Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-06-24

down the coulee, scattering, as he went
a small group OF noisy sheep from side
to side before him, and drew rein direct
ly in front OF the pair.
Evening. ~strangers!"
Evening" was the reply of the mar
who appeared to be the older of the
twain. adding:
How far to the nearest ranch here
abouts?"
Bout seven miles to the Marsh place
He's the storekeeper at Landusky."
M an my brothers emigrated from
the south n we're locatin' up here Il
we kin find work. Kin We make 1t there
this evening""
Sure can. Jest follow the trail you're
on. Might strike something at the Circle
Bar II Marsh amt needin' hands"
And the Curry boys continued their
journey toward Landusky, the wide-open
metropolis Of Montana's last frontier
where were to be enacted the scenes
which would launch these youths into q
career second to none for bold outlawry
and covering a territory from northern
Montana to the heart of Old Mexico.
The Curry Boys
Hank and Kid Curry came to Montana
in 1884. Heading straight across the ter
rttory from its southern boundary
through the Yellowstone valley and
across Judith Basin, they made their way
to what, in those days, constituted the
last great wide-open frontier-the Little
Rockies region, south and east OF the
present city Of Chinook. They had come
from Pueblo, Colorado, where the Kid,
having become involved in serious
trouble was forced to take sudden de-
parture just out Of range Of a fusillade
Of bullets.
Having luded their pursuers, and be-
ing located la the heart of the old west,
where there was little chance of their
identity being disclosed, the two youths
resolved to settle Town to the more hon.
orable pursuit of a livelihood.
According to a story told some ten
years ago by Dad" Marsh, who operated
a ranch and store in the Little Rockies
In those days, n who later became a
resident of Chinook, Hank and the Kid
first went to the Marsh place in search
OF employment. Marsh was in need of
no new hands at the time and the boys
were hired to ride for the Circle Bar
outfit a few miles distant. They worked
for the Circle Bar all that summer, and
in the fall. being extra hands, they were
laid of. The following winter was spent
by the pair In cutting wood; and, being
industrious, they managed to get out
ter, bringin them % per cord. With
the arrival spring they resumed their
work with the Circle Bar outfit.
Hank and the Kid saved every cent
they earned, with a view. they said, to
accommodating enough ready cash to give
them a start in a small way In the cattle
business.
According to dad" Marsh, the boys
were what might be termed in his mod
ern day. "illiterate." Neither OF them
had attended school when they we're
young. and they were unable to read or
write. One day Hank remarked to Marsh
hat he would give all he possessed to be
able to write as well as Marsh did, and
the latter agreed to act as teacher
Thereupon some copy books were pro-
cured, and every moment that Hank
could spare was devoted to study.
Pike Landusky, Their Neighbor
Hank and the Kid finally settled not
far from Pike Landusky's place. Lam
dusky was a we'll known and experienced
plainsman who, during his career in the
Little Rockies, became one of the IA
nous characters Of the north country.
Old timers agree that he was a man of
unusually good qualities when sober.
However, he was possessed of an ungov-
ernable temper. and when under the in
fluence of liquor, he was considered a
dangerous man. Hank was familiar with
the outstanding weakness in Pixies char
acter and warned the Kid to be careful
in all his dealings with their neighbor.
The story of the Curr~y-Landusky trag-
edy has often been told. 1t seems that
Pike q borrowed a pillow from the
Curry boys n this was the cause Of a