Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1892-04-05
oRPHEUs UP TO DATE.
By W. F. R.

W.
ST had an experience one time"
said the eX-cow- -puncher as he rolled
a cigarette with deftness born of
long practice, and taking few draws
settled himself comfortably in his
seat.
that makes me feel queer when 1
think of it, and If you fellows would
like to hear it / will tell you.
Wewere on an EASTERN bound train
on the Manitoba road a few miles out
of Benton, and slight acquaintance
of few days previous in that city
had quickly passed into a feeling OF
| comradeship that is inherent in every
man who has lived any length of time
in the West My newly made friend
had been many years cow-puncher
but had left that business as the
country had rapidly settled up, and
vas now running band of sheep on
the Marias River, in northern Mon
tana. He was on his way East to see
his people and have a good time, and
as he chatted in breezy, wholesome
way that was charming 1 filled my
memory with some of his yarns, and
this, / think, was the most striking
of them all.
was working for the j. Y. out
fit, he began, land we had just gone
on the spring roundup and were
working the Sun River range. We
were camped this day of my adven-
ture at Whiskey Browns right
under Square Butte, on the old stage
road to Helena and few miles from
| Fort Shaw aud Sun River crossing.
There was a good spring there which
Brown used in irrigating his rancho,
and the roundup always camped at
that place for a day or two while the
surrounding country was worked.
Our horse herder was sick and each
lift had been furnishing a man to
Ia rd as their turn came. This day 1t
VAS ours, and was tho man. took
tue band from the night herder about
80 in the morning, and after the
Joys had caught their horses let them
feed around the spring awhile, so that
| all could drink il they wished, and
| then drove them about half mile
down where the grass was better.
" 1t was a lovely day in the latter
part of May, sun just warm enough
to make fellow feel lazy, and seeing
that all the band had settled down to
feed, and none We're restless, L got Of
my horse, and taking off the bride
! gave him chance to fill up. Then ]
sat down, half reclining on my arm sc
| mat 1 could see every horse and the
whole country before me. The ground
| that occupied was nearly the highest
point around, and the view was
| glorious one. To the east miles away
lay the Belt Mountains, further on the
| Little Rockies; to the north good l5(
| miles, were the Sweet Grass Hills, the
three buttes looming up bright
and distinct in that clear atmos
| phere, while back of me to the
| west, we're the mighty Rocky Noun.
tains, with plenty OF snow on their
lofty heights, dotted here and there
with patches of timber, that in con.
trast with their snowy background
looked almost purple. The hills anc
| plains were covered with natures
bright carpet, relieved with frequent
! dashes of early wild flowers, as though
sown by the hand of the Master
Gardener to prove his wonderful skill
in making this wilderness of sever
months, paradise during five. ]
| could mark the course of its bIacI
banks where the mighty Missouri
rolls down to the sea, and in my minC
. L 4OAIOhOa illlo ElCdlCoI VI A1NClk
! down, down thousands of miles to the
sea and up the coast where my deaI
ones lived, and boys, got do
melancholy, so taking out small
mouth-organ OF harmonica, which in
| strument in those days was a greal
favorite among gcow-punchers, I begar
to play.
81 have heard some play on this in
strument who would make profes
sional uneasy for his laureIs. l was
fairly good performer, and being in
as said, tender mood, gave vent
to my feelings in Home, Sweei
Home Then went into what con
sidered my masterpiece. beginning
Hear me, Norma I played softly
and slowly, and had got to AT thy fee
behold, and which the boys alwayl
called for-that air when 1 heard {
low rafting, and looking down few
feet below me l saw large rattle
snake, coiled, with his head slowIy
swaying 10 and fro, and evidently en-
joying the music.
/ 'Ah, ha! thought I, here's a snake
that appreciates operate music. Anc
as had often read of the power music
Is supposed to have over snakes o
all kinds, determined to keep OF
playing and see what it would do, &c
: / finished Norma, and went over /
again; but this snake was soon joinec
by others, who, as they crawled out o
their holes, assumed the same att
tudes as the first, and were evidently
charmed.
By Jove, boys, they came out il
droves, and saw that the vicinity
vas alive with them. a long expert
once with these reptiles had made me
insensfbIe to fear of them, and worked
up the novelty of the thing, and the
excitement of seeing so many Of these
powerful destroyers subject to my
will, L forgot all about my personal
safety, and kept on playing and en-
joying myself.
MOrne I stnr,rad ard thnn hn..nr,