Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-01-24

ton for his wonderful knowledge of the
country which Miles later was to fnd
30 highly valuable. In 1878. he was chief
guide and hunter for an exploring party
on the lower Yellowstone. commanded
by Gen. George A.. Forsyth, which was
carried by Capt. Gran Marsh In the Far
West as far as the mouth OF the Powder
river. During the next three years he
both hunted n trapped and at times
was q scout and bearer OF dispatches.
He is said during this period to have
quilt a cabin near old Fort Maginnis.
where he spent a winter trapping.
Miles speakes of Kelly as an educated
man who had taken up the life OF scout
and hunter because Of his infatuation
with the wild life and the beauties OF
nature. Kelly was q frequent visitor to
the little log studio which Mr.. Huffman
built Close to the raiders store at Fort
Keogh, n Huffman's impressions OF
him we're also that he was a reserved
studious man, entirely different from
most of the o
Coming in from long scouting trips,
many OF them undertaken alone, Kelly
often came to the studio cabin. There
was a pile Of buffalo robes in the corner
where often he would lie down n
Sleep" Mr.. Huffman relates. HE was
fond Of reading, especially on historical
subjects, and when he talked, it was
AAAol( O4QSA hbOAb OAll tAii LIN AlNAA
read than about his exploits or the
happenings in camp"
Wrapped Up In Work
"Kelly's whole life was wrapped up in
his work and when he was In camp, his
entire Idea was to keep fit and prepared
for duty. The gambling and carousing
which was so much a part OF the sol
dier's life when the troops were in bar
racks. did not appeal to him at all. /
never knew Of his drinking and during
the time that l knew him, at least, he
did not even smoke"
At that time, Capt. Eli Higgins was
chief of staff for General Miles, and
Kelly had a great admiration for him.
Higgins. 1t was said, could read the
Bible in three different languages. and
Kelly more thar once commented to
Huffman on the captains studious hab-
its. Higgins studied the Sioux tongue
until he could converse intelligently with
the tribesmen. Kelly could also speak
the Sioux language.
One day when Kelly had Just come in
from a long trip, he noticed ONE new
photographs OF officers which Huffman
had Just finished. II would like to have
a nice picture to send my mother but
l don't want 1t in these clothes" Kelly
remarked. Kelly wore a cap made Of
coyote skin with buckskin clothing. Huff,
man had in the studio a Stetson hat
and q conventional coat OF those days
and Kelly donned them for the picture.
Other pictures OF Kelly in his Yellow
stone period always howed him In hunt
ers' attire.
According to Mr.. Huffman he first
met yellowstone" Kelly some time be-
fore while he was making the long over
land trip from Bismarck to Fort Keogh
with a bulltrain outfit after spending
the early part of the winter visiting his
father.
Load of Window Shutters
A detail of soldiers under Lieut.. Hunter
Liggett. afterward general in the World
war. had been sent to Fort Abraham Lin
coin to get some loads Of window shut
ters for the Fort Keogh post.
1t seems that these shutters had been
stored at the Dakota fort as one of the
items for the new post, but no one
thought Of them until an excuse was
needed for going to Bismarck for Christ
mas dainties n cheer of various sorts
for officers and men.
At that time, Kelly was frequently en-
ployed as a packer when not engaged in
more active duties and by that mean
was able to supplement his pay. The
shutter train consisted Of several teams
Of from four to six mules. The two out
fits met at a camping place about half