The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-27
TALES OF THE WOODS
Harry Thompson Brings in a Large
Stock of Them.
IRISHMAN'S MISTAKE
Reckless. Easy-Coing Life of the
Lumber Jack-How He Spends
His Money Like Coal OIL
Johnny and Works Again.

Missoula, Jan. 26.-Harry Thompson
brought back from the snowbound fast
nesses of the Clearwater last week a
big stock of stories that concern his ex-
perience during his sojourn in that re-
gion. For several days he was in Girls
wold's camp, unable to leave in either
direction on account of the blizzard.
While he was there several loggers
came in from the camps in the timber
and among them was a lower country
Irishman who had quit his job because
he had to get up too early. He had
terrible time getting in from the tim
Der, and for a long time was helplessly
lost. BE gobs, OH thot Oh was lost,
shure OF did," said he in relating his
experience. "Oi was wanderin ABBOTT,
wild no ijea of where OF was at all, when
Oi sees forninst me tn domdest thrail
thot liver OF sot me Dyes on. Shure IL
was as IL there was dhrove of cod
fishes been thravelin' to camp. Well,
OF thinks, be gobs, IL der fishes kin make
IL, Ofm dom shure OF kin. So OF lites
out and in a twinklin' OF was here"
Investigation showed that he had
struck a snowshoe trail and that he
had mistaken the prints of the big
webbed shoes for the trail of Goldfish
While the poor fellow was wandering
about in the valley, he fell into the big
Clearwater irrigating canal, which was
fortunately dry. He could not forget
that bit of experience. however. and
again and again did he tell his audi
ence how he fell all over into one of
thin domned aggravatin' bitches"
There are probably more original
characters among the men in the lum-
Der camps than can be found anywhere
else. Men of all nations and of all
previous conditions drift there. and
men who have been wealthy live and
work beside men who have never
known anything better than the hard
bunk and the pot luck of a logging
camp. There is always fun on hand
among them, though They are never
too tired for sport and there is hardly
a camp that has not a musician of some
sort. He may play fiddle or an ac-
cordeon or banjo or perhaps a mouth
organ, but he plays, and when he tunes
up there Is always somebody to dance.
German sock, rubber boots, hobnailed
shoes. all beat time and the Irishman
spins off his jigs, the Scotchman his
fling. the Missourian his breakdown.
and there is a grand finale with all
hands hoeing away just before bedtime.
It's tough on the musician, though.
When the lumber jacks come to town
they are as lavish with their money as
millionaires-while their purses hold
out. Then they go back to the Jobs
they have left and work for another
round of pleasure. Their methods of
enjoyment are as varied as their dispo-
sitions. Some fly to a variety show,
some seek a faro table, some simply
want TO drink without any exciting ac-
compartment but they all wind up with
that different-in-the-m feeling,
and generally without money enough to
get back to camp with.
But they are a whole souled. gener-
Gus lot of fellows and If one of them
has anything he is always willing to
share IL with a needy friend. He will
always divide a meal with a hungry
man and half of his bunk is always
at the disposal of friend if he needs
IL. The lumber Jack is a grossly mis-
represented individual I'm this respect
The world never hears of him except
when he is celebrating in town after a
long sojourn in the woods and what il
hears then does the lumber jack an in
Justice. He is a quiet easy going man
and among his critics there are few
who would do any different from what
he does If they had been i'm the snow
bound timber all winter and suddenly
found themselves in civilization once
more with money in their pockets and
no restraint upon them. The hard life.
long hours and discomfort of a log
gers winter IRE are never thought of
by those who do the roasting. It's an
other opportunity to put yourself in his
place. The lumber jack is all right II
you size him up correctly.
To eastern eyes, unaccustomed TO the
gay colors and crude cut of the Macki-
nav suits. the lumber jack presents a
queer appearance and is usually
classed by the tenderfoot as a curio. In
the same class with the Indian, the
stage coach and the prairie dog. But
he deserves a different opinion. He
suffers wrongs as great as the Indians
is as useful as the stage coach and as
indifferent to the expressions of his
critics as the prairie dog.
SUNDAYS TOPIC.