Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-01-04
Two Brothers
A Story Of the Western Plains
Of Former Times
By TIMOTHY WENTWORTH
By TIMOTHY WENTWORTH

that every time l come back TO II !
scarcely know II. Where there was u
trail there's now macadamizcd road.
Where there was few log houses
there's n town lighted by electricity
and runnin trolleys. Where there was
tewsharps or perhaps fiddle there
are now pianos. Where there was
three card monte sharks. now there's
the gentlemanly swindler. And the
punishments is all changed too. II a
man shot another In them days no.
body took much notice OF the fact. but
they hung boss thief Now II man
shoots another. there's a murder case
araggln' through the courts for years.
and II thief gets away with team
like enough the police is in cahoots
with him, and the owner Is glad
enough to pay for gittin' the boss back
and no questions asked"
singular" | remarked TO the old
man. how different conditions re-
qnire different treatment"
80 they do" he rambed on. The
nearer yoe git down TO nature the
simpler the forms Of law. But 1t isn't
always so cold blooded down near the
bottom as you'd suppose. I've known
the most hardened villain to give his
life for woman or n child There
was lots o misery in them days. just
as there Is now. Families would come
out yere from the east. not KNOWN
what they wns comm 10. git stranded
and II II hadn't been for the help Of
some gambler or road agent would
starve to DEATH
did you ever have any such ex-
periences:'' | asked.
"waal, yes: so did. I had one that
turned out mighty important to me.
Fact is. | hain't got over the effects Of
II yit. When these yere plains was
covered with herds o. wild buffalo me
and Jack Cundiff followed the business.
huntin' 'em for their skins. In them
days buffalo robes was used instead OF
the finer fJrs they use now and was a
staple article IN the market That's
what killed 'em off so fast We that
was huntin' 'em used TO fist slaughter
'em for the money there was In EN-.
"What was goln' 10 tell you about
happened near the foothills of the Rock
les west o where Cheyenne now
stands. II stood there then. but II was
the terminus OF the Union Pacific rail.
road. and tough place II was. too.
with its gamblin' and dance houses and
other SIGH shebangs. Jack and | was In
camp one day. MS was telin you. near
the base OF the mountains. Buffaloes
were getting scarce. and we allowed
we'd turn to prospectin' for gold. We
didn't have anything with us that was
wo'th anything except our bosses. so
when we went 10 sleep nights we jist
turned In without worryin' onless Mt
the loss OF the animals. Since II man
couldn't cit over the ground without
one of 'em they was mighty valuable.
Fact Is. they was the most valuable
thing to be bad And that's why we
strung up the boss thieves and didn't
string up the men shooters. There was
plenty OF men. but only SO many
bosses. and each boss would bring a
good price nj any time or anywhere.
Jack Cundiif and was smokin' our
pipes after onr noon meal of hog fat
and crackers. talkin' over whether we'd
better give up the buffalo skin business
and try our luck at prospectin'. when
along comes two young fellers on foot
and. seem our camp. stopped and look.
ed at u.s. They said somep'n 10 each
other. then was goin' on. when hailed
'em and asked IL they didn't want any
thing. They came TO where we was an
we had powwow.
"They said they was brothers The
older one was middle height. but the
younger was small. They was both so
young that their boards hadn't sprout-
ed yit. and they looked hungry. asked
em what they was dom without
bosses. and they said they didn't own
any bosses. We questioned 'em where
they'd come from and where they was
goin'. but they didn't seem TO have a
home. and ! couldn't learn from EN-
that they was goin' anywhere. Fact Is.
they was down on their luck.
1--WE offered 'em somep'n to eat. and
they chawed II up mighty fast Then
/ poured out cupful OF whisky and
handed II 20 the Oldest one OF the two.
He tried 10 drink II. but ! could see
plain enough II was burnin' out his
throat There wasn't any use givin' II
to his brother II the Oldest couldn't
drink the stun the other shore couldn't.
I thort the biggest one looked big
enough TO drink whisky. but was
not surprised at the little Teller not
wantin' It.
They looked 70 tired
asked 'em df they dIdn',
with us awhile and rest
they'd like 70 Git some ~ !
a..I y. as