The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1899-03-16
Written for The Prison Mirror.
HAD TO CLIMB.

The newsboy entered the car and
closed the door with a bang. He
grabbed stack of books, and, dexteri-
Ously balancing them on his arm, start
ed down the aisle. Half way down his
right Of-away was Obstructed by a
huge Scotch stag-hound. He eyed the
brute for moment with an
expression expressive of polite apollo
gy.
"DOwn Rex! Don't be skeered SON.
ny. You aint half so fraid O. him as
he is O. you"
The speaker wore a heavy sombrero
pushed to the back of his head. There
was line midway on the brow
beyond which the sun had failed to get,
in its pastel work. Below this line the
face had that ruddy brown which is the
gift of days spent in the sunshine, and
nights on the ground; the gift of dew
and frost, OF wind and rain. In dress
and outward appearance he was much
like other men, although he seemed to
be labled western" He sat in a re-
versed seat Facing him were two men
quite as Enthusiastically labled eastern %
They seemed to be listening with in
terest; and it was proper that it should
be So Their entertainer was "Windy''
Windem, of whom it was said he was
the other two of the three biggest liars
in the state of Montana. He was Elk.
Z. S. Scout, and had been favorite of
The Officers Club, where he had made
a record in fine wines and whiskey.
The p. &. had known him too, in it's
palmy days of beer and billiards.
Under full sail the newsy might have
passed the danger point; but the wind
was taken out of his sails by the dog,
and before he could get under head
way the Siren voice reached his ears
and settled it for him. He went straight
for the rocks.
"No sir, beaver can't climb a tree
any more'ns cat can swim; but when
one gets to stretchir g out across coun-
try like long distance telephone, it
takes a right smart dog to keep in
sight"
81 supposed they were amphibious,
and took to the water when startled"
remarked the man with glasses.
"Well, they do gently, when they've
got time; but this beaver was in a tear
in big hurry, and my dog Rex bein' be-
tween it and the creek, was making
him right hard beaver to catch. He
saw it warn't no use to try for the creek,
so he struck out straight across coun-
try for Powder River. My horse was
fast to maverick the boys were con-
verting into beef, so 1 just forked
Frenchy's horse, Shavey aud struck
their trail. Well, we had 81 miles of
fine open country, and that beaver jest
teched 1t along occasionally in the high
places"
81 soon found l warn't riding no
scrub of cayuse, for when I'd come to
little raise, could see that beaver
tearin' along ahead and my dog Rex
just acuttin' an aslashin' right at his
tail. l knew if he ever made that river
ahead of my dog Rex, he was safe; but
somehow l lowed to be in at the finish.
AT the next raise l saw them not more
than 30 yards ahead, an Powder River
not more'n half mile away. gave
Shavey the spurs in the flank, an let a
warwhoop out O. me like Mojave In
dian."
"Well just let Shavey have his head
and undid the lariat, sayin' to myself,
'we'll just have beavertail steak for
supper Never 'et any? Well, pard-
ner you've overlooked something"
81 shook out the moose to see if every.
thing was clear from leather. was
just considering that beaver just as
good as mine, when Shavey stepped in
prairiedog hole and went on after
that beaver. I picked myself up not
more'd ten feet from it, just in time to
see it take a header for the water; but
it was goin' too fast. He couldn't dive.