The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1937-08-13
PERSONALITIES OF.
EXPOSED.
VETERAN GLACIER GUIDE TELLS
OF HIS EXPERIENCES WITH
THE DUDES

THE DUDES
Frank Nj. Shannon, who for 20
years was the outstanding guide at
Glacier national park-he was
practically reared in the park and
began his guide activities at 49,
was a recent Butte visitor. Shan
non has guided most of the notables
who visited the park up to about
10 years ago when he retired to
become county commissioner of
Glacier county. He remembers
among the dozens upon dozens OF
parties he guided through the park
that Eastman, the kodak man, was
the most cratic, the PrestOns, des-
cendents of the late J. b. Haggin,
the Montana copper king, h most
thoughtful, young william and Miss
Helen Taft and the McAdOos, the
kindest, a woman novelist the most
irving and the descendants of q
one-time president the most snOb-
bish.
Eastman decided that he wanted
me for a guide" Shannon said. Il was
already under contract with another
party. I met him without learning his
identity. He was clad in a worn suit
and looked like a working man on a
holiday. He was so persistent about
having my services that at last I said
to him: DO you realize that I am a
high-priced guide; that my charge is
$40 a day?' What the HI of that?'
he answered. I am Eastman, the
camera man. I can afford to meet your
terms I was adamant so he engaged
Don Munroe, a nice, quiet, eaSy-going
lad. He tried to tell Eastman something
about the kind of fly to Use in the
park district and the camera man be-
came angry and threw Don in the
lake. Believe me, I was glad I wasn't
his guide when I heard that.
"A woman novelist was the most try
ing-not Mary Roberts Rinehart. Mrs.
Rinehart was the life of her party and
perhaps the wittiest woman I ever
guided through the park. This feminine
novelist wa a tenderfoot and hefty to
boot. I was just a kid on my first
assignment. My boss said: Don't admit
that you have never been in the high
places. Be sure that you have an answer
for every question whether you have
the right answer or not So I tried to
obey orders. The novelist was accom-
panied by a MI. johnson. They asked
me all kinds of questions, some OF
which I could answer but when it came
to the names of flowers I vas COM
pletely at sea. I manufactured names
and discovered that I could get away
WILL IL. 4A4O w So3S oAAho SSAAAS
of those mountain flowers were given
jaw-breaking names because I wanted
to appear learned. The novelist was
forever going into %ecstacieS about v
erything unusual she saw.
Presently we came to a cedar tree
that had a girth Of about Is feet. MI.
Guide she called out sweetly-it was
the first time that anyone had ever
called me .Mr.-'will you please COM
and assist me to dismount?' A short
stout woman mounted on a horse Is
not easy to handle, particularly when
the handler is a slender ~18-year-old
boy. But I did the best I could, wonder
ing what moved her to alight. When
she had gained her feet she struck
a tragic pose in front of the cedar,
raised her hands in a Hail Caesar
salute and exclaimed: Magnificent
tree I salute thee Then she turned to
me-: Mr.. Guide she said, will you
please assist me to remount.' The two
inches in height that I had gained
when she called me Mr. the first time,
plated that portly lady.
I'VE had travelled a short distance
when she decided to alight again. I
was ready to faint but Mr.. johnson
came forward and assisted her to dis
mount. They retired into the shrub
berry. Presently she reappeared: NOW
she said, 7 feel much better. My legs
are getting very stiff so I had johnson
rub them for me- Remember this was
in 1901 when women had only upper
and lower limbs I can feel myself
bluShing yet"
Guide Shannon is the man who
caused Ray Shannon, state treasurer,
considerable wonderment in the last
general election. Ray, as candidate on
the state ticket, was paying little at
tention to county affairs. He came back
to his home county to have political
advertising for the state office plas-
tered all over the district. He found to
his amazement that some one had been
ahead of him. "Vote for Shannon for
treasurer" was tackled up everywhere
he went. And the printing and the
card colors were different from those
he had printed. "Who is this good friend
of mine who has gone to so much
trouble and expense to advertise my
campaign in Glacier county," Ray
asked his county chairman. mo friend
of yours, merely a nameSake," the
chairman answered. Those signs be-
long to Frank M. Shannon who is run
ming for county treasurer"
Retired from politics as well as guild
ing. Shannon is now interested in the
oil industry.
RANK RTYS SITE