Mexico Missouri message., 1908-10-29

Brickviilian hope OF metropolis in
the heart OF the Bad Lands went up
IN smoke
BrickVille didn't realize II at the
moment, because. paradoxical as II may
seem. the little blaze which destroyed
the town was easily got under con
troll. The place hadn't progressed as
far AZ q FIRE department. and it would
not have helped matters n II had. A
upsy cowboy who had been sampling
Pikey's hardware vaulted to the back
OF a wolfish.looking cayuse. yelled a
few times In hearty Montana fashion,
and then swung his RATA at the chin
ney A. the moose fell fair about the
stack Of bricks he dug spurs into the
sides Of his mount and made a run
upon the rope.
The chimney came down with a
crash the FIRE was out; the fate OF
Brickville was written.
That is why the town does not ap.
pear upon any map. but II ever you
have ridden over the Northern Pa
clhc you can probably recall a long
and narrow valley to the north as you
DuhhFu ouN ut tut lldu lsdlluh VI ASaNb'
In into the Bad Lands Of Montana.
That is where Brickville stood. The
soil all about il hard and dry and red,
and there is no verdure. Not any.
where in sight is there a tree. The
side hills are scanned with black strR.
"a, and the rains have carried stains
from these and streaked the valley
with them on both sides OF the muddy
little stream which winds away to the
south.
The black strata are seams OF btu.
minous coal. and IL was in mining this
coal that the Brickvilllans made their
living. There is still pay in these
sireaks. but the people who worked
them have 1rifted away. and on the
site OF the town prairie dogs and coy
otes and rattlesnakes hold annual con.
Ventlons which never adjourn.
II any place ever fully justified its
name. that place was Brickville. At
the height OF It's prosperity II had. ex.
elusive OF sheds and stables. 81 one.
story buildings, including the railroad
station, the saloon and the tonsorial
parlor. and every one of them was Of
brick-even the sheds. There were
optImists who looked forward TO
brick courthouse and 4 brick Jail,
and but for the fire in Pikey McGinn's
chimney these aspirations might have
been realized.
Pierre Succotash played perhaps tho
most prominent part In Brickville's
destruction. Pierre was a French-Ca.
madam, whose rear name had come in.
90 collision with Brickvilles sense Of
propriety. and some OF its letters were
dlslocated by tho shock lie had
been gold mining in British Column.
bla. and no one had inquired very
closely into the reason of his coming
from n gold to a coal camp; il would
have established an uncomfortable
precedent. But he went nosIng about
che wreck of that chimney, as he went
nosing into everything that happened
IN town: and Fred Richie, who con.
Quoted the tonsorial parlor," which
was across the street from McGinn's.
saw him suddenly dart in and pick up
a broken brick.
Now Fred and Succotash had said
come unpleasant things TO each other
once upon a time, and Fred, believ.
ing that Pierre was counting trouble,
promptly ran in for his gun; but
when he came out Succotash was no,
where to be seen.
Next morning Pikey found that
some one had carried of nearly hall
OF his chimney bricks, and he prompt
ly declared II to be the work OF Slant
eye McCanerty. his hated rival In the
hardware business. Mac denied this
In vigorous language, and a gunplay
was imminent when the whisky
agent happened along and announced
q reduction in rates by the barrel;
and then they had a drink, and or
dered half barrel each. and the
Ratchet was buried.
But war was on hotter than evel
next day, for the remainder OF Pikey'i
loose bricks had disappeared I'm thu
night. Pikey swore that Slanteye wal
planning a cheap extension to his gil
mill, and Mac Tetorted that he woul,
be q fool indeed 10 go around pIokinI
up hOOdoOs that had fallen from hl
rivals lsaky roof.
Then each got a shotgun and stoo,
out In front Of his saloon waiting 70
the other to come along. And tn
result OF this was that trade fell oil
in both places. for Brickvillians kne'
that shotguns scattered their charge
and they refused to slake their thirs
when there was a chance that a stra
buckshot might next moment sprin
them aleak. So Il was that bushes
interests induced the rivals for a SCI
ond time TO declare a truce, and the
the town breathed easier and dram
oftener.
A week later Succotash was a pa
senger on q west-bound express wit
q ticket 20 Glendive in his hat bant
And the next eastbound freigt
brought in a very scarce article
some lumber-and a heavy iron rol