The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-12-16

plumber. The drivers and some Of the men
used their weapons, and ! shot down some OF
the robbers, for they were not on their guard
against me. But these are not daring deeds,
and / fear ! have none to relate about myself.
l have hunted buffalo, and once when out with
my father ! shot one and stampeded a herd,
which ran full speed in our direction. We es-
capped being trampled down by riding like the
wind out Of their course.
l learned to use the Henry rifle. and when
shooting IA revolver rested the barrel on my
left wrist. When we first reached Colorado
the Ute Indians were there and were very
friendly. They taught me to use the bow and
arrow. Ute children were my playmates. !
was the tSrst white child enrolled in the public
schools of Colorado. We travelled from place
to place, and | did not have regular schooling.
My, father was my teacher. | used to sit at
the mouth of the mine studyin my books, and
father or some of the miners would help me
out with a tough exercise when they came up
from below. | loved study, and although i
found recreation in riding and hunting never
sought for adventure and excitement. When
forced TO do something To protect the helpless
| acted the best ] knew how. People made
much of my acts because II child did them.
The cowboys became my friends, ami I respect
them now for it. They herded cattle for me
and gave me q start which paid my way at
school when | became older.
The events of my life most Interesting for
your purpose took place in child!!OOd, and |
cannot clearly recall the particulars at this
date. Once when we were in south Colorado
a child fell over n prec!piCe where no man
could go. / was twelve years old, and was
lowered by II rope, found the child dead and
helped get the body up to the crest. In one Of
The Gilpin county mines a light fell from Il
miners hat and rolled in a aigzag course to-
ward some powder. Every one present was
panic stricken. | was watching the curious
motion of the lamp, and suddenly linking il
ought TO be put out ran ana jumped upon it
and sat down and crushed out the fame.
two of my experiences | recall distinctly.
but | prefer not 10 mention the name of the
persons involved. In The sand Creek mines
there was n miner with a family who was
liked by everybody wheE le was sober. but he
drank heavily at times. ana then was cruel to
any one in his power. One day lie got drunk
and lariatcd Il wild brancho, which he tied to
n post and then bound his little scvcn-year-old
boy, ~Johnny, upon the back of the frantic an
imal.
Some of the children of the family ran after
me and cried that their father was killing
Johnny. ] hurried to the spot, and just AS |
reached there the broncho reared. and the
cords that bound the boy working loose the
little fellow was thrown violently upon a log
roof and badly injured. Ills father started to
take him and tie him upon the bronCho again,
but ! told him IL he touched the boy again I'd
shoot him. Then he turned on me. | didn't
want TO kill II nan for Il DIR ken freak, So |
snatched up Il rope, lassoed him aud tied him
down. When he sobered up lc was himself
lgain, and all was forgotten.