Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-06-13

only water for a long distance. The
horses we're picketed to a brush, as
there was no other wood about and
fires were made from buffalo chips
They awoke in the morning to FIND
their horses gone. Mr.. Bates started
after the horses, leaving his wife and
young RiXOn at the imprOviSed camp
He expected to return at shutdown but
night came without his r-e-appearance
They anXiously waited until 3 O'Clock
the next morning, when he finally re-
turned, having trailed the horses to the
Abbey crossing of the Sinking Water
Abbey kept a stage station and they
went there the next day to cross the
stream and continue to the Crown
ranch.
On their entire trip, they had come
to only or two places where anyone
lived. On Sage creek, west Of the
Pryor mountains in the extreme south
part of Montana, they arrived about 2
O'Clock one afternoon at the ranch
home of Jack Norris. Mrs. Bates was
the first white woman that Mrs. Nor
riS had seen for months and she was
overjoyed at having visitors and would
scarcely let them go on. John Chap
man had a ranch near Hart mountain
further on, and these were the only
habitations on the route from Billings
to the Grown ranch. These people
usually made about two or three trips
a year to Billings for supplies.
The houses of the Crown and Shield
ranches were of logs but were taste
fully decorated and the places had beer
newly fixed up in honor Of the appear
ance of Mrs. Bates, one of the first
women to visit them. The walls were
covered with hunting trophies Of vari-
Gus kinds. Then began a delightful
vacation of riding horses, hunting an
telOpe, with which the section abound
ed, and taking a part in a cattle round
up.
ION the roundup was the first time
that / heard the cowboys singing tC
the cattle as they rode herd on moon
light nights to quiet the restless ami
mails. It is a scene that one is not
likely to forget once it has been ex-
perienced," Mr.. Rixon remarked in re-
calling some of the incidents of the
trip.
Once when the Comte du DOre was
on his way to France, he and Mr.. Bates
and other friends were walking about
the depot at Billings waiting for the
train to come in, when someone re-
marked to the comte, II suppose you
find a great change from Wyoming
when you get back to France"
"Oh, it is not SO different" the
FTenchman replied, II am two or three
days on re train and a few days In
New York and a couple of weeks on re
ocean and zen I am in Paris. ley send
a carriage from re chateau and when
we come near we go between long rows
OF tall pOplars up to re chateau. Re
steps OF my chateau are finely carved
OF English oak, many centuries old. ]
ascend and re big doors fly open. Zail
in re doorway are all my servants In
livery. ley all bow very low and say
Welcome, monsieur, lie comte.' And
zen, I think of my Wyoming cowboys
and how zey say Here comes that
blankety-b blank Dore.'"
Paul BreteSche, the chief owner OF
the Shield ranch, was an even more
frequent visitor than the Comte du
DOre. Most of the other members OF
the colony were tall, sturdy men but
Bretesche was the typical dapper little
Frenchman, always animated in his &C.
lions and conversation. The comte was
a bachelor but Bretesche had married
the daughter of a wealthy Frenchman
Of New York. A little daughter of the
couple died at the ranch when about q
year and q half old. The body was
brought to Billings and buried in the
cemetery there.
In the disastrous winter of 1867, the
losses of the French ranches were
heavy and, soon afterwards, the owners
sold their interests and returned to
France. While on their way to New
York, Bretesche and his wife stopped
for q visit with their Billings friends
and to wind up their business affairs
The suffering of the starving cattle
which he had been poWerless to pre-
vent had SO wrought On the Frenchman
that he was sick at heart and he want
ed to get away from every reminder
OF the terrible experiences Of that WIN
ter. He told his friends. Il couldn't
stand to see the poor animals dying
like flies and nothing to do but watch
them die"
At n time, the cook at the Crown
ranch was Paul Coteau, an educated
French gentleman. He and his brother
had been involved in the De Lesseps
scandal which caused such a Juror
in France and other countries in the
early eighties. Coteau was exiled and
came to this country virtually penni-
less. Later he came to Billings and
was employed as cook at the Grand
hotel. He also taught classes in French
and found quite a number Of pupils.
Finally word came that the ban OF
ex~patriatiOn had been lifted and that
he could return to France.
Before he left, Coteau gave a dinner
to which he invited his pupils, the prin-
cipal citizens of the town and all those
that had in any way befriended him.
Coteau come to the banquet dressed