Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-01-01

he would reply. What would I want
with a wife? With the can Of Lfe nils
ringing like bells in my ears. Ia be
aiuSavs COIN away ana leaN1n nef
aIone . ne was very shy around women.
T-hou0h the mentality Of proSpeCtor
ts ,afIiraliv somewhat incomprensible
~ a rancher, who CLEANS ms golu an
nneIlv from the soil, Barney Hughes,
the old ten-time looSer, was welcome
At every ranch house in the Big Hole.
Nothing was too good Tor MN. he was
often hidden to the guest roozns re
always declined and TOOK Lhlllseu 70
the bun<house. C. w. Francis LeliS nov
he invited Barney TO stay with him
and ais family while the old prospector
uras irving his luck near what Is now
fbe HiIntiev Francis ranch. THANKS. !"
barney replied. but if you'll De lettln'
me have the empty cabin Tor time,
I'll be no bother to anyone.
MANY an hour Big Hole 4olks SAT
and listened to his stories OF the 'o0's
and '70's. in which he was never the
hero Just an onlooker. =,
Hughes life was his first aubomoolle
ride Lieutenant Governor Alien came
IN his lrtomobile-probably the first
motor vehicle to enter the Big Hole
To attend the dedication Of the first
Masonic building in Wisdom AFTER the
ceremony, the lieutenant governor was
taking anyone with courage, 70 rlde IN
"the thing, for snort rloe " ALaS
road wallace Grandpa Francis and
BARNEY were sitting IN front OF the
wisdom hotel watching with interest
and making characteristic comments on
the acontraption," which they had their
doubts about. This machinery business
might be all right" remarked Barney,
"but I sent my shirts to Berry's steam
laundry and when I got them PACK
there wasn't button left ON them;
However, when Mr.. Allen nlvlOeq
them to take a ride. they were both
licked. He took the old-timers several
miles down the WiSdom-Dtvide road
They held on as tightly as they were
able but got a real kick out OF the
Barney's pet peeve was an Orange
man. This he brought with nlIn IRON
the old country. His closest frleno, Fred
Else had two brothers belonging 70
that organization, but ne never IN IN
formed Barney of the fact. ABOUT the
ONLY way he could get rise out OF the
old man was by mentioning the
Orangemen. This he enjoyed and II
Barney knew of his brothers lodge ne
would have kept quiet in fear OF OF
The last years of his life Barney
spent most of his time with Fred Else
who lived in the Gibbons olStrlcg east
of the battle-ground. He caled Mr. Elss =. ;
cabin his home. It was there ne Went on
his return from his last trip TO Lne
hills in the summer Of 1909.
One of his horses died That spring
and it seemed to him like the passing
of an old friend. Several times a1ter
that he remarked: Pred, youn pc
taking good care of my other OLD nag
if anything happens to me before sns
kicks out, won't you? 1nen ne WVut1
add. Don't mind me. I'll be geJging
another from you in the spring ana DC
off to the hills again.
Barney was so sure that there was =
rich deposit of gold in Big Hole ana
that some day he would tind II. OLa
S-are occasions he would give hint OF
the regrets and longings, that must
often have disturbed his loney SOU
by such remarks as: i ougnI 70 9 1ls, T
stand the diamond hitch, my boy, I
have thrown it for 90 years WiSh
had never seen 1t" 500
"a About the middle Of October, lsOs.
E7rad Else drove to Wisdom ana bartiey
went with him to remain LOT . Icy
Jeve THE next time Else saw MS FRIEND,
fhs old man was lying in his last deep
c1een in a room over WflaL - hon ~
pesiT Mercantile store. His 1uneral
Services were of the simplest type u
Keeping with the life he had lea. S5r III
Williams sang and Reverend bouVaru
officiated. ETC.,
Fred Else left the country soon aIter
+ba death of Barney Hughes tor
i S1a time his saddle, bride and PACK
saddle were at the Weldon Else I I'ai =.
bIIf they began to disappear. ~ -
hard" Mr.. Else said, ito preserve SUI
useful things with family OF growing Ils
children always wanting them; Anu ~
those who knew. Barney Know ILlat nc
would have had it thus. f1naly M.
Else sent the gold pan to WilIoro hop-
kins in Seattle. Mr.. Hopkins Is p ioileSr
~ the Big Hole and values opJecCS
Connected with its early history.
The old nag which Barney loved SO
much did NOT require care very long;
for during the winter OF lSO9 sIe Jolileu
her companion in green pastures
There is q little headstone IN tne
wisdom cemetery about two rect hlgn
and is inches wide, maybe less, maybe
more. It was placed there by the society
~ Montana Pioneers. 1t bears the m
words: lone Of thekeuhuFt pETAOlN
scrintion: Barney Hughes, Born In
ireland, 1927, Died Oct. ~, 1909" Down
at fine bottom scarcely visible are the
words. zone of the DISCOVERIES OF Golo
in Alder Gulch." But it tells SO little
of Barney.