The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1897-01-16
STORY OF A TEMPERATE TENDER
FoOTs TRIALS IN MONTANA.
Fell Into the Hands of N jolly Crowd
of CattIemen In the Mike
GOIdby's Place.

route. The thermometer stood at So
degrees below zero at Fort Shaw about
10 o'clock, and 1T got colder"
MIR. Higgenbotham is one of the few
men who held the ribbons in early days
who are still in the business, as at the
present time he Is driving for j. T.
Dunlevy near Anaconda, and he him
self told the story to a Standard re-
porter. Mr.. Higgenbotham is an old
timer but not of the sort so often pic
tured by the eastern story teller. He
has a rough exterior, true: but IN con-
versation he neither butchers his Eng
lish nor talks sangy, nor does he swear
habitually, though no doubt he can do
so when business requires emphasis.
Neither has he an inordinate thirst for
whisky with which the stage drivers
are accredited, though that is not say
ing that Charlie does not know good
liquor when the bottle is passed his
way.
II can never forget that night, though
1 passed through 1t safely" said he,
but the difficulty my partner and l
had in keeping our passenger from freez-
ing to death has indelibly impressed the
events of the night upon my mind. The
passengers name do not know because
1 did not inquire. He was a piano tuner,
that l remember, and was anxious to
reach Helena in time to get his mail
before Christmas.
1.-THE commander at the fort urged him
to remain there, and told him he would
surely freeze.
1.-THE driver is going through. isn't
he? asked the stranger And If he can
stand 1t l guess I can
" But you don't know those stage driv-
ers,' said the captain with a laugh.
They're so soaked in whisky they can't
freeze
1T was no use to show him how well
we were protected from the weather
and how hardened we were to cold.
nor to mention his own light clothes.
Why, said 1. a man could stick you
with a cambria needle an you couldn't
touch me with butcher knife through
these clothes.
I guess I can stand it," he would
reply, and so we bundled him into the
coach, and one of the stage men who
was going to Helena got in beside
him. l climbed up on the box and
wrapped a buffalo robe around my legs,
and pulled up the leather apron.
Eleven-Year-Old WhisIxey.
Il had a bottle of n-year-old whisky
in the front boot but for company sake
l got 1t out and laid 1t in the buffalo
robe under the leather blanket.
THE horses were good and 1 had six
OF them. The passenger had not a
word to say, but from time to time
tried to sink deeper into the blankets
until we were about eight miles from
Dearborn, where he asked:
" How far is it to the next station?
II told him and then he asked: How
long before we get there?
About an hour and a half l an
swered.
1.-THE effort to speak had set his teeth
a-going and they chartered and clicked
like dice in a box. He tried to keep
them steady and in about Is minutes he
asked me again: How far to Dearborn
1 told him then u miles.
" How long before we get there? he
queried weakly
About two hours said l. Every
time he asked I would add to the dis
lance and the time just to keep up his
nerve and he was game TO the last. de
claring, I guess l can stand It,
80 he did. till we helped him. stifr
and cold, out of the coach and up to
the bar in Mike Goldbys place at Dear
born.
1T was dingy saloon of one big
room, box stove in the center and a
bar counter in one corner 1t was early
morning. but the room was half full Of
cattlemen who were more or less drunk
and happy, getting ready for the Christ
mas.
Il took my usual drink at the bar and
so did my partner, but the piano tuner
started for the stove
Hold on there. what be you going
to drink? roared Mike from behind the
tar.
Nothing at all; just want to warm,
said the passenger.
'Ho! boys shouted Mike, here is a
pilgrim most froze to death and he
says he won't drink
THE gang got around and turned
loose on the stranger. He was nearly
dead and they slapped him and boxed
him in a way that was shameful. had
there been anything but the friendly
object in view Of reviving him. He
wanted to fight, but that only amused
the crowd and they kept him going lively
while Mike mixed hot teddy.
Big Pete McAndrews seized the shot
gun that hung behind the bar and threw
1t down on the trembling piano tuner
Ike, you show the gentleman how to take
his medicine and suiting the action to
the word, Ike, another herder, grabbed
the pilgrims nose and chin, opening his
mouth while Colby poured down the
toddy.
Then they marched aim round the
stove, round and round again, to warm
him up and with a few more drinks
the tenderfoot was about the hottest
man in mind and body there was in thai
vicinity.
Frozen Mercury.
Nobody knew how cold II was and
nobody cared particularly. The mer-
curry had been froze up all day and they
hadn't tried to thaw it out. l brought
in the thermometer and we ran it III
TO So degrees beside the stove, and hung
it out again, but when 1 looked at that
thermometer five minutes after she was
froze up tight as wax at 40 below.