The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-01-16

inter Mountain Charles M. Russell
wrote an account of his life in Mon
tana. 1t is said to be the only thing
he ever wrote in that line, and is
worth reading:
81 was born in ST. Louis, Mo-, in
1865, and came to Montana % years
ago next month, coming by the way
of the Utah Northern and stage to
Helena, where Pike Miller, the man
| came with, QUILTED, buying a wa
gon and four horses. We pulled out
for the Judith basin, where he had
sheep ranch.
Il did not stay with Miller long,
as the sheep and / did not get along
at all well, so we split up, and
don't think Pike missed me much,
as l was considered pretty ornery.
Soon l took up with a hunter and
trapper, Jake Hoover This life
suited me. We had six horses, a
| saddle horse apiece and pack ami
mails. Two of them belonged to me.
One of these, pinto, l bought in
1881, is at this minute eating hay in
my corral. He has good stable,
but seems to prefer being outside, so
turn him loose He has his choice.
HE is not worth much now, but
don't think he owes me anything.
We were kids together l have rid
den and packed him. thousands of
miles. We have always been to-
gether. People who know me know
him. We don't exactly talk, but we
sure savy on another.
We'll, l lived with Jake about two
years. In 1882 returned to ST.
Louis and stayed about four weeks
bringing back a cousin of mine, Jim
Fulkinson, who died of mountain
fever two weeks after we arrived.
When l pulled out l had four bits
in my pockets and 200 miles between
me and Hoover. Things looked
mighty rocky. There was still quite
a little snow, as it was early in
April, but after riding about IL
miles l struck cow outfit coming in
to receive 1000 dogies for the ~ z
and V outfit up in the basin.
"The boss, John Cabler, hired me
to night-wrangle horses. We were
about month on the trail and
turned loose on Ross Fork, where we
met the Judith roundup. They had
Just fired their night herder and
Cabler gave me good recommend
so I took the herd.
1T was lucky thing no one knew
me Or I'd never got the job. Ole
man True was asking who | was
Ed Older said: 4 think it's Kid Rus
sell
who's Kid Russell?
why says Ed, it's that kit
that drawed S. S. Hobson's ranch
Well, says True, if that's tha
buckskin kid, I'm betting We'll b,
afoot in the morning. So you SEE
what kind of rep. l had. was con
sidered worthless and was spoken O
as that ornery Kid RUSSELL but no
among cowmen.
II held their bunch, and at tina
time they had 800 saddle horses
That same fall old True hired me t.
night herd his beef, and for II year
sung to their horses and cattle.
In 1888 I went to the Northwes
Territory and stayed about ST.
months with the Blood Indians Il
| the spring of 1889 l went back to tn
, Judith, taking my old place wrang
ling. The captain was Horace Crus
ter, the same man who hired me il
1882 on Ross Fork.
"The Judith country was gettin
] pretty we'll settled and sheep had tn
, range, so the cowmen decided t
move. All that summer and tn
/ next We trailed the cattle north t
Milk river In the fall of 1891 re
r ceived letter from Charley Greer
: better known as Pretty Charley
: bartender, who was at Great Falls
saying that if would come to tina
l camp I could make SIS month an
) grub. 1t looked good, so l saddle
t my gray and packed Monty, my pi1
: to- and pulled my freight for sal
5 burg
| when | arrived | was introduce
5 to Mr.. G., who pulled contract a
: long as a stake rope for me to sigr
e Everything l drew, modelled or pain
ed was to be his, and it was for
| year. I baked Then he wanted m
1 to paint from in the morning unit
2 6 at night, but | argued that Their
l was some difference in painting an
saving wood, SO we split up and
went to work for myself.
: Il put in with a bunch of COW
) punchers, a roundup cook and priz
: fighter out of work, and We rente
a two-by-four on the south side. TIL
feed was very short at times, bu
r we wintered. Next spring l wen
e back to Milk river and once NOR
;, took to the range. In the fall I RI
turned to Great Falls. took UP tn
paint brush and have never sun