The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1934-10-11
{. w. Hutton
Writes Story Of
Pioneer Days
Tells of Thrilling Experience He Had In
Sub-Zero Weather When Ice
Breaks Beneath Him and Pony.
THE SAGACIOUS BRONCHO.
fBy Charles w. Hutton}


Editors Note-The following very
interesting story is written by Mr.. c. w.
Hutton of Libby. Mr.. Hutton lived
through much of the early history Of
Montana and writes in an entertaining
manner of those stirring days This
story is one Of his own experiences. It
was published in a recent issue of
service provided to large number of
Montana newspapers BY the Montana
Press Association of Great Falls, from
which ii is copied.)
1t was back in the early eighties, and
| was just 20 years of age in December.
1t was also in the latter part of that
month when | was returning from a
brief stay with friends in the Gallatin
valley, to my bachelor home in the
valley of the Madison, through which
flows the restless, and often times turb-
ulent waters of the Madison river,
which contributes their bounteous flood
to the headwaters of the Missouri in
the south and western part of Montana
In order that / might complete my
JoAi Ia w HINES DElOIE I1lkItlAdll,
must slacken the pull at my pony's
reins and let him travel little faster.
He was hardy, half-wild broncho, and
his smooth-shod hoofs had clattered
rhythmically and increasingly under his
springing gallop over the hard noun
tain roads since the first appearance of
the rising sun that morning and he was
still doing his utmost to quicken his
rate of speed, for he was quite as
DESTROYS Of the comfort Of his warm
stable as I was for the positive cheer
that my log cabin and its open fire
place had never failed to impart.
The weather was sub-zero and the
sky was clear On either side of the
suns disc appeared bright light,
tinged with the colors of the spectrum,
indicating that the following evening
and the next day were to be exceed
ingly cold.
| drew up at the cabin of an old time
prospector, whom I asked if there were
any trails leading over high ridge, by
which | might make short cut to the
place at my journeys end.
Hurry home on the main highway
an git ready for a beastly cold night"
was the answer that did not at all free
my mind from suspense Being, in some
degree, stocky in bodily structure, he
quite occupied the space within his
doorway, and was smoking a pipe that
seemed to have been of long duration,
However, / envied the man the perfect
satisfaction he seemed to derive from
its use, in spite of the presence of MIC
otine within its bowl and stem evil
densed by an odor, not fit to mix with
that of the rose, in the air about, and
the dark blue smoke shooting forth In
reaction and spiral fashion from its
bowl
do you see them sun dogs up thar
he asked, pointing the moist end Of
his pipe toward the sun.
II can see Them" I said, and I car
still see them with all their vivic
brightness-eve with my eyes closed
Say, young man." he responded after
taking three vigorous puffs at his pipe
Il know you're pilgrim in the country
you don't speak good old United States
like we old timers do, an because
you're pilgrim is just why you dom
want to take no short cuts cross coun-
try. You'd git onto an elk trail tina
Continued on page 50