The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1938-09-29
"The Old Egg
Writes About Libby

Writes About Libby
A few weeks ago Mr.. James Brink |
and family Of Resale, Neb., were
in Libby for a visit with Mr.. Drinks |
brother, Henry Brink of this city.
The Drinks were on a tour of the I
west and since returning here Mr.. /
Brink has been writing up their
trip for his paper, the Resale Rip
Saw, of which he,is editor and pub
Usher Many Libby people will be
interested in his comment on Lib
by and Libby personalities. Editor
Brink has gained reputation as a
pithy, snappy, terse writer. He re-
fers to himself as ''the Old Egg"
His comment ON Libby follows:
The following morning we drift
ed into Libby where the "Old Egg
has brother, Henry, whom we had
not visited but once in 40 years.
Apparently he was tickled to see us
again, and we to see him. He hus-
tied us around the little city-an
ambitious-progressive little center
of the Upper Kootenai Valley
with superb natural advantages
mountain scenery-an abundance of
fish-game, and untapped timber
reserves. Our brother introduced
us to Editor Rowe of the Libby News,
half-smart editor-as editors go
and had quite line of converse
ton we exchanged. Distinguished
looking gentleman-and | wondered
what in hell he was doing editing
a paper. Met the landlord of Libby
Hotel--a dandy fellow-but his
name slipped me. Met Miss Inez
Ratekin, librarian, an entertaining
conversationalist with a world of
information and stories-and We'll
relate one she told us, about the
dryness of Montana, at times: Two
young gentlemen located in Mon
:. -tana and attempted to farm. After
years without number-With nc
rain-and no crops-dust ankle
deep-and after about 10 years
the two gentlemen in the meantime
grown to old men noticed some
clouds in the distance-the clouds
came ONT started to sprinkle
one of the old fellows remarked he
, wished to feel rain in his face again
before he croacked-stuck his head
out the shack-and as a few drops
hit his old pate-he fainted-and il
. was necessary to throw bucket
. full of dust in his face to bring him
too" Miss Ratekin obligingly di-
i, rected us through their library--a
! fine collection of books and maya
zines-several thousand, all told
tIv-,Y sfrs
:, thralled us We were invited
: out to spend the evening with Mr.
- and Mrs. Ira Tester, at their lovely
home in south Libby. Mr.. Tester
:. is big game hunter-what WE
mean A BIG GAME hunter-as hi.
numerous trophies will attest-fron
: a bob-cat to an over-groWn grizzly
> bear, with a wonderful story abou
= each kill-by one of the most in
teresting story tellers we ever lis
tened to, in our various summer
4 and quite few winters on this oil
cold of earth. We will not sool
forget the exciting narratives of Ir
Tester and the grand evening q
his home-many thanks to MIR. an,
Mrs. Ira Tester-and by the way
4 Ira is known as one of the bes
rifle shots in Montana-which
r saying something :. The next da
= we loaded up our car, and with on
brother, started for his mimi
ii shaek--ten miles out and up-mosi
IS ly up--south from Libby. The la.
mile of the trip-Was really tn
y last mile-for we left the car an
- packed our stuff up a mountai
= that would BATTLE a Rocky Mountai
: goat But, boy-oh, boy-wh;
- scenery-for here was the true voit
y, of the Wilderness-the incessal
- chatter of little Waterfalls-tt
breathing of cool winds tthroue
II tall ergreens-rushing melody
~ mountain brooks-the high crescel
~ do of mountain cataracts rushing {
= to the valley river-all bending
"A a song of idyllic outdoor enchan
- ment-fresh deer trails comir
,;s down the mountain to the lit
- stream--what grand place-a wo
i derful log-cabin--where we sic
- one night, in peace and conten
nc ment-and what a night To avail
lff the next morning and push on
- the west, for Washington-the eve
il green state Another spasr
Ah later