The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-23
WICKED CINNAMON PETE.
He's Only . Burro. hut Hes IN Awful
Thief aud IL Popular.

Pete Is as DAD "A tnict as
ever made a dishonest living around
a mining camp. but there is not a min
er or ~prospector in Dale City that will
allow him to be touched. and. although
they all swear at him most vigorously.
they all pet him and take care of him
with genuine affection. Pete Is a
young. shaggy brown burro. Gs fat as
butter. and with the biggest. most
wistful brown eyes n the most know
ing way OF cooking his huge brown
ears. Nobody owns Cinnamon Pete.
He is SO lazy that IL Is not worth the
trouble to try and make him work.
and 50 nobody wants him.
All the other burros In the camp go
out in the hills and skirmish for them
selves when they are not be ng used.
but Pete is so lazy he will not even
do that. Besides. he does not have TO.
for he has learned a trick that Is a
whole lot better than wandering
around and grubbing dry grass. He
can steal enough to keep him a perfect
roly-poly, and as his thievery does not
usually bring anything down on his
head worse than very ind. gnant cuss-
ing. he finds that method of making
a living more satisfactory than work
ing for Il. He keeps a weather eye
out for strange teams. because he has
found that they are likely to nave
something good in the wagons. one
such came into camp the other day.
Pete was summing himself on the
south side Of the powder house and
looking as innocent and cunning as
any other 6-monrhs-old baby. The
teamster took a look around for mis-
chievous nimal saw nothing but
Cinnamon Pete. and thought there
couldn't possibly be any harm In him.
and 40 went into the saloon after nqu d
refreshments Pete was watching him.
and as soon as he disappeared behind
the door walked straight to the wag-
on, seized half a sack of barley with
his teeth and started of to hide be-
hind the powder house. Somebody yell
ed to the teamster and out he rush
ed and ran after the thief. Pete ran
with the sack In his mouth. but when
he saw the was gaining On
him he dropped the sack. jumped on
II with his fore feet. tore II open with
his teeth. grabbed 1t i'm his mouth
again and ran away II and
scattering the barley all over the
ground. The teamster could not gath
err IL up again. and so ne went away
swearing picturesque oaths about that
thief OF a burro. But Pete didn't care
for that. He waited for the man to
get too far away to throw stone at
him and then out he sauntered and
made a le,surely meal on the scattered
barley.
Iete watches dIpunu TUT lnt hAfh
to leave their tents and shacks, and
then he sneaks in and helps himself
to whatever he wants and satisfies his
curiosity about things that he does not
want. With his hoofs and his teeth
he breaks open wooden boxes and tin
pals and sacks and eats sugar. cook
ed fruits, bread and vegetables. He
nibbles at coffee grains, but he does
not like them very well, and so the
coffee boxes generally escape pretty
well from his maraudings. He has a
great contempt for bacon and ham,,
and whenever he finds a side OF bacon
or a hunk of ham hung up In a tent
he will work for hours trying to get II
down so that he can tramp on IL and
tear and mash 1t with his hoofs and
teeth. But he always keeps both ears
alert when ne IL on one OF these expe-
dit'ons. and at the first sound OF any
one coming he Is off and away as fast
as his fat legs can carry his shaggy
body.
Cinnamon Pete is very friendly with
most OF the dogs In camp. because they
have learned to treat him with great
respect and defenrence. He had many
fights with them before he made them
understand that he must be left Sc
verely alone, unless he makes friendly
overtures. But the lesson was finally
enforced and now no dog that Il &C
quainted with Pete ever thinks OF chas-
Ing him or nagging him In any a
Pete sometimes. when he Is feeling
particularly good natured. will run
and romp with an overgrown New
foundland pup which IL his particular
dog friend. and he will often bring a
piece OF bacon or other meat out OF a
tent In his teeth and give II to the
dog. If a new dog comes to the camp
he has TO try conclusions with Pete ct
once. and so far the burro has whip
ped every one hat has shown up. AS
soon as Pete secs a new dog he gives
a d~iscordant. croaking whee-haw, ana
with ears erect and tail stuck out trots
at once to the fray. He jumps on the
dog. strikes him with his feet, grabs
him with his teeth n shakes him
until he whine for peace. And after
that they are good friends.
One day Pete heard a cat mew!ng
most pitifully. He cooked his ears
knowingly. listened intently for a mo-
ment. and then went to investigate.
He found that a kitten had fallen INTO
a tub OF water at Baird's well. and that
a measly dog was jumping around
barking at and teasing her. and IRE
venting her from getting out. Pete
took in the situation. and then he lifted
the kitten out with his teeth as care
fully as IL he rad been a mother cat
and put her In a sunny place to dry.
Then he went for the dog. grabbed I
by the nape Of the neck with his teeth.
soused IL into the tub. and held its
head under water until IL drowned.
The men i'm Dale City and the pros
pectors who make Il their headquarters
are all very fond OF Pete.
standing the frequent inconvenience he
causes them. and they are always
chuckling over his tricks and his thiev-
ing exploits. Not one Of them. not even
when his grub has been freshly de-
spoiled. would allow Pete to be hurt.
He Is the nearest thing to A baby In
the camp. and II he were a real. i've.
human baby ne could not be worse
spoiled or considered with more af-
- 49, 80. rawNaEnna1-