Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-12-09

The evening air was pretty snappy an
ne stepped along with his head dow
TO avoid the impact Of the frost
breeze, his mind upon the warmth an
cameraderie Of the hosiery
The antlered sentinel brandished hi
weapons as Joe went up the steps.
Is rumored that for the first time
20 years Joe moved faster than wall
He reached the back door safely an
found refuge in the kitchen while h
E recovered his composure.
Huntley Child and G. Roger Pryo
were the next callers. They too, meltes
the snow In the friction of flying foot
prints toward the rear entrance.
The bull had wandered few fee
away from the porch when Old John
the Waterman. approached. Joe de Bal
was watching through a window.
Come right along, John he called
opening the front door. I'm keep hin
off until you get in"
The elk might have remained COM
pletely indifferent to Old Johns ar
rival had de Bar refrained from 8
barTage Of coal and bottles. Directly
one missile registered a hit and the
bull came to life. Old John and de Ban
both tried to occupy the same space
at the same time. Eventually they
managed to unscramble and to crowd
through the door an inch ahead of the
Dinner was served TO a very ner-
vous crowd that evening Most of those
at table did not live at the hotel
With that bull outside, going home
was a matter of running the blockade
IN the face Of the enemy. A council
Of war was held after the cigars were
lighted.
Il believe that bull wants water, ("
suggested Pryor. EVEN the warm
streams from the Mammoth Hot
| springs are probably running under
tunnels Of snow and ice by now. I'll
4 bet he'll leave US alone if he can
quench his thirst"
"An right. let's try it," replied Man
| ager Campbell.
water and set it at the edge Of the
porch while the bull paced the beat
outside The others, apprehenSive,
stood in the doorway lending moral
Look outl He's comingl" somebody
yelled, and the doorway was suddenly
vacant
Campbell tried to turn in a hurry;
he stumbled over the water can and
rolled toward the door. The bull was
right behind him and, In turn, tr1pped
over the can, giving Campbell a brief
respite. But a sharp antler nudged
vulnerable spot as he slipped to safety
inside, a ragged poSterior showing be-
low his coat.
Campbell telephoned the barracks:
We've got a mad bull elk on our
hands over here. He attacks everyone
who approaches the hotel, and nobody
thing about it?"
Five soldiers, fully armed, directly
slipped in through the back way. From
the front door a barrage Of blank
cartridges was fired, merely lncreas-
ing the bulls rage. Wads of burning
paper and the ringing of the dinner
bell were just so much additional an
Dark was three hours old when a
belated travelling man approached the !
hotel. His lighted lantern was red |
tinged flag Of challenge. The drummer
added TO the hot tracks on the path |
to the rear entrance.
We'll" remarked Manager Camp
bell, when 1t grew late, looks like. I've
some guests for the night. Anybody
want to take a chance outside? Or
shall I start assigning rooms?"
"It's pretty comfortable in here
someone remarked. I'm going to take
advantage OF mine hosts proffered hos
Ditality. A battle with bull elk doesn't
appeal to me tonight"
The others agreed that discretion,
n the circumstances, was the better
part Of valor The hotel fertilization
vas comfortably safe for the present.
Kept Vigil All Night
The big bull was a vigilant sentinel
throughout the night The tracked and
Iacked snow around the building next
morning testified eloquently TO his
ingleneSs of purpose. Taking an oc-
:asional turn along the porch, the bull
lad vented his piled-up wrath against
lIndry windows. the crashing of which
lad not been conducive to sound slum-
'er for those within.
AS daylight approached, the bull
Videned his beat to reconnoiter the /
ituation. A foot inadvertently slipped
nto a small dead geyser hole. The !
ull'S leg snapped Early riSerS, peep
1g out cautiously, saw that No Mans t
and was occupied by the enemy, now
ors de combat.
The telephone rang in the barracks.
soldier listened:
This Is the hotel That bull elk !
GEMS to be crippled this morning.
ooks as though he has broken leg.
letter investigate, and If necessary, +
ut him out of his misery" .
Now that 1t was safe TO venture +
broad about the post, soldier dis +
atched the elk with q bullet.
Those elk teeth are mine" declared
ampbell at the breakfast table. Il
ok the long chance last night when .
ventured out with that drink of 2
alter. nearly got mine in that big Y
1sh. I'm going out after those elk !
eth after breakfast"
"Oh, no, you're notl" declared Joe
? Bar. Those elk teeth belong to me. =
I hadn't been watching when Old =
lhn came up he might not have es- =
lped. I'll take charge Of those elk 9
eth y
The others chimed in with their Y
aims, bolstered by verbal evidence of :
avery displayed in the face Of the = =
lemy. =
And while the argument waxed d
arm and loud, the soldier who had y
He'd the elk was back IN the barracks y
'oudly showing the priced worries to kl
S comrades. He had knocked them
It with the butt Of his rifle before
avtng the scene. w
It was a case of taker being keeper a,
Geyser Bob had not foreseen the h
nseuuences of that train Of hay n
ross the parade ground. But he was be
r frn7l1 syF111a41uV wn@n the story got ~