The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-03-25
MISSED RICH NINE
FINE COPPER FIELDS IN MONTANA
WE'RE REFLECTED BY AN
OLD MINER
WOODEN-LEGGED I
LIAR

Punished.
Recent rich discoveries OF copper mines
in the st. Mary's country were being
discussed. says the Chicago Inter Ocean.
and the subject led oldiCharlie Phemmis-
ter to tell his story:
81 had a little experience up In the st.
Mary's country once he said, land sew
eral times 1 walked right over those
leads, scarcely giving them a passing
glance, for L was hunting placer ground,
knew nothing about copper quartz, and
thought the groupings were merely a
blowout of queer looking rock. l didn't
find any placer, but had mighty hard
trip and some exciting times, and all
on account of believing the tales of the
allhredest liar that ever struck Montana.
'In the winter of '74-5 L traded with
the Indians out on the plains. and when
spring came I disposed of my robes aid
moved up to Sun river, thinking to put
in the summer with a ranchng friend
who lived near the crossing. One Sum-
day, lot of us, hunters, traders, ranch
men. and the like, were sitting out in
front of the tavern, summing ourselves
and spinning yarns, when a lone horse
man hove in sight crossing the bridge
and approaching at slow gait. AS he
came near every one stared, for he was g
stranger to us all, and hard-looking
case. His clothes were In rags, his hair
and whisbers were about two feet long
and looked as If they had never been
combed. He had an awful big mouth, a
short, turned-up-nose, and little black
eyes like q muskrat's. He rode his nag
up to the hitching post, as sorry parcel
of weary skin and bones as was ever
seen, and when he dlsmounted we saw
that he had wooden leg, harp-point-
ed stump that he had whitfield out him
self.
-" Howdy, gentlemen, howdy, he said,
in thin, squeaking kind of voice, as he
came hobbirg up to where we sat.
Come and jine me in a drink on this
glorious summers day. he says.
1--WE filed into the tavern after him,
poured out our liquor, said Howl and
swallowed it, all Of US looking at him
and sizing him up the best we could, and
when he pulled oueSa greasy buckskin
sack and called on the bar slave for his
scales, you can bet every one of US want
ed to see what was in it. Twas gold
OUSlI Oil lib IlC--OlSb -CO6ISO oSSp ycIAOW
dust-and we just fell over each other
setting up the drinks trying to get ac-
Quainted with that one-legged fellow and
find out where he got It.. He drank every
time he was asked, and the boys nearly
all got laid out trying to get enough red
liquor down him to make. him communica-
tive. Along toward evening he and I
were the only sober ones in the party;
h. oI. cIo1 & Yo1x T wish
ed many time afterward that I had got
paralyzed, too, instead of pouring my
stuff into the spittoOng every time it
would have saved nae a heap Of trouble.
STRANGER MAKES PROPOSITION.
"Well, along about shutdown said I'd
have to go and take care of my horses,
and the cripple proposed to go along with
me and turn his out with mine. SO we
went over across, the river where mine
were turned out, all except one 1 had
picketed. When L rounded them up and
brought them in to water the stranger
declared that he had never seen finer
stock; and they were four as good team
horses as could be found in the country.
CT spose. he says, You've got
wagon, too?
" Yes said Il got good one There
it's over by the cabin. Three and a quar-
ter at Balm; hold up forty hundred on
any road
4" Partner said he, you're just the
man I'm lookin' for. I've found the rich
est placer mine you ever heard of, and
want someone to help me work it.
" Put her there I said giving him my
hand. I'm with you on any kind of
proposition. Give me your lay
We'll, it's just this squeaked the Grip
pie, hitting me shifty glare with those
rat-like eyes of his. It's just this.
was a-prospectin' along the mountains
north of here, when l run across a likely
lookin' creek; the wash was fine. fol-
lowed it up a piece till / come to a bar,
sunk down about six feet to bed rock and
washed out four pans. There's what I
got And he pulled out the greasy sack
and tossed it over to me. There were
fou: ounces in it if there was a penny
weight.
HIM I said. lifting the sack and
handing 1t back to him. They must
surely be rich diggings. Give me your
proposition; If it's anything like square
deal. I'm with you
" Partner he replied, I'll give you half
them diggins if you'll furnish everything:
the grub, the sluice boxes and tools. the
transportation, everything needed to open
up the discovery
81 consented. and the next day went to
the store and laid in a stock of grub and
everything else reeded. not forgetting a
my partner. The stranger had told a
pretty likely story, and thought I was a
fool to doubt his sincerity. but 1 finally
made up my mind not to take any chances
Of travelling Off alone with him. So
watching my opportunity, let my friend
Froggy into the secret, told him to tell
others of our friends and be ready to
follow us at any time. About the time
I got to the ranch with my purchases and
had unhitched. Pegleg came stumping
over from the tavern as sober as ever
although he had drank a gallon Of whisky
more or less, during the day.
SOLICITOUS ABOUT LIQUOR.
Got everything? he asked. Didn't
forget f1ve-gallon keg of Ticker I hope!
II you did, go over and get it now, and
we'll pull out tonight as soon as every
one goes to bed
All right I said. TIL go back and
buy the whisky. But, see here. I've done
my share Of the agreement and spent a
lot of money; and 1 now want to know
where the mines are.
The fellow considered a moment, and
then told me that they were near st.
Mary's lake. When we get there he
SAID, we can see the place plain, only
few miles beyond
'Of course, when [ went back after the |
liquor, l gave the boys the word, and |
When we sneaked so quietly out of the |
little settlement that night 1 felt easy, |
Tor knew they would start right behind |
US. We travelled steadily all night and
the sun was Just rising when we drove
down into the valley of the Teton, and |
mnnn A no,