Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-08-04
THE CIIARIvARI.
Why it should BE Indefinitely Post


poned.
Our party of three, all oil men in the
service of a Western interest of the
Standard Oil Co, with headquarters at
Denver. Col, left Butte, Mont, on the
early train on a beautiful June morn
ing in 1889, bound for Elkhorn. The
day was perfect. We climbed the noun
tains slowly and enjoyed the unexam-
pied scenery for which the Montana
Central railway is famous, and finally
alighted at Boulder, a small town mid
way between Helena and Butte, whence
we were TO stage it to the famous Elk
horn mine. at Elkhorn, Mont. Our mis-
sion was relative TO some mechanical
defects in the plant at the mine, which
imperiled the company's lubTicating
trade and we lost no time in starting
for our destination by first conveyance.
The old stage coach, which had seen
better days, had for its passengers, be-
sides our party, young woman and Q
child, bound also for Elkhorn. We got
away from Boulder at 9 o'clock and at
once began the forty-mile climb up the
slope toward Elkhorn. Away to the
east we could see the snow peaks, on the
other side of which is the famous park
of the Yellowstone. To the north and
west the ragged mountains, in many
places capped with snow stretched
away and away, as far as we could see,
ending only in the misty haze of dis
lance All about us was foliage, forest
and flowers. Within the range of our
vision was beautiful summer and per-
petual winter. The hum of insects and
the fragrance of flowers and wood
lands, were pleasing to the senses and
made US drOwsy and sentimental
The wild north country was as peace
full and quiet on this lovely summer
morning as an English landscape
/ Once in a while a ranch would break
! the monOtOny, but we had ample time
to get acquainted with our fellow pas
senger, the lady with the child, whose
presence had occasioned some comment,
owing to her evident refinement, and we
could scarcely guess what she was do
ling alone in the rugged, out of the way
country. The mother, for they were
mother and daughter, told us that she
was going to Elkhorn to find her hus-
band Four years before they lived on
ranch in the beautiful San Louis val
ley, almost under the shadow of the
Sangre De Christie mountains in Colo
RADIO, and he, getting the mining craze,
had gone north to Idaho on a prospect
ing tour, and she heard no more from
him. In this western country distance
is nothing, and these nomads, the pros
peCting fiends, are first in Colorado,
then maybe in Idaho, and then, per-
chance, in Arizona, and so it happened
that one day an outfit stopped at her
place in the Silver State and she learned
accidentally that her lord and master
was employed at the Elkhorn mine, and
with true motherly pluck she broke
camp, struck trail and started in
search of the deserter. Scarcely was
she prepared for what followed. Slowly
we threaded our way up the slope, now
winding through ragged canyon and
now crossing a fertile lakeland, until
at last we reached the camp and alight-
ed at the hotel, the only one in town.
IL being late in the afternoon the boys
were out in force to see the mail come
in, and much speculation was INDUCED
in regarding the woman and kid"
Our principal work was on large
pump at the 900 foot level, and after
going through the usual blarney of the
lubricating man. we were shown about
the mine. through the various drifts and
tunnels. and came TO the surface about
II o'clock at night. While we sat smok-
ing our pipes and doing some necessary
visiting with the oilers. engineers and
others who might be useful to us,
rough looking man came in with his
lamp and dinner pail, ready to go on
shift, and sizing us up Quizzically,
said:
You chaps can see some fun down
to the saloon. if you're loOkin' for it,.
THEY'RE going to chivaree Andy Thomp-
SON" We were looking for it, and away
we went down the gulch in the dark
When we reached the saloon we were
regarded curiOusly, and somewhat sus-
Diciouslv by the boys" who were there
i'm force. ranged alongside Of the bar,
Dunishing "tanglefoot" with great regu-
larity. Our presence was explained by
a man who had seen us down in the
mine and ordering something to drink,
we sat off in one corner at a table, con-
tented 10 listen and look on. seeming
to be engaged in conversation so as 10
excite no comment from the pretty
rough gang, who were getting "tuil
rapidly. 49,
"Sav. Silver" said member of the
Marty. addressing the spokesman of the
meeting what does the woman say
about the chivaree*
"She don't want no partickler vio-
Ience" said Silver. "but it's a scurvy
wav 10 treat the little one. and l say
LET'S ride him out Of the camp.
Ride him" ride him, came from
dozen threats. and goodly supply OF
whisky poured down the same almost
Immediately afterwards.
The facts in the case, by way OF an