The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-11-28

in this country we know how craw-
fishing hurts, we know how 1t fills the
eyes with tears and the heart with hui
initiation. 1t takes the conceit out Of
the best of us and brings us into a
humble state of mind for a few days.
"When crawhshing has to he done,
hOwever-when there hain't any way
to dodge it or walk over it or twist
around it-when we find u gun emp.
ty and the other Teller holding a pat
hand aud ready to back 1t for all he's
worth-then the crawhshing should be
done like a nan and not like a cur.
I'm going to myself. I'm 60
ing to crawl up hill backward, but I'm
going to do it without letting any crit
ter among yc know how 1t yanks at my
heartstrings.
"A few weeks ago an individual
known among us rs Sinful Joe was
brought before this court on the charge
Of shooting q bullet into a tenderfoot
from the east who was out here to
cure a bad liver. Sinful found him liv-
ing in the open air on the hills, and he
not only claimed to feel sorry for him,
but to have an infallible cure for what
allied him. The tenderfoot didn't want
to take the treatment, at least not un-
til he had written back home to his
paw and maw, but Sinful sighted for
his liver and let drive with a bullet.
Then he took the strangers outfit and
departed.
1.-THE tenderfoot didn't die. He was
found and brought in by Jim Traverse,
and later on a warrant vas issued and
Sinful Joe was arrested. lie claimed
to have done the shooting out of SYM
pathy for a Teller critter in distress,
and he pointed to the fact that the
tenderfoot was making a gain in
health, but as he had loaded up the out
At and was arrested a hundred miles
away this court differed with him. In
fact, this court held that he had at.
tempted Il murder, and he was found
guilty and sentenced to prison for life.
l believe the sentence found universal
satisfaction. but now the higher court
comes along and reverses the ma
chinery OF me. 1t don't exactly say
that when Il mar thinks another mans
liver is out Of order it can he improved
by shooting Il bullet hole in it, but it
hauls me up on the question Of exceed
ing my lawful powers. 1t throws out n
hint that when l have sentenced a man
to Jail for ninety days l have reached
the end Of my lariat.
This court hereby and hereon craw-
fishes. 1t collapscs. 1t shets up like
an umbrella. Sinful Joe. who sits over
there, with Il grin on his face, is in
formed that he is ut liberty. He can't
depart right away. However. After
the other case is disposed of Sinful and
me will be left alone in this courtroom
for about ten minutes. When the ten
minutes are up he al 60. He may de-
part with a contempt for this court as
a court, but l have got money to bet
that he won't have any contempt for
me- as an individual.
1.-THE other case Is that Of Humble
Hiram. Most Of you know H.. Fl. He
has been going around for the last five
years asking us to excuse him for liv-
ing. He has been known to make a
run for it when Il Chinyman got to
talking big to him. He has been look
ed upon around Sandy Bend as a sort
o human jack rabbit. Once in awhile
when he has slipped into my Red Dog
saloon for Il glass Of whisky and drunk
1t off with II please forgive me- look
IN his face I have wondered If he had
any deviltry hidden way back some
where's. had about concluded he
hadn't when he surprised us all. In
going over to Panther Greek one day.
elk weeks ago. he tumbled across the
camp Of Pete Cabin. Pete is living
there with his sQuaw. He is at work