The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1926-02-18

told him that now the official name
was Index Peak. yes said Tom,
"These yer peaks were being named
after all the gopher holes in hell"
After explaining the site as near as
they could, he disappeared to return
next day with the instrument.
One day DR.. Hayden and Artist
Holmes got into an argument regard
ing lake on the trail between the
Geyser basin and Yellowstone Falls,
on the Continental Divide. Mr.. Holmes
said he saw it and trees grew in it,
and DR.. Hayden said it was not there,
that he had never heard of it before.
Mr.. Holmes insisted on having seen
it several times. Well, to settle the
controversy they agreed on getting
Tom to settle it. Calling his, Tom
came to them. Mr.. Holmes was to
ask the questions, and said: tom,
did you ever see that little lake on the
divide with trees growing in it," Dr.
Hayden says that it is not there"
Tom, with indignation and scorn in his
face, said: "By h-h-hell LII have
be-e-en here some t-t-t-time and it
was th-th-there when l c-c-came and
is th-th-there yet if some of your
h-h-hell fired bu-bu-bug hunters ha-
ha-havent carried it away" Artist
Holmes smiled with satisfaction on
DR.. Hayden. rs
Toms description of the Grand
Canyon falls were very brief and with
out establishment. He was asked if
he ever saw the falls. Again his dig
nifty was touched. Strengthening up,
he said: 'N-n-no h-h-hell of of a
great sight to see LII am sure. Just
the yel-yel-yellowstone river run-run-
running into a basin then jump-jump-
jumping over the endge, and LII did
di-didn't see anything to-to-to stop
it, Such was Toms description in con-
trast to the descriptions we read.
Tom was hard man to understand
but he had his likes and dislikes, and
was great tobacco chewer.
Old Tom Smith, quaint character
from Bozeman, and who used to catch
! fish in the Yellowstone and sell them,
also drank booze to help him fish. He
had a cart in which he kept his catch,
also incidentally tobacco and things of
use to hunters and trappers and min
ers. This cart was pulled by an old
grey horse. Tom also could not dc
without his tobacco. One time, COM
ing from Bozeman, Tom had taken
in too much fire water so things hap
I pened, but he did not know it until
next morning when he woke up. His
cart was upside down and all his stock
gone. Gathering himself together he
went into the Yellowstone to stock ur
with fish. After getting a quantity
of fish, Smith went up to GARDENERS
Hole to the hot baths. There he met
Tom Tignour and some of the boys
who were camping there. Smith, be.
ing out of tobacco craved some aw.
fully bad. Asking the boys if they
had some, and they said they had but {
small supply, but maybe if he went tt
Tom Tignour he might get some
Smith was somewhat afraid of Tom
but braced up and approached him al
he lay proped up in his tent taking
things easy. Tom said to him
"What TIT in HE'LL do you want
Smith said could he sell or trade will
him for some tobacco, as he was en-
tirely. out and told Tom what hat
, nn.s.nnnnened to his stock, Tom LOOKED
at hin him bit, then said: "Smith, yo'
damned ol-ol-old rum-rum-rum soak
III ha-ha-have only about twenty
f-f-fve of hir-thir-thirty pounds All