The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-24

to alipht. "He' never questions his i'll
structions," says Cahill in telling the
story, "but what no thought he was going
to do when he arrived at that corner l can.
not guess"
Montana ranchmen should put up lots OF
hay this year." said Col. Broadwater yes
terday. IF they had Ions so three years
ago when we had a good grass crop, II
would have made a big difference in the
bank accounts since. The danger this
season is that the ranchmen will imagine
there will be as much grass next year as
there is this, and will not put up moro than
they require for their own needs now. They
should cut and stack all they can raise. then
il one or two dry seasons follow they will
have this surplus to draw upon. Hay
stacked will keep in this country for several
years. In fact, some growers have told me
that at the end of ten years it Is as
good as when first put in the ricks. OF
course. a little on the outside will be
spoiled, but that is all. With the big hay
Drop that can be cut in Montana this year.
there should be a surplus large enough to
last two years."
John A.. Sheridan, of Leadville, Col, who
has been a guest at the Broadwater for sew
eral days, tells a story of II girl train
dispatcher on he Union Pacific. Two
years ago Sheridan was on his way from
Denver to Seattle. When the train
arrived at Cheyenne, u girl about Is, with
rosy cheeks, Il yivacious MANNER, was
added to the list of passengers. The Den
yer man noticed all the train hands nodded
to her as though she we're an old
friend, and one whom they were particular
ly glad to see. Another thing that at
tracted his attention, was that she had one
arm in a sling. The girl took a seat quite
near him, and after riding a few miles they
fell to conversing. He learned that her
father was the station agent and train dis
patcher at Sherman; that he attended to
the work during tho day and at night the
young girl LOOKED out for the Office. One
dark evening. some five or six weeks pre-
vious, orders were received at Sherman to
sidetrack a certain train. The girl took
her lantern when the time came and walked
up the track to give the signal. A track
walker. thinking to have some fun, cIept
up behind her and fired off a pistol close to
her head. The fright caused the girl to
fall, and she struck her arm on a rail, break
ing it. She had been to Cheyenne to have it
attended to, and was now on her way home,
very nearly ready to resume her duties
again. The girls story deeply interested
Sheridan. who is a man of some 45 or SO
years, and on arriving at Sherman he
stopped long enough to meet her father.
Despite her rough surroundings the girl
lsc,oD&oLp~ loS Tho ,I,,n ~ n 1oIy o,,l
her conversation showed she had a good ac-
quaintance with the best authors. On the
way from Cheyenne to Sherman, when
they passed a train and the engineer
noticed the girl he would salute her with
the locomotive whistle, while at the home
station her coming was almost an ovation.
Returning by the same route he saw the
girl dispatcher again, and gave her a pretty
shell he had picked up on the coast. He
told his friends in Colorado her story, and
many were the little trifes presented her
by Colorado people who passed through
Sherman.
For a year past Sheridan has heard moth
ing of his Sherman friend, 50 on his way to
Montana two or three weeks ago. when he
was within a few miles of Sherman, he
asked one of the train hands if her family
still lived at the place. NO." the brake
man replied, "they have moved to Utah."
And how is Birdie?" asked the traveller.
81 do not know"
"Well, when l get to Ogden I will try
and find her.
You will not want to see her now," said
the brakeman.
Beyond this the man would say nothing.
Arriving at Ogden, Sheridan found that the
innocent, light-hearted child of two years
ago had sunk to the lowest depths and but
a few days before had been committed to a
reformatory. She had gotten to taking a
little drink of liquor on her long night
vigils, the habit had grown and for a year
she had been a confirmed drunkard, spend
ing half of her time i'll the lookup. And
she is only a child now" he concludes.
CROSS-CUTS.