The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-12-30

the heads Of various state banks over a
slow fire and grilled them beautifully
with witty and Satanic elaboration. Did
they like it? They ate it up.
Concluding he said: IT am indeed glad
to welcome you here for it will never be
my pleasure to welcome you in the here
after. 1t is timely on an auspicious oc-
casion like this to dignity the function
with a quotation from Holy Writ. 1 hope
my auditors will retain it on the tablets
of their memories and when the festivi-
ties of this banquet have faded they will
recall it, shudderingly, n reflect upon
it. I quote you from the gospels Of Mat
thew, Chap. 10, v. "a; Mark, Chap. 10, ".
as, and Luke, Chap. ID, v. 25-and it
seems these gentlemen were all unani-
mouS-to-wit:
90 IT is easier for a camel to go through
the eye of a needle than for a rich man
to enter into the Kingdom Of Cod"
There was a hushed lnterval-some
celebrities squirmed a little-and then a
deafening .outburst of applause and
laughter.
Only once did I find Irvine in error in
the many years I consulted him on dates
and occurrences in connection with Mon
tana historical events, and thereon hangs
a tale. Had you dropped into the old
Silver Bow club in the spring, I think it
was Of 1908, you would have observed
IGNOLY d4tCIAlOO4 dG y " bWO GO1IOCCA-
tive weeks Uncle" George Irvine and the
local capitalist, Uncle Rod Leggat, GER
enormously drinking a quart of cham
payne. This continued without interrupt
ton for II days, then it ceased as sud-
denly as it had begun.
I had been working IN a story Of two
placer miners who were murdered near
the old Bannock workings in the seven
ties, the details of which are not inn
portant here, but I was short some. of the
essentials at the time. I found George
Irvine and Rod Leggat quietly ~disposing
Of a couple of toddies at the club.
George remembered the minutest details
of the affair, even that the occurrence
was Of the date Of June, 1874.
you've got that wrong, George" said
Leggat, II remember all about it.. 1t was
in June, 1871"
Challenge to Bet
And the battle was on. AS usual ii
ended in a challenge to bet.
"a quart of wine," said Irvine (wine
was the n~onchalant equivalent for cham
Ipagne). IT dare you to bet. Bet or adj
nit you stole sheep in Beaverhead."
With a cinch like this I'd like to make
it a case" said Leggat. What do you say
George, Pommery or maybe you'd like
Piper Heidseck?" So they made it a casI
to be consumed at a quart a day unit
lfnished-and they mortgaged the bet b,
NOLNCAAA6 q AOa4g 0A40 AAAA46AAL6 UP bAAC "a
for signature until the bet was decided.
When Leggat left, Irvine began Il
IVORY.
I'm not so sure about that date" h
con1ded. You run over to the librar-
and get me a book entitled Then an
Now the story is in that book some
where"
I might state that this is a rare oil,
Montana book with few copies extan
and is something on the order of Dims
ldale's History Of the Vigilantes."
I got the book and returned. Irwin
had lost the bet. The murder occurre
in June, I'll.
IT don't like to lose That bet" sal
Irvine. He scrutinized the printed pag
and the date, again. Now" he wen
on, "f that II could be changed to ~
wouldn't that be a good joke on Leg
gat?" Those old-timers had no con
science when it came to jobbing eac
other.
eff there is any magic in the type
graphical art" and he looked at me hyI
nottcally, that date MIGHT be changed
My reputation is at stake as an author.
ty."
I burst out laughing. He was so nai7
about it. I took the book and told hi
1 would see what I could do.
Dick Kilroy enthusiastically aided al
abetted that foul conspiracy on tt
I64O0AAAo SAAdG LoOA 44aA HICLlGN VI UlOllt
and that George hadn't any. Billie Pu,
nett, our star printer, and George Snoo
- our makeup artist, were called into col
ference and allowed it could be don
- Shook pulled his nihilist black Whisker
- They found a similar font type and /
dipping it in printers ink and pressir
: it lightly over the 81" transformed it I'M
# as pretty a Il" as n professional coul
Sc terfeiter could have done. Shook is no
president of the Typographical union
Butte and Billie is foreman at the Mine
remember both taking great pride
:, their craftsmanship.
Leggat Pays Debt
is On my return with the book next d;
Rod elevated his left eyebrow, wiped b
a glasses several times and held the DO,
It. close to the light. I feared he was goil
IN to get a magnifying glass. Old RI
or was the very soul of honor.
tt well, I lose," he said reluctant
Nv Let's drink bottle number two"
to Irvine's conscience began to both
him.
n. TIL call of the other 10 quarts"
o. said generously. You're getting old a.
bit childish or you wouldn't bet with I
OF and I don't van to take advantage
your senility."
1.-The - you will" reared Legg,
I IN pay my bet to the last drop. A
be old time an old m-oss-covered nonagens
in ian like you with one foot in hell and t
of other in the Silver Bow club can win
p bet from me I'm willing to pay"
And that is the explanation why /
two straight weeks Uncle" George
vine and Uncle" Rod Leggat ORA
champagne every day at $3.50 in the s
Ter yer Bow club-when both Of them woJ
he have much preferred old fashioned boz
he bon toddies.
he S--