The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1894-11-01
A LiGiiTNIN' BARBER SHOP.
CoontaiI Had Il Close Shave If It Vnsa't
Very Clean.


Very Clean.
On the ranges of eastern Montana,
and among his brother KIN ghts OF the
rope. ''COontail" vas no stranger.
He rode his bucking pony and swung
his rope with as much grace and as
surance as any, and IN the annual
roping match, which. to the tender
foot as we'll as the c w-man who
needed help for his rouud-u up was of
interest, he won his share OF prizes.
He had ''headed of" and 'roped" a
fleeing coyote, and had been known
to assert that he reckoned he could
handle his satanic majesty if he once
got a fair chance with u rope and his
roan pony.
His %patronymic was known to but
few. His non de-plume-if that is
the proper ERIN for such an article
was derived from wearing in his hat
the caudal appendage Of the small
plantigrade adopted as the special
property of Il political party, and by
it he was known to every one on the
ranges.
The steers fit for market had been
rounded up" 'cut out" and driven
to the railroad tor shipment, and at
ter two or three days OF fun in town,
COOntail and two or three of his COM
peers. whose services were not re-
Quired en- route to Chicago, had
started for home; a matter of three
or four days ride. BY the end of the
second dav, they had emptied the
bottles with which they had supplied
themselves for the journey. and with
dry and cobwebhy throats we're seek
ing more. st Il wayside store, near
the crossing Of Powder River, they
endeavored to procure wherewith to
quench their thirst, but the proprie-
tor. acquainted with the reckIessness
of the average cOw-puncher when un-
der the influence of "fOrty-rod," de-
MED having any, and directed them
to the next ranch, nearly a mile
away, and across the stream; but not
feeling very secure. as soon AS they
left, locked his door and betOOrK him.
self to the shelter Of a nearby
'coulie" At the place to which
they had been directed they were re-
TERED back to the first party. and
informed that they had been tricked.
1t did not require much time to re-
turn, but they found the building
closed and locked. Half a dozen
shots around the staple holding the
haSp to the door shattered the wood
to such an extent that a vigorous
kick drove it open, and with a veil
Of triumph they took possession. The
head OF a keg, lying beneath the rude
counter, presented a target, and at
the same time, thoughts of a drink,
if tapped.
A shot from a revolver tapped it.
The pole-and-dirt roof leaped sky
ward; the logs composing the body of
the building went hurting
over the prairie; canned stuff followed
suit, propelled by twenty pounds Of
powder; and CoOntall and h S friends
followed the goods. What was found
of two filled each a small box. but
Coon" was found, blackened and
scared among the sage brush, thirty
or more yards away. Finding that
he still breathed, he was carried to
the stream, and rough but kind
hands were oon busy cleaning the
dirt and smOke.StainS from his per-
son. For clothing he retained the
sweat band of his hat, and his boots.
Half an hour later he regained con-
seriousness, and gazing about him
through his scorched eye.ashes he
feebly wanted TO know what had
happened. Some II remarked upon
his escape and dilapidated appear
anCo. and rising TO a sitting DOSture.
he asked tor u mirror. One was found,
and after a long survey Of his teat-
ureS, his eyeldshes and brOws burned
away, and beard and hair. ave the
narrow fringe protected by his hat
band, gone. he remarked:
I'm doggOned purity, amt |?
That was a lightnin' barber shop
hair cut, shampoo an a shave. an
all done in less'n Il minit."-Free
Press.