Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1940-01-12

SO a man could at least fill up on
them. He just mumbled something that
might have been intended for reply.
That wasn't much Of a breakfast
but it was all that there was to be
had SO we got back on the train. About
occasional section houses, and the train
seemed to barely crawl along. I guess
it didn't travel very fast compared to
modern trains. Where the city OF
PocatellO now stands was just bunch
of extra high sagebrush, populated by
thousands of jack rabbits. Sagebrush
and jack rabblts-that'S all the scenery
there was, and I began TO wonder if
hadn't been expecting a little too
much Of this wonderful west.
The conductor telegraphed ahead to
have dinner ready at some ranch
house at o'clock sharp, but schedules
didn't mean much in those days, and
1t seemed that the whole neighborhood
had turned out to feed us and that
every chicken in the country had found
its way into their ovens and now lay
waiting for us in a bath of rich gravy.
Hot biscuits, mashed potatoes and as
a matter Of fact almost everything
needed for Thanksgiving dinner were
stacked up on the tables until it looked
like they intended to feed an army
I must have had about four helpings
as did everybody else. 1t was a real
meal and 1 hated to think of eating
another breakfast like the one we had
that morning, so when no one was
looking I stuffed all the chicken and
biscuits I could into my pockets. The
rancher himself was at the door COL
lecting, and when I asked him how
much he answered six bits. gave him
a dollar and told him to keep the
change: because it was worth it. When
got back on the train I took the
biscuits and chicken and wrapped
them in newspapers and put them
away Nobody even suspected that I
had them.
Il was in the washroom the next
morning combing my hair when the
drummer came in. Watching his ex-
preston in the mirror I asked. Howe
you like to have some of that chicken
for breakfast this morning?'
I'D give $40 for another meal like
that he answered.
well I'm going to have some
told him as I started for my seat.
You are like h-lT he hollered
after me. Where in the blazes do you
think you're going to get it?'
Il went back to my seat and spread
the stuff out on a clean newspaper.
When the drummer came he just stood
there with his eyes bugged out.
Come on I said. Pile in
I'VE divided it between us and there
never we're chicken bones that were
picked any cleaner. When the train
stopped for breakfast about a hal
hour later we just had a cup Of coffee
We reached Dillon in time for 4
, late lunch. The scenery had changed.
We were in the mountains now and
there was other game in sight best .es
jack rabbits The mountains in the
distance made the country seem more
like the way I had imagined Montana
to be. We crossed an occasional little
creek where I would have liked to stop
to fish for a while.
We were to reach Butte in the eve
ming. but several miles out Of Butte
the track hadn't been quite finished
yet. and when the train hit one of
these spots the grade began to Slide
"SeCticN crews were called and they
fixed it enough so that the train wa
able TO pull over i slow, but most OF
us walked at a respectable distance
behind the train unit! !; had passe,
the bad place.
It was almost midnight when We
finally reached Butte and II seemed
that everybody who had horse and
wagon VS. down 20 meet the train
asked an old man with CHe-nor~e
cab if he had room for TWO people.
He nodded. so I got the drummer and
We instructed him to take us 10 the
best hotel in town.