The Bozeman courier., 1926-09-17

soldiers and Indians. Blankets were /
staple at dollar a piece. Saddle
pads, needle guns, ammunition. belts |
clothing and underwear, pack sad
dies, all staple goods of government
quality, were current and negotiable. |
though not conspicuous when off |
GERS were around, though they an
parently took little trouble toward
recovering stray government prom
erty of this nature. Occasionally we
were reminded that our right to such
was open to debate.
The Major
A certain Major -. med
ical officer attached to the two or
three troops of cavalry from Fort
Ellis, stationed at the summer can't
onment at the mouth of the Boulder.
evidently found the monotony Of
camp life extremely irksOme and Of
ten sought what entertainment was
to be found in the three or four
saloons that flourished in the little
town of Big Timber, located a mile
or so above the cantonment. It was
his habit to visit the town nearly
every evening accompanied by an
orderly, or dog robber' as termed
enlisted men, whose chief function
on these occasions appeared to be
the hosting of the Major onto his
horse at the end of an evenings
session and conveying him to camp.
The majors condition in the late
hours Of the evening usually war
ranted this assistance.
The major was a genial soul and
thoroughly democratic in his tastes
seemingly entirely free from any
false ideas of caste which was occa-
sionally displayed by army officers
IN the presence of civilians. He cul-
tlVated the acquaintance of the mot
ley crew of workers who congregated
In the saloons, reserVing his dignity
only for the few soldiers who might
happen to be present on these occa-
slons. His main source of entertain
ment was found at the bar where he
was a consistent and almost contin-
uous performer. One evening in a
mellow stage he became somewhat
interested in small poker game
which was in progress, and upon in
V1tation sat in, though protesting a
protound ignorance of the rules of
the game.
That's all right, Colonel. Well
instruct you in the fine points," vol
unteered Jess, who was dealing.
1t may be well to state that wise
civilians were in the habit of address
sing army officers by a title a rank
or two above that warranted by their
insignia. 1t generally stood uncor.
rected and did no harm in the mat.
ter of good feeling.
The Major learned rapidly as the
game progressed and eventuaIIy
drew to a pair of queens, making :
queen full with treys to niger
"Ah, believe win!" he exclaim.
ed as the hands were shown dowr
and apparently nothing in sight tr
beat it. AS he reached for the MOI
however, George halted him:
/ The '"LallapalOOsa"
Hold on, General. I've got 2
ialfapaloosa' and displayed three
hearts and couple of small spades
all OF no apparent value. "You know
General, a 1allapaloosa' beats any
thing In sight," and he raked in tn,
pot while the Major appeared some
what dazed.
However, he registered resignation
and the game went on. After a tim,
he gave signs of interest in his han,
and boosted the pot, promptly caIle,
by Jess and Ole.
.. l have an invincible, believe.
'laIlapalusum' 1 think you gentle
men termed it," and the Major turn
ed over three diamonds and twr
clubs.
eyes, but my aces takes the Dot,
remarked Jess, "You see a TaIIapa
: loosa' is good only once in an even
ing"
"Well, well 1 fear this game is ,
little too intricate for me-" and tn
Major solght solace at the bar
But the Major was not so dumb a
he would have us believe, for late
in the evening he casually droppe,
over to the poker table and remarke,
to Jess:
! 81 see you are wearing government
: property" indicating the belt wit
{ a huge brass clasp emblazoned wit
the letters gu s" very prominentI
! which encircled his waist. ''You ar
! subject to arrest and Imprisonment
and I shall call the attention o
' Capt. j. to this matter upo,
t my return to quarters
) Jess tried to laugh it off by turnin
! to Ole and commanding him to ''tak
> off them government drawers You ar
! wearing and give them to the Col
I onel," but his facetiousness fell rath
3 er flat with all OF US, for we di
? not relish the idea of a detail fror
{ the cantonment searching our bunk
8 houses for contraband goods, Will
: the visions Of a federal prison o
S heavy fines persisted until it final
d came to our perception that it wa
d just the Majors way of getting eve
b for our fun at his expense. Ou
q methods Of poker were poor and an
: cient jokes anyway, without even th
/ merit of originality.
b The regular army man is an il
e frequent vision in Montana now, onI
O one small post being maintained 8
I present in the whole state. He
a not factor any more, but his pre-
i lSence in an earlier day lent a hi,