Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1894-01-20

Western Justice.
Mr. Theodore Roosevelt seems to
have found the genuine Bret llartr
cowboy. and in the Century thus re-
pcatS one of his stories told in genial
chat after supper:
one of thrm asked the other what
had become of Il certain horse. Il noted
cutting pony, which myself had no
ticcd the preceding fall. The question
reused the other to the memory of Il
wrong which still ranElrd, and he be-
gan II alter one or two of the proper
namrS,:
"Why. that wlS the pony that got
stole. | had been wurkin him on
rough ground when | was out with
the Three Bar outfit. and he went
tender forward. so | turned him loose
by the Lazy Branch. and when | came
back to get him there wasn't anybody
ut the ranch. and | couldn't find him
The sheep man who lives about tw"
miles west. under Red Clay Butte. told
me he had seen Il fellow in Il wolf skin
coat. ri,lin' IL pinto bronze with white
eyes. lcadn' that pony of mine just
two days before; and | hunted round
till | hit his trail. and then | followed
for-thc Short Pine Hills. When | got
there Il r;nchrr told me he had seen
the man pass on toward Cr,lartoWn: !:
and sure enough. when | struck Cedar
town. found he lived there in Il dobr
house just outside the town. There
WAS Il boom in the town. and il looked
pretty slick.
''rhcrc was two hotels. and | went
into the first and | says. Where's the
Justice of the Pcace:' SAYS | to the
bartender.
"''rhcrc amt no Justice of tn" Peace.
says he; 'thcr Justice of the Peace got
shot
well. where's the conStablr:
says |.
"'Why. it waS him that shot the
Justice of the Peace. says he. he
skipped the country with Il bunch of
horses.
"'Wrll. amt there no officer of the
law left in this town. says |.
"'Why. of course says he: there's
Il Probate Judge: he is over tcndin
bar at the Last Chance Hotel
so went over to the Last Chance
Hotel. and | walked in there.
"'Mornin', says |.
'MOrnin'. saws he.
"'lou'rc the Probate .Iudgr:' says l.
"'rhatS what | ann says he. What
do you want:' says he.
~ want Justice. says |.
"'What kind of justice do you want:'
says he. WHATS il for;'
Its for Straln' horse says l.
"'rhcn. by ---. you'll get It, says
he. who stole the horse" says he
1T Is Il man that lives in Il 'dobc
house just outside the town there.
says l.
We'll. where do you come from
yourSrlf:' says he.
"'Fr"m Mrdory.' says |.
with that he lost interest. and set
tied kind q back. and says he. There
won't no Ccdnrtown jury hang II Co.
dartown man for stralin' IL MrdorA
mans horse. says he.
WELL what am | to do about my
horS"T says L.
"'Do% says he, We'll. you know
where the man lives. don't youT SAYS
he. Then sit up outside his house to-
night, and shoot him when he comes
In. says he, and skip out with the
horse
"All right. says /: that Is what I'll
do: and | walked off
$50 | went off To his house and
laid down behind some sage brush =
To wait for him, He was not at home
but | could see his wife movin ab 1'
inside now and then. and waited M
waited. and it growrfl darker. Nnl
begun to say to myself. Now her" yu
are lyin out to shoot this man VIE
he comes home: and it's grttug ,li
and you don't know him, ana if vu'
do shoot the next man that COMES il
to that house. like as not it wont !.
the fellow you're after at al. hrt : -.
perfectly innocent man a-comin' til,
after the other mans wife,
$50 M and Saddlcd the hronr, anf
lit out for homo," concluded III" na1
rator with the air of one justly pro,l,
of his own self-abnrglting virtue
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