The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-08-05

over the door, and her apron over
the window. Father did odd jobs un-
til fall, and then got a Job playing
his fiddle in a hurdy house at $40 a
night. In some way he got hold Of
a dulcimer, but it had no strings and
he couldn't obtain any. So he gath
cred up a lot Of old broOms, stripped
them Of wire and strung up the dull
elmer so l, who was then nine years
old, could learn to play accompani-
ments. Soon he took me to play with
him, also at $40 per. The dulcimer
was too heavy for me to pack, so
Dad would carry it and l the fiddle.
Returning home we would walk In
inc middle Of the road, no matter if
l the snow was three feet deep, for
! Dad had our nights wages in his
pocket and feared a holdup. Vir-
ginia City was pretty rough in those
days.
1 played with fater during "a
and '65. In 1857 hired out as
devil" on the Montana Democrat,
under Major John P. Bruce. l got SIS
a week and my board and clothes.
l worked four years at the Democrat
without missing a week. Then Major
Bruce moved to Bozeman and start
ed a paper called the Bozeman Times,
on South Black street. l followed
with him that fall and winter. In the
fall of 70 l returned to Virginia
City and worked on the Madisonian
I pulled the first paper off the press
an old Washington hand press. / was
there two years.
l recall that Tom Farrell, we'll
known Pioneer who recently passed
away, ran a livery stable in Virgins
City in '73. l shall forget al
amusing incident that occurred while
l was there. A fellow had come. IL
from the Madison with a gray mare
and colt. and sold them to Tom. HI
| took a rope and tied them in the barr
! yard, but during the night they go
loose and lit out for their old rang,
. on the Madison.
Tom was pretty mad when he dis
covered his loss, but saddled up ant
prepared to round up his animals. l
was pretty chilly, so he bought a pin
bottle of whiskey, which he stuck il
the outside breast pocket of hi
coat. The pocket was shallow, an
the neck and cork Of the bottle stuc.
: out. On top of the range betwee
Virginia City and the Madison Tor
met a Bannack Indian coming int
: town. ~
Both stopped. @4ow," said the In
y dian.
a "HOw," answered Tom. Then h
asked:
= "You see=um white horse so hig
indicating with his hands) on ropi
and little horse so high (again ind
cating)F?"
y The Indian, who had by this tim
q spied the neck of the bottle Tom ha
in his coat pocket, answered grave
ly:
d eyes, yes; me see-um."
q Where you see-um?" demande
Tom.
The Indians eyes never left Il
d cork. He licked his lips thirstily.
', eyes, yes; me see-um. Yes, n
l. see-um white horse, rope, lit
p horse"
This dialogue, without variation
y continued for several minutes. To
IN was getting chillier and madden
~ LMC lAluGs
er "Where you see-um?" he shouts
in for the tenth time.
ID eyes, yes; me see-um," stoical
y. grunted the Indian, his eyes st
ae glued to the cork.
j. "Oh, you go to hell" bIazed To-
OF as be spurred his horse into a gall
rs and rode away.
I'd Once later, when / was in Virgin.
lg / met old Tom, whom l hadn't Sc
he for about 20 years. He didn't rec
Vo me, as I could see when 1 shook han
We with him Sol said, gravely:
ut "You see-um white horse, so his
on rope, ~lindicating) and little horl
ia so high, (again indieating) ?"
Toms. eyes lighted IN in a bla
lp, of recognition.
nd "By G., if it amt Al Orton!"
by exclaimed, as he wrung my hal
or How r you, you old son Of
h gum"
hit Then ON Deyarml