Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-07-30

EN- now. They're somewhere on the
road"
Il can't leave my store. Besides
there's dozens OF them on the road. I
can't stop everybody. The county jail
IS fun. It won't hold no more. No,
Mike, there's not thing we can do
about it. There's too many Of them.
Some fool stories IN the papers about
easy gold for the picking up have
headed them into the hills. When they
get hungry they'll leave US again. Go
home, Mike, and forget EN-"
Go homer WhRt'M / go home TOP
They've took my blankets. They've took
my food. They've stole my dust. Go
home TO what?" Again Mike broke into
the coheTenciee OF a forgotten argOt,
and while still in that condition he
Staggered out into the night.
Poor Mike. The Sumps had taken
more than his goods or his gold. They'd
taken his so years faith in humanity.
They'd broken the hin law.
In looking for q camp the SumpS
preferred place where they had neigh
bOrs. Sometimes these neighb0rs were
wanderers like themselves, huddled
by a stream, or along the way of the
irrigation ditch, sometimes they were a
simple and hospitable rancher's fam
lily with cows and chickens and vege-
tables smeared all over the foreground,
and sometimes there was no picking and
choosing.
Wherever their gas gave out. that
was where they stopped And as their
gas was about to give out now, so now
the SumpS stopped. They were on the
outskirts OF q small mountain town,
one Of these ghost towns that had died
with hydraulic mining so years before.
While some Of the old buildings that
still bordered the streets we're not hab-
table, others. shaded by vine covered
porches, we're occupied by the irTiga-
ton ditch workers and their families,
and the adjoining small meadows we're
given over to fowl runs, truck gardens
and COW pastures.
The Sunps viewed their surroundings
with approval.
mo need to sleep under this tree"
said MRS. Stump. THAT old building
there-it's a church, amt it?-lets
sleep IN there" A flicker of dormant
domestlcity lighted up her eye.
That's rattlesnake haunt" ex-
planned Mr.. Stump. mo, well stay out
here IN the open. Some OF them boards
Will make us o good fire though"
"Theys lots of chickens around" OBJ
served AIRS. Stump.
Yep. Colored onts. Amt got no use
for them white leghorns myself"
And Ellies right smart at milking. |
We still got that pail in the car"
Ellie, so slight and understood that /
she looked like a child instead Of a 10 1
girl, said pensively. Il like
warm milk"
You'd ought to get it here" mrs.
stump spoke judicially. Here II any
where's"
The Sumps made out for the night
With the cedar tree and Mike Brent's
blankets. His entire store of grub was
consumed in one meagre meal, and If i
t hadn't been for the fire Of the meet
ng house boards the Sumps would
rave been cold as well as hungry Their
,Wn equipment they had traded that
anne morning for q new tire.
DEe to their early rising breakfast
vas considerably better than dinner
lad been. Fried chicken and warm milk
igured largely on the menu But ex-
client as breakfast was 1t failed to
nut Mr.. Stump into a good humor. With ,
lowering scowl on his face he fingered
he small can Of gold dust that had
cen Mike Brent's.
He must of had more" he COM {
laaned to Mrs. Stump. Don't tell me
MS was all he had. Them hills Is full
got mind to 60 back and get it"
IT'S some ways back" said Mrs. ]
imp. BE easier to wash It out for
lrselves. Remember we read them two /
0s Angeles gals was washing out $40 c
day?" d
'"Ten dollars q dayl" repeated Mr.. .
1mp. Then that old coot must Of
Id plenty. I'm goin' back" Z
'He might be there now" warned
RS. Stump.
Why would he be there? He'd be
1T washin' more gold. He knows where
get 1t, don't hep Ten dollars q dayl"
Let Ellie go first, and find out where I
s hid. He won't think nothin' II he .
es q kid Enoopin' around. Then If ]
amt there you can go and pick B
up.s
Yep. pop, let me 60" said Ellie.
Its quit a spell back" wavered her h
Ehex. He