The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-05
ABOUT TOWN.

Every ono who knows Harpin Davis II
aware of his fondness for animals OF al
kinds. And the regard ID reciprocated. II
a horse knows that Hnrpin has laid money
on his coming in first under the wire the
animal will get there or die in the attempts.
Whenever Harpin has lost a wager on a
horse raoe his friends assert that 1t can be
accounted for by ono OF two causes-either
the horse did not know it was carrying his
money or the animal was injured in the
run. Dogs never offer to bite him, and by
his eye he can conquer the most savage
brute, Recently Harpin has been working
n mining claim in the Rimini country. and
he has been living all alone, SO far as hu-
man society is concerned. But he has had
company, and to hear him tell about his
pets is worth q great deal. A colony of
weasels made its headquarters under his
cabin, and some two or three months ago
he fortunately captured n baby animal.
1t is most peculiarly marked, its back dow
to almost the end of it's tail being q jet
black; the under side and the tip of the
tail a pure white. II eats out of his hand
and delights in crawling up on him while
he is in bed and smuggling under his chin.
Harpin has made a bed for it by turning .
fur cap inside out, and every night it sleeps
therein. About daylight it commences to
play, and with the colony that sleeps under
the floor has a fine time till Harpin gets
breakfast for it. After breakfast the pet
weasel goes back to its bed in the cap and
remains there for the greater part of the
day. The popularity in the whole business
- AkoA 49,. H. G.oA Tn.-nS nat hoo
fused to live with the other weasels, while
the latter do not allow the master OF the
house to get too close to them.
"Are You not afraid your pet will bite
your" Davis was asked.
mo, indeed" he replied, land / have be-
come so attached to the little fellow that !
would not part with him for $780,"
~
Every tenant in the Power block is the
friend of Johnny McCaffrey, the little chap
who run the elevator. He can tell visitors
If Mr.. Schaffer is busy, if Manager Rath of
the smelling company is in town, and keeps
the going and coming of all the tenants SO
we'll fixed in his mind, that those who are
aware Of his knowledge make use OF it to
trips to the upper floors. In addition
to attending to his duties In the elevator,
he is ..always ready for a trade, takes sub
scriptions for periodicals. sells histories
of Montana, and studies human nature on
the side. In this latter he is quite an
adept, and can pick out a city man from a
granger quicker than the ordinary person.
On the top floor of the building Messrs.
Swiggert & Bourquin run the local land
Office for Uncle Sam, and a great many
people for the first time see an elevator
when they visit their Office. Johnny can
tell one of these behind-the-ag age people just
as far as he can see him, and he delights to
give him his first ride in an elevator. The
other day one of the recent arrivals from a
county in Iowa shambled into
the rotunda, and after gazing around
vacantly for five minutes or more cautiously
approached the elevator door.
SIS the land Office hyar?" he asked
Johnny.
Eyes, sir; step right in," Johnny replied,
and have a chair"
The new arrival did SO. Johnny slammed
door, pulled the lever, and up toward
the roof the elevator commenced to 60.
By the time the first floor was reached the
on that settlers face was q revelation.
Surprise and fear were both depicted, with
the latter feeling largely in the ascendant.
the time the second foor was reached
he had found his voice sufficiently to whis-
per:
els this here the land office?''
I'm a minute" said Johnny with a
smile.
AS the elevator passed the fifth floor the
man looking for the land Office was seen
on the very edge of the chair, arms
extended, head bent toward Johnny, while
there issued family through his lips:
els this here the land Officer"
Fright there, sir" said Johnny, when the
sixth floor was reached, pointing his pas
senger to Capt. %Swiggert's headquarters.
iii bet that man has forgotten what Sec
ton he wanted said Johnny, as he slowly
rode down to the first floor. essay, don't
you know it's lots of fun giving them fell
lers their first ride? He was the worst
scared of any l ever seen, though"
~
Did you ever hear of that ranch in Cho-
TEAM county Which Dr, Foote tried to sell