The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-10-02
THE WISDOM
OF F. SOLO
Copyright. by shortstory Pub. Coz
~ q. D. DUNBAR.

OurlnS the Or1ef stop made by the
train during its climb up the mount
ain side the car had been half emptied.
All the men whose conversation had
been Of ranches and ranges, saddles
and spurs were left behind. This is
Rocky creek. The cowboys who went
east in the fall came to the railroad
through tho pass with the latest beef
drive of the season, chilled and dis
gusted. They swore great oaths never
to tighten cinch again, and sold
their outfits to Jud Bristol for song
or, at the most, song and dance.
Now they were coming back in shoals.
Bill Field and half a dozen of his
fellows left the train on such an af-
ternoon, and lined up on the platform
to watch it away. That duty dis
charged, they felt as tired and thirsty
as though they had helped to pull the
cars up the long hill, and with COM
mon impulse turned toward the build
hgs across the track.
Rocky Creek is not much of town
to look at-Cook's tourists don't stop
there-but it ships more stock than
any other three stations on the road.
1t is struggling row of irregular
wooden buildings along single street
facing the railroad. At the end of
the row are the stock yards, large
pens for handling and loading cattle.
The homing cowboys turned their
steps toward the general store of
Jud Bristol. This store had long been
one of the institutions of the town.
Built two stories high in front, sue
cessive low additions made as bust
ness increased had extended back
two hundred feet. Some parts were
OF redwood, some of pine and sheet
iron; all were implanted and weather.
beaten. A sign had at one time
reached across the front reading,
Groceries, Dry Goods, & c." When
the committee attempted to hang a
superfluous citizen there, it broke in
the middle, one end came down and
was never replaced. The present
reading-Goods & C-has been gen.
orally interpreted to mean goods and
credit" Within this ridiculous old
shell was complete department
store, with saloon annex, and a
blacksmith shop and stock corral
adjunct.
Hello! new sign" said Bill, as
they came opposite; "Jud is putting
on airs"
Changed his name, too," said an
other; che spells it "A. solomon-Buys
and Sells Everything
II can speak three languages" re-
marked bewildered Bill, American
English and profane, but l can't get
bold Of word that fits the occasion"
"Well, come along into the syna-
gogue," urged 10; 1--WE got to have the
liquor anyhow" ..
In the saloon annex the boys took
the usual and made their inquiries
about the former proprietor.
"Jud has gone broke" said the
artist who mixes; collections were
little slow, and the sheenies came
down on him and closed him out. That
gent over there in long whiskers cor
vailed the whole outfit
II owe Jud about seven dollars, N.Y.
SELF" said Bill, adding amiably as he
chewed his liquor: IF things were
like they used to be in this country
we could pour coal oil on them
whiskers and set 'em afire. No sense
in shutting Jud off. Why, he was the
most accommodating dealer that ever
was; used to buy my saddle and togs
every fall when quit, and pay me the
cash. Sell 'em to me again on credit
In the spring"
With this tribute to the character of
the late proprietor, Field dismissed
the subject and ordered the score
charged up to himself.
'That don't co." said the artist;
new boss don't keep a slate"
tits got to co." retorted Bill; II
amt off the range, nor just back from
Klondike. I been east all winter
Bill was crossed again by the new
management when he tried to buy
back his last years saddle and outfit
on the usual terms. The proprietor
politely and decidedly declined to sell
him goods for any other consideration
than spot cash, and was quite I'M
moved when Bill repeated to him the
regret already expressed to the bar
keeper, that the changing times no
longer countenanced the use of kero-
sene and matches as vermicide.
"Have you lost any trouble?" asked
Bill. Because if you have" he added,
II should think you would find it right
here, and pretty quick, too"
William Field was not a desperate.
He belonged to class of young men
who come from country homes in the
east to work on the cattle ranges,
and who consider themselves amen
able to no law but force after they get
west of the one hundred and third
meridian. They are good boys, but
the light air turns their heads trif1e
and they own the earth. The men
who own merely the flocks and herds,
the stores and railroads, are there by
sufferance. All that ails Bill and his
fellows is the free life of the range;