation, and with fair knowl-
edge Of the Mckinley bill and other national
issues. asked where he got his informa-
ton. and he said: From the exchanges"
He added that he read every line from the
first to the last columns. 1t occurred to me
that this intelligence contributed largely to
the democratic victory last fall.
~
The other morning I dropped in at a
popular restaurant to get bite before going
to bed. The room was empty and was
feeling trife lonesome. when midget of
a messenger boy came in and sat down at
my table. He could not have been more
than twelve years old, though a bright face
and pair of round black eyes gave evil
dence of more intelligence than is usually
found in boys of that age. lie ordered
half of spring chicken, and picked up
the evening paper to while away the time.
As he did not seem inclined to be sociable,
opened the conversation with reference
to the duties of his profession. ut is no
picnic" he said. "You see we have to work
pretty hard. We get $40 month from the
company, but 1 generally pick up $50 on
the side. For this l have a twelve-hour
night shift. 20 on at eight
o'clock in the evening and work until
eight o'clock in the morning. You under
stand the best men work nights, because a
man has to know the town and be able to
pick out numbers in the dark. All the
money is not profit. You ought to see the
way they fine US. Sometimes it costs four
dollars at crack, and this puts quite
hole in a twenty dollar salary. Now, if the
manager learns that we stop on the street
for minute it costs US money. If we
make any noise around the place they put
fine on us. There are not so many fellows
after the job rs you think. We have to
buy our own uniforms, for which the COM
pany takes pay out of our salaries. We
cannot uso these clothes now, for the
weather is too cold. l understand mes
sengers' salaries are good deal lower in
tho east, but we earn every dollar we get in
this town.
''Can you tell me who it is that wants to
hire men to take up land in the Flathead
country" was the question which stranger
propounded to Capt. Swiggett at the Helena
land Office few days ago. He held the
Office door open as he spoke, evidently moi
sure as to the reception he would get. Capt.
Swiggett looked at the man few moments,
and then slowly answered NO" SWELL, -
said the stranger, II understood somebody
in Helena was paying $40 month for peo-
pie to locate presumption claims, and would
pay $500 for the land when patented" Be-
fore the register could recover his breath
after this startling announcement the
stranger had disappeared. He saw, nc
doubt that he had gone into the wrong
store. "If there IS anything of that kind
going on,' said Capt. Swiggett later on
''there will be trouble by and by, when the
people 90 to prove up on their claims. II
will send some of them to the penitentiary.'
1t is understood that the facts are already
in the hands of land attorney, who il
only waiting for the first application for 6
patent 10 make things interesting for some
people.
Mr.. Jepson, the treasurer of the Private
Secretary, was talking the other evening
about funny experiences of theatrical PEG
pie on the road. ut ia hard work." h,
said, "particularly for women, but occa
sionaliy a funny thing happens to reliev
our hum drum existence. Sometimes thes
experiences are not SO amusing. Last yea
for instance. l came over the Northern Pa
cific with Held by the Enemy. On our wa
out we stopped at Bismarck. Now there
! the deadest town under the sun. If tina
: town was located in the Sahara desert tn
crows would fly over it in disgust. w
stopped there because we had an open dat
|; and were tired of the long journey. Gu
receipts amounting to S64 reached abou
. $6O better than we expected. We foun,
things much as We expected. but l wa
somewhat surprised when picked up pa
per in the morning and found that hous
had been robbed the night before of tw
, cold watches and small amount of money
had not supposed there was gold waite
8 in town. This was, however, nothing t
! NV surprise when / was soon afterwards in
! formed that our company was suspected fo
the CRIME. This suspicion rested on til
a ground that we were the only strangers i
town on the previous evening. Our peopl
were the maddest you ever saw. The appli
!, cation for q warrant was refused by th
Justice of the peace and we went on on
way"
The dramatic editor has received a yer
,, sensible suggestion from a correspondent
He believes that one price for matinet
3 should be maintained except when the a
II traction is of extraordinary merit. Hell
q. are the reasons given:
1t us is not possible for the management
the opera house to inaugurate one pri'
and maintain it for matinee performances
l. Or If the prices are changed to make
70 known through the papers. It is quite en-
'. barrassing to ladies and more So to chi
al dren when they bring what they suppo
10 and what generally is the price of ADM
lance to be informed at the box office tn
prices are advanced. This in many cas-
deprives them of the pleasure of the pc
Torrance. On two or three occasions
have seen this done without any notice {
n the part Of the house, and ! do not think
"a right. It is not pleasant for lady havil
% made her toilet and furnished herself wi