The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-25
SNIP, VAGAB0ND AND HERO.
THE STORY OLA WESTERN STAGE DOG.
Snip was a great dog!

WRITTEN FOR THE
Snip was great dog!
Not great in size, nor in pedigree, nor in
beauty; but noted for his faithfulness, his
intelligence. and his vagabondism.
Where did he come from? No one could
ever tell. Mayhap his sire was a winner OF
the blue ribbon: but if so, Snip never in
timated it, and seemed perfectly content to
do his duty we'll in the sphere in which he
found himself.
One cold morning along in the 7Os the
men sleeping in the stage barn on Clore
street were disturbed by the whining and
Rroaning of dog. After listening for a
while, one of the drivers. moved either by
pity or desire to quiet the disturber of his
slumbers, went to the door to let the
stranger in. The poor animal threw him
self down by the stove and made no more
fuss. When dawn came it was found the
visitor was net one which would attract by
his beauty-being, in fact, of the "yaller
dog species, almost reduced to skin and
bone, but with long nose and head
which denoted great intelligence.
Finding the dog would not eat, and know
ing he was sick, Jack McDougall who had
been his first friend, gave him dose of
medicine and before starting out on his
trip left directions for the dog to be cared
for. Returning in few days, Jack found
the dog all right. He seemed to recognize
his friend, and when McDougall made his
next trip the dog went with him.
And thus was Snip introduced to the
stage-traveling public of Montana.
IorSN Il 4 to<, L.
seems to know. have an idea, though,
that it was originally sniff, from his habit
of smelling every package and every pas
senger on a coach, and If unfavorably i'm
pressed giving sort of half sneeze. Sniff
was soon vulgarized into Snip however, and
BY this name he has passed down to poster
Apparently coaching agreed with Snip, for
within year of the time he was taken in at
the Helena barn, we find him making regu-
lar trips all over Montana and even down
into Idaho. His usual proceeding was to
jump on coach leaving Helena and ride
Is far as Boulder: here he would stop for
maybe a day or perhaps week; then he
would ride as far as Whitehall or perhaps
Salisbury (now Dillon), then on to Red
Rock. returning to the capital in the course
Of month or two, and making journeys to
Fort Benton, Deer Lodge, Missoula, Dia-
mond City, Bozeman, OF any other point
which struck his fancy.
The length of his stay at any place was
entirely problematical and was regulated
by no law known to his human friends
Wherever he went he was Hospitality treat
co. eacb but soa an hour ate after the
came in, would find Snip going
up the road on a trot to be picked up BY
the stage next day and delivered at the next
station. Here he might remain a month,
guarding the barn. and giving an alarm in
case providers of any kind should come
around.
Snip had been thus tramping over Mon
tana for about two years when one day he
proved that even vagnbond dog, and
'yaller'' one at that, is worth more than
the average human tramp. It was along in
January, and he had been stopping at the
Dearborn for week or two presumably on
his way to Fort Benton. For the season of
the year the weather had been very pleas
mt, and III consequence travel was heavy.
But one morning change came-a great
wind and snow storm set in, and before
night a regular blizzard was prevailing.
The coach which had left the Dearborn
in the morning had on board a
number of women and children,
and to add to the worry of those in charge
the horses We're new ones, which had never
been over that part of the line. The day
after the storm commenced the down coach |
came in hours late, reported that the roads
ling information that nothing had been
seen of the uD coach, |
That the driver had lost his way there |
was no question. Had the horses known |
5he road they would have kept on to the |
next station, led by their unerring instinct, |
|ngs. But with green horses and the coach |
loaded with helpless women and little chill |
|tren, lily provided with robes, and in a coun- |
Try barren of timber, there was great dan |
;er of their perishing before succor reached |
hem.
The wind had shifted and the storm oava
promise of abating; but it was bitterly cold, |
Ihile the snow was piled in great masses |
II over the country, and as far as the eve |
ould reach, nothing could be seen but a |
Sreat white ocean. Old landmarks were oblit- |
rated and the scattered trees which served |
signs to the traveller in good weather |
ad assumed such fantastic shapes as to be |
recognizable. After a consultation it |
as decided that in the morning a search |
arty should start out to look for the miss |
Hlg coach, there being half dozen volun |
#3erS 4a
While the arrangements for rescue were
sslnR made Snip was lying near the
love, eyes half closed, occasionally giving
slight whine, as though he understood
y that was being said. After the details
the mornings journey had been arranged
|1e station keeper stepped outside to see if
Elo stolu Was over, anu WIN a rush ana q |
E1und Skip followed.
The story then is best told in the Ian
slage of one of the lady passengers now
sident of Helena. and who was ON her
say to Fort Benton with three children to
in her husband. She says: During
sidence of many years in Montana | never
W such storm as that in which I nearly
erished that January. 1t came on in an
pur and the great white flakes fell so rap
~ that soon the road was blotted out.
1en it commenced to blow.
owing colder and colder every
mute. Once or twice the driver stopped,
wing to get his bearings finally
answer to our question of when we would
ach the station. he said he thought he had
70 the road. The hours which followed
never forget. Besides II yself and babies
ere were two other ladies and two child
81 ~ the coach while gentleman rode
ftn tne driver: Fearing we would freeze
QUO we stay longer in the coach. we got
y ana started to walk. The children were
zen ihe most of the robes and blankets
tney ald not suffer SO much from the
~, out cried from hunger. Meanwhile
Kept moving, but whether in circle or
ward no one seemed to know. 1t was
arIy dawn and l was ready to give up. lie
fwn III the snow and die. when l thought
eard quick, sharp bark. The driver
ard 1t, too. and cried out at the TOP of his
Pee snip! he was answered by another
Erk, and In moment a yellow dog. Gov
~ win snow, jumped upon him |