The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-01-06

teen-year-old boy. But I stuck to It IL
spite of aching bones and a tired head
For the first three months I had nc
mishaps I began to think the talk OF
danger was all bosh. Then as I was
galloping around a curve on a hillside
trail n day I rode flush up to a lev.
eled pistol. The man behind it told me
to throw up my hands. I obeyed
There Is no use arguing with a loaded
pistol. Frontiersmen In those days
shot to kill. The road agent dismount-
ed and walked up to me to take my
s~addlebags. I tried to look scared
and harmless. He lowered his re-
volver as he reached for the bags.
Just then I whirled my pony around.
The little horses plunge knocked the
man OF his feet, and a stray kick from
n of the iron shod hoofs grazed the
fellows head, knocking him ~senseless.
Having no further interest in him, I
was glad enough to make my escape.
Here is a further adventure of i'm
port:
One day 1 galloped up to a relay
station and found no relief pony wait
Ing for me. Not a soul was in sight.
But l heard men yelling and shooting
down by the corral back of the station.
I jumped of, rifle in n hand and my
twenty pound pouches in the other,
and made for the trees that hid the
corral from the trail. l thought from
the noise that there must be an Indian
raid there at least.
I reached the little clearing above
the corral in time to see a gigantic
buffalo bull charge through a bunch of
cattle and rush on toward the door,
yard of the station. -Four or FIVE men
were yelling at the top Of their lungs
and blazing away at him with guns
and r%evolvers. But If any Of the shots
reached the brute they only served to
madden him all the more. 1t was no
business Of mine, so I stood there
laughing at their excitement. But all
at once I stopped laughing and turned
sick at what I saw.
There, near the door of the cabin,
playing with a big wooden doll, sat a
little girl perhaps three years old. She
wore a little red cloak, and the bright
bit Of color had caught the mad buf-
falo's attention. Down at the uncon-
scious playing baby charged the great,
furious brute. The men saw her peril
just when I did, and they fred wildly
and came forward at a dead run. But
they were too far away.
A woman ran screaming out of tho
house and rushed toward the child.
She had no weapon Of any kind and
probably couldn't have used one If she
had had. But I suppose mother love
made her forget the horrible peril and
she wanted to die with her little girl.
Women are sometimes drawer, I think,
than men, especially where their chill
dren are concerned.
The buffalo was not fifteen yards
away from the child when I brought
rifle ~instinctively to my shoulder.
I wouldn't give myself time to think
what must happen If l should miss.
1t was N Of those times when a man
must not fail In his aim.
Just then the baby looked up and
say the murderous brute. She clapped
both hands and gave a squeal Of de-
light. She probably thought the beast
was some new sort Of playmate.
AS she called out l fred! The buff
falo's legs seemed to tuck themselves
up under him. The impetus Of his
rush carried him along the ground full
ten feet, and he came to a stop with
his head not six inches from the little
girls knee, stone dead.
Then after the men had pounded me
on the back till I was sore the child's
mother insisted OF kissing ME. How
healthy fourteen-year-old boy does
loathe to be kissed!
Although among the youngest of the
couriers. l seemed to have filed tho
bill and was promoted, as was Johnny
Fry. to $3.50 per month, but to a more
dangerous route.
My age at the time Of riding the
pony express will naturally create at
tention and possibly surprise from the
readers Of the present day, as the
youth at that age in the west-from
fourteen to s~ixteen-was in many re-
spects a man from the time he could
shoulder a rife or fire a pistol, with
all a mans responsibility, bar voting.
OF course I suppose In the centers Of
manufacture. indoor work OF in mines
It Is necessary to protect children IN
der the child labor law. But the con-
ditions were such on the frontier that
the boy acquired an early experience,
and both the Indian boys and the
white boys at the age Of fourteen y
fifteen were ranked in every way as
factors to be accounted for on any &C.
casions that arose demanding energy.
stamina and pluck.
Hundreds Of other boys at that time
were in the same class as myself,
ready. willing and able to do and dare
little men.
The Importance to the white man Of
quick communication soon dawned on
the Indians and aroused them to spe-
cial endeavors to harass, intercept and
I'm - n A. L---~