The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-23
SWAPPING HORSES.

SWAPPING HORSES.
United States marshal is not prepared
to shoulder the financial burdens of the
country at five minutes notice and loan
the national treasury the money to adj
minister speedy justice for year at a
time. So they did the best they could
cut down expenses, borrowed of their
friends and stood off the balance till
congress mot. 1t was time to try
mems souls.
At that time the marshal of Wyo-
ming, one of tho most genuine gentlemen
of German descent that I ever knew
and I've known good many Of
them-was necessarily absent from the
territory. One afternoon, while the
warden was over in town buying beef
for the prisoners, word was brought to
the guard that the kid" was sick in
his cell, very sick. Tho guard got some
thing hot from tho kitchen, and accom-
panied by the cook, an eminent life
member of the peniteDtiary, went to
the kid IS" cell to administer it.
AS he handed the soup to the patient
he got push from behind, and pretty
soon the "Kid" and the cooker were
taking his revolver and bunch of keys
from his person while they sat on top of
him and held his nose down in the
blankets. They then went out Of the
cell and locked the guard in. He told
cry was the most sudden transition
from dangerous illness to vigorous
health that he ever knew. When other
guards or the warden appeared during
the afternoon, they were cordially met
at the portals by armed convicts, who
escorted them to their dungeons and
carefully locked them in. So, along
about o'clock, the United States peni-
Tertiary was in charge of the gentle
manly murderers and highwaymen Of
the Rocky mountains. They did not
rush off into tho adjoining country at
once, but fingered around the pen. and
enjoyed themselves The penitentiary
is located across the river from the
town, and SO it was not disturbed. The
striped humorists proceeded to harness
up tho marshal's best team to spring
wagon and to load the latter with all
the delicacies Of the season. They also
took along several rifles and double bar
relied shotguns. q tent and fine bird
dog, intending to rusticate in the noun
tains for few months in order to enjoy
much needed rest and change of scene.
After dusk they told the warden and
guards that they were sorry to sec young
men of such high social position in such
place, but offered to intercede for
them with the governor, left the keys
outside tho big portals and went relac-
family away. We used to hear Of them
for "a long time afterward OH the road.
All they seemed to do for a living was
to trade horses with people. When they
saw horse that they fancied, they
would most generally kinder dicker
around with the owner until they got
it. In this way they made good deal
Of money. Ever and anon some Laramie
City man would como home with a
wornout, foundered horse that he had
secured in return for 5000 steed in
one Of these trades. The highwaymen
never gave boot, and yet they always
got q better horse than they gave. Some
times they would stop tho coach OH tho
Rock creek road, and while the "Kid"
traded horses with tho driver the others
would trade watches and pocketbooks
with tho passengers.
They had a real good time for quite
long spell, and the pure. crisp air
brought back the flush of health to their
wan checks.
They shot sage hens and caught
mountain trout in pleasant weather, and
when they got worn out with ennui,
they would e. out and trade horses with
the stagecoach.
One day they met tho sheriff and
stumped him for Il trade. While they
were haggling about it squad Of the
sheriff's party slid up and captured the
whole outfit. Whom they were taken
back to the pen. and the .'Kid" laid
down his arms at the request of the
marshal, he said: "Major, weaken.
You've got the bulge OH me. After all,
there's no place like home. We've taken
up arms agin our fellow man and got
left. Tho pom is mightier than the
sword -
Many years ago there lived in New
Hovay, n very had -hov He vaa horn