Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-01-18

FOR weeks they had been out on ths
plains, riding herd, and when they got
20 town, with q months wages iingline
| IN their pockets, they Just naturally
ached 20 cut loose. But their herd boss
would countenance no unseemly friv-
oisty among his hands, no drinking
gambling nor haunting Of dance halls
ne 1elt II his stern duty TO see that
their hard-eaxned money remained
safe in their pockets and their morals
unsmirched BIZ the towns gay ternpta-
lions. To defy him meant losing their
Jobs and the cowboys went to CaIam-
ity Jane with their predicament.
Leave it TO me, boys" she said. with
twinkle OF her keen eyes. "I'lI fix
him. You Just naturally be standing
around the lobby tonight when he
comes into the hotel"
And so, when the solemn-faced herd
boss entered that night the cowboys
were lined up along the wall, puzzled,
confident, awaiting developments, their
fate In Calamity'g hands. And she, who
had never before seen the lean man
with his deaconish dignity, Immediate
~ rushed up to him and flung herself
into his arms with a sweet little cry
OF Joy. How was hep Oh, didn't he re-
member the time he'd set up the drinks
Tor the crowd over in Miles City? And
didn't he remember the time at Coul-
son when he and She? Didn't he re-
member this and didn't he remember
that2" She had the man very much
on the spot. He knew, Of course, and
he knew that everyone else knew. thel
reputation Of the wild woman cuddIed
Familiarity In his arms He began toll
SHUTTER. His face, Teddy says, turned
all colors, he looked wildly around, met 1
the reprOachful glances of his COWBOYS.
and went Sneaking out Of the room,
leaving them free TO celebrate with all
the wild hilarity of their pent-up youth.
1t was hard, rough, colorful life Of
adventure this wildcat of the plains
led: With all her ready generosity, her
childish tnprovldence, there must have
been days when she herself knew hun
ger. But she was resourceful. She used
70 come drifting Into a town, the old
liners say, broke, hungry, but most Of
III craving drink, and she would go to
store, purchase q tub and washb0ard
n time, and then solicit from the menI
he Job OF washing their clothes. When
lie had earned what she deemed suf-
tc1ent 20 carry her through anotherI
month or so Of her precarious exist
;nce. she would suddenly disappear,
eavfng the tub and dashboard behind,
lot much the worse for wear.
A few miles west Of Billings there
5 q historical spot where much has
happened. One winter Calamity janet
ived there in a dugout with two no.
orious horse thieves-tl1e two who
gere later killed In a wild battle at !
,ewistown-for neighbors.. She made a
wing By chopping down pine trees and
cling them for fence posts. The place,
nown then as Horse Thief Cache,
ater became famous as the SturRis
attlefield. Calamity Jane was living
. her dug0ut when the battle between
'hief Joseph and part Of the Seventh
avalry under Sturgis was fought.
leven soldiers were wounded In that
attic and they were taken to the
earest town, Huntley, on trav0is,
here they were put on scow boats and
arried down the river to Miles City, !
~ msdicaI aid. And Calamity Jane, !