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The Frontier and The Frontier and Midland Literary Magazines, 1920-1939 University of Montana Publications

5-1930

The Frontier, May 1930

Harold G. Merriam

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Recommended Citation Merriam, Harold G., "The Frontier, May 1930" (1930). The Frontier and The Frontier and Midland Literary Magazines, 1920-1939. 32. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/frontier/32

This Journal is brought to you for free and open access by the University of Montana Publications at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Frontier and The Frontier and Midland Literary Magazines, 1920-1939 by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. FRONTIER \ MAGAZIN€ Of TH€ NORTHWfST

MAY Cowboy Can Ride, a drawing by Irving Shope. A Coffin for Enoch, a story by Elise Rushfeldt. Chinook Jargon, by Edward H. Thomas. The Backward States, an essay by Edmund L. Freeman. An Indian Girl's Story of a Trading Expedition to the South­ west About 1841. Other stories by Ted Olson, Roland English Hartley, William Saroyan, Martin Peterson, Merle Haines. .

Open Range articles by H. C. B. Colvill, William S. Lewis, Mrs. T , A. Wickes.

Poems by Donald Burnie, Elizabeth Needham, Kathryn Shepherd, James Rorty. ■ Frances Huston, W hitley Gray, Eleanor Sickels, Muriel Thurston, Helen Mating, B Margaret Skavlan, James Marshall, Frank Ankenbrand, Jr., Israel Newman. Lillian T . Leonard, Edith M. Graham, Sally Maday, Marion Doyle, Eleanor K Hansen, Paul E. Tracy, G. Frank Goodpasture, Charles Oluf Olsen.

Book Reviews.

Volume X May. 19(0 Numkee 4 PUBLISHED I NOVEMBER. JANUARY, MARCH. AND MAY AT THE STOTB UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA, MISSOULA FORTY CENTS A COPY— ONE DOLLAR AND A HALF A YEAR Specializing in

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ELIZABETH ARDEN The True Test of a Radio is GUERLAIN TONE LILLY’S PHARMACEUTICALS ANSCO CAMERAS You have it without question in the WHITING STATIONERY Dayton Navigator $136.50 to $285.00 YALE FLASHLITES MOSBY’S INC. The Rexall Store 132 N. Higgins : ; Mistxmla. Moot. Higgins Ave. at Front St EVERY MODERN FEATURE that makes for comfort, convenience, safety and reliability is embodied in the equipment and operation of

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Volume Ten MAY, 1930 Number Pour

CONTENTS The Cowboy Can B ide! drawing and description...... i irvin shnnp vro ...... -— -•-==-.™ S:=:p

i>0flm*P ...... r>...... r...... ■:■•...... Kathryn Shepherd...... ,..287 ems...... Report on the Old Women, by James Rorty; Black Magic, by Frances Huston...... 288 Virginia City, by Whitley Gray______289 A Coffin for Enoch, story eath GrinS Again’ by S^ k,els...... 290 Windy Day in a Meadow, poem...... I l l ...... B Muriel Thurston...... IflS “ ...... ^ = = = W S f c 3 Pnamii ...... Helen Marmg------305 ...... Two Poems, by Margaret Skavlan...... 306 Three Poems hv a i , . TSea Tracks, 1792, by James Marshall...... 307

as?* ...... Of Regrets, by Lillian T. Leonard M : M l ^ h e tmrertyi i f dltK Gl;aham ’> Silhouette, by Sallie Sinclair Maclay...... 322 Smoland s lm , H d M ’ by Marion D°yl e < Transplanted, by Eleanor Hansen...... 323 Black Cow. storv ...... Martin S. Peterson...... 324 Poems ...... Merle Haines...... 326 ...... |...... ~ ...... Horned Toad, by Paul E. Tracy; To Comanche, a Cow-Pony, by Elizabeth Needham ; Bearers of Integrity, by Charles Oluf Olsen...... 331 OPEN RANGE s r s f c s s r i f e a - Mi^ "■>— = -_ * .»■ HISTORICAL SECTION I ““ jg b o o k s h e l f ...... 357 ABOARD THE COVERED WAGON—Contributors...... Front Advertising Section

Ed. BOARD OF EDITORS ...... Habold G. Merbiam Gbace Raymond Hebabd Assistant Editors...... J Gbace Stone Coates Advisory Editors University of Wyoming ( BKassil Fitzgerald for the Histor- tt , C. P hillips 7 taistor J University of Montana Contributing Editors S 1, RANK B- Lindebman lcaI Section— j Abcheb B. Hulbebt ) James Stevens T1 Colorado College l Lew Sabett P hilip A shton R ollins or Keith Seilrotn^B usiw ss ^m anen^slJ>,usVlf?s communications to Elsie Reicksen nger all at the State *° W M tr Taylor’ Circulation Mar.

- 0ry’ writ*™ with si^ritTaZd IntJ^Tare^accevtahJ™™' s1cetch’ essay’ article, drama,

March 3. 1879d' Cla3a matter May 4, 1928, at the postoffice at Missoula, ^ntana, under

The Frontier is a member of the Missoula Chamber o f Commerce. Camels are odds-on favorites

in every field. . . . There

isn’t a cigarette . . . anywhere

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fragrance, for mildness, for

downright smoking pleasure! Camel CIGARETTES

© 1930, R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Winston-Salem, N. C. On the Campus to Serve!

Many books and sta­ tionery supplies unat­ tainable at your local book stores may be found here. We endeav­ or to anticipate your needs and invite you to avail yourself of this additional service.

Associated Students’ Store

University of Montana, Missoula The University of Montana MELVIN A. BRANNON, Chancellor SUMMER SESSIONS June 16 to August 15

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State Normal College Eastern Montana Normal DILLON School Courses in Kindergarten, Primary, BILLINGS Intermediate and Junior High School Teaching, with limited opportunity for Courses in Art, Education, English, specialization in Physical Education, Mathematics, Music, Physical Educa­ Art, Manual Arts, Dramatics, Vocal tion, Practice Teaching, Science, Social and Instrumental Music. Science.

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Courses in Liberal Arts subjects. Graduate work emphasized during the Summer Session. Certificate courses. Special attractions in dramatic work.

All three units of the University of Montana are located near ideal summer playgrounds for the days after the session. Six and nine weeks sessions, beginning June 16.

Address: Director of the Summer Session at each institution. ANY BOOK TEACHERS IN PRIN T WANTED SUPPLIED BY US Normal school graduates and B. A. degree teachers for grade, Send us your orders for library high school, college and univer­ and personal requirements. sity positions. Prompt attention assured.

American Teachers Agency 707 to 711 Sprague Ave. 708 to 716 First Ave. 840 S. 4th St. Spokane - Washington Pocatello, Ida.

THANKS: W e take this opportunity and means to thank the people and students o f Western Montana for the kind way they have accepted our organization in Missoula.

. , ®ur stock is now nearing completion— but come in and shop with a new ease o f freedom in this, the new McCracken Store. Every- QuaHties^1^5 3^e<^ ^°r ^our care^ui examination and comparison of

W e will always be glad to meet you in this, The New M c­ Cracken Store, formerly the J. C. Penney location— opposite the W a y ” ° ne bmldinS- Remember, “ It’s Always Better the McCracken McCracken Stores Our Buying Power Is Your Saving Power. SUMMER SESSIONS University of Oregon Eugene and Portland JUNE 23-AUGUST 1 Regular six-weeks sessions in Eugene and Portland Post-session, Eugene, August 4-29 Post-session to Alaska, August 4-25 Summer School to Hawaii, June 25-August 15 Platoon Demonstration School in Portland. Clinical School for Problem Children in Eugene. Athletic Coaching School, with Dr. Spears as football instructor, in Eugene, June 23-July 5. Course for Laboratory Technicians in Portland, June 16-August 22. Address Director of Summer Sessions University of Oregon Eugene By authority of the State Board of Higher Education

TEACHERS UNIVERSITY OF SPLENDID OPPORTUNITIES NORTH DAKOTA FOR COLLEGE Summer Session GRADUATES June 16 to August 8, With or without experience 1930

FREE ENROLLMENT TO A delightful place to spend MONTANA TEACHERS the summer. An exceptionally strong and efficient faculty. Write or call at office for Personal Special provision for graduate interview. work. Regular, standard col­ legiate credits in all courses. E. L. Huff Teachers For bulletin and information write Agency to Director of the Summer Session 501 Smead-Simons Bldg. University Station MISSOULA, MONTANA Grand Forks, North Dakota ABOARD THE COVERED WAGON

Irvin (“Shorty”) Shope is a Montana sends this, his first published story, from artist of western subjects living in Missoula. San Francisco. Frances Huston, Muriel Ted Olson, a Wyoming poet, is the author of Thurston, Margaret Skavlan, Paul E. Tracy, A Stranger and Afraid, a volume of very Charles Oluf Olsen, and Eleanor Hansen are beautiful poems. Donald Buraie and Edith Oregon poets. Graham are Idaho poets. Elizabeth Needham, Santa Fe, had a story in the March Frontier. Elise Rushfeldt, Minnesota, wrote A Coffin fo r Anna, reprinted in the O. Henry Memor­ Edmund L. Freeman, Professor of English ial Award Prize Stories for 1929 from The at the State University o f Montana, is on Frontier, here tries to supply a coffin for leave of absence studying at Northwestern Anna’s husband, Enoch. Martin Peterson is University. Eleanor Sickels is teaching an editor of The Prairie Schooner, the ad­ during his absence. Miss Sickels formerly mirable regional magazine published at Lin- was a professor at New York University. con, Nebraska.

Seattle is represented by four writers, Lillian T. Leonard lives in Great Falls; Kathryn Shepherd, Helen Marfng, editor of Merle Haines in Helena; Mrs. T. A. Wickes, Muse and Mirror, and James Marshall, ed­ herself a pioneer, in Somers, and H. C. B. itor of Western Features, all three poets, and Colvill in Orchard Homes, all Montana Edward H. Thomas, an authority on the writers. W. O. Clough is a professor of Chinook Jargon, whose articles have appeared English at the University of Wyoming. in American Speech. G. Frank Goodpasture William S. Lewis, a Spokane attorney, is lives in South Bend, Washington. well known as an historian of early North­ James Rorty, a frequent contributor to west material. The Nation, lives in Connecticut; Frank Winona Adams is assistant cataloguer in Ankenbrand, Jr, in New Jersey; Marion the library of the State University of Mon­ Doyle in Pennsylvania; Dr. Israel Newman tana. in Maine. Sallie Maclay is doing newspaper THE NEXT ISSUE OF THE FRONTIER work in Indianapolis. Whitley Gray is an editor of Troubadour, San Diego. WILL BE THE NOVEMBER NUMBER, PUBLISHED ON OCTOBER 20. WILL Roland E. Hartley, San Francisco, is well YOU WIN FRIENDS FOR IT DURING known to Frontier readers. William Saroyan THE SUMMER?

State of Montana, County of Missoula—ss. o notary public in and for the state and county aforesaid, personally appeared Harold l i t e sworn according to law, deposes and says that he is the editor, pub- statement* nf th J ontler> and ,th.at following is, to the best of his knowledge and belief, a true n u b S ?o n w l P;J^a.naB*lmeni (and “ a dally paper, the circulation), etc., of the aforesaid section *411 411, fposta? Postal LawsT aw* anda n lT Regulations, n a V w , ab0V® printed Ca?ti°n’ on required the reverse by the of this Act form, of August to-wit: 24, 1912, embodied in Publisher"*!! * Q 0f Pu^hsher, editor, managing editor, and business managers are: soul", Son?'- Managf™ F r tw ?™ I?rSty’, Mlss™la’ Mont.; Editor, H. G. Merriam, State University, Mis- Mont. Managing Editor, none; Business Manager, Keith Heilbronner, State University, Missoula, 2. That the owner is: Harold G. Merriam, State University, Missoula, Mont. or more o f t o ^ l ^ L r ^ u S ^ e ^ C l 0^ " “ 1 ^ holders, i/^anyf c™tafnrnota^>nIvn?he names of the owners, stockholders, and security books of the cimpTny bu H lso in ‘ c a s e * w h L ? * ? ^ * ^ ? . ? ? d security holders as they appear “ P°“ of the company as trustee or in anv ,tbe st°ckholder or security holder appears upon the books whom such trustee is acting' is given° ^ L ttat S / ^ 0ti’ the name of the person or corporation for affiant’s full knowledge and belief as'tn thP ^ r L ^ !* ald two. paraf?raphs contain statements embracing security holders who do not appear upon the bn^ks^?* th«eS and condltions under which stockholders and in a capacity other than that of a bona firto awn*!!.0* SsS. company as trustees, hold stock and securities person, association, or corporation has am? aPd lll s aff,iant no reason to believe that any other securities than as so stated by him y nterest direct or indirect in the said stock, bonds, or other Sworn to and subscribed before me this 28th day of M a r £ * “ d P“ CT' E. K. BADGLEY, Notary Public for the State of Montana. Residing at Missoula, Montana. My commission expires June 19th, 1930. WESTERN MONTANA

The Scenic Empire

“ Montana’s Garden City,” Missoula is called. Down at the bases of mountains which sweep upward majestically in every direction, it has been described as a community placed in a perfect setting. Missoula is the center of one of the finest recreation areas in the country. Several weeks can be spent in this region, and every day a trip may be made to some scenic spot or sportsman’s paradise, a different tour for each day and each one packed with thrills and pleasure. Thirty-seven fine fishing streams can he found within a radius of 20 miles of Missoula, offering unusual opportunities for fishing; also hunting, camping, mountain climbing and all varieties of recre­ ational pleasures are offered to those who love the glorious out- of-doors. Missoula also is Montana’s University city. The State University is located on the southeast edge of the city, and from the campus proper Mount Sentinel swoops abruptly up into the high distance. A glorious view of the surrounding country may he gained by ascending one of the several trails up the mountain. Lumbering is one of Western Montana’s main industries, and a thorough knowledge of the work, from the planting of tiny trees to the finishing of high grade lumber, can he obtained here. The Forestry School nursery has a large area devoted to the culture of trees of various kinds. A trip through the nursery is a pleasure and an instructive pastime. At Milltown and Bonner, just east of Missoula and on both the motor highway and the street-car line, are the lumber mills of the Anaconda Copper Mining company, where visitors are shown how the logs are pulled dripping from the river and in a few moments are piled as lumber in the drying yards. For Further Information Inquire 0/ T he M issoula C h a m b e r of C om m erce MISSOULA, MONTANA North Coast Limited Choice of discriminating travelers to Chicago and the North Pacific Coast...the Northwest’s Only All-Pullman Train N. H . Mason, Northern Pacific Railway, Missoula, Mont. A Store Is Known By Its Customers W ho shops there? careless of what they pay but that they are careful of what Answer that question about they get. They prefer an in­ any store and you establish vestment in satisfaction to an the position of that store in adventure in disappointment the community. — which is the spirit of true Today, as always, the repre­ econom y. sentative women of the city instinctively turn to this store The store that attracts and to satisfy their needs and holds the patronage of this in­ gratify their tastes. telligent, discriminating ele­ ment is, obviously, the logical People whose cultural back­ store for every shopper. ground is expressed in their clothes and their homes do not And remember— it costs no shop anywhere and every­ more to shop in good com­ where. It is not that they are pany!

MissoulaMercantile » COMPANY < THE COWBOY CAN RIDE! “Now lis’en you wall-eyed jughead! That blanket's goin’ to stay on your back if I have f throw y'u. They ain’t no time for funny business and this saddle's goin' right on top of that blanket. Yeah, grunt! Never had a cinch tighten up around y'u before, did y'uf Needn’t look insulted yet either, ’cause I’m goin’ t’ step right up across your middle and you’re goin' t’ like it. Ye-es, you be-eautiful, brown-eyed cross between barb­ wire and lightnin’, I’m your partner for this dance!” And that’s just about all the time it takes for a real range hand to strap a saddle onto a lunging, snorting hunk of horse flesh that would kick the life out of a less skilled person. Horses that are range raised and never touched by human hands till they are five or six years old, except when they are branded some fearful day in their colthood, are likely to retain some of their wild ways the rest of their lives, especially when they are ridden only during the season of cattle handling from May or June till October and then only half a day out of every two or three days. Here I'm speaking of the large cow-outfits where cattle are handled by the thousands and each rider has in his mount from five to ten horses which are grazed by a horse wrangler between their turns of work under the saddle. In this way the horses do not require any feed except the grass they pick and where horses are cheap it is more eco­ nomical than having only two or three horses to the rider and graining them. Horses differ as much as humans and in his “string” a rider may find, before the season is well advanced, that two or three of his younger ponies are gentle enough to be trusted in roping and cutting and are well on their way to making real cow horses that will hardly need a touch on the bridle to carry on their work. Then there will be some that are naturally given to bucking at the slightest disturbance and fighting their rider when he saddles or when they do not understand his signals from the saddle. These horses are used for rough work like riding circle when in the morning a fresh stretch of country is combed for cattle which are driven to a central point to be worked in the afternoon. They are also used to stand guard, to trail herds and wherever they caM be used to save his most intelligent horses. For his trained mounts must be always fresh when he has to do such heavy work as roping calves all afternoon in the spring round-up or cutting steers fit for beef from the main herd in the fall. Roping calves may not sound Wee hard work, but if I should say that two men roping with six men working at the branding fire can work between two to five hundred head of calves in an after­ noon, it may sound different. To see half the riders around a chuck wagon in the morning saddling horses that ®T . ln® their best to keep from being saddled and then bucking for at least a few i\JWJ!nFiS * 16,1 mo}mted is rather a common sight. It’s what makes every real cowboy when,*, •*> saddle and ride anything all by himself, anywhere it’s handed to him, . at , e. O’Ome ranch corrals or out on the wide stretches of rolling grass where most of his work is done. Shorty Shope. T H E FRONTIER A MAGAZINE OF THE NORTHWEST______“ The frontiers are not east or west, north or south, but wherever a man fronts a fact.” —T horeau. ______PRELUDE TO A PICARESQUE NOVEL B y T ed Olson

HE sky was a flame of sapphire to a halt. Then Dan must tug and and the earth an emerald blaze. shout shrill imprecations until the re­ T The torrid air of mid-morning luctant bays came awkwardly back, and smoked with a droning fury of mosqui­ Jeff dragged the plow loose and plant­ toes, for the river meadows were awash ed it for another attempt. Up the ditch and their tepid shallows incubated tiny fifty feet thus; down on the opposite life in tropical profusion. It was a side to the starting point. Then the week or so too early for horseflies, but scraper; Jeff at the handles again; already a few of their smaller kindred Dan at the reins; the bays crouched to known as deerflies had come to add their the drag of the traces. Only a yard or ferocity to the insistence of the mosqui­ so at a time n ow ; then a swing to left or toes. It is a scourge that sends cattle right to dump the load on the bank and loping in agony for a relief that flailing back again into the ditch. And at long tails can not afford; that makes horses intervals a pause while J eff packed his half unmanageable; that drains the pipe and Dan sprawled dolefully on the puny reservoirs of human patience and stubble and the bays stamped and fret­ sets men aquarrel over trifles. ted and switched and got incomprehen­ Most days there would have been wind sibly entangled in the reins and traces. on the upland where Jeff Madison and ‘‘Come on, kid,” Jeff’s inexorable his brother Dan were cleaning ditch. summons roused Dan to reluctant feet. Today there was none. The snarling He dragged listlessly over to the team, horde was a fog about their heads. The unfastened a trace and shoved at a thigh heat clung with almost personal male­ of the drowsing mare until she shifted volence. Their skins were a paste of her weight enough to permit him to sweat saturated with dust ground up refasten it properly. In the process the by the bucking plough and scraper. lashing tail caught him in the mouth When they could free a hand for an in­ and he spat a mouthful of profanity stant they waged desultory and inef­ after it. fectual war on the feasting plague. ‘1 Git up! Git up, Maude! Come It was harsh labor and their progress alive! Git outa town! ’ ’ was, to Dan at least, infuriatingly slow. The bays seesawed into their collars First the plow, with Jeff fighting the and then straightened out and the handles and Dan sawing the reins over scraper ground forward. A boulder the big bay team. Up the ditch per­ tilted the blade of it upward and as the haps fifty feet; never, though, in one tug lessened the team spurted forward. consistent advance, for the nose of the The bounce wrested the handle from plow would glance from a sunken boul­ Jeff’s fingers and one of them caught der and jerk into air, or lock in a nest him a savage buffet across the jaw. He of willow roots and bring team and all staggered dizzily with the pain. 274 The Frontier

It was five yards before Dan could The consciousness of victory, perhaps drag the bays to a halt. As he tugged seasoned with shame, kept Jeff from re­ at the reins to turn them J e ff’s hand plying in kind. clamped on his shoulder and shook him ‘ ‘ Shut up! ” he growled. “ You ’ll be­ fiercely. have yourself for a while, I reckon. Get "F or God’s sake, can’t you hold them holt ’a those lines and try to be some horses, yuh damned, yellow runt ? What good oncet.” in hell good are yuh, anyway?” “ You wait!” Dan contented himself The heat, the nagging insect torment had brought them to the inevitable with that last feeble sop to his resent­ breaking-point. It had needed only this ment. He shouted the bays into reluc­ incident to touch them to fury. tant endeavor and the scraper nosed “ God damn you, take your hands o ff a into the loosened soil agajin. Labor, m e!” the boy shrilled. eternal and patient, overtopped the lit­ “ You ra t!” tle flame of human bickering, encircled Jeff was a stalwart man and the ado­ and engulfed it. The service of the soil lescent body was powerless in his grip. must go on. Hatreds and hostilities Probably he did not guess the power must yield for the time at least to a behind the open-handed blow he dealt grudging community of effort. To Jeff Dan across the face as he flung him this was inevitable and accepted. Under sprawling. the pettier fret of life flowed this vast Blind frenzy surged over the boy. His and inexorable current. Whatever else fingers clutched a stone beside him— might happen, whatever fears and hopes a cornered, hand-filling missile. As he and joys and despairs might harry the reeled to his knees he flung it. servitors of earth, their ritual of serv­ It missed Jeff. Before the boy could ice, shaped by the changeless sequence seize another his brother was on him, of day and night, of winter and sum­ sobbing curses, cuffing him with flail­ mer, must be fulfilled. Dan had yield­ like buffets, shaking him until the blue- ed to it because it was part of the fur­ green world was a sickening swirl. They niture of his existence, something his rolled and wrestled, ignominiously, youth had accepted as it accepted the shamefully, until rage had exhausted routine of three meals a day and eight itself and them and their grip loosened. hours sleep out of the twenty-four. He Jeff sprawled panting to his feet, yielded to it now. A sullen truce crust­ scarlet yet with the dwindling flame of ed over the smouldering lava of momen­ fury and effort, scowling, ashamed of tary wrath. himself, but refusing to acknowledge There had been clashes before. In­ that shame. Dan lay spent, sobbing for evitably there would be other clashes breath. W ith the first lung-filling gasp later. Between stretched levels of sober he hitched himself to a sitting posture tolerance, grooved by habit, imposed, and flung a last shaky challenge. perhaps, on the bedrock of a scarcely You—damned—big—bully! I ’ll get recognized affection. For they were — even—if it’s the— last thing I do! brothers, and the bond of blood is al­ You wait! Damn you! Damn you! ’ ’ ways a potent one. It is more likely to The Frontier 275 be transmuted into hatred than to that “ Nobody’s readier to treat a horse weaken into indifference. right when he’s willing to do the right So the sun whittled away the morn­ thing. And nobody’ll take it outa ’em ing until Jeff, casting a measuring quicker when they’re tryin’ to be glance at his pigmied shadow, dragged ornery.” forth a nickeled Ingersol and remarked The low-ceilinged kitchen was grate­ gruffly: “ Let’s eat!” fully cool within its stout log walls. Jeff, In taciturn acquiescence Dan un­ taking priority as the unquestioned hooked the tug-chains and looped them right of his age, emptied the big pail on through the harness so that they might the washstand into the graniteware not drag. Reins looped and bridles off, basin and handed it to Dan. When the the horses were dismissed with a slap boy returned with the pail slopping full on ample rumps. The lure of oats in his brother was sputtering and puffing the shadowy coolness of the stable would into the big crash towel. While Dan insure their safe arrival there after they soaped and splashed and swabbed Jeff had sucked their fill from the creek by crammed paper and chips into the maw the corrals. of the range and nursed the fire with wood split fine for quick cooking heat. The brothers trudged after them, in He begrudged the time baching stole that half-coma of relaxation that comes from work out-of-doors, and by long in the wake of long muscle toil. They practice he had reduced its demands to did not talk. They had nothing to say to each other, even had that savage min­ the minimum. ute in mid-forenoon been forgotten. They did not talk as they went about And it was not. Neither was willing to the preparation of dinner. There was make the first overture of peace. no need to exchange orders or sugges­ tions; there was no urge for mere con­ At the stable Dan climbed to the loft verse. Without a word they sat down and forked down great heaps of hay to devour steak, warmed up from last while Jeff portioned out to each horse night’s supper, fried potatoes, canned a five-pound pail of oats. The familiar corn and rye bread, washed down by rattle of the oat-box lid was signal for curving necks and distended nostrils gulps of coffee. and velvety whickers of anticipation. But before he settled into his chair As the muzzles nosed deep in the boxes Dan fumbled under the smaller table Jeff permitted himself a caress along that was littered with pipes and tobacco each sweaty neck, a roughly affectionate cans and newspapers and scissors and slap on sleek shoulders. He liked horses. other bric-a-brac and dug out a dog­ There was a manorial satisfaction in be­ eared magazine, which he spread beside stowing largess on them, knowing that his plate. He ate unseeingly, scarcely he was master of their destinies, cus­ dragging his glance from the print long todian of their comfort. He could be enough to fumble for more butter. He implacably stern on occasion; he could did not see the curl that lifted J e ff’s be needlessly harsh when the slumber­ lip. He did not need to. He knew from ing savage in him was aroused, but he long experience the contempt Jeff had would have told you—and believed it— for this odd passion for print. Jeff had 276 The Frontier voiced it frequently enough. He might mornings by oatmeal and occasionally have waxed facetious now had they been flapjacks. on terms of amity. Eighteen months had erased the ache “ Funny yuh don’t rig up a duhickey left by his mother’s death. He would so you could hang a magazine on not have admitted that the loss of her Maude’s rump when you’re ridin’ the services persisted more stubbornly than harrow,” he had remarked the spring the loss of her tired, undemonstrative before, and had been so pleased with personality. Yet it was true. When the witticism that he repeated it once a she had lived there had been a garden, week at least. But he knew better now. loyally tended; it was grown now to So the meal passed. Finished, Jeff weeds and open to the rooting of the packed his pipe and stretched back in hogs. When she had lived there had comfortable lethargy. The alarm been warm meals waiting on the hour clock swept inexorably toward one when they trooped in, weary and fam­ o’clock. There was no external com­ ished; fresh vegetables prepared in de­ pulsion to fix their hours of labor and lectable ways; luscious pies and golden, of leisure, now that no hired men were sugary doughnuts and ruby currant and at hand, but the tyranny of long cus­ gooseberry jellies and savory puddings. tom survived. It was the tradition of He had accepted her service unthinking­ the country that work should pause in ly, with the bright, callous cruelty of such season that horses might he sta­ youth. He had grieved unselfishly when bled and tended by the stroke of noon. she had died, suddenly and inexplicably, The next hour was sacred; with equal but his young life had healed the wound exactitude the stroke of one found quickly. But the burden of supplying every man returning to labor. the needs she had supplied, of doing While Jeff smoked in a half-drowse without the service he had come to ex­ Dan read on, insensible to the urgent pect, was constantly upon him. Perhaps immediate world. In this season they it was partly that which sent him to the did not bother to wash the dishes after refuge of his magazines. There, in ad­ each meal. They were stacked for a ventures furious and incredible, in grand clean-up nightly. This Jeff ac­ lands of remote glamour, he could for­ cepted as he always accepted the in­ get dishes with long-cold food crusted evitable. Dan resented it with the into them, the wailing torment of mo­ fierce resentment of youth that refuses squitoes, the reek of sweat-drenched to acknowledge anything as inevitable. clothes. And bitterly he begrudged the He hated this baching more than all tyranny of labor that dragged him in­ the more strenuous outdoor tasks. It exorably back from this precious free­ seemed an unjust invasion upon time dom. that rightfully should have meant rest “ Come on, kid. Let’s get going.” from labor. He hated the necessary Jeff put away his pipe and stretched monotony of their fare—steak and po­ to his feet. Dan flipped a page, saw tatoes and canned corn or peas; pota­ that the end of the chapter was hope­ toes and canned peas or corn and lessly distant, and regretfully laid the steak, topped off at night by canned magazine aside. Dispiritedly he heaped peaches or apricots, supplemented of cup and saucer and plate together in 277 The Frontier the sink; sullenly followed his broth­ It was two miles across the river- er’s burly figure into the pitiless sun­ bottom to the highroad; two miles more shine. to the crossroads where the rural free That day ended as days must end, delivery wagon ambled in from its cir­ however much it may seem that time cuit along Sheep Creek and turned swims arrested in some Joshua spell. back toward Grandon. Wink took the The westering sun appeared to drink road across the uplands of the Madison back the heat it had squeezed on a place at a long lope. The swing of his cringing world, and man and beast easy stride sent a rhythm of jubilant breathed more freely in the fitful eddy blood through his rider’s veins. The of wind that came toward sundown. ache of weary muscles, the bum of in­ Even the insect pestilence abated some­ sect-bites lumping neck and forehead what; frail wings could not stem that and wrist were salved by the wind of cool, invisible tide. Dan found himself their speed. When he stopped to swing reluctantly yielding to the peace that open the gate separating the home comes with evening to those whose ranch from Gunderson’s upper meadow labor is measured by the hours of sun­ he had almost forgotten the day be­ light—peace the more exquisite because hind him. He reined Wink to a run­ it is crowded narrowly between toil ning-walk and let the reins droop as he and sleep. whistled or sang lugubrious snatches As they trudged stable-wards Jeff of treacly popular songs: broke the silence. “ Wanna chase down “ In a village by the sea, after the mail? I ’ll pail the bossies and She was happy as could be, get supper.” Like a bird her heart was ever light and Dan guessed that the suggestion was free. an awkward overture for peace. He Now the moon don’t shine as bright, was not so ready as his brother to ac­ For she’s all alone tonight, knowledge the breach healed; smoul­ Where he left her dering resentment delayed his answer In a village by-y the sea.” for a dozen steps. But the bait was too alluring. Wink plashed through a mile of “ Awright,” with assumed indiffer­ drenched meadow; broke into a lope ence. again where dandelion-saffroned knolls “ You can take Wink if you wanta. lifted from the shallows. Robust mea­ He’s in the little pasture.” dowlarks chanted from the willows This was further concession. Jeff that bordered the drowsy silver of irri­ was jealous of Wink. Any man might gation-ditches. In a fence comer they well be jealous of that sleek, golden disturbed a great parleying of black­ morsel of horseflesh, spirited but gen­ birds, scraps of jet arrogance flaunting tle, wise in the lore of rope and uncan­ epaulets of vivid scarlet as they scold­ nily adept in circumventing the whims ed the intruders. Their shadow of recalcitrant steers. Dan could not sprawled alongside, an ungainly cari­ well scorn the munificence of this gift. cature of their sleek progress. The low “ Awright,” he said again, but his hills on the eastern horizon were rose tone was noticeably warmer. and coral; those to the north were mys­ 278 The Frontier teriously washed in delicate pastels of And out of nowhere flamed suddenly blue and purple. the frosty beacon of the evening star. So they came to the river, past full Dan was conscious, as he always was flood now, but still the color of heav­ conscious at hours like this, of a ily-creamed coffee and still encroach­ strange pain that somehow was dearer ing on the precincts of the willows and than pleasure; of a hunger that knew alders and cottonwoods that bordered no ordinary food and that was queerly it. Wink clopped gingerly across the better than repletion. He had never narrow plank bridge, pretending to shy thought much of religion; churches violently midway as a reminder that were too remote in this land for Sun­ he might be much less docile if he day school training to be meted out to chose. Beyond, the road climbed youth, and the teaching his mother had slantingly up the bluff and emerged given was perfunctory, inspired rather through a wire gate into the broad by a sense of duty than by deep con­ sagebrush lane of the country road. viction. This queer urge toward some­ The Madison mail-box, one of a covey thing beyond himself was not associat­ that flocked on the rim of a wagon ed definitely with his scrappy ideas of wheel pivoted on a post at the cross­ divinity and eternity. It had no such roads, yielded no rich harvest. There framework to make it articulate. It was the semi-weekly edition of the was at once a rapt contentment and a Grandon Pioneer; a summer bargain pervading discontent; a sense of ful­ catalog from Sears Roebuck, addressed fillment and of want; a rapport with with grandiose disregard of death and the beauty of the universe and a dis­ change to Dan’s mother; a copy of satisfaction that he could comprehend the Farm Journal; two windowed en­ that beauty so scantily. And it was velopes that the boy knew for bills. transmuted obscurely into the grandi­ He tucked the plebeian harvest in the ose, vague dreams of youth that vis­ flour sack looped to the saddle-horn, ions conquest and achievement beyond and with a vague depression swung the achievement of all other mortals Wink homeward. past. The sun had dropped behind the From the dimming road came a wasp­ mountain rim. It was still light, but a ish drone that caught W ink’s ears to light drained of its warm honey, pricking alertness. A gust of light dream-like and reticent. The horizon swept round a curve and burst' in two lacked body and depth; it was a black as it roared down upon them. Wink paper cutout pasted on crystal. The snorted and crowded on two-stepping west was cloudless and colorless. Only hoofs toward the fence. A minute they to northward and southward its trans- were washed in its radiance; then it lucence deepened to a wash of clear ap­ was past, a great noisy behemoth bor­ ple-green. Far to westward in the val­ ing through the night toward the city. ley shone a level pool of quicksilver Dan tamed Wink’s brief eruption where the river looped for a moment with a relentless hand and held him re- free from its sheath of timber. Else­ belliously in check while he stared where the bottoms, rich emerald by eastward. The saffron dust of the car day, were only shadow on shadow. was lost in the silver dust of twilight, 279 The Frontier and the ruby ember of the tail light across the river bottoms, squat and clut­ flickered into ash as he watched. But tered and yet dearly familiar and warm, far, far beyond on the horizon a nest with the orange square of window burn­ of stars that was Grandon was visible, ing through the dusk, and Jeff clump­ and another star, hung on the sooty ing heavily about the business of supper. wall of hills, told of a train racing down Jeff . . . Dan saw his face scarlet the divide toward the division point. and ugly and distorted with wrath, a The racing car, the town, the train— gargoyle spinning through a red haze they were part of a mightier current of tears and fury; felt a huge flat fist that swept by, leaving Dan in the ed­ clamping his shoulder; swayed under dy. He was conscious again of that the buffet of a big-knuckled hand; was surge of rebellion. Beyond the divide conscious of a murderous frenzy in him­ there was another world—a world of self, fed by a maddening sense of impo­ cities and throngs, of life sure-footed tence and humiliation. And in the and full-throated and imperious, of ac­ renascence of that sultry hatred there tion and conquest and adventure. It was no longer room for the terror that was life different not merely in degree had momentarily dismayed him. but in kind from the plodding stupidity Wink, fretfully eager for the home­ of his own existence. And he felt with ward trail, felt the pressure of the rein the egotism of youth that he was some­ turning him inexplicably away from it. how rightfully a part of that life, rather He snorted and shook his wilful head than of the one he knew. He was not rebelliously, but the command was re­ like Jeff, content to be servitor of the enforced by a touch of the spur, not too tyrannous soil until it claimed his very gentle. He broke into his long, easy bones. He was of a different breed. lope. Its rhythm somehow reassured And with a squaring of his round young Dan, though his breath still came fast chin he swore that he would not be and a bit uneven, and his temples were cheated of his birthright. hot to the chill night wind. After a The audacity of his resolve left him while he reined the horse to a swift trot. for a moment dizzy and cold with a kind There was no hurry. It was only twelve of terror. Grandon was only twelve xniles— eleven now, indeed. Time enough miles distant. He could leave Wink at later to think of what lay beyond those the livery stable to await J e ff’s bewil­ eleven miles. His voice was brave, if dered, dully furious pursuit. There somewhat jerky from Wink s stride, were always freights leaving for the as he raised it again in song: long pull across the divide; he had ab­ “ I had a sad experience in the fall of sorbed from the gossip of hired men a ’ninety-four; casual lore of “ riding the rods.” By I was cook on a granger’s roundup, morning he would be a hundred miles which I ’ll never he no more. or more away. I cooked for young and old alike, and I Again the sudden clutch of terror, cooked for tenderheels. this time with a surge of blood to his The prairie-dogs they eat like hogs at temples, a queer hotness at his forehead. the hoarding-house on wheels.” His thoughts scuttled for refuge to a Singing, he rode toward Grandon and vision of the ranch house waiting there the world. 280 The Frontier TSCEMINICUM SNAKE RIVER PEOPLE B y D onald B uknie Adventure The sea hath wed the sky far down The West, his foamy mantle thrown Around her feet, and arms uptos’t To claim his bride ere she be lost. At nuptial mass the waves’ high snarl Resounds, and the tumultuous parle Of gustful winds unloosed. Bold sea, From thy deep spell she cannot flee. Colonel Craig Seeker of unknown places, trapper and hunter. I came with Bob Newell to Tsceminicum, Thereafter dwelling in peace with the Nimipu. I married the daughter of a Chief And we lived together forty years On my donation claim on the Lapwai. I hunted and trapped While she toiled and bore many children. Once I took her to my old home in St. Louis But we soon returned to my donation claim For the voices of Lapwai called. They named Craig Mountains after me; Craig Mountains seem symbolic of me, Lying so huge and silent in the sunshine Between Koos-koos-ki and the rushing Snake. Robert Newell Craig and I were the first white men Who ever owned a piece of Joseph’s land. At the request of the Great Council of Nimipu The President gave Craig his donation claim And granted me five acres In the heart of Tsceminicum. I, too, married an Indian woman And lived the lordly frontier life, Trapping and hunting, spearing the silver salmon, A power in the war councils of Nimipu, Friend of Joseph and Pile-of-Clouds. Then I attended the first convention At Champoeg in forty-three, whence came the state; I married a white woman and went to work, And later I ran for Congress, Having become a great man in Idaho. The Frontier 281

The Soil The sappy earth’s deep breasts are lush With life’s keen essences; the hush Of growing time is in the air And spring shall be forever fair. Forever shall the seed com swell In fallow fields, and man shall fell The ripened ears in thick strown swath A t autumn’s golden aftermath. Dave Johnson Plowing and sowing, harvest after growing, The ancient round goes on. W ith giant hands I tore these fertile fields Prom the womb of a savage wilderness, My plow flinging the virgin odorous earth Upward to be kissed by the flaming sun. I had followed my patient oxen Across the wide plains, Carrying my plow in the prairie schooner With my wife and five children. I was not looking for gold; I wanted land, wide, clean fields of it Where I could plow long, straight furrows, So I came to Tsceminicum in the sixties. Here have I lived, here will I die, On my land, on my fresh clean land, Where the ancient round goes on, Plowing and sowing, harvest after growing. Oh, what will my harvest be ? Survival The strong do lust and take their fill Nor pause to argue good or ill; “ I want it, that’s enough,” they say And calmly go about their way. Yet swings the sun; though weak ones die The strong must live, nor may we fly That stern mandate; unchanged the plan By all the cunning schemes of man. Mrs. Truman A Squaw I remember the nights, The long, long nights When I slept in the arms 282 The Frontier

Of Truman, the ferryman, My white lover. And I remember, too, The long, long nights After he kicked me out For the love of a white woman, Leaving me alone and outcast On the reservation. Spirituelle There is a quiet voice which moves Across the fields, through the green groves Of trees, and floods each pregnant grain With her clear song of love and pain. We cannot flee her. Though the bruit Of her is faint and much we moot The day’s rich themes, that voice still pleads, Forever sweet among the weeds. Father Catdido’s Church This holy cross was raised By the loving hands of Father Cataldo Above the Nicaragua And Anita’s sorrowful roof In sixty-four. Upon this rudely fashioned shrine He lit the gleaming lamps Of an age-old faith, And here Christ agonized again In the mystery of the Bread and Wine. Anita and Spanish Lou wept upon my altar. Aye, sorrow, ruin and repentance Led many a pioneer Into my wide, waiting arms. The Frontier 283 THE BACKWARD STATES B y E dmund L. F reeman

HE Backward States are in for things— of The Tribune, the Mercantile criticism—that I know from read­ Mart, the Stevens Hotel, “ the greatest T ing the W orld’s Greatest News­ acting company ever organized in the paper, in Chicago. They send sons of plays of Shakespeare ’ ’, the Opera, Mich­ the wild jackass to the Senate. Their igan Boulevard, the coming World’s scarcity of population is only equaled by Fair, professors’ salaries at the Univer­ their simplicity of life. Their meagre­ sity of Chicago— all are on the way to or ness of resources is attended with illit­ arrived at the status of W orld’s Great­ eracy and primitive ideas. They hold est. to the frontier idea that social ills can Many things, of course, we have in be remedied by legislation, by a freer common. Here and in Montana parents issue of money, by something which are torn between spanking and reason­ could be enjoyed if it were not malevo­ ing with children, Edgar Guest is pub­ lently withheld by the metropolitan and lished in the best newspapers, higher industrial areas of the country. Cotton education is motivated largely by schol­ and canyons have combined to produce arship cups and grade systems, college legislative futility in our government. faculties are responsible to boards of The map of the nation as it exists today practical men, few males have the cour­ is an absurdity, giving Nevada with its age of their cultural convictions, religion 80,000 inhabitants a voice in the Senate is often defended as a beneficent fiction, equal to that of the 12,000,000 in New and hard problems like birth control, York. State lines must be altered. girls’ smoking and religious prejudice Without questioning whether the at election time lack all the saving grace W orld’s Greatest Newspaper represents of frank discussion. It would be foolish the mid-continent mind—which I hope for either the W. G. N. or me to suppose is a question!—and without turning that there is much difference between back-files to see if the President of the life in this “ natural capitol of the con­ Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association tinent” and life in the canyon areas. included Montana in the Backward But there are some differences. Very States, I find myself frequently compar­ plainly, Chicago has money, and money ing the two states of civilization. seems to be the root of civilization as Within myself I realize now that well as of evil. The center of the city Western Montana has no skyscrapers, is filling with beautifully pyramided nor debutantes, nor grand opera, nor buildings. There are no water towers art galleries, nor theological seminaries, on top nor fancy work at the entrances. nor gangsters, nor multi-millionaires, It is pure architecture, stark and sheer, nor world’s greatest anything. Our our own. But the architect seems to railway trestles, lumber mills, wheat have been only half master of the situ­ farms, mines, lakes, and University ation: you cannot see the buildings as trackmeet are, I believe, only seconds in you walk in the chasms between them size. But here in Chicago one is con­ and probably not as you work in them, stantly made aware of the primacy of and as yet all the workers have to ride 284 The Frontier long miles of ugly railway night and is doing something for the public. I morning to get to them and away. The have no impression of what the public architect is emancipated from the de­ is doing for itself. The Business Man sign, but not from the economics of in­ is the master more than the servant of dividualism of the past. the State, and the question of what kind It is the day of philanthropy in Chi­ of a society will eventually be realized cago. Millions are being given to art depends on the answer to Mr. Laske’s and music centers, and the public inter­ recent question, Can Business Be Civil­ est and participation in these things has ized? The head editorial writer of the greatly increased in the last few years. city’s best newspaper recently said that The foreigners in the city supply two- the editorial section of the modern news­ thirds of the artists and of the concert paper has declined considerably on ac­ audiences, I would judge, as well as count of its responsibility to advertisers. two-thirds of the bootleggers and gang­ The President of the Teachers’ Emeritus sters. But the money counts, and it is Association told his followers a short determined to do more. There is a while ago that “ the months preceding reputable organization now working to the Chicago W orld’s Fair are most fav­ create a fund of $25,000 with which to orable to promoting every good cause in induce some men of first-rate literary Chicago for schools and teachers, due to promise to remain and do their writing the fact that big business men behind in Chicago. A t present, whenever the the fair will not want Chicago’s educa­ Middle-West develops a good author or tional status to fall short at the time of a good football coach, it loses him to the the exposition. ’ ’ The drift of such com­ East or West—respectively. ment is clear. Chicago’s crime is a by­ Education is being given its money- word now for the world. But I remem­ theistic basis, too. The figures in the ber that Havelock Ellis calls criminality press from week to week are fairly deaf­ a poisonous excretion which is also the ening, and discouraging to one who hails measure of vital metabolism. It is easy from the area of limited resources. to see it here as a by-product of the com­ Northwestern University has announced munity ’s energy. The whole pace of life a one hundred million dollar expansion is so much faster than ours. The citi­ program for the next fifty years. Presi­ zens killed over one thousand of them­ dent Hutchins, the thirty-year-old head selves with automobiles alone last year. of the University of Chicago, has taken I don’t know how many more with guns charge of a ninety-seven million dollar and alcohol. Heart disease killed twice plant and is now asking his hoard and as many as any other disease. In their alumni to dream of the power of a highly desire for speed they have driven two paid faculty, and is reiterating that the fine auto roads through Lincoln Park. universities cannot get better men with­ Under their spreading influence we shall out paying them more money. To be probably soon have a network of fine or not to be—well off, that’s a question roads through all the National Parks so one doesn’t easily avoid here. that the public can save itself time and It all seems individualistic, that is, energy in getting back occasionally to that everyone, who can, is making Nature. money, and then that anyone, who will, But, seriously, one wonders if there The Frontier 285 is any more spiritual mastery in all thm Manufacturers of Pennsylvania in the energy and efficiency than there is in Senate, I suspect that The Tribune the Backward States— any more “ in­ would not have been the last to cry, ward aim and fixity in affection that “ Red.” Not that the Backward States knows what to take and what to leave would have been much slower with the in a world over which it diffuses some­ cry. But I don’t see what the main thing of its own peace.” Some months stream of American life and ideas is ago, A. E. remarked that he felt some­ that The Tribune thinks the Backward thing like an heroic childhood in Amer­ States are outside of, when our news­ ica. Here, he said, one is certainly papers have been full for years of all struck by an extraordinary display of that newspaper’s favorite ideas, from external efficiency, gigantic engineering the dread of communism to the derision feats, the flinging up of skyscrapers, of pacifism. Probably the difference and yet amidst all these external achieve­ which the W . G. N. is so concerned with ments, one finds an even more extra­ is the difference between agricultural ordinary immaturity of mind. You will and industrial interests, with democracy find engineers who can plan and carry and plutocracy involved. But I am un­ out mighty constructional schemes; but informed in the direction. if you talk with them as human beings, Some of our “ meagreness of re­ they are no more advanced than a boy sources” in the Backward States can of sixteen. be made into advantages if there is any I have not talked with any engineers such creative energy in those who went nor with many business men, but the west as our traditional stories say. I f intellectual level of editorial pages, the we have no millions now for art galleries, quality of government and of the pres­ we have not many millionaires either. ent political campaign, the imagination There is little rationality in a society in handling foreign news, particularly of such violent contrast between rich from Russia, and the good-will and in­ and poor as one must see every day telligence at play in current comments here. “ The humility of man to man— on economic theories, radicals, and dis­ it pains me.” Even tho our more equit­ senting Senators, all this seems to me able division of wealth is owing not to to be as inglorious as the architecture is any democratic will so much as to the glorious. As I understand it, the idea of mere fact that our millionaires have left political representation by means of us, our condition is better, for ideals economic or occupational interest is one can grow out of conditions as well as of the advanced and advancing ideas of conditions out of ideals. We have a our day. But if, when The Tribune ap­ better chance to achieve democracy. proved Mr. Grundy’s criticism of the There is a danger, however, at the Backward States because our present point of the opportunity, that we sel­ representational system gives Nevada dom face out in mind. If the masses as many Senators as New York; if some have been kept poor in the modem plu­ one had gone on publicly to argue that tocratic state, the wealth that has been we ought also to modify our system so denied them has been in large part that we could seat the President of the turned back into productive industry Miners as well as the President of the and into art and institutions. So that 286 The Frontier the Museums and Opera in Chicago have the beliefs and practices and arts that been made by poverty. It remains to be we achieve may be much like the old, seen if they can be made elsewhere by they will be more our own. Much of economic democracy. If we fulfil the the culture in America is still a very bor­ democratic ideal we shall need to pass rowed thing. Devotion to it is often beyond the goal of reasonable division little more than pedantry or sentimen­ of income to think of the distinction tality. With our lesser sophistication that has been, and is now, created by we have the better chance to realize and holders of wealth. We shall need a idealize our own organic passions, and whole public, and not only a few phil­ from the ways of life and vision of a anthropists, who will tax themselves to new country to believe and create new provide for the leisure and freedom and things. intelligent environment in which dis­ Our frontier Universities are in covery and scientific thinking and ar­ point, I think. Copied as they are from tistic conception can occur. W e shall the East, and impressed with many need to stop the deification of riches and standardizing agencies, they still are not individualism and the disparagement without their own inspiration. Formal of governmental processes. With the education is peculiarly a thing of tra­ Forest and Roads and Indian and Rec­ dition, so much so that the garment of lamation Services and State Univer­ culture is not easily borne without leav­ sities working in our midst, we ought ing the wearer a little anemic. Carpen­ to have a better chance to realize the so­ ters often know more of life than schol­ cialistic idea of respect for responsibility ars and speak with more art. Those who and depersonalization of property. We study hard in Universities too often are shall need to achieve William James’ possessed of a kind of pedantic classicism standard for a good education— the abil­ that prizes the remains of some older ity to know a good man when we see culture, or of a single scientific tech­ him, and add to that the determination nique and otherwise narrow intellectual to use our best men in our own public interests. Our whole concept of cul­ services. We shall need to give no more tural education is still in need of a quarter to the idea that we are a young more fundamental remaking than tra­ country and must wait for our art and ditionalists can enjoy. Scientific in­ leisure and freedom until we are mature. formation must be put much more into Art shall shape our culture as well as the center of education. Teachers of finally blossom from it. literature and history and religion soon That the frontier areas do not have will be unattended if they ignore the replicas of all the museums and semi­ scientific implications of their materials naries and artists of the Old W orld and — and science teachers if they ignore the of metropolitan centers is not pure mis­ historical development of their mate­ fortune. We are pushed back the soon­ rials, it can be hoped. er on the inspiration of our own per­ As this change occurs, involving new sonality and of Nature. Before we combinations of materials and new meth­ achieve many cultural products we shall ods and attitudes, our new Universities, have to build some continuity of culti­ without a too heavy load of conservative vation and thought; and in the end tho tradition and respected ability, have the 287 The Frontier chance to turn some of their very lack idea that Nature is only beneficent and into advantage. In some ways already, a sufficient education, the man who goes I feel, we have almost unknowingly into the busy city away from doing his made changes in our methods and em­ daily work in the sight of a mountain phasis that older institutions must yet slope comes to believe that topography labor to make. Intolerance of academic must eventually leave its mark on re­ material in which they can find no ligion. I do not understand what the vital interest is more marked in western instinct to worship can feed on in our students, if I mistake not. The lack of modern city. “ No one can speak with endless materials on poet, literature and the Lord while he has to prattle with history, which makes us often dissatis­ the whole world.” When one walks a fied with our libraries, really leaves us trail alone he gets his thoughs on what a little freer to discover ourselves and for him at least are higher things. And our own times and to follow the master when one walks up a mountain side scholars who have dared to neglect all only a hundred yards, something clar­ the culture in which they did not find ifies in his spirit. I f the lights come spiritual life. Of course, our modern­ on in the town below him he does not ity may only come to superficiality, or begin to reflect on the greatness of the “ practical courses.” The flexibility electrical age. All the cars are only that is not too resistant to new inspira­ scurrying things and all the buildings tion may only discard the discipline of are only shelter. Man then feels the old and exact subjects for a miscellany mystery of the universe and the human of mental interests that holds neither spirit is the one thing of worth. There values nor discipline. But I feel sure are counter-impulses and habits enough, our educational situation is one of great God knows, when we come off the moun­ opportunity if we will not grow weary tain, to keep us from fulfilling the ideals of being different and unacknowledged. and visions that come to us there, and Our greatest source of inspiration for the elaboration of those ideals may be a fine culture in our own frontier area is only for those who are in touch with the land. If we can let that work its in­ the greatest traditions that have been fluence in us we shall add something built in older places. But still, the majestic and serene to American cul­ places off the highway are now mainly ture. Without indulging the romantic with us in the Backward States.

WHY B y K athryn S hepherd

Beauty is brief: Why should I weep ? Why should I weep Why should I care, That petals fall Whether little lambs leap And life is cheap, Or youth is fair That moths eat the shawl Or lovers sleep? And worms eat the leaf ? Beauty is brief— Beauty is brief. Why should I care? 288 The Frontier REPORT ON THE OLD WOMEN B y J ames R orty

In Middletown, 0 Governors, I asked the old women:

“ What do you do, now that youth is gone, and the mouths of the old lovers are stopped, and winter rattles the dry seed pods in the garden?”

There were four of them; they drank coffee, not tea, and pecked gaily at crul­ lers; outside the wind swayed the deserted nests of the orioles, but the late juncoes still hopped and chirped in the snow.

One spoke: “ You are wrong. There is neither time nor change. Nothing is lost save the womb’s tyranny, the snapped yoke of fear, the world’s eager follies.”

They laughed, and I saw that they were still women, each artful in beauty, dressed, jewelled, and dangerous—

“ For what?” I asked. Again they laughed, and another spoke, an old witch nearing eighty, beautiful as a birch tree in winter (all know her, she rides her new broom over six counties):

“ For what?” — so the old witch— “ I bore six sons, and am neither broken nor tamed. They were strong when they were little; are they tamed so soon? One, I thought, was a poet— has he turned preacher?”

The old witch will not die, 0 Governors. Death is her friend, her postillion on many a midnight ride. Beware, 0 Governors, the old women will not be ruled. Beware the laughter of old women.

BLACK MAGIC B y F rances B. H uston

Black as the night At the back of the moon, Dark as the thought That is born too soon,

Such were the eyes Of still Glendal Tully, Too dark and remote For life to sully.

Clear as a pool On a rough sea-shore, Tart as its salt At a gray stone’s core— 289 The Frontier

These were the eyes Of slim Alice Taggard; They looked at life And knew it and swaggered.

Alice and Glendal Have married and bartered Their salt tang and dark For a love they have martyred.

Cold are his eyes— Black ice in a marsh. Her eyes are sharp— Shattered glass, and as harsh.

VIRGINIA CITY B y W hitley Gray

Here are cabins they builded, The walks that they tread! We are Life, we, the Living! But where are the Deadt

Here are pits that they burrowed, With mad lust for gold! Here are trees that they hanged on Their graves that are cold!

Red nights that they revelled, And wild was their reign! With death but a jest For an ill-gotten gain!

Still, the rubies gleam red Where the murders were done; And the mock of the gold Smiles back at the sun,

While the Alder-Trees laugh In a light-hearted w ay: “ We are Youth! We are L ife !” But the Dead, where are they f 290 The Frontier DEATH GRINS AGAIN

B y E leanor M. Sickels

The wind cried in the chimney as the woman lay dying. And it seemed to her that death rode in on the wind, And she knew she must die. So she interrogated death, Deeming that he sat waiting with his hands in his lap Among her daughter-in-law’s cluttered bric-a-brac. “ Death,” said the woman, “ it was not I who called you. Could you not have told that? Would your empty idiot’s grin Indicate you had forgotten even such a voice as Napoleon’s (Who called you often enough for himself and for others) ? You know my voice. I did not call.” Far off A boat called down the river like an echo. No stir among the Dresden shepherdesses.

“ So,” said the woman. “ It seems then that you choose Not to remember. He to whose anguish you granted Not long since nonchalantly the boon of oblivion After our mingled prayers—how many?—God!— (Death, do you make the strong prayers of those who call you Into strangling-rope for the others? Is it from them, The strength of your hangman’s hands?)— he does not remember, Being dead. But I, being yet alive, remember; And I tell you it was for him only, that twenty years’ asking. Is it nothing, my youth worn out by his tumbled bed, Bitter altar of sadistic sacrifice, where I Served as your priestess, with incredulous eyes Beholding the sardonic finesse of your bland inquisition? You did not suppose that this pastime was living? You took Your victim at length to yourself, as we prayed. Then I lived. Death, I have not had my time.” Down the river, and dim With the lengthening distance, the echo. A black Congo mask Leered vacuously at the white-and-Delft-blue shepherdesses.

“ One year,” said the woman. “ So you thought that one year was sufficient To have caught and harnessed the bucking horses of laughter, Filled one’s pockets with the world, and ridden to one’s fate? It is not enough. Death,” she said, “ you have had me, And you gave me to life. Let me live!” By this time the voice Of the boat calling far down the river was faint as the tick Of the round-bellied porcelain clock that squatted on the mantel Between the grinning mask and the Delft-blue-and-white shepherdesses. 291 The Frontier A COFFIN FOR ENOCH B y E lise M. R ushfeldt

S HIS automobile, a high-wheeled widow when he married her she was buggy-shaped affair with a box too set in her ways. He could not A in back for Mord’s Home Rem­ learn her not to. It would be a good edies, bumped along the rutted prairie joke on her, all right. Ya, she up and road, Enoch was thinking. And his leaving him that way whenever she thoughts were not of the shiny black pleased. He had held up Anna, his and red automobile and the effect he first wife, as an example, and said how must produce riding in state in one of her worth was far above rubies to her those contraptions. Nor was it of the husband when she left off gadding. added note of flaming cloud pennants But it was like holding up an ostrich that streamed over the sunset sky and egg before a hen and telling her to use made glory of the dun prairie land­ it as a model in egg-laying. scape. Or of his day’s business selling He wouldn’t want to be around the home remedies. But of the three sub­ place when Gena come back and found stantial business men of Eden, Dahl- her things gone. She had a temper, quist, Engberg and Hansen, and the Gena had, and spoke out strong. Some­ note covering his old debts that he had times threw things. Not so easy to get once signed for them. Unless he re­ along with as his first wife, Anna. deemed it this next month they had And yet he didn’t want those god- said that they would attach his worldly dang uppity men, Dahlquist and Eng­ goods. berg and Hansen, feeling that they But he hadn’t any worldly goods. were getting the better of him. Thought They could not well take the marvel­ they were so smart that they could lous automobile that he so prided in. run the town, eh? He was smart him­ That belonged to the Home Remedy self. He’d learn ’em. Ya, he could Company. They could not take the learn ’em a trick or two. house, for that was Gena’s. The fur­ nishings, now? Gena hadn’t said no­ He drove the automobile contraption thing of putting them in the deed. into the buggy shed of his place and Well, at that, he did not need the then bent over and petted the dog that household goods. His stomach was jumped all over him. Liked dogs. Made even now replete with the good things a feller feel good when they acted like that the last farm housewife had you was the biggest thing on earth. cooked for him because he had listened Afterward he went into the house sympathetical to her talk about her and started a fire in the cookstove to sick child. And he had given her a warm up the place. compound made up mostly of castor Then he walked down an intermit­ oil. Sure. He could always get his tent rough board walk past the three meals thus. And a bed, when he liked. blocks of stores and saloons. Although It would be a good joke on Gena if her stiff-legged from sitting he felt that things were gone when she came back. he strode with a measured dignity. Running off like that for weeks at a He drew the blanket more closely time, gadding. But being she was a about his shoulders. He had traded 292 The Frontier his coat for the blanket. A bargain. shall be called to meet your God. And Now, when the fall air became biting on that day all the earth shall be taken he tossed one end of it over his should­ before His Throne to hear His judg­ ers and held it about him. More than ments. Yes, even the scoffers in the ever he was like an old testament saloons. They will be made to bow be­ prophet. Since the time of Anna, his fore the Lord. They shall be made to black locks had silvered somewhat. kneel before the Lord. Too late, now, He wore his hair in waves about his for them to be saved. But the Lord shoulders and combed it with a pocket demands their submission. Before He comb now and then with a naive van­ consigns them to everlasting hell. Ver­ ity. ily I say unto you that we who are His walk through town was not long. saved shall see them kneeling and cry­ The town was not long. As he ap­ ing out in vain to the Lord. proached an open lot near the outskirts “ Know ye not the verse: ‘For the he heard shouting and singing. Ya, Lord shall descend from Heaven with the tent revival meetings! The sing­ a shout, and with the voice of the arch­ ing, with the waves of marked rhythm, angel, and with the trumpet of God, had a cheerful sound. He slid into a and the dead in Christ shall rise first, seat on one of the back plank benches, then we which are alive and remain folded his hands loosely between his shall be caught up together with them knees and looked at the shouting choir. in the clouds to meet the Lord in the He nodded approval. He had once air.’ ” joined the choir himself because he liked to make a joyful noise unto the Enoch, with his mild eyes on the Lord. Now he leaned forward and preacher, absently ran his grimy long marked time with beating foot and fingers through his hair and as me­ swaying body. He did not know the chanically smoothed it back into un­ hymn, but he hummed with a loud dulating billows. That feller sure knew good-will in the general direction of his onions. Ya, that feller sure knew the tune. how to talk. No—he couldn’t well add Then the revivalist preached. A that to his selling repertoire. On a slender, dark young feller that shifted judgment day folks wouldn’t feel the from spot to spot with lithe light feet need of his medicines. Not strong almost as if he was dancing. He had enough. No—but, by golly, that sure a pock-marked face and oily black hair. was a mighty good talk. Seemed sorta colorless until he began Here Dahlquist and Engberg and to preach a while and warmed up to his Hansen were sitting smugly in their talk. Then his face glowed like a nice homes thinking of grabbing his jack-o-lantern’s does when you light a household goods. Unrighteous, stiff­ candle behind it. Enoch liked the note necked sinners thinking merely of of pulsating excitement he gave to the grabbing the other feller’s things. It talk. He leaned forward to listen: would serve them right if he could “ Make ye ready. For the Judgment show them that they couldn’t get the Hay is at hand. Verily I say unto you best of him like that. that it shall come suddenly. Then ye The shouting and the tumult died. A The Frontier 293 benediction was pronounced over the And stiff as a frozen fish. But here, rustling crowd. treated and talked like a good feller. Enoch shook the young revivalist by Enoch raised the arm that was hold­ the hand. It paid to tell a feller you ing the blanket, gestured and ex­ liked things. Never knew but likely plained. “ He shall descend tooting His the favor would come handy. “ A horn. And force all sinners to bow be­ mighty good sermon, sir. Yes siree. fore Him. Before he consigns them to It hit me right here.” He indicated Hell forever. Ya—the revivalist, he the indefinite region of heart and said it. But it ’s a damn good talk he stomach. “ Ya, it struck me as a mighty give. And it stands to reason what he likely thing to happen. It sure did.” says is true. He w on’t put up with And he saw the revivalist smile warm­ things forever. It stands to reason. ly upon him. So as man to man I thought I would He meandered slowly back to Irish just step in and tell you what the Ole’s saloon. Ole, son of a union be­ preacher says. Sure, I believe it. It tween a red-headed Irishman and a stands to reason. So I thought I ’d step tow-headed Swede woman. His wife in and tell the fellers goodby.” and kids lived in some leantos in back “ Sure. It stands to reason,” nodded of the one-story shed-like saloon. Ya, the fellers gravely and frowning with Enoch liked the place. Homelike and a difficult concentration. The English­ simple. And Ole gave numbers with man’s face was benignant and inter­ the drinks. And sometimes those who ested. Then the fellers’ faces relaxed drew the right numbers might bring as they lifted their glasses. “ Sure. home a chicken or a ham, or a box of It’s a damn tough world outside. Takes sweets. It made the drinking seem a something to stand it. Come and have favor to one’s wife. Yet it seemed to something, Kettlesrud.” Enoch now that even the genial roly- “ Well, just to show that there’s no poly proprietor looked at him askance. hard feelings between us. Just another Was he, also, thinking of refusing little glass or so. Ya, mebbe one more, credit ? thankye. ” In a luminous daze he be­ With an eye on Ole, Enoch walked gan imagining himself as a moving up to the bar and greeted some boister­ revivalist. Great crowds of fellers ous friends. He said with dignity, ‘‘I swayed by him. Ya, he had the gift of didn’t come to get any liquor. I just gab all right. stepped in to say goodby to my ole “ How are you going to prepare for friends. And to give them warning the Great Day, Kettlesrud?” asked the of the coming of the Lord— ” relaxed Englishman, wiping his straw- ‘‘All right. All right, Kettlesrud. colored mustache and slouching com­ Go ahead and tell us what it’s about,” fortably against the bar. said a grey-haired, eagle-beaked old Enoch’s biggest inspirations very Englishman who only when he was in often came thus: when he was with the his cups could appreciate the country fellers and they asked him for his opin­ and the people about him. ions as man to man. An inspiration Enoch eyed him. The old feller sure came now. It was born, perhaps, of loosened up here. Like a clam outside. linking memory cells that connected 294 The Frontier

some like situation with the acquiring to give him a last sad look. “ Sure. of a coffin for Anna. Come on over. All of you. It’ll he He was silent for a while staring worth lookin’ at, that coffin. I ’ll bet through half-closed eyes. Then he the Lord Hisself will look at it— ” leaned confidentially toward them, and “ Mean to say you’ll appear before by way of periods, knocked his glass the Lord in the coffin, Enoch?” asked emphatically on the bar. “ Well, fel­ the Englishman. lers, it’s this way, as the preacher says. “ Ya, sure. ” Enoch looked surprised. Some are called and some are drafted. “ What’s the use of getting a grand I don’t intend to be one of those who coffin when you’re dead, else? Ya, the has to be drafted up to the Lord. Be­ feeling that it’s so comes over me. It’s fore the Judgment Day that the preach­ a hunch, fellers—I mean a vision, like er says is coming soon, I shall be dead. the preacher said.” Ya, I feel it ’s so. I felt such a warn­ They nodded grhvely, and in the ing before Anna died. Ya, I felt that midst of their efforts to paint existence it might have been that way when rose, began to think of death in life. Anna died. So I shall be among the So they called for another round of called that shall be summoned first on drinks. the Judgment D ay.” Enoch threw his blanket over his The fellers looked interested and shoulder. “ Well, so long, fellers. I awed. Soon, then, he wouldn’t be got to get a coffin. Best coffin money among the fellers. Emotion welled up can buy. N!othing’s too good to go in him at the thought of what the world meet the Lord in.” would be missing. He hastily wiped away a tear with the back of his hand. The undertaker, Melby, kept farm “ I felt that way then,” he reiterated. machinery in the greater part of the “ And I feel that way now. So I shall shed that contained the undertaking get me a coffin. I shall dispose of my establishment of Eden. His sharp little earthly goods and get me a coffin to features, marking the commonplace go up to the Lord in.” round of his face, peered at Enoch. * ‘ Good Gosh! The man seems to Leaning against the town hearse, a mean business,” remarked the English­ horse-drawn carriage with a pressed man, his sharp features inclining nearer composition imitation carving glued to the circle of interested listeners. its sides, and six black plumes waving “ He sure do. Enoch usually means from its top, he fingered a catalog of Big Biz, ’ ’ echoed the fellers impressive­ coffins and mentally compared the two ly, eager to catch out of a grey exist­ price lists: the one for the purchaser ence stray bits of light and color. and the one for private use. Then he Enoch, for the sake of the fellers, shook his head reluctantly. “ ’Fraid tried to throw o ff his melancholy mus- I can’t give it to you on credit, Kettles- ings. He could see his great frame re­ rud. Beside, you see, you ain’t got a cumbent on the white satin lining of a certificate showing you’re dead— ” magnificent coffin. His silvered locks “ The preacher will back me in get­ were nicely combed and waving. Many ting it. He will go ’long with me and people were walking about the coffin say that what I want is Christian. Sure. The Frontier 295

And I ain’t askin’ credit, Melby. It’s Melby, is to step back to your store a hard year for cash. But there’s all and order me a coffin down from my household goods. Step over with Fargo. I ’m going to see the preacher me, Melby. See what you think they ’re now .” worth. I ain’t saying anything about He found the dark and sallow young throwing in the house. I ’ll leave that man of flaming nightly excitements in for Gena. A man’s got to see that his the back room of the barn-like pine- widder is pervided with a home.” board hotel. Enoch told him that his The house on the edge of Eden’s spirit was troubled and that he came prairies was of the kind that the village to talk it over. “ It was your talk. carpenter puts up without plan or pre­ Then I seemed to get a vision from the meditation, a stark cubist growth. Lord saying that I might be tooken Enoch acted as showman of the four before the Judgment Day. Any day. rooms of furniture. An acrid haze of Excuse me, but I couldn’t, so as to say, smoke hung over all. testify then, the vision seemed to sink “ Ya, I started a fire in the cookstove in gradual-like. I got it strongest when before I went and forgot to turn the I was at Irish Ole’s—that is, it sunk draft, and that’s why it smokes. But in gradual.” I tell you it’s a dang good stove. Ya The revivalist’s hysteria of emotion­ —everything. Even to the photygraph alism that he had built up through albums and the wall pictures. “ Only thing I’ll keep back is my crowds and lights and much marked second best bed. One of these nights rhythm was gone. He sat on the edge when I ’m sleeping in it I shall be took- of the bed in a strange apathy. But en. And you can come and embalm me his low voice was rich and vibrant. and put me in the coffin. And not cut “ If the Spirit tells you to sell your my hair like they did Schmidt’s. Ya, earthly goods it would ill become me to Gena brought that other bed with the raise objections. And why object be­ four posts to tack curtain onto. It’s cause the tent is now the Lord’s House? an old thing. Just as well to get it After all, all earth is His House. ’ ’ sold for her. And the piece quilts on So the next evening in camp meeting it. Lotta old patterns, she says. Just Enoch, seated on one of the front a little extry and they ’re all thrown in. benches, chanted of his vision with fer­ Gena, she can make more. She’s got vor. “ You can’t come slovenly before lotta pieces. She lays up where moss the Lord. Come in the best you have. and rust doth corrupt. It’ll show respect to the Lord and the “ One hundred and fifty, man? For Judgment Day. I felt a vision of the the hull outfit? Why, at an auction Lord. The same feeling I had when they’d fetch more’n twice as much. Anna was tooken. So I ’m going to sell Um—” Ideas were still flowing my goods and go to Him in the best brightly in Enoch’s head. “ I ’ll tell ye coffin that I can buy. Ought to be here what I ’ll do. I ’ll auction ’em in the lessen a week.” His mild eyes noted revival tent tomorrow. Sure. A in ’t the effect on the audience. Ya, he had it religion? Dispose of your goods. missed his calling. He might have been Make ye ready. All you got to do, good as the preacher. Better’n he. 296 The Frontier

And with every reiteration of the vision In some strange way Enoch’s charlat­ he felt the truth of it more deeply. anism that befooled even himself The revivalist had not known that it started a more eager search for the was thus Enoch intended to make use truth. of the money. It would ill become him The preacher shook his head sadly. to object to good intentions in the chil­ “ I do not know. No vision has come dren of the Lord. And might not to me— ” Enoch’s vision be a true one ? Who was Then Enoch leaped to his feet and he to doubt it? Like Bunyan, the re­ spoke with authority. A vision had vivalist, after his nightly sermon, wal­ come to him. He had seen a date just lowed in Sloughs of Doubt and Despair. as plain as if it had been printed on the The audience was in the right mood big free calendar he got from the bank. for Enoch, the inspired auctioneer. If “ I know the day I shall be tooken. The it was for the Church or a good cause, last of October. Yes, sir, it popped into or if they got their money’s worth of my head just like that— ” Not until entertainment out of it, they did not the excitement was over did he remem­ grudge a few cents extra. It had been ber that the last of October was the a good year for wheat. At the end of day the note was due and Dahl- the sale Enoch had two hundred and quist, Engberg and Hansen were going ninety-seven dollars and ninety-five to try to grab his property. cents. Enoch’s vision swept in enlarging When the coffin came Enoch placed waves the town and environs of Eden. it in state in the middle of the empty It left the town in doubt. Even if they best room. His bed was the only other did not sell their goods yet their atten­ furniture of the room. At camp meet­ tion was focused on a state after death. ing he arose and invited all to come see Some were aided in right living, for the coffin. And to pray for him around they did good deeds in secret to expiate it. For the day might be coming any some private passages in their life. The time when he might be tooken. preacher’s tone gained fervor. He was And the crowd that thronged from more continually drunk with fervor the camp meeting accepted his invi­ and religious ecstasy . . And the talk tation, country people, townspeople, of the town was of Enoch, and the near women and children. Some waited out­ coming of the Judgment Day. side until others left, and thus made At Irish Ole’s the habitues were room for them. greeted by the news that Enoch’s cof­ At the last there was in the room, so fin had come and he was going to be to speak, an Inner Circle, Enoch, the borne to Heaven in it on the last of revivalist, and half-a-dozen others. As October. So they wandered down to they gathered about the coffin they see how the man marked as the D eity’s began to question the preacher. chosen took it, and to admire the cof­ “ Can you not tell us exactly when fin. He sat solemn and withdrawn on this Day of Judgment is at hand, so the edge of the bed in an attitude be­ that we, too, can make ready?” A fitting one called to harps and crowns. genuine thirst for knowledge and His imagination had quickened to the righteousness sprang up among them. event. He felt truly as if a chariot of 297 The Frontier fire might really be coming to draw that no wonder he sighed and turned him and the coffin to the Lord. Even his thoughts to things worldly. the jovial fellers in the saloons began But on the last of October he took to to question if this could not be. his bed and turned his face to the wall. The Englishman, dour and grim, “ I am awaiting the message,” he told stalked in and looked. “ Good Lord! them all. “ I f the Lord does not send A coffin? Why a coffin? Isn’t that for me and the coffin, he will send me our outer garment out here? We dead a vision.” The inner glow, once light­ ones. Buried alive out here. But he’ll ed, led him to believe that something buy himself another coffin to hide in. extraordinary might happen: it might Feature it.” be possible that a host would carry up Last came Irish Ole himself, a jovial the coffin, although he himself was a skeptic. The roly-poly red-haired little little dubious on the point; but at any man rolled through the bare rooms and rate one of the sudden hunches or about the coffin. He threw a squinting visions would come to point the way. quizzical look at Enoch. This story of Then suddenly walked in upon him the coffin and how Kettlesrud had the three energetic business men, Dahl- made his farewells first in his saloon quist, Engberg and Hansen. was drawing trade. People about the “ Got religion, Kettlesrud, I hear,” countryside came in to hear. ’Most as said Dahlquist, the lean and consump­ good as the numbers. He invited tive banker. heartily. “ Well, step into Irish Ole’s The trio walked through the bare and have a drink now and then, and rooms and then returned to the front tell the b ’yes how the visions are com­ room with the coffin and the bed. “ It’s ing. Drinks will be on the house, a grand coffin, all right, Kettlesrud,” Kettlesrud. ’ ’ appraised Engberg of the barrel-like A flicker of light seemed to mitigate form, owner of the General Merchan­ the wooden solemnity of Enoch’s face. dise Store. “ How much did it cost “ Y ou ’re a good feller, Ole. Ya, I ’m you ?” not lookin’ down on the ole crowd, “ Two hundred and ninety dollars you understand. I ’m just tellin’ ’em reduced from three hundred.” His how it is about the Judgment Day. It tone was sepulchral and slightly sus­ pays to be ready. I ’m just tellin’ you picious. “ Sent for the best to go meet so if you want to jine— ” the Lord in.” It ill became him to “ Sure. Come to the house and tell show either triumph or suspicion on the b ’ys, Kettlesrud. Me— I think I ’ll this solemn occasion. be laying aside a little more first to Dahlquist interrupted drily. “ Reckon leave the wife and kids before I join you’ll have to find something else to anything.” go in, Kettlesrud. We’ve decided to Many others listened to the talk of take the coffin with us. The truck’s it. Women. And the women’s sym­ outside to load it on. Since you aren’t pathies were aroused. Poor man! No­ dead, it’s just personal property.” thing in the house but a coffin and a Hansen added in his slow brogue. bed! Began a season of special baking “ By the way, Kettlesrud, your wife, days for Enoch. Delicacies so good Gena’s come back. We really didn’t 298 The Frontier expect anything on that old debt of ter put off the coming of the Lord for yours. We were going to consider it a while and prepare for the coming of outlawed.” your wife.” Enoch had popped up in bed, push­ When they had gone Enoch arose ing aside the patchwork quilts. He from his bed, girdled himself in the thrust out large knobby feet clad in blanket and went out to crank up the grey wool hose with gaping holes in red and black buggy-like automobile. heel and toe, and prepared to draw on He had too long neglected his business. his boots. His jaw had dropped, his As he drove off across the flat prairies, look was blankly questioning. October gilded, he told himself, “ Sell­ “ Gena’s a little upset, so I gath­ ing Home Remedies is sort of soothing ered, ’ ’ Hansen continued. “ You’d bet­ on the nerves. And Gena ain’t.”

WINDY DAY IN A MEADOW

B y M uriel T hurston

The meadow, feeling Free from care, Lets the wind romp Through its hair.

The fat green trees Wave jovial arms, Like robust housewives On the farms.

Bushes chortle, Young winds snort, Calves on unsteady Legs cavort.

Never before have I seen Old Earth Shake her sides In such active mirth!

I lie in the grass And laugh till I cry; And laugh . . and laugh . . Not knowing why. 299 The Frontier THE CHINOOK JARGON B y E dward H arper T homas

ELATIVELY few Americans Marah Ellis Ryans and Roy Nortons; know that there was once a lan­ but the narratives of Lewis and Clark, R guage spoken on this continent by the journals ;of many early mission­ more than one hundred thousand per­ aries, the thrilling story of Jewett’s cap­ sons in their everyday relations and in­ tivity among the Nootkans, 1803 and tercourses, which, except for a few 1805, Meares’ and even Cook’s jour­ words and phrases, is now almost in the nals, the many manuscripts found in limbo of the lost. No one knows how old libraries in the Northwest and some far this strange tongue goes back into fifty various editions of “ dictionaries,” prehistoric antiquity, nor how many copies of which are still to be had, have generations, nor how many thousands preserved the embalmed mummy of of those generations used it in their Chinook even if the Jargon itself is primitive trade and barter; for it was rarely spoken and but little understood originally a trade language used by the by those who do use it on purely show native Americans in their tribal com­ occasions. I say “ show” occasions, be­ merce in slaves, shells, furs and other cause the Jargon is no longer a neces­ exchangeable commodities. sary part of the white man’s equipment. This language is the Chinook Jargon, There is no trade with the natives, as a few words of which, such as tillicum, these exist on squalid reservations in cheechaco, tyee, skookum, cultus, are relatively small numbers and in purely found in the widely read western story mongrel type, wards of a paternalistic type of tale written by men and women government and no longer free, roving who lay the scenes of their narratives traders. in the Far Northwest and Alaska. Ex­ Here and there an old-timer remem­ cept for this half-dozen words the Jar­ bers his Chinook. Once a year in Old gon is rapidly falling into disuse and Settlers’ associations they exchange will sooner or later sink into limbo. klahowyas, but they no longer converse There were two such jargons or na­ in the Jargon. Not since Old Joe Kuhn tive volapuks on the American conti­ died at Port Townsend has an invita­ nent, the Mobilian, in the territory of tion to the annual clam-bake been sent which Mobile Bay, on the Gulf of Mex­ out written entirely, program and all, ico, is now the center, and the Chinook, in “ Chinook.” So all that is left of it on the Pacific Northwest coast. The is a memory, a few tattered, paper former became entirely extinct nearly bound dictionaries, a half-dozen regu­ a century ago. There is left of it not a larly employed words in the vocabu­ single surviving word or phrase, so far laries of writers for the supposedly as is known. The Chinook Jargon is in western type, pulp-paper magazines, the a more fortunate position. It is not buried and musty researches of Hale, used, except for the words quoted above Gibbs, Eells, Gill and others in the ref­ and for the purpose of lending an air erence departments of a few libraries of erudition to the work of the Stewart interested in this sort of Americana, Edward Whites, the Jack Londons, and a few words of Jargon, supposed at 300 The Frontier

the time to be tribal dialect words, in diers, some of them with distinguished the Narrative of John R. Jewett, the names in history, took Indian wives, or Journal of Lewis and Clark, the logs of at least Indian women to live with. Meares, Cook and others of the explor­ And some of these have surviving de­ ers of that day, and a limited vocabu­ scendants bearing these honored and lary found in the very rare and little distinguished names who are still re­ known “ Northwest Coast,” by Judge siding in the near vicinity of old and James G. Swan. extinct army posts and frontier forts. The civilized Indians of the younger The early missionaries carried the generation do not deign to use Chinook. gospel to Indians and mixed Indian and They look at you in contempt if you at­ whites alike. The half-breed progeny tempt to address one of them in Jar­ of traders, soldiers, officers, trappers, gon, and the elders are too dispirited pioneers, explorers, adventurers, hull- and too sunk in the lethargy of ward­ team loggers and even of itinerant ship to make reply. preachers formed a very considerable Nevertheless, it is an interesting and part of the population three-quarters of picturesque survival of primitive times, a century ago. The mothers of these even though it is without utilitarian mixtures came from various tribes value. Its history is a romance; its speaking widely dissimilar dialects and past an honorable one. It served many tongues; but no white man was required purposes when there were only savages to speak the language of his w ife’s or on the one side and traders or pioneers sweetheart’s tribe. Indians and whites on the other. It was the common ve­ all talked the Jargon. It was suffic­ hicle of communication first between ient for every purpose, from that of tribes and then between traders and na­ trading to lovemaking. Church services tives. It allowed the early settlers to were rewritten in Chinook; so were the communicate with the Indian inhabit­ hymns and the L ord’s Prayer, as well ants and to keep on terms of more or as the other prayers found in the rit­ less intimacy with them. Loggers of ualistic forms of worship. They were the bull-team days wooed the more committed to memory and recited. As a comely— and in a pinch the older ones— boy I have often heard an Indian pray, of the klootchmen, Indian women, sing, give testimony, in Chinook, and through its practical medium. Such rel­ recite the L ord’s Prayer. One Indian ations were more or less temporary, as woman, wife of a Methodist preacher I loggers of those days, as now, were a knew in territorial days, used to talk roving lot. But natives were every­ in Lummi. She was a “ princess” and where and the girls were never unwill­ disdained to use the common Jargon. ing to be involved in a love affair of the Her husband, the minister, interpreted moment. her talk. Had she spoken it in the Among the very early settlers some Chinook Jargon no interpretation would married Indian women, raised families have been necessary. of sitkums, or halfbreeds, and lived It was Jewett who discovered that the lives of domestic regularity ever after­ Indians had and used this common lan­ ward. In trading-post days there were guage. He relates this in a note in the only Indian women. Officers and sol­ back of his book: ‘ ‘ The Captivity and 301 The Frontier

Sufferings of John R. Jewett Among words which are both Jargon and Chi­ the Nootkan Indians.” He attempted nook. His aiaq is easy to recognize as to give the words of a “ Nootkan War the Jargon hyak. Scores of words can Song” and in so doing said that there be obtained from these texts which are was another and very different way of also a part of the Jargon. stating a certain phrase. He said in The explanation is easy, it seems to explanation, “ They seem to have two me. Study of the Jargon as it is today, languages, one for common use and one compared with texts in the original In­ for poetic expression ’ ’ in their songs and dian dialects, shows Nootkan, Chinook, texts. What Jewett discovered, and Chehalis, Tokwhat, Kwakiutl, Bella- never knew to the day of his death, was bella and many other words, with the the prehistoric origin of the Jargon. Chinook predominating. The Jargon None of the early explorers suspected is made up of many Indian words, some this. From Lewis and Clark at the typically Indian-English (Indian at­ mouth of the Columbia to the west tempts to pronounce English), some coast of Vancouver Island was a range French words, and other words that of territory populated by fifty or more are merely crude attempts to imitate tribes with differing dialects and in- natural sounds, like hehe for fun or ricate relationships. These tribes preyed laughter. It originated in the primi­ more or less upon each other, hut in tive and prehistoric necessity for trade, peaceful times they also traded with and begun by Nootkans picking up some each other. A truce followed every lit­ Chinook words, the Chinooks picking tle war to permit the victors to dispose up some Nootkan, words from Salish of slaves, as slavery was a firmly es­ tribes and words from Kwakiutl tongues. tablished and widely distributed insti­ This was the original Jargon as it exist­ tution. The many dialects were all ed for none knows how many centuries; harsh in pronunciation, complex in but so long, perhaps, as slaves were structure and difficult to learn. Each bought and sold. All the tribes talked was spoken in its purity over a very lim­ it, so this Jargon was the language spok­ ited space. Tribes separated by no en between strangers. When the white more than a strait or a river, and some­ men came, first Drake, then Juan de times by less than that, could not speak Fuca, and two centuries after, Cook, their neighboring dialects. Yet Cook Meares, Vancouver, Elisa and many gives as Tokwhat, Jewett as Nootkan, lesser lights, their attempts to converse Meares as Nootkan, words which Lewis with the natives drew replies in the and Clark heard and supposed were Jargon. Jewett was addressed in the pure Chinook, meaning now the dialect Jargon among the Nootkans. That is of the Chinookan tribe. the reason why he has a dozen Jargon As a matter of fact, all were Jargon, words in his supposedly Nootkan vocab­ the common or universal or trade lan­ ulary. Lewis and Clark talked to Con- guage of the entire region. Boas, in his commolly in English, and the records Chinook Texts, obtained in 1893 from of their Journal show that the Chinook Cultee, the last living Indian who could chief replied in Jargon by saying waket speak the language of the ancient Chi­ commatux, or don’t understand. nooks, incorporates as pure Chinook There is a myth to the effect that the 302 The Frontier

Hudson’s Bay Company invented the settlers, whites and Chinese, used the Chinook Jargon— Chinook, it is usually Jargon in practically all of their every­ called today—and taught it to their day intercourse, business and social. trappers and the natives in order to This means that a total population of facilitate communication between them. more than a hundred thousand in this The truth is that the Jargon was in territory spoke this strange and pictur­ daily use among tribes over a territory esque tongue. One had to know it as comprising some 600,000 square miles he knew the trails and watercourses. long before the Hudson’s Bay Company It was indispensable. established a post in all that region. That it came to be called Chinook was Jewett’s narrative and the Lewis and natural. The first important white oc­ Clark Journal antedate the Hudson’s cupation was at the mouth of the Co­ Bay Company’s acquisition of Astoria lumbia. This was the territory of the from the Northwestern Pur Company ancient Chinook (Tsinuk) tribe. Chi­ by seventeen years, and the founding nook words constituted the largest part of Astoria by seven years. Meares ’ and of the old and then limited Jargon. So Cook’s accounts, with their several un­ this common trade language of all the disputed Jargon words, go back of Jew­ Pacific Northwest tribes was named ett and Lewis and Clark, who were al­ Chinook, after this tribe. most exactly contemporaneous sixteen There is today no pure tribal Chinook and twenty-seven years respectively. spoken, and none in written form aside These circumstances effectively dispose from that gathered, compiled and of the Hudson’s Bay Company inven­ printed in 1893 by Dr. Franz Boas un­ tion myth. The Hudson’s Bay trappers der the title “ Chinook Texts” . There and hunters, by close association with is not a single living blood-pure Chin­ the natives, by intermarriage and by ook Indian, despite the fact that this greatly enlarging trade, and by the in­ was the great, powerful, ruling tribe troduction of many articles heretofore of the Lower Columbia region a century unknown to the natives, enriched the and a quarter ago. Wardship, the reser­ Jargon by introducing words of both vation, intermarriage, and civilization French and English origin, by the use have left in the place of these warlike of words that were rough imitations of over-lords of the mid-pacific coast re­ national sounds and, in addition, words gion only a few squalid-looking, wretch­ that are imitative of the Indian’s effort ed, mongrel survivors. The Salish to pronounce English and French. The tribes have suffered the same fate. On Jargon grew greatly and its vocabulary the West Coast of Vancouver Island expanded as requirements demanded. there are still Nootkans, Clayoquots and At one time, not further back than other natives of less defiled stock. The the sixties and seventies, all of the na­ Kwakiutl on the inside passage have tives of Oregon, Washington, British suffered least and are still interesting Columbia, of the Coastal islands as far to the investigator. Dr. Boas has been north as the southern limits of Alaska, among them and given to anthropolog­ of parts of the present states of Idaho ical science a study of their manners and Montana, and all of the trappers, and customs entitled “ The Social Cus­ hunters, miners, loggers, pioneers and toms and Secret Society of the Kwa- 303 The Frontier kiutl” . He also compiled Haidah and The word is found in almost every Tsimpsiahn texts, each in its own vol­ Alaskan story, in all Alaskan novels, and ume. in many of the Alaskan descriptive and Dr. Boas states in his introduction to historical articles. There were in the "Chinook Texts” that after a long and mad gold days two classes, sourdoughs disheartening search he found an Indian and cheechacos. A sourdough was one named Cultee, who was the last descend­ who had seen the ice both come and go ant of pure Chinook stock and the only in Alaska’s rivers, one who had spent living person who could talk the intri­ at least one full winter there. Anyone cate, complex, and exceedingly guttural of lesser time of residence was a chee­ language of that old tribe. Cultee could chaco, a newcomer. talk little or no English and Dr. Boas Chinook was not spoken by Alaskan could talk none of his almost unpro­ natives. It was not used by the Russian nounceable dialect. Both used the traders. It did not go there hand in Jargon fluently; although its vocabu­ hand with American occupation. A few lary is exceedingly limited, because of words were adopted in the Klondike its flexibility they were able to get gold rush, coming with the Puget along. The result was an interesting Sounders, who were among the early and rather extended collection of Chin­ seekers of fortune following George ook myths in the original Chinook with Carmack’s famous find. They carried literal and free translations of all the a few Chinook words with them, such texts and stories. words as had become a part of the Puget The few words, or relatively few Sounder’s daily English — cheechaco, words, of the Jargon, have many vary­ skookum, cultus and tillicum. The first ing meanings. These are indicated by is two words combined, chee, now, and prefixed words, by stress and by em­ chako, come. It was spelled cheechaco, phasis. Written Jargon does not convey literally means now come, but is the all that may be conveyed by speaking equivalent of newcomer or tenderfoot. it. That is its principal limitation. I Skookum means strong. There are many have heard it used eloquently. No two skookumchucks, or rapids and falls in writers will agree on written forms. the rivers, as chuck is water, and is None of the many "dictionaries” agree taken from the original Chinook chauk. on the proper spelling of all words; nor Cultus is a term meaning bad, no are pronunciations exactly alike for all good, and a degree of worthlessness for localities, some words on Puget Sound which there is no equivalent in a single differing slightly from the pronuncia­ English word. It will some day be tions in vogue on the Columbia river; English because of its very strength but there is a better uniformity on the and broadness. method of using the Jargon, which can There there is tillicum. Originally it be illustrated. meant just people, persons, relatives The widest used Chinook word is sometimes, and friend sometimes. It cheechaco. This comes because of its was anybody except the tyee, who was adoption by Alaska miners to distin­ the chief. But Alaskans formed part­ guish the tenderfoot from the seasoned nerships in their prospecting and mining follower of early day mining stampedes. ventures. Among some of these the 304 The Frontier deepest friendship existed. Such Alas­ come?) was asked, the answer was: kans called each other tillicum, though Nika chako kopa chik-chik, I came in the Chinook or Jargon for friend was a wagon. and is sikhs, pronounced six. Tillicum Chinook was a great aid to early in Alaska has a special significance, settlement. It was a means of com­ though in the jargon it has not; that munication between natives and whites special significance grew out of special which not only facilitated trade, but conditions that existed in no such sense which had a place in the social relations anywhere else in the world. Men mined elsewhere and formed partnerships else­ of Indians and settlers. They could where, but only in Alaska did they mine converse intelligently, and because of frozen gravels under the skies of sub­ this fact had a foundation upon which arctic nights. So we must give them to build enduring friendships. Gover­ tillicum with all that it means in depth nor Stevens, first governor of Washing­ and strength of enduring affection. ton territory, before the Civil War, ne­ There are a few forms in Chinook. gotiated a long and complicated treaty The personal pronouns will serve to with all the Indian tribes within the illustrate. Nika is I, my or mine and territory, and did it all through the me, first person, singular, all cases; medium of the Jargon. The founders mika is you, your or yours, second per­ of Seattle saved that little city from son, singular, all cases; yahka is he, she annihilation through their friendship or it, his, hers, her, him, they, their, with the chief, for whom the city is theirs or them, third person, singular named. Seattle and his people could or plural, all cases. Nesika is the plural talk to the whites only in Jargon. for the first person and mesika is the An episode of those days was the plural for the second person. founding of John Pinnell’s Illahee, Adjectives are given comparison by which in a way was the primitive be­ prefixing words. Kloshe is good, elip ginning of Seattle’s trading supremacy kloshe is better, elip alone meaning first on Puget Sound. This place was a or before. If we desire the superlative squaw dancehall and saloon on the we add kopa konaway, than all, to elip sandspit. The enterprising proprietor kloshe, better, and have elip kloshe kopa bought his Indian girls outright, paying konaway, better than all, or best. for them with blankets. The bull-team The manner in which Jargon words loggers far and wide heard of the inno­ have been evolved from natural sounds vation and flocked into Seattle after and the way in which they are employed every payday. They spent their money can be illustrated by the word for wag­ for frivolity and the picturesque enter­ on. In early days such vehicles were tainment provided by this new place. clumsy, noisy, slow-moving affairs and It was not long until Seattle stores had were drawn over the roughest and crud­ the logging-camp trade and on that est roads, the wheels going “ chik, chik, foundation built a fleet of Sound steam­ chik” . Any wheeled vehicle to an In­ boats, all running out of Seattle. Not dian of pioneer days was a chik-chik. So even giving the terminus of the North­ if one came in a wagon and the question ern Pacific Railway to Tacoma could kahta mika chakot (How did you overcome the popularity of Seattle and 305 The Frontier beat it in the race for commercial and bility that would not have been possible population supremacy. without the Jargon, for the least learned Seattle and Tacoma are forty miles in the use of Chinook, even cheechacos, apart, both on the Sound, but a few were at least well enough equipped to miles back of the shore there is a lim­ make known their desires to these native ited but very rich valley extending from filles de joie. Thousands went to the one city to the other. This, in the hop fields and followed on the home­ eighties, was one of the world’s great­ ward trek just for the fun of it. To est hop-producing centers. Indians these, a working knowledge of the Chi­ constituted the bulk of the pickers, and nook Jargon was very much of a neces­ came in fleets and armies in the fall to sity. what was to them a great fiesta, not But in much of this great region from from around Puget Sound alone, but the 42nd to the 57th degrees of north from the Yakima and Klickitat coun­ latitude and from the main range of the tries across the Cascades, using the an­ Rocky Mountains westward to the Pa­ cient Indian trails. They came from the North, from the Kwakiutl country cific Ocean the Indian has almost dis­ and from the islands of the Haidahs appeared. There is no trade between and Tsimpsiahns. Going and coming him and the whites. There is no need they camped along the hundreds of to communicate with him. With no miles of shores and at every camp their necessity for general working knowledge gaudily arrayed girls, or tenas klootch- and use of the Jargon it has fallen into men, were the lure of loggers, bachelor disuse, and will in a short time be only settlers, beach combers and the more an embalmed relic of the stirring days sophisticated of the youth of the occa­ when traders and trappers, miners and sional town or trading-place along the adventurers, bull-team loggers and way. beach combers shared this corner of the It was all very picturesque and it also republic with its unsuspicious and hos­ smacked greatly of a sort of open socia­ pitable native inhabitants.

HEIGHTS B y H elen Marino

The mountain pulled Murphy H e’d gaze from the sky Out of dark duty To the far-flung range, Up to the new snow “ But something in this Cold in her beauty. Makes me feel damn strange. ’ ’

He revelled in beauty His eyes would brim over. And kept on saying, The look on his face “ I never was much Was enough of devotion Of a man for praying— ” To spread over space. 306 The Frontier T W O POEMS

B y M akgaret Skavlan

SOAPY AND FRANK, AND HOW THEY DIED

Of two who died in Skagway this is the story— One who died with, and one without, glory. Soapy Smith was the gambler’s name, Prank Reid was the sheriff who called his game In a pool of blood. (The details are gory!)

Someone used a blackjack— a poke of gold was stolen In Soapy’s saloon . . . “ W e’ll plug a hole in The scoundrel’s gizzard. He will pay dear,” Cried sundry citizens down on the pier. Quite the wrong moment for Soapy to stroll in!

But stroll he did. “ H alt!” yelled the sheriff. Soapy munched crackers and cheese. No flare of Embarrassment clouded his crap-table eyes. He flicked away a cracker crumb without surprise, ‘ ‘ What I eat, where I walk, I will take care o f ! ”

No courteous words did these gentlemen bandy— Tempers were hot, and triggers were handy. Two guns fired and two men fell. Soapy never spoke again. Prank Reid—well, He lingered; his account of the whole tragedy was dandy.

Soapy was buried. When, at the service The text was announced, Soapy’s friends grew nervous. “ Know ye, ‘ The wages of sin is death,’ ” Declaimed the parson, short of breath, From a like life and death may heaven preserve u s! ”

Prank Reid died, but with real ceremony. All Skagway turned out. His casket was tony, A granite tombstone was placed above his head— “ He died for the honor of Skagway,” it said, And it cost— they do say how much money!

There they both lie in the same cemetery Whom one town couldn’t hold. Tourists tarry, Though, there in droves above Soapy’s bier— Twice they stole his wooden slab for souvenir. Peculiar breed, these tourists, ’ ’ say the Skagway folk, * ‘ oh, very! ’ ’ 307 The Frontier

LOST LADIES OF SKAGWAY

Remember the girls we used to know, Old timer, down on Seventh street row?— Cora, and Florence, and Number Seven? Ida, her name was. What red-light heaven Or snow-drifted hell has swallowed them up With their silks and their bangles, their Husky pup ? That little red-head—I can see her still— Sore when they moved her to Tannerville. Some died or drifted, and what of that? A few got married, sedate and fat. Coarse women, gay women, vulgar or sweet— Their segregated ghosts walk in Seventh street.

SEA TRACKS: 1792 B y J ames M arshall

Smashing to the westward where the salt seas called them— Lured them and smashed them— and lured them back again, On came the tall ships, caravel and galleon, Snapping in the spindrift the red flag of Spain, Heaving thru the sea with the south wind lifting them, Seeking out the new lands, on beyond the waves, Magic cities beckoning, dim in the sea mists— Gold dust and diamonds and strong brown slaves.

But back they came wandering, past Mendocino, Lifting San Lucas in the sunrise gold to port, Down thru the azure seas, up past the Caribbees, Then on the home track to lie ’neath Cadiz fort, Home again with empty holds, scurvy-ridden crews, (And memories of dead men, sunk in lonely graves) But brave tales of gold lands, fat lands for looting— Gold dust and diamonds and strong brown slaves.

Hail the adventurers, telling kings their stories, Coaxing new galleons with promises of gain, Striking fire from queens’ eyes, spurring don and princeling, What cared the wanderers, but to be gone again ? Treasure ? Aye, they promised it, lying in their beards, Eager to be out again, crewed by hardy knaves, Crashing thru the graybacks— Forgotten, in their crashing Gold dust and diamonds and strong brown slaves. 308 The Frontier THREE POEMS B y F rank A nkenbrand, J r.

HARVEST TIME SHOOTING STAR The Indian Chief of the skies A heavenly warrior has taken a moon knife in a wild moment hard as flint is hard shot a golden arrow toward the earth. and slashed open the sack of the sun. It must have struck this mountain The liquid gold cold and dead. is flowing It contains nothing in ocean-like billows but the black charred over the plains of Montana. trunks of pines.

CYCLONE Low in a valley the Indian Gods are brewing and chanting the war songs of old. The signal fire burns and no answer returns But the ghosts of the smoke spirals race down in mad glee Upon sleeping towns with the war cry of old.

MOTHER B y G. F rank Goodpasture Oh, they said that her mother-eyes were warm With glad relief as they took the child From her lifted arms in the southwest storm Where the ship sank deep and waves were wild.

Then she drifted far on an in-bound tide To the lone north spit and found her rest; And a baby seal crawled up to her side And laid its head on her cold, white breast! 309 The Frontier REVOLT IN SUMMERTIME

B y R oland E nglish H artley

HEN Everett Lane came home all this grouped itself under the terms to Westbridge from his first of Economics 1: his father’s fruit ranch W year at college, he revised his as Supply, this shed as the link to De­ earlier, immature opinions of every­ mand, and all the crowding figures of thing in the little town, but made a the orchards and packing-houses and loyal attempt to exclude his father and shipping-sheds as actors in the grim mother from the field of his judgments. drama of wages. Love was quick to plead for them. And When at length he grew weary of the even in certain grotesque household empty reaches of the shed and stepped functions there was an endearing ele­ into the outer office, he heard voices ment of familiarity. He felt a pleas­ through the glass partition that shut­ ant shock of memory that first night off his father’s sanctuary. when his father, after dinner, put on “ But he’s only a boy, Mr. Lane,” a his hunting jacket and old slouch hat man was pleading, in the clipped Eng­ for a fussy survey of the garden. lish speech, with its strange vowel in­ Later he went down with his father flections. to the long shed by the tracks. Here, “ He’s making a very bad start,” during the day, a line of red cars dis­ came his father’s answer, in those in­ gorged box-shooks and nails and paper flexible tones that Everett remembered and tin-top baskets, while on the other well. side of the shed a line of yellow cars “ But the names he called him, Mr. carried away tiers of packed fruit in Lane! A boy don’t understand that. an icy gloom. In the inner room of You and I, we’d make allowances. But the office crowded into one comer of a boy takes it all to heart. . . Tell the shed, his father sat and directed Mr. Lane what he called you, Eddie.” all this complex machine. The b oy ’s voice came muffled, At night the shed was left in quiet throaty and tense with the effort to be to brood over its memories. The sparse valiant. His sullen recital was broken row of lights down the center yielded into sharply. the corners to darkness. The smell of “ Caswell has rough people to deal wet sawdust on the floor mingled with with and he may be rough at times the resinous perfume of box-lumber himself. But he’s got to keep his au­ and the heavy odor of enclosed fruit. thority as foreman. You ought to un­ The scents were like the lingering derstand that.” ghosts of the life of the place. “ He’s just a boy,” the father urged His father said that he had an ap­ again. pointment with some people. “ There’s The words heavy with authority been some trouble out on the ranch,” rolled on over this petty extenuation. he explained briefly. And while he “ He was supposed to be trucking in sat at his desk, bent over a sheaf of from the upper orchard. Caswell found market reports, Everett went strolling him loafing and chatting with the pick­ about the shed, thinking how readily ers there—just when we were in a 310 The Frontier

hurry to get those cars out. When like that. His father might not have Caswell called him to account for it, thought of it in just that way. But he the boy flung down the lines and left would be impressed, of course; and he his team; and Caswell didn’t see him would inevitably be won to clemency; again till quitting-time, when the boy and they would both be glad that the sneaked up behind him at the barn and night was about them. . . . knocked him down with a stick. That’s The screen door of the office slammed what happened, isn’t itf ” and steps passed onto the gravelled After a moment of silence the father street. Then his father called cheerily, said pleadingly, “ But if you could “ Come on, Everett. Time we were just say a word to the judge, sir . . .” getting along home.” Everett listened eagerly for his fath­ He walked slowly around the corner er’s answer. It came crisply. “ The of the shed. His father was already in case is out of my hands.” the car. Everett lingered on the plat­ There was a heavy silence for a few form. moments. Then the other man said, “ Come on,” his father urged im­ “ It’ll be hard on his mother.” And a patiently. faint sound of sobbing came through “ About that boy ...” he began. the glass. “ I’ll tell you about it.” Everett pushed open the door to the “ I know. I heard. But don’t you inner office quickly. “ See here . . . ! ” think . . t” he began. Then his mind was caught “ Get in, will you ,” his father inter­ by the picture: the shaded electric rupted crossly. “ I want to get home.” lamp dimly lighting his father, who sat When the car was swung around to­ sidewise at the roll-top desk, drawing ward Main Street, his father stated figures on a blotter; the boy’s father briefly, “ Those unpleasant things hap­ thrusting out a haggard face from a pen once in a while. But don’t let it shadowy body; and, in the gloomy cor­ bother you. The whole thing’s settled, ner by the safe, the boy huddled shape­ as far as we are concerned.” lessly, with the light gleaming from his “ But for the boy?” Everett broke in wet eyes. eagerly. “ Just try to . . .” Everett’s father looked up at him “ A lesson like this may do him some sharply. “ Wait for me in the other good,” his father said. room, please!” And he drew back “ If I was working under that rough­ slowly, closing the door. neck Caswell, I ’d smash that loud He went out onto the dark platform mouth of his!” and paced back and forth beneath the “ And you’d take your medicine for narrow strip of sky between the eaves it, ’ ’ his father returned grimly. of the shed and the eaves of the wait­ At home, Everett went straight to ing cars. He was planning what he his room. The anger that burned in would say to his father when he came him kept him walking the floor. One out. He would remind him of his re­ wild fancy after another came to him sponsibility for this boy’s whole life. and was lived out feverishly in those He would remind him of what a jail sharp turns between bed and win­ or a reform school would do for a boy dow. . . First he thought of going out 311 The Frontier to the ranch and thrashing Caswell. in life if right and wrong were always Then he thought of going to the boy so clouded! Why, in the name of all and his father to let them know that that was reasonable, should his refusal he was on their side. He imagined how to back his father in an injustice mean he would be welcomed by the mother. that his mother must be deprived of They would all be roused from depres­ her chance to escape for a few weeks sion by his offer of help. .. Help ? How from the summer heat? Life was cer­ could he help? Help in a case like this tainly a messy affair if its threads meant money. And all the money he couldn’t avoid an absurd tangle like had was the small allowance from his this. father . . . What a pitiful rebellion his He was watching his mother. “ I was, to be toppled into ruins like this think I ’ll have to work,” he said. She before it was fairly begun! All his lifted a fresh slice of bread to the heroics of opposition dwindled into a toaster. sickening sense of alienation from his “ Where do you want to work?” his father. He crawled wearily into bed. father asked. “ At the shed or out on At breakfast he announced, “ I ’m go­ the ranch?” ing to work this vacation. ’ ’ Everett replied gruffly to his plate, His father looked over to him with “ I’m going to look for a job.” an irritating smile. “ I thought you After a moment of silence his father were going to take your mother down said, “ I see.” Then, after another to the Coast in the car.” pause, he chuckled. “ I suppose you’ll Everett’s eyes moved around to honor us by living at home?” where his mother sat between the per­ The young man hadn’t thought of colator and the toaster. It came to this. Rebellion should imply a super­ him how persistently she maintained iority to bed and board. “ I don’t this position among the household im­ know,” was all he could bring out. plements. The brief flash of pity was This time his. mother spoke decisive­ closely followed by anger. Why did ly. “ Of course he’ll stay here. H e’s she accept this effacement so meekly? home so little.” If she had ever raised the flag of revolt But the picturesqueness of revolt how much easier now his own rebellion was vanishing; these material compro­ would be! mises had dimmed its fine radiance. She didn’t lift her eyes from the The finding of work was easy. Dur­ browning squares of bread that she ing this brief season of the full yield of turned to the glowing wires. the orchards, all labor was welcomed. “ If Everett can take me,” she said, Yet the young man was annoyed at the “ of course I ’ll like it. But if he wants manner of his acceptance. Blanchard, to work . . a retired school teacher who owned a She was always leaving sentences in small orchard on the outskirts of town, the air this way if they implied deci­ insisted upon considering him as the son sions. Her son’s anger increased. It of his father, whereas he offered him­ seemed unjust that this new doubt self simply as a worker. should come to complicate his position. “ It’s a good idea,” said Blanchard, No wonder so little was accomplished “ learning the ropes on some other 312 The Frontier

place. Do you want to try your hand “ You’re pickin’ ’em too small,” some at all the different jobs?” one shouted. “ I want to work,” the young man He didn’t know he was being spoken explained, “ picking, or anything.” to until the man moved from the truck “ That’s a good idea,” Blanchard to a position directly beneath and repeated, “ beginning at the bottom.” called up, “ Hey there, college feller, His faded eyes behind the heavy- y ou ’re pickin’ ’em too small.” rimmed spectacles twinkled slyly over When Everett came down, the dark- the talk of wages, as if they were shar­ skinned truckman demanded, “ Didn’t ing in some pleasant joke; and he went Blanchard tell you?” He repeated his himself with his new employee out into directions harshly, sneeringly, and was the orchard, dropping along the dusty still calling ironic advice after Everett way many belittling comparisons be­ as he mounted the ladder again. tween his own small holdings and the Thoughts were not travelling so far great Lane ranch. now and they came to rest upon this They came to a part of the orchard man with resentment. A man in au­ where strutting ladders stood against thority had to give orders, of course, the peach trees and from screens of fol­ but did he have to treat those under iage loud talk emerged and leaves flut­ him as inferior beings? Economics 1 tered to the ground. Blanchard as­ hadn’t dealt very fully with this human signed a row and as his new picker aspect of the matter. Text-books weren’t briskly climbed a ladder, he suggested, like life; they had a deceptive orderli­ “ If you want to try something else just ness. let me know.” But Everett was al­ By mid-afternoon the ecstacy of the ready depositing tenderly the first adventure had vanished. Weariness peach in the bottom of his picking-bas­ weighted the wings of thought. Move­ ket, conscious of nothing beyond the ments were still mechanical, but the glowing sense of having found a place machine had to be tended. . . At in the work of the world. home that night, he didn’t speak to his It was wonderful how one could father about that affair of the boy. think, up here in the treetop! Hands What concern was it of his, after all? were in bondage, but thoughts were Weariness was waiting for him in free. The moving of the ladder, the the orchard next morning. It leapt going up and the coming down, the upon him with the first step up the stretching forth of the body among the ladder and its weight increased with acrid-smelling leaves to capture the vel­ the slow hours. The day was hot, and vety fruit, the emptying of his basket the tree-crowns, that might have given into the stained boxes— all this soon be­ shade, held only a dead waste of stif­ came mechanical, while his mind went ling air. The young man thought of his forth in wide explorings. Small thoughts father in the office. It was cool in there. grew to greatness and things that had When one wanted anything, one rang seemed large grew small. The affair of a bell. There was work to be done, of that boy, now—why, he would just course, but there wasn’t this endless speak to his father as man to man and climbing and stretching and lifting in everything would easily be set right. the sullen heat. . . And from these 313 The Frontier cool offices the destinies of sweating Then the violent mood passed and he men were controlled: a finger was lift­ set his thoughts forward to meet its out­ ed and they labored through additional come. Well, he knew that these or- hours; the finger was dropped and they chardists didn’t allow any tampering were idle— and unfed. . . All the with the sacred authority of their fore­ ardor of the age-old antagonism be­ men. They had their petty courts to tween the worker and the director handle all rebels. He let his imagina­ burned in the young man’s veins. He tion play freely with the form his pun­ worked fiercely, carelessly. When the ishment might take. He wondered if he passing truck sent a cloud of stinging and the boy from his father’s ranch dust up into his eyes and throat, he might be locked up together. The fancy cursed it fervently. pleased him. “ My God, you’re doin’ worse all the At quitting time Blanchard met him tim e!” The snarling voice came up to at the corner by the packing house. him. “ I ’m sorry about that trouble,” He hooked his basket hastily to a Blanchard began. “ Please tell your branch and ran down the ladder. The father. . . . ” overalled truckman was turning over “ My father’s got nothing to do with the fruit on top of a box. i t !” the young man broke in violently. “ Look at this!” He hurled a hard Blanchard’s face bore a pained ex­ green peach to the ground. “ And fin­ pression. “ Your father and I have al­ ger marks on half of ’em. You college ways been pleasantly associated. I fellers, that know so damn much!” wouldn’t want anything . . . ” “ Oh, go to hell,” young Lane said Everett faced about and walked away. quietly. Blanchard called after him, “ I let that The man gave him a surprised look, man go. I suspect he’s something of a then moved toward him. When he was bully.” near enough, Everett struck out hotly Everett turned back to call out, “ I at his face, and the man staggered back won’t be here to-morrow, either.” He against the traces of his team. His found a slight satisfaction in the dis­ struggle to regain balance frightened tress and perplexity of Blanchard’s mild the horses. They broke into a trot and eyes. he had to run to their heads. He was But he couldn’t go home yet. He several rows away when he quieted them couldn’t face his father and mother and climbed to the seat. As he drove across the dinner-table. He walked, un­ off, he shouted back to Everett what til the dark came, out along the tracks. the future held for him. The young man stood there waiting When at length he climbed the steps for something to happen. But no one at home, his mother rose in the dimness came, and at length he climbed the of the porch. As she came into the faint ladder again. For a long time he sat glow of light from the hall, he saw on there idle, sending out unspoken chal­ her pale face how tehe had suffered lenges for any one to come and order from the heat of the day. him to work. “ W e’ll start for the Coast any day 314 The Frontier

you say, mother.” He heard his voice make the world over, too.” She gave flat and colorless. her gentle laugh. “ But I found the When her eyes brightened with eager­ world is pretty big, and hard. You can ness, he burst out gruffly, “ Why didn’t pound on it and pound on it, and not you say you really wanted to go? Y ou ’re make much difference.” always just letting things happen!” “ I ’ll keep right on pounding,” he de­ She touched his arm as if in a plea clared. for gentleness of judgment. They went “ You get tired trying,” she said, in to sit side by side on the porch. her tired voice. “ Everything’s such a mess!” he de­ “I won’t ! ” clared. He felt that she was smiling, over “ But we have so much . . . ” there in the dark; and his voice, when she began. he spoke again, had lost something of “ That’s just it!” he broke in bitterly. its ring of defiance. “ I mean,” she went on quietly, “ that “ Is life that way, mother?” it’s hard, when you’ve got so much, to “ Pretty much like that, Everett.” find room for what you haven’t got— Revolt surged up hotly in him once no matter how much you want it.” more. “ Then it’s time some of us were He moved impatiently in his chair. beginning to make it different!” “ When I think anything’s wrong, I ’m The feebleness of the first struggle going to fight against it ! ” was already forgotten. Great strength “ Yes, of course.” He felt her hand was flowing into him for all the strug­ on his arm again. “ I used to want to gles still to come.

SALT

B y I srael Newman

This was his honor as it was his zest— His great whole-heartedness which none but prized. So when he plunged to ruin friends surmised It would be at his worst— as at his best— The whole of him. He stood that acid test. And yet when all was gone there crystallized Out of that havoc something he despised, Something that broke away from all the rest—

And there it stood as distant and as still As she who, with her nearest ones in flight, Could not resist but halted to look back On native Sodom burning down the hill, And thus remained forever, frozen white, Eyes staring at the ruin and the wrack. 315 The Frontier ESCAPE BY STEERAGE B y W illiam Saroyan

HE place was warm with smoke, Outside, rival street evangelists pound­ and thick with the smell of men ed drums, blew trumpets, gave testi­ T who perspired much and bathed mony, and prayed. Once the high-so­ little. At the card-tables sat seamen, prano, hysterical voice of a young stevedores, waterfront truck drivers, woman giving testimony was heard, and and ordinary bums. There were someone called out, “ Why doesn’t she old men who played to pass away find herself a husband?” the time, and young men who played At the bar a fat, round man with a because they liked to gamble or great, red moustache, badly kept, rolled wanted to forget. There were one- poker dice with the bartender for drinks. armed, one-eyed, crippled, and diseased Alternately he cursed and rejoiced, men who played to occupy their troubled according to his luck. When he minds There were strangers in town had lost all his money he stag­ who played to make friends. The home­ gered away with a pathetic gesture. He less and homesick played to drown their was very sad and drunk, and his gesture longings for another place. caught the futility of all things. Anoth­ Surrounding each of the dozen tables er person took his place a moment after were three or four spittoons, full, almost he was gone. to the brim, of a slime of cigar and At one of the tables sat Marcotti, aged cigarette butts, and spittle. The house twenty, typist and clerk. As he lifted cat, a magnificent animal of jet black, the cards that were dealt him, he seemed serene, well-fed and well-adjusted to his bored and disgusted and troubled. A environment, strolled about leisurely, melody from an opera repeated itself in rubbing against the legs of a few chosen his brain so many times that he finally men. About the bright, pale-white lights commenced humming it softly, wonder­ buzzed a group of moths. ing why he did so. From time to time At the eating-tables sat the usual he ordered a coca cola, sipping each crowd of homeless men, some very old, slowly, in an effort to change the bitter with bleary and blood-shot eyes, and taste of the cigarettes he had smoked. some very young. In another two hours His throat was hot, his head muddled, these homeless creatures would be turned and his cheeks flushed from the heat of out into the streets to seek shelter in a the place. dark corner; at eight in the morning A rather pleasant fellow, given to they would come drifting in again to sit speaking incoherently, sat beside him. immovable as Buddhas with their visions He was perhaps forty or more and yet fixed in space. boyish in appearance. He had been Once a Salvation Army lassie with drunk, he kept repeating, for more than clean face and healthy eyes moved from a week. He had entered the game with table to table, poking the War Cry be­ only a quarter, which he placed before fore the players, but not saying a word. him, admitting frankly it was all the She did not smile or look into anyone’s money he had in the world. In spite of eyes. the fact that he was drunk he managed 316 The Frontier

to win a number of games, and this, for I wanted to call a policeman. But what some reason, pleased Marcotti. could I tell a policeman? I passed one, Once the fellow said, “ She asked me but I didn’t say anything. At last I for five and I gave her ten.” reached the door of the building where Marcotti asked, “ W hy?” I work, and when I was inside I turned “ W h y?” repeated the man, surprised. to take a last look at the brute. And do “ I loved her. I gave her ten. She asked you know what he did? He winked!” for five. If you love a woman you give Marcotti was disgusted with her. She her everything you’ve got. Yes, and was utterly disappointing. “ You are you spoil her.” so pretty,” he said, “ that even the men At this Marcotti laughed for the first in the streets cannot help following you. time that evening, and he thought of Girls like you must be very careful.” her whom he had loved. Looking at his A little quarrel followed and he cards, he saw her, and unconsciously he left her in the middle of the block with hummed the tune he associated with her. an impolite “ good-night, my dear.” She This they had heard at a movie. It was was just an ordinary person. But that an Italian love song, a serenade, whisper­ he loved her he could not deny. He tried ing that true love belonged to music to feel amused with the affair and he only. He remembered how he had asked thought it was a case of necessity. One the girl, “ Isn’t it beautiful?” And had to be in love with someone. how foolish and inadequate the words Now he sat at a table in a rummy had seemed immediately after. She had house playing cards, trying to forget replied curtly, “ I don’t like classics!” all the things he would be thinking about When they walked home that night if he were not playing. Of course that Marcotti was displeased. Her talking was the reason he played. So many bored him and he wanted to get away things were the matter that he had to from her. As they walked she said: sit at a table with a lot of dull fools and ‘ ‘ Oh, I forgot to tell you what happened play cards. today. I t ’s too funny to believe. This He had quit his job that very evening morning when I got on the street car it at six. He had asked for the increase in was terribly crowded—you know how salary which had been promised him, the cars are in the mornings— so I had was refused, and he had calmly demand­ to stand. I didn’t do it on purpose or ed his pay-check. He was so depressed, anything, but I happened to stand by a and cared so little to talk with anyone man who had a seat. He was reading about what he had done, that he hurried the paper but he looked up to see me, to the rummy house to get into a game, and then he got up and offered me his and since six o ’clock he had sat there, seat. I had to take it. I didn’t smile or almost silent, dreaming and humming anything—I don’t think I even looked and forgetting. in his eyes; but he thought I was flirt­ At two in the morning, a few minutes ing and he commenced touching my back. before the place closed, he roused him­ I really didn’t know what to do, so I got self from his trance, got up from his off the car. The funny part of it was chair and walked out of the house. On that he got off, too, right behind me and the street, Embarcadero, the thick fog followed me. I could hardly walk and rolled in from the bay. He walked The Frontier 317 across the street to the Perry Building explain, that he cried out, “ Oh, go to and waited for a street car. Now and hell!” The words escaped him involun­ then a taxi scurried along, carrying tarily, and he listened to them as if phantoms of men and women, its lights another had spoken. He was angry with glaring ahead in the mist. Solemnly a himself and he thought: “ What am I departing ferry booed and from the saying? Why am I talking this way?” distance a fog-horn replied with a weird They stood by waiting for him to say scream. Two old men who sold morning something more. He could only, add, papers stood together smoking cigarettes “ Do you think a man must always be and talking softly. home at six and in bed by nine? I ’m After some time his car arrived, he sick of this life.” got aboard, and it rattled up Market Without another word they went back Street with its half-dozen sleepy pas­ to bed. sengers. He lit another cigarette, drew Before undressing he counted what the smoke deep into his chest, and was was left of his money to see how much suddenly amazed at what he had done. he had lost. It had cost him eleven dol­ Why had he quit his job? Work was lars to forget himself for a few hours. scarce and he was in debt. Disgusted with himself, he reflected that Why had he gone to the rummy house ? it took him three tortured days to earn It was a cowardly thing to do. He could eleven dollars, and but a single night to have read a novel. lose it. He knew better than to grow What would happen to him when hf> remorseful. It would not help matters, got home? Two o ’clock. His mother and he was too tired. Tired of doing would be frantic with worry. things he was not made to do. A typist The car stopped at his corner and he in a hardware store. Hardware— pots, got off, ran across the street into his pans, nails, screws, door knobs, linoleum, doorway, opened the door and went up­ hammers, chains. stairs; rather slowly, since he was very He undressed slowly and slipped into tired and did not know what to tell his bed, but he could not sleep immediately. mother. He went over all the occurrences of his When she heard his footsteps on the life to try to find a reason for what he stairs she arose silently from her bed was doing. Another young man of his and went into the hall, followed by his age, he believed, would not have quit his elder sister. Both were in nightgowns. job. Would not have been bored with “ Where have you been?” his mother a pretty girl. Would not have gone into asked. a rummy house and squandered his Before he could answer his sister money. Would not have told his mother cried, “ Are you going to disgrace us?” and sister to go to hell. The taste of nicotine was bitter in his But he was exhausted and finally fell mouth, but his helplessness in face of into a sound sleep which seemed to last his mother and sister made his heart but a few minutes. When he was con­ even more bitter. scious that it was morning, and that he • Everything was so futile, so worthless, was awake, he heard his mother and it seemed so useless for him to try to sister moving about in the kitchen. He 318 The Frontier

heard them putting on the coffee, smelt and get tanned. Life was at its best the toast as it began to burn, and listened now. But he was in no mood for it. to what they were saying about him. He felt he might never again be in a “ He is no good,” said his sister. mood to enjoy life. He believed exist­ “ He is becoming worse and worse as ence would always be a struggle for him. the years go by,” said his mother. “ He With only half his coffee sipped and used to be different.” one bit of dry toast swallowed, he arose “ God only knows where he spent his and adjusted his hat on his head. When time last night,” said his sister. he was near the stairway his sister came He arose and dressed. In the kitchen to him and asked maliciously, “ Where he was met with scowls. He said, “ Good­ were you last night?” She had no morning, Ma,” but his mother would sympathy. She did not mean to under­ not speak. He put some hot water in a stand him. He was annoyed, angry, and pan and lit the gas beneath it on the again he said, ‘ ‘ Oh, go to hell, will y ou ! * ’ range. When it boiled he poured some Prom the kitchen his mother flew at of the water into his shaving mug and him enraged. lathered his face. Then he stropped his “ How dare you tell your sister such razor and commenced shaving. His a thing!” she screamed. “ You d og !” eyes, he noticed, had dark rings beneath Almost insane, she was on him, hitting them. He had not slept enough. Silent­ and scratching his face. His sister ly he shaved, brushed his teeth, combed pulled her away. his hair, put on his shirt, tie, and coat. “ The neighbors will hear, Ma,” she He filled his own cup of coffee and said. “ Let him be. Let him ruin him­ sat down to breakfast. His mother did self!” not fry two eggs for him. She got up Swearing, he hurried from the house, from the table when he sat down. His hurt and startled. What a fam ily! What sister also arose. Perhaps they imagined a mother and sister! What stupid lies he had been to a brothel. He might tell the world had created about mothers the truth, but he did not want to let and sisters. With his handkerchief he them know he had quit his job. If they wiped the blood from the scratch on his knew, there would be no end to their neck. “ They are barbarians,” he reproaches. They would tell him he had thought. “ Uncivilized barbarians.” not given a cent toward the family ex­ Instead of taking a street-car he penses in a year. They would grow sick. walked. He did not have to be at work The sun came through the little kitch­ at eight-thirty. He took his money from en window and fell across his face, but his pocket and counted it, although he he was in no mood for it. The day was knew how much he had. Thirty-four bright and he reminded himself that it dollars. He put the money away and lit was the first of July. It was the best a cigarette. His mouth was still bitter, time of the year for happiness. The his eyes glassy, and his vision blurred. summer symphony concerts were com­ At Fillmore Street he bought an Ex­ mencing. In another month or two the aminer and turned to the want ads. opera season would begin. Tennis could There was nothing doing except at the be played on Sunday mornings. He employment agencies. He decided to try could go swimming Sunday afternoons, them. 319 The Frontier

At one of the agencies he found over “ I have a job at twenty-five per week two dozen men waiting to be interviewed in a stock and bond house,” said the by a man in a little private room sur­ man, “ but they want a man of about rounded by a glass wall. He filled an twenty-five.” application blank. “ Tell them I ’m twenty-five,” said Name: John Marcotti. Marcotti. Address: 2378 Sutter Street. “ Yes,” said the man, “ you look older A ge: He decided to make it Twenty- than your age. W ill you be able to pay two. your fee in cash?” Nationality: Italian. “ No,” said Marcotti, “ I ’ll pay you in Religion: What should it bet He full when I get my first pay-check.” felt he should say Mohammedan, but He signed a contract to that effect decided it would only endanger his and was given a slip of introduction to chances of getting work, so he put down a firm on Bush Street. Catholic. The man who was to interview him was busy, so Marcotti sat down to wait. One after another he wrote in his an­ He lit one cigarette from the butt of swers to the questions. He furnished another and with each one he decided he names for references and gave a list of ought to quit smoking. It was doing places where he had worked. He gave his weight, height, color of hair, of eyes, him no good. and of body. There were no scars on Downstairs in the stock and bond him, he had no bad habits, did not drink house the men stood about in groups or gamble, and there was no insanity in discussing the stocks they had pur­ his family. Not much, anyway. chased. Prom where he sat on the mez­ When his turn came he was inter­ zanine floor Marcotti could observe their viewed by the man in the glass cage. expressions of worry. A few seemed This person was most happy with his happy, but most of them were distressed, job. He was very proud to see so many just like the rummy house gamblers, ex­ men younger than himself out of work. cept for their clothes and baths. The He smoked one cigarette after another, board-markers ran back and forth put­ as if his work required strenuous think­ ting down new figures, and erasing old. ing, and he exhaled the smoke through The market rose and fell, and as it did his nostrils with a peculiarly annoying so the men became happy or sad. Just air of superiority. like the man who rolled poker dice for Marcotti said, “ Good-morning, sir. drinks. My name is Marcotti. 1 noticed you After some time Marcotti was shown advertised for a typist this morning.” a door to an office marked Private, and The man took his application card he entered. The man at the desk was and examined it. talking over a telephone. He was bald, “ Hmmmm,” he said, “ just quit a job, middle-aged, had a lipless mouth, and I see.” was dressed immaculately. Marcotti “ Yes. waited until his conversation was over “ And w hy?” and then handed the man his slip of “ I was promised a raise, and it was introduction. A few questions were not given.” asked in regard to experience in ‘ the 320 The Frontier

stock and bond game, dependents, speed matically towards one of the many at the typewriter, and intention to ad­ rummy houses on the street, not certain vance. Marcotti made suitable replies if he should go in and play. Finally he in each case and was asked to leave his entered one, as if against his own will, telephone number. stood about trying to compose himself “ I have no phone,” he said. for a few moments, and then walked ‘ ‘ Your address then ? ’ ’ asked the man; out. The dull players repulsed him with and when it was given he added evas­ their petty worrying and weeping over ively, “ I will drop you a line.” losses. Marcotti was familiar with the term. He passed a moving-picture theatre, Politely it meant “ nothing doing.” and stood idly looking at the photo­ Without another word he left the office. graphs of the chief players. Why he had been refused work he did He moved on. He felt ashamed of not know, unless it was because of the himself for thinking he might have gone rings beneath his eyes. But it actually to a theatre at such an hour of the day. made no difference whether he got a job He was still very tired and wanted to or not. He did not feel that he was go to sleep. I f he went home he would actually looking for work. He believed find no peace. There would be hitting, he was about to do something he had swearing, and afterwards weeping and never before done. He could not tell praying. Home was such an undesir­ what it would be. able, such an uninviting place for him From one employment agency to an­ that he felt he should never want to re­ other he went, however, filling in appli­ turn to it. cation forms, taking tests on the type­ A sign invited him to join the Navy writer, answering questions, and going and see the world. He smiled at the where he was sent. He did not succeed thought. in landing a job. His failure might have He debated seriously if it wasn’t time been due to his manner. He probably for him to set out in life for himself. made it apparent that it really did not Perhaps he was doing what was only matter whether he got a job or not. natural in men of his kind and age. 1+ He did not know whether he did really would be best for him to clear out, he want a job. thought; to leave his mother and sister When there were no more places to go alone in their security. He would always to he did not know what he should do jar and disturb them. They did not next. He stopped before a second-hand need his help, such as it was, as much as book shop on Third Street, and glanced they imagined. His sister worked. His at the old books on the shelves. He was mother owned a little property. They in no mood to read, however, or he would be happier without him. would go to the public library and bury He continued walking about town himself in something deep and sad by aimlessly, stopping before the windows Dreiser or Maxim Gorky. There were of book shops and art stores, all the time times when one could not read; and trying to make up his mind what he times, he believed, when one lived liter­ should do. I f he left home he would ature. live alone in a tiny room, and he won­ He left the book shop and moved auto­ dered if he would like that. He would 321 The Frontier eat in restaurants food he was not ac­ his personal belongings, his shaving set, customed to. He would sleep in beds his few books, his few letters, and his that were strange to his body. Life clothes and shoes. For some time he would he difficult. thought he should go home and pack his He was tired of walking when he suitcase, but he finally decided, “ I am reached Union Square park, and sat going to escape from all that. I don’t down on a bench in the sun. He re­ want to have any memories. I don’t mained on the bench for an hour, half- want to see my mother again. Nor my asleep, half-awake. The sun was warm other shoes, nor my other suits, nor my and comfortable, and a shaft of bright letters. This is good-bye to everything light seemed to enter his mind, illumin­ for me. This is good-bye to John Mar­ ating it, warming it, and cleaning it of cotti. In Los Angeles I will begin all ancient dust. He felt refreshed in his over. This is better than suicide. ” dream. When he reached the waterfront he There was nothing for him to do in realized his mother did not know what all the world but to sit in the sun. He he was doing, and he hurried to the near­ dozed happily until the sun disappeared est telegraph office where he wrote her behind a cloud. He became conscious of a short note, asking her not to worry the sudden loss of a comforting warmth, about him. “ After all,” he thought, and roused himself to movement. “ she’s my mother. She loves me. She He left the park bench abruptly, as means well.” if his mind had been quite definitely He got aboard the ship three hours made up, and hurried to Market Street. before it sailed, was shown his bunk, He entered a steamship ticket-office. and, still tired and sleepy, he fell into “ How much to Los Angeles?” he it and went to sleep. asked. He was very sleepy and wanted When he awoke the ship was passing to reach some place where he could go through the Golden Gate, and he hur­ on dreaming. ried to the upper deck to take a last “ Fourteen dollars, first class,” said look at his city. The night was soft and the ticket agent. peaceful. The sun was just sinking in “ What’s the cheapest rate?” the ocean, and as he looked at the van­ “ Steerage,” said the ticket agent, ishing hills of his home town a sweet “ eight dollars.” sadness, more pleasant than painful, “ That’s what I want,” said Marcotti. came over him. It was a good thing not He purchased his ticket and was in­ to be dead. It was a good thing to be formed he could get aboard the boat im­ leaving home. mediately. It was nearly three o ’clock He was almost in sobs when he and the boat sailed at six. whispered to himself, “ Good-bye San With his ticket in his pocket he asked Francisco! Good-bye John Marcotti. himself if he should go home and get Good-bye!” 322 The Frontier OF REGRETS B y L illian T. L eonard There came a beauteous hour of early spring, When eager winds had swept the hills snow-hare, And sharp mists rose like incense in the air, Rousing a small day to a giant thing. You drew me to your heart as though to bring Richer and yet more rich your passion’s share Of my rash lips, of my breasts white and fair, Bruising the rose to bare its blossoming. Rare was my folly then. Now I understand Too well the triumph of the unleashed dawn, In which joy flares and cunning sorrows trace Slow tears as rain cuts slender marks in sand. My heart is sand and lines across it drawn, With tears that tell of that too scarred embrace. HERITAGE B y E dith M. Graham Night after night I watch ships sway Out through a harbor to a sea, And hour by hour I see them stray Into its star-fringed mystery. And ever throbbing through my days— The beating of a pinioned wing— Is this deep yearning for sea ways And sails, and for the salt spray’s sting.

Tho I who watch the slow tides creep And I who hear the gulT’s low cry Know but the shepherding of sheep Beneath that mocking deep the sky. How can I guess such loveliness As this when I have never known Sea-beauty nor beauty of shipsf

SILHOUETTE B y Sallie Sinclair M aclay There is the shrill, insistent beauty Of a scarlet flower Leaning to flaunt itself By a deep pool. And there is that other beauty— Lovely, and aloof, and cool— 323 The Frontier

The beauty of a pine Against the sky. And though I hear The impelling cry Of that fragility, Still will I seek The other kind of beauty; Still must I love The strength and constancy Of a storm-driven tree. THE HIRED MAN B y Marion D oyle Old Aaron was a fixture on Tom’s farm, Like a good plough, a wagon or a bin;— Tom dodged all questions of his origin: “ He doubly earns his keep and does no harm ...” But Aaron caused the neighbors great alarm With well-spiced tale and salty epithet: ‘ * Tsk! tsk! ’ ’ they clucked—while Aaron swore and sweat, And somehow calmly managed to disarm The verbal darts and arrows of their stings: H e’d pucker up his parchment face and smile, “ Heigh ho, I guess God’s children all got wings!” He slaved until the last dark lonely mile, And passing, let Tom keep the lies he’d spun,— Amused to think he’d fostered such a son.. TRANSPLANTED B y E leanor H ansen Lorraine was a white rose swaying on her tall Slim-fashioned stem within the petaled peace Of a New England garden, where heart’s-ease Bloomed, and flame-hollyhocks stained a dark wall Of lichened stone; where apple-scented fall Brought asters, and the sound of harvesting; No vagrant wind disturbed her with the sting Of troublous dreams; she heard no wild geese call.

Nathan had lived on western plains, and knew The strength of mountains. He was skilled in toil, Wise in the lore of hill and plain, but found He could not understand why a flower that grew In delicate loveliness on sheltered soil Should die, transplanted to a sterner ground. 324 The Frontier SMOLAND B y M artin S. P eterson

N the third-class section, below decks stopped puffing on his cigar long in the New York bound Cunarder, enough to ask, in Swedish: Ithere was one stateroom whose oc­ “ Born in Smoland, were you not, cupants were all Swedes. There was Herr Smoland?” “ Milwaukee,” born in rural Sweden Smoland barked his two giggles: but now an American who had made “ J a !” his mark in the moving-van business. “ A beautiful country—birch woods, He was florid and slightly bald. He lakes, sunshine!” drew his white eyebrows down and “ J a !” squinted whenever he puffed on his “ In summer, yes. But in winter, long cigar. There was a student, an oi-yoi, in winter! Snow high as a American of Swedish extraction. There house. Frozen hands. Frozen ears. So were two young men from Stockholm, Smoland comes to America, what?” alert, urbane— always together. Their And Milwaukee gave him a thump in ideas, their laughter, their gestures the ribs that left Smoland gasping. were synchronized. Finally there was Smoland giggled, looked furtively at Smoland, a country bumpkin with a the brave brass antlers on Milwaukee’s bulbous nose and a loose underjaw. He watch-charm, and agreed, rather be­ was incredibly ugly save for his eyes, latedly, “ Ja.” which were blue and radiated a mild, “ Ever been traveling before?” spiritual shine. He was dubbed “ Smo­ “ N ay.” land. ’ ’ “ Never been to sea?” Smoland. There was no assimilating “ N ay.” him. He stood around with his hands “ Well, then, see these cork jackets? in his pockets, his square shoulders I notice you didn’t wear yours to bed hunched up until they half hid his last night. Taking a big chance, rather large head, and watched the what ? If the ship should sink ? sea-going world with a worried fur­ Couldn’t swim back to Smoland, could tiveness. At the most unexciting ques­ y ou ?” tion he barked two short nervous gig­ “ I can’t swim at all.” gles before he answered—and then he “ Can’t swim at all?” And Mil­ answered inarticulately. In the wash­ waukee shook his head solemnly. room he took off his shirt to wash his “ Can’t swim and doesn’t wear a life­ face, and cupping up the water in his jacket.” hands and putting it to his face he The next morning Smoland rose blew into it like a walrus. A half-hour stiffly from his berth. before meal-time he appeared before “ Fan!” said he, without giggling, the dining-room salon, clutching the “ better, think I, to wear the wooden grate in his huge grasp. Never, appar­ coat by day and sit up by night. Fan! ’ ’ ently, had he known such sumptuous “ And fall asleep and get drowned?” food. asked Milwaukee, and went, with a One night about bed-time Milwaukee roar of laughter, out of the stateroom. 325 The Frontier

By noon of that day Smoland’s fame His honest, Smoland soul revolted at had spread. He was no longer taken the idea of sponging. He stood quite seriously. His fellow-Scandinavians still, his eyes cast down, until everyone laughed at everything he said, told it had entered the dining-room. Then he to their friends, adding, 1 ‘ He is so dumb turned into the salon to find the Cap­ so. .. .” tain. And next day Milwaukee, winking It was a high-ceiled room with gray elaborately at the Stockholm pair, said walls and greenish silver drapes at the to Smoland: “ Want to see a little windows. A pale woman was seated high life, Smolanning, what? Come at the piano, but she was not playing. along with me.” Music was drifting in from the dining­ So the Stockholmers fell into step room, a pulsing, rhythmic music en­ behind Milwaukee and Smoland and tirely strange to Smoland. But it followed them to a grating on the third- stirred him mightily. It was grander class after-deck. There one could see than any he had known. A man in uni­ trim young women, portly gentlemen, form was standing in the doorway fine young men with tanned faces and looking out on the dusky sea. bright, even teeth. Smoland caught sight of himself in Smoland entwined his fingers in the a long mirror. He felt a little angry grate and peered, entranced by the blue with himself for being so ugly. Best dresses swishing by, and the langorous to go. This world was not for him. accents of a foreign tongue that fell The man in uniform turned, stared. from the lips of the fine world passing Smoland summoned his courage, tried by. to choke down his two sharp giggles, “ How much costs it— to go in but he found himself speechless. there?” he asked. The uniformed one approached: “ One dollar.” “ Get out of here; down where you “ Who to pay?” belong, you lout!” “ The Captain.” There was no mistaking his com­ And that evening Smoland opened mand. his way into the second-class compan­ In his stateroom once more he found ionway. Milwaukee and the Stockholmers. Their His entrance caused some surprise. expressions told him something. He People were just going in to dinner, giggled and said: “ I am so dumb so. .” immaculately dressed, expressionless. But he felt no anger. He treasured A couple came abreast of Smoland. the warm picture he had seen, and in “ For Ood’s sake!” said the woman to his memory put it beside the green her escort, “ What have we here?” She leaves, the nude-white birch trees, the walked in a wide semi-circle around lakes, the bluest of the blue, of summer him, as if he had been a sick dog. Smoland. And a purpose formed itself Smoland understood the pantomime. in his mind. . . a simple formula. Mil­ He pinched himself. “ I am so dumb waukee was a Swede and had attained so— I should pay the dollar.” sophistication; he, Smoland, was a It wasn’t right that he should enjoy Swede and could attain sophistication. this display without paying for it. ( Continued on Page 368) 326 The Frontier BLACK COW B y Merle H aines

HE fall roundup on Bluebird Flats. dashed behind him and as she went by Hot and cloudless. The cows in kicked. Spat! Her hoof caught Lee on T the corral crowded around the the hip and lifted him clear o ff the branders, pawing the earth, bellowing, ground. He dropped the iron and snorting, driven mad by the smell of sprawled over the calf. fresh blood. Occasionally one charged Ross laughed. the men. Then there was a shout of Dark-faced and angry, Lee got up, warning from the iron-tender and a mad hurling curses at the cow. He recovered scramble for the top rail of the corral. the branding-iron and limped toward And if someone were too slow and were the fence. Before he got a fresh iron not hurt when the cow hooked him, hil­ Pete was ready with another calf. Lee arious laughter. was swamped, and he could not work at One cow in particular was the trouble­ his usual speed for need of watching the maker, a big-boned black, dry, fat, and Black Cow. She finally came close to hornless. She crowded and pushed her­ him ; he jabbed her viciously on the hip self all over the enclosure, fighting cows, with the red-hot iron. men and horses. Twice she put the “ Take that, damn yuh; that’s how my branders on the fence. Then she ran rear fender feels.” against Ross’s rope, as it snaked out, Finally the last calf of the bunch was spoiling his throw. It was his first miss brought up; the men were glad of it, be­ of the day and ruined his disposition. cause they now were rid of Black Cow. “ You black trouble-maker,” he yelled, Serious Pete twisted his mustache and and lashed her with the rope end. allowed himself a satisfied smile, for he Ross, fat-faced, heavy bodied, of un­ had shown up Lee and beaten Ross on mistakable Swedish descent, and Serious throws. These youngsters sure couldn’t Pete, old-timer and foreman, were try­ stand up with the old-timers! ing to swamp the brander with calves. A week later Ross and Lee, combing The brander was a young cowboy, Lee the north side of the range for beeves, Camay, slim as a reed, dark, agile, in rode into Quartz Gulch and lunched his own opinion reckless as a Sioux war­ there. While they were eating, a small rior, vain as a red rooster. He had bunch of cattle came down for water, taunted the ropers for their slowness, Black Cow among them. their misses, so that they had determined “ There’s that black rip. L et’s take to get ahead of him. But the ornery her in,” said Ross. black cow was keeping them back. “ Sure,” Lee scrambled to his feet. When the rope hit her Black Cow “ Maybe w e’ll have some fun with her.” jumped ahead, almost colliding with They mounted and drove the herd out Pete’s horse. Pete kicked her on the into the open, cutting out Black Cow nose. She swerved towards the fence. and the four-year-old steers, heading Lee, with a glowing branding-iron, was them towards the corrals where they running from the fence to the calf that were holding the beeves until they were Ross had just dragged out. Black Cow all rounded up. They had hardly start­ The Frontier 327 ed when Black Cow decided to go back. swamps. Red-eyed and sullen, Black Cow Lee headed her off. trailed behind now, licking her stinging “ Still makin’ trouble, eh? Take that, nose and watching the riders out of an’ that!” glinting eyes. When Ross swung to the The rawhide quirt lashed Black Cow’s left around a fir thicket she wheeled nose until it stung like fire. She turned straight back and plunged thru the trees, back to the bunch and for about ten head down, snapping branches in her minutes behaved herself. rush. The trail from Bluebird into Clancy “ There she goes again,” Lee yelled to Gulch drops suddenly from the edge of Ross. They spurred after her. the flats and zigzags down a steep, Fifty yards ahead was a small park grassy hillside spotted with firs. To and beyond that the creek with its thick the right and left are rock breaks. brush and mud-holes. Instinctively The six cowpunchers were having Black Cow headed for the creek. The plenty of trouble trying to start the herd horses couldn’t follow her there. A of eighty beeves over the rim. It was fallen tree was before her. She leapt hot, slashing work, hard on muscles, over it, came down, nose first, legs nerves and tempers. The steers crowd­ buckling, floundered up to her feet and ed up to the drop-off time and again, went on. But as she reached the park Black Cow always in the lead. A t the Lee flashed by, swinging the quirt. edge she would suddenly turn and try Black Cow turned her head away, shut­ to get away, the excited steers following ting her eyes. her. “ Hold on,” Ross shouted, “ I ’ll fix The men dug in the spurs until the her.” sides of their horses were flecked wHb His rope was ready and as Lee turned blood. They swung their quirts till aside it slipped out with a hiss, their arms numbed, and their throats circling Black Cow’s neck. The next were raw from cursing. instant it tightened with a snap as Ross’s Several times Black Cow got free, only horse sat back on his haunches. Black to be brought back again, the quirt bit­ Cow turned a somersault, landing on ing her at every jump. her back with a deep grunt. “ Is this the fun you were talkin’ Ross threw the rope to Lee. “ Snub about?” Ross asked Lee once when he her to a tree while I get a club,” he said. brought the cow back. Lee took two turns around a small, Lee didn’t answer. dead pine that was the closest tree, while As a last resort Pete roped a small Ross cut a green alder as thick as his steer and dragged him over the rim and arm. down the trail. Others followed until Black Cow floundered up and glared the whole herd was spilling over— slid­ at the men with inflamed eyes, shook ing, falling, jumping, zigzagging, down her head and pawed the ground. When and down. Ross got close, grasping the club in both The hillside gradually leveled out. hands, she charged. Thud! The heavy Two hundred yards to the right of the club caught her on the side of the head trail Clancy creek struggled thru the just as she took up the slack in the rope. thick willows, the beaver dams and the The stick broke o ff with a loud snap 328 The Frontier

and Black Cow fell to her knees. Then into the saddle. Clinging there weakly, she was up again, between Boss and the he looked back just in time to see Black horses. Cow wheel on Lee and bowl him over. “ Lookout! She’s loose!” Lee yelled It wasn’t so funny, now. Lee wasn’t shrilly, grabbing for the trailing rope laughing. He was on his hands and and missing it by a foot. knees, trying to get away from Black With a bellow Black Cow lowered her Cow. Every time he got started she head and charged. Dropping the stump bumped him down. Lee got up on all of the club, Ross spun round and ran for fours and bunt! went Black Cow, sprawl­ the timber. Stiff leather chaps and ing him flat on the ground, his arms riding boots aren’t conducive to speed; and legs outspread, and bunt!— over in fact, they are a great hindrance to a and over. Ross was laughing now. stout man with short legs. Ross didn’t “ Hey, Ross! For God’s sake, get cover the ground as rapidly as he wanted her,” he pleaded. to. Ross rode behind the cow, leaned down In about ten jumps Black Cow caught and caught up the rope. He threw a up with him, shut her eyes, stuck her hitch on the horn, and dragged her back. nose close to the ground, and with a She fought stubbornly, 'hen as the rope jerk brought up her head. Ross sailed slowly cut o ff the air braced her legs thru the air, legs and arms clawing; wide to keep from falling. but he came down running, without Taking advantage of the situation, missing a step. He turned his head back Lee got upright on his legs and hurried to look at Black Cow. He didn’t thank to his horse. her for the lift, and wasn’t courting an­ Ross grinned. Lee swore at him, the other. cow, and the world in general. Lee was left behind. He gave up try­ “ Y ou ’re the one that wanted some ing to catch the bobbing rope-end. As fun, ain’t yuh?” Ross jeered. Black Cow hit Ross again Lee decided “ Wait till I get my wind and I’ll that the show was worth watching, and show her somethin’, ” Lee promised sav­ stood still, laughing. agely. “ H elp !’ ’ Ross yelled. “ Help— ” “ Goin’ to teach her a lesson in ety- He lost his breath and the ground at quette? She sure needs it. Teach her the same moment— Black Cow hit him a not to bunt from behind. It ain’t po­ third time. lite.” “ Ha, ha, ha,’ ’ Lee roared. The more The sound of a running horse brought he laughed the funnier the situation seemed. them round with a start. Pete, the fore­ man, rode up, buzzing like a hornet. Black Cow stept on the trailing rope, jerking herself to a momentary stop, “ Hey, what’s all the racket about?” and Ross ducked back for his horse. He ‘ ‘ A circus, ’ ’ said Ross, wiping his puffed by Lee, mouth open, eyes bulg- grimy face. ing, face red, and Black Cow hot on his “ Circus, hell,” Pete shouted. “ Cut trail. Again she stept on the rope and out the play.” just as she passed Lee stumbled. He looked at Black Cow. “ Turn her Reaching his horse, Ross scrambled loose.” The Frontier 329

“ Turn her loose yourself,” said Ross, by a muley cow! Maybe they would any­ winking at Lee. way, but release was worth trying for. Lee scowled back. “ Oh, all right, all right,” he said, and “ W hat’s the matter? Yuh ’fraid of added. “ I ’ll make it another five.” a muley cow?” Pete demanded scorn­ As Pete had the best snub horse, he fully. took the rope that was attached to Black “ I ’ll give you five dollars if you go Cow and gave his lariat to Ross. Then in there on foot and take that rope o ff.” Ross roped her hind legs and they “ I ’ll add another,” said Lee, bright­ stretched her out. Lee got on. Ross ening a little. took off his rope. Pete looked at the cow again. She ap­ The lariat around Black Cow’s neck peared ready to drop. slackened. The sting of Lee’s quirt ‘ ‘ Huh ? I ’ll just call your bluff. I ’ll brought her to her feet with a rush. show yuh what a man can do.” Swish! The quirt bit deep. Sharp spurs He dismounted and walked toward raked her sides. The demon on her back Black Cow, sliding his hand along the yelled shrilly. taut rope. When he was fairly close to “ Br-r-raw-aw-ww, ” she bellowed, and her Ross gave out slack so that she got bucked crookedly across the park, twist­ a gulp of fresh air. As Pete glanced ing her back, throwing her hind quar­ around to see what was happening, ters from side to side, head down, legs Black Cow charged, hitting him in the stiff. middle and lifting him clear over her Pete kept to one side, giving her shoulder. He landed with a grunt. plenty of rope. Following close behind Lee doubled over the saddle-horn was Ross, shouting encouragement and Ross’s eyes sparkled. laughing. ‘ ‘ Ride her, b oy ! ” he shouted. “ Gosh, are you hurt?” he asked. “ I Lee had his left hand clasped in the didn’t think she’d dare attack a man!” short, slippery hair on Black Cow’s Pete scrambled out of danger. shoulder and with his right he swung “ Why didn’t yuh tell me she’s on the the quirt. He was riding prettily. He fight?” he yelled, shaking his fists. turned his head to laugh derisively at “ Yuh damn fools. I got a notion to Pete. The foreman had visions of losing fire yuh both.” five dollars. “ Aw, don’t get mad, Pete,” said Lee. Then Black Cow stumbled and Lee, “ I ’ll show you how to take the fight out unprepared, pitched forward, landing of her. I ’ll ride the son-of-a-gun. ’ ’ on his back, right under Black Cow’s “ You?” Pete tried to wither him nose. As he fell his left foot got tangled with a look. We can’t fool around here in Pete’s rope. Both riders jerked their all day. We got to get them steers down horses to a halt. to McPhee’s tonight.” Black Cow looked surprised for a sec­ “ Let him ride her,” Ross urged, ond and Lee, pale faced, stared at his winking. “ I ’ll bet five dollars he can’t.” foot. If the cow ran she would drag Pete thot seriously for a moment. If him to death. The hot, stinking breath he didn’t humor them they would ride from her nostrils blew damply across the devil out of him for weeks and tell his face. all over the country how he got thrown Ross began to uncoil his lariat and 330 The Frontier

Pete stupidly pushed on his rope, like a up, and scuttled for his horse. Safe in farmer pushing his old Ford up a steep the saddle he regained both his wind and hill with the steering wheel. his courage. “ Br-r-r-a-aw-w. Br-r-a-aw-w! ” Black When Ross took off the ropes Black Cow’s bellow echoed up the canyon as Cow lay still, except that her sides went she lunged forward, plunging her head up and down jerkily. into Lee’s stomach. Eyes rolling, tongue “ Well, I took the fight out of her, out, head twisting, she stamped and anyway,” Lee bragged. milled around him. “ A n ’ she sure as hell took it out of Lee thot sure he was a goner. He you,” laughed Ross. squirmed and yelled frantically. Pete twisted his mustache and almost | ‘ Get away y o u ------! Help— Ross grinned. Then he scowled at the cow. — Pete! O-o-oh, God —save me. (Umph!) “ She’s all in,” said he. “ C ’mon. Hey, you black— ! God— pray God. We’ll have to come back after her in Help. (W hoof!) Ross— damn you— the m om in’.” get her—away!” They started down the hillside, Ross As long as Lee could yelp like that he coiling his lariat as he rode. wasn’t being hurt, Ross thot, and hung “ What church you belong to, Lee?” up his rope, deciding not to stop the fun. “ H uh?” When Lee began to pray, he threw hack “ I was wonderin’ where you learned his head and roared. to pray. You got any preacher heat a Lee, white-faced, arms and legs wav­ mile.” ing, looked like an up-turned spider. “ Aw, shut up,” Lee growled. The cow danced around him, her tail He couldn’t argue because he had brandished like a waving flag. Black never heard a preacher pray and, be­ Cow bawled and Lee yelled. Ross rocked sides, he chose to forget that he had in the saddle and made all kinds of called on God. “ I’m goin’ to bring a funny noises. Serious Pete licked his gun tomorrow. She’ll only try to break lips and pushed harder on the rope. away once,” he threatened. The din split his ears. He turned to There was a sudden crackling of brush Ross, wishing for a rock, a club or any­ o ff to the right. thing to throw that would knock him “ W hat’s that?” Pete asked. into sensibility. “ Didn’t see anything. A stray, prob­ “ H ey!” he bellowed. “ Yuh got a ably,” said Ross. rope; pull her off, yuh crazy fool.” A little farther on they caught up ‘ ‘ Sure I have,” Ross said weakly, and with the herd. They had hardly settled chuckled some more. ‘ ‘ I thot Lee was to work when there was a commotion up takin’ the fight out of her.” front. The lead steers were heading up Slowly uncoiling his rope he made a the hillside, going fast. The foremost loop and still gurgling inanely threw it came into view. under Black Cow’s feet and snapped it “ Well, I ’ll be damned!” said Lee, up, jumping his horse away at the same weakly. time. Black Cow, losing her balance, He drove his tired horse slantingly toppled sideways. along the hillside to head them back. Lee jerked the rope off his foot, leapt Black Cow was in the lead. The Frontier 331 HORNED TOAD B y P aul E. T racy You need not think of me since I am dead And bright-green squares have crowded out my sage, And desert sands grow blossoms, being fed By rivulets led gently in this Irrigation Age. Think not of me with sadness, neither yearn For things gone by— the silent, sun-burned plain, The whirlwinds bowing . . . dancing, and dignified in turn, And watchers philosophic oblivious of all gain Which men approve. For I have loved the sand, Sand dry and hot, and pleasant to the feet Of one immersed in thought. But now the land Labors— and lies torn beneath the tractor’s cleat. No longer mourn for me, nor dream of scenes we knew Lest, living thus, you will be buried too.

TO COMANCHE, A COW-PONY B y E lizabeth Needham When you had galloped up the Milky Way, And stood, snorting with fright that you disdain, Before the Golden Gates, did they delay To brush the star-dust from your wild black mane, Whisper that your fears were quite unfounded, And give a reassuring pat or so ? Or did you shy when all the trumpets sounded, And enter Heaven still afraid to go?

I think that now you’d like a pair of wings To herd celestial cattle through the sky. I hope God’s angels, busy with great things, Find time to feed you sugar, passing by. Oh, pony! Are you strong and sleek and well, At pasture in the fields of asphodel?

BEARERS OF INTEGRITY B y Charles Oluf Olsen How often have I said: “ Glory to the lowly Who march like the mighty, if slowly, Keeping step, though stepping small.’ ’

Strong hearts—strong— to obey a call That promises no praise at all, No victory, no goal when shadows fall. . . . 332 The Frontier

THE OPEN RANGE Each issue will carry accounts of personal outdoor experiences. Only accounts of actual experiences are solicited.

BLUE BLOOD-HORSE AND MAN— ON THE MIZPAH, 1887

B y H . C. B . CoLviiiL

JOINED the English colony in Eastern smaller cattlemen were cleaning out; but on I Montana late in 1886. Horse ranching— rounding up our horse stock in the spring it Blooded stock and Blooded men—was the was found that only one old mare had died. combination, and it worked well at that time. Hope therefore ran high and it was de­ The following quotation from an English cided that the Mizpah and Powder River paper shows how well it worked: badlands was a natural horse country, and “Import of American Horses— On Satur­ that there never again would be enough day General Ravenhill, head of the Army Remount Department with Mr. S. Tatter- cattle there to spoil the range. L. O. Holt, sall, head of the great Tattersall horse auc­ tion establishment. “Tattersalls", Mr. R. at the Mizpah crossing eight miles above us, Morley, and Mr. M. Walton, accompanied however, changed our notions, for he began Captain Pennell Elmhirst to Kings Curry to inspect three young horses recently trailing in cattle herds from Texas as soon brought to this country from his breeding as he found out what was up. Riding up establishment in Montana, "Western Amer­ ica, the precursors it is understood of many to the crossing for the mail one day I got large shipments in the future. The horses called forth strong expressions of approval my first cussing from a Montana cowman as to their shape, strength and quality. and from old L. O. in person. Having be­ Two of them had been already sold, and General Ravenhill bespoke the third for come tired of waiting for his confounded army use.*’ herd to pass by, I forced my horse through Here is another paragraph from the Miles the center of it. He told me what he thought City paper dated 1886 which announces the of Englishmen riding pad saddles, wearing arrival of the writer: tight breeches, a sun helmet, and carrying - H. C. B. Colvill and H. O. Boyes, both or J-iondon, England, were at the MacQueen a broken umbrella handle, and how such house on Monday. They have crossed the alien and strange animals were not wanted deep blue sea to visit their friend, Mr. Lindsey, who is associated with Capt. Elm- in Montana and never would be. Principally ?irs:J n the horse business. They departed tor the ranch on Tuesday, where they will on account of this unreasonable dislike to spend some months. that style of dress, when I left that coun­ The sixty miles to the ranch in an open try I left on the ranch about five hundred buggy through three feet of snow badly dollars worth of clothing, and never sent drifted, today I would call a hard trip. after it. Lindsey had the usual winter clothing on, Hauling hay for the blooded stallions was but Boyes and myself were dressed as we our hardest job that winter. Twenty-five had been on board ship, and had not even miles straight across country, and across rubber overshoes. At that time, however, I Powder River, with a wagon and four don’t believe we even felt cold. Some drifts horses. Three feet of snow, and drifted; we had to dig through, shove through, and but we made it, and did not even freeze a tramp through: 1886 and 1887 was a notable finger. Early breakfasts in the dark, and winter. Ninety percent of the cattle on the long hours in the saddle, getting back to Mlzpah Range froze to death, and one of the ranch long after dark, constituted the my first jobs when it broke in the spring main work up to July 4 of each year. was to haul carcases away from the ranch, Gathering jup wild stock in the “Bad so that the smell of their rotting bodies Lands” is no dude’s job. In the hunting field would not offend our aristocratic noses. The the “ water jump” is considered the hardest The Frontier 333 and most risky jump. Not that a horse Two humorous incidents are the high spots cannot jump a long jump easier than a fence, that I remember best. Three of us had al­ but because he seems to have a natural most finished a large stack in a draw, and prejudice against the water jump and will we had enough hay down to top it off. That very often stop at the edge and spill both night there was a cloud-burst which flooded his rider and himself head over heels into our camp, and we rescued our blankets by the water. After wild horses, however, a wading knee deep to higher ground. Early horse forgets all his natural fears. I re­ next morning the “ Captain” rode up to see member once jumping six washouts one if we were doing all right. We told him we after the other, that when I started I had were, but when we took him to see our stack, no idea were there, one or two of them it was not there, and we never saw it again. more than twenty feet across, to head o ff a The second incident got me fired, and this bunch. There was a cut-bank close to the is how it came about. I, like all the other home ranch that I once saw the foreman Englishmen who ever joined the colony, put his horse to, heading off a wild bunch brought along a little rubber bath tub and a of mares. This horse barely got his front sponge a foot across. Sunday was the day legs on top and I expected him to fall back­ we washed ourselves and our clothes. This wards, but, with a yell and a lunge, they particular Sunday we had a lot of hay down were up and away. If my memory is cor­ that needed raking. I volunteered to rake it, rect, two of us measured a jump made on the understanding that I should have across Mizpah Creek, by our finest full- Monday to wash up. The other boys were blooded stallion, when he got away one day haying busily on Monday when up comes after some mares; the jump measured E. P. E. “Where is Colvill?” asks the boss. thirty-five feet from takeoff to landing, and “Oh,” said the boys, “He is probably in camp the horse could have carried a man just as sitting in his rubber bathtub, and sponging well as not. A stallion used to come over the top of his head with that big sponge of from the C. (C dot) ranch, and cut out his.” Nothing said about my Sunday work. mares from the herd I was holding up for E. P. E. set spurs to his horse, mad as a wet breeding. Two of us tried to stop him one hen. He drew rein close enough to where day; shot all around him with a rifle; ran I was sitting in my rubber bathtub, spong­ him miles to the C Dot ranch; but he beat us ing the top of my head, to scatter dirt all both and took the mares away. We had to over me. “ When you get through,” says he, corral him over there with his own bunch, “come up to the shack and I ’ll give you your and with the help of the C Dot outfit, to get time.” “All right,” says I, and that was all our mares back. We did not give him time the conversation we had. Next day I rode enough, however, to do any harm, so there down to Powder River, and put in the rest were no mixed strains the next year. of the summer helping a cowman who had There were other stallions on the range lost nearly all his herd in the bad winter that would fight a rider, and put up quite a of ’86-’87 put up some hay for his saddle fight, too. “ Cannot kill valuable stallions,” string. He was a fine rider, and being an said the boss. “It simply is not done, don’t educated man had the science of riding the you know. Better lose a rider or tw o; don’t western saddle down fine, theory and prac­ cost so much money.” tice. We had to keep his string gentled Haying time always started on July the down, and so I spoiled my English seat on fifth. There was a legend that the E. P. E. horseback, something the English colony was had once hoisted the British flag over the very particular about, for they all went home home ranch on July 4th and that a delega­ in the winter for the hunting. Then anyone tion of punchers had arrived and shot it all without, or who had lost, a perfect hunting to pieces. That was never done in my time. seat would be an object of disdain—offensive Haying consisted in racing the L. O. people in fact to his companions. for the wild hay up and down the Mizpah. While on Powder River I was told lots of The first mowing-machine to cut a swathe funny stories about the English colony that I around a patch of grass held that patch should not have learned otherwise. There against all comers. was the gag on Whallop (or Wachoup, as 334 The Frontier

it should be), recalled a year or so ago to be and pulled out before breakfast for the E. P. a member of the House of Lords. Whenever E. Ranch across the Powder River divide on he was in an awkward situation, and some foot. On the way I noticed footsteps and were racy, he would say, “I wonder what looked out for some other fool pedestrian. my mother, the Duchess, would say if she Investigation revealed the fact that I had could see me now.” All the cowboys in the made a complete circle about a quarter of a country would get that gag off every once in mile in diameter. Night found me on the a while. Sidney Padget was asked one time divide about five miles from the E. P. E. by a curious puncher called Billy, “ Say, Sid, horse camp, deserted in winter, but the only is it true that in the old country you are the available shelter. I was getting weary, not son of a lord?” “Billy,” says Sid, “in the being used to walking. The snow also filled old country they call me a son of a lord, the gullies from five to six feet deep. Just as and in this country they call me a son of a I felt like crawling into a snow bank I struck b------, but it’s the same old Sid all the time.” a wonderful beaten track as hard as a rock. Then there was the horseman whose ranch I had no idea where it would lead me but was on Pumpkin Creek—I forget his name— it turned out that my old crowd had put but his brother, the Major, came out one up a small haystack at the horse camp, and summer with his valet. The valet got sick the track took me straight to that stack, two one day, or something happened to him, and hundred yards from the shack, where wood the Major called on one of the boys to shine and food had been left handy for anyone up his riding-boots. “ Sure,” said the puncher, coming that way. Cattle had tramped a path “I’ll do ’em,” and he did a good job. Then smooth to look at the hay. The next day I the puncher told the Major to do just as made the home ranch. The Bloods having good a job on his (the puncher’s) boots. The gone home for the hunting, and the foreman, Major put up something of a kick, and tried having heard the right story from the re­ to work the single eyeglass trick, but “cow­ pentant hay-makers, hired me again. boy” would not stand for it—was not quite This led to another ludicrous incident when satisfied, even after the Major had shined E. P. E. came back in the spring. By that his shoes, that it was as good a job. time I had entire charge of a large bunch of I finished the year out, and nearly finished mares, and five blooded stallions at another myself, at another horse outfit on the lower horse camp eighteen miles up the Mizpah. Powder. I was to furnish meat for the ranch I had a string of eight horses that had be­ and run the outfit if everyone went to town. longed to my predecessor known as the In return I was to have the use of two “Black Eyed Kid.” To prevent the “Bloods” horses to work a poison line for wolves, the from grabbing any of his string, the Kid had hides to be mine; but no poison was to be taught each of them to pitch (or buck jump) put out within three miles of the ranch at different signals. I experimented and fin­ house, because the foreman, A1 Smith, had a ally found out most of these signals, but with favorite dog. One of the horses in my string one, a big blooded grey, I never did find out. was branded Rattle Snake Jack the full He would hunch his back when I first got length of one side. One of the rules of the on, but he never did let himself out on me. range is to throw the lines, by a twist of the The first time I saw the boss in the spring wrist, over the horse’s head as one dismounts. and also the first time I had seen him since Rattle Snake lack remembered that rule one he had fired me, he came up with a man day and I forgot it. I never forgot again called Benson to look over my herd. He after walking fifteen miles home. If the asked me if I had a gentle horse he could lines hang down from the bridle on a cow use, as his was tired. I told him I had a big horse, he stands still, for he has learned grey on the picket that had never pitched that stepping on them hurts his mouth. with me. So I got him up and the boss One day—five feet of snow on the level mounted. I f you had never seen a horse and blowing hard—the foreman’s dog mine pitch you would have seen one that day. Ben­ up poisoned, and Mr. Foreman and myself son finally ran in and grabbed his head and spent the night, each with a pistol in his the two of us brought him to a stop. The hand. I got tired of the strain on my nerves, old man had ridden him all right, but had The Frontier 335 got it in his head that I had played that trick not work with the drags and eat with the on him to get even for having been fired. bloods, so resigned from the first table. He told me he could ride the worst of them, That fall I bought a perfectly trained but that he was getting old and did not like hunting pony and kept the ranch supplied it any more, and that he did not have to with meat. Three incidents stand out in my ride the pitcher if I had told him the truth. mind as hunting episodes. The first on an­ He came pretty near firing me again. telope, feeding in a hollow, with a strong That summer I reaped the benefit of my wind blowing. By riding on the lee side friendship with the C Dot punchers, for it I got within a few feet of the top of the hol­ was the wettest summer that had ever been low. By crawling a few feet I was able to known, and colts dropped by mares held in push my rifle and actually touch the side of the herd at the home ranch were dying like a buck before I pulled the trigger. Crawling flies. The C Dot men told me, “ Never mind back I mounted my horse and rode up to what the boss told you to do, just let the find the rest of the herd had not realized herd go. Then as soon as the storm lets up that anything out of the ordinary had oc­ for good hustle around and gather them up. curred. The second was meeting a big You will find that they have not gone far.” Blacktail, head on, when riding a narrow If E. P. E. had come up while I was toasting trail, then slipping o ff my pony and shooting my shins by the stove, he would have fired between his legs at a mark hardly a yard me sure. When he finally did come, accom­ away. The third was packing three Black- panied by the foreman, I had the herd to­ tail on that pony a short distance to the gether and had not lost a colt. I never told ranch house late at night, then climbing on E. P. E., but the foreman took me on one top of the load and calling the crowd to the side and asked me how I did it. I told him, door, to their great amazement. Another and he said it was what he had been trying that did not come off was getting my rope to get the Boss to agree to all the time. on a mountain lion, which luckily worked That summer they gave me an army mule himself loose before anything much happened. and a wild unbroken colt to drive on Chickens “tree” in the fall along the Miz- the mower. My first swath was five and a pah. It took just twenty-five chickens to half miles long straight up and down the make a good curry (an aristocratic dish). creek, and the pitchers raked up three and I made a deal with the girl cook. There were a half big loads of hay before I made a turn. two girls (a cook and a ladies’ maid) on Some skill was required dodging the sage the home ranch. The cook stayed the year brush when driving horses on the dead run, around and finally married the foreman. but the machine was not broken. I had The deal was for a curry every Sunday. By three teams and two mowers that year. When shooting the lowest bird on a tree first, every a team got tired, or a mower dull, my as­ bird there could be killed with a rifle, but sistants promptly brought me another team they would fly if a shotgun was used. A hitched to a new sharp mower. We had an tree full often made the curry. The two old country hay-stacker who started his girls had a great time. Every male on the stacks on a handkerchief, brought them out ranch of the two-legged species must have as wide as a house, then drew them in ; made love to them sooner or later. They ranchers came from all round to look at thought the life very rough, but their tete- these agricultural curiosities. noir was the skunk. There must have been This year there was a strike amongst the hundreds of skunks up and down the Miz- boys, who insisted on potatoes as well as pah. About every day or so the girls would beans with their sowbelly. E. P. E. ex­ be heard screaming and every man within plained that beans were a sure antidote for earshot would rush to their assistance. The the alkali water, but finally had to have a girls invariably would be found standing on few potatoes freighted out from Miles City. the table holding to each other with one I got some of these and planted them. The hand while the other hand held their skirts resultant crop was, as far as I know, the closely about their legs. The proper system first, and maybe the last, ever raised on then (invented, I believe, by the foreman) Mizpah Creek. I found also that I could was to seize a dipperful of water and gently 336 The Frontier

sprinkle the water on the ground behind the your clothes off; I will take care of your skunk, heading him towards the door and horses.” finally through it. No shooting or noise The next high spot of the trip was cross­ was allowed until the skunk was a hundred ing the Marias River near Fort Benton. I yards or more from the premises. In that got halfway over, then the ice broke and let way skunk ordor never, to my knowledge, us all into water up to our shoulders. This scented kitchen or premises. At the horse time I remembered what Ben Mason had camp at the head of the Mizpah, however, said. So I worked Baldy up on the lead and a skunk got into the oven of a perfectly good told him to get us out of it, for I did not stove. Someone slammed the oven door shut know what to do. Baldy seemed to know what I meant and stood up on his hind legs, and no one present was found with the cour­ pack and all, then came down on the ice age to open it. When the fire died down and hard as he could. He kept breaking a trail the stove got cool it was removed, skunk that way, until the river got shallower. and all, and buried under three feet of dirt. Then we were all able to scramble out. All the rest of the year cooking was done out The next highlight was starting that eighty of doors, for the stove was never replaced. miles from the American to the Canadian Just before Christmas I got an idea to side north of Assiniboine. I traded a cow- ride up to Canada. To complete my outfit puncher a pair of sleeping socks to put me on I had to purchase a pack horse. Ben Mason the right road. He did this, and pointed out at Powderville, who had just shot a man, some landmarks in the snow-covered waste. not his first by any means, had a horse that He had not been gone more than three or he had used packing elk to the troops at four hours before I found out I was lost and Fort Keogh. I spent the night with Ben the back trail was well drifted up. Upon popping popcorn and talking about the serious reflection I came to the conclusion shooting. According to Ben it was getting that if there was not, then there should be, so expensive to kill a man that it was going a telegraph line between Fort Assiniboine to take his whole ranch this time to get clear. and the Canadian Mounted Police station At that Ben said he would just as soon kill a at Maple Creek. Further reflection con­ man as a coyote. I was careful to agree vinced me that I might as well advance in with Ben on nearly every subject. So we that direction as stand still and freeze in one got along fine and I bought old Baldy from of the coldest blizzards that ever came out him for thirty dollars. Ben said, “ If you o f Medicine Hat, a short distance north. So get into a pinch just leave it to Baldy, for I struck out to cross that telegraph line, if he knows more than any tenderfoot can ever there was one. As luck would have it, there learn.” Ben was perfectly correct on this was one; for I bumped into a post in the statement as you will see later. Crossing dark. After that no one could have dragged the Crow Reservation I fell In with Jim me away from that telegraph line. I un­ Huey from the N Bar. We then picked up a packed my bed roll in the night, but found bunch of Crows going our way from a food it too cold to sleep, so saddled up after an distribution at the agency. Camping in their hour, and rode till the line ended at a Mount­ teepees on snow-covered ground we found ed Police post. The troopers repeated that luxurious, and teepees fine warm shelters. old question, “Where did you spring from?” One bunch forked off to Pryor Creek. They “Montana, U. S. A.,” was the answer. Then told me there was a good ford at the mouth they remarked that two fools, just like me, that would save me many miles. When had frozen to death crossing on the wagon I reached it I was alone, and I expect I road a few days before. never struck the ford at all, for I was car­ Near the end of the line I found another ried down stream a long way amongst great blooded man with blooded horses. He knew ice blocks before I got across. I ran into a all the Powder River aristocrats. In the ranch house still dripping wet. The care­ spring on my way back I helped him with taker asked me where I had come from. I a hundred, and fifty of the finest horses any­ said out of the Yellowstone River. He re­ one could ask for, which he was breaking to plied, “You look like it. Go on in and get the saddle for the great Canadian Mounted The Frontier 337

Police. Those police, at that, would have to blooded men and blooded horses. I don’t ride some, for three rides was all the break­ believe that I have seen a specimen of either since. Altogether I rode over eight hundred ing considered necessary before a policeman miles that winter, or a thousand counting the got a horse. trip out in the spring, averaging twenty-five That was the end of my connection with miles a day.

THE PIONEER WOMAN OF MONTANA B y Mrs. T. A . W ickes Representative facts, from the lives of several friends, have teen blended into a composite sketch. FOLLOWED the pioneer woman up the a mule-team freight load brought from Og­ Missouri river fifty years ago last August. den, Utah, but there were only three ladles, IThe river was very low. We saw the sun and over a hundred men to buy the luscious rise in the same spot three times, and be­ fruit. People lived out of tin cans largely tween Bismarck and Benton, we drank that in those days. muddy river water for forty days. But the Near Missoula, before that, leaving their pioneer woman was cleverer than I. She first home, holding one baby in her arms, strained that muddy water through the seat and another a bit older at her side, on a high of a cane-bottomed chair, for she told me s o ! spring seat, above their valued effects in We Saw Gen’l. Miles on the Missouri, still the wagon, the pioneer woman traveled night chasing “Hostiles”. The wife of the chaplain and day with her husband and the hired mau of Fort Assiniboine (as they’d have military past burning cabins and massacred settlers escort, when landing at Cow Island) offered to find safety from pursuing Indians. Over­ to take my baby, Bessie, with them until I taken by the shouting hostiles the hired man could send for her in safety, and would adopt turned back and met them. He, too, was an her as their own should I be killed by the Indian and of their own tribe. A conference Indians, on landing at Fort Benton. But was called. That intrepid woman sat on the Indians had fled. a stump with the two babies and watched On arriving in Montana, the pioneer wom­ the cruel faces, as she could not understand an unpacked her belongings, set out her the Indian jargon, while the hired man told apple-tree slips, and unrolled the tent. The o f the kindness of the family to him, and campfire was made for her, and she cooked the love he felt for the little children. He the meal. She was always cooking meals. won the day—they were saved. Her husband cut logs, she helped lift them, In their new home her seventh Montana she mortised them, shingled half of the roof, baby was one day tied in a high chair, and cut the stove-pipe hole, climbed down and neglected, necessarily, for the harvesters fried the venison for supper. were coming. It had cried all the morning. With meals at $1.00 she started a boarding­ A stern-faced squaw, working in the garden, house. Indians peered in at the windows entered the kitchen, took the child, the and stayed to dinner. Sooner or later they frightened mother knowing it unsafe to pro­ always paid. Not so all the whites. A dy­ test, and with reproachful look at the moth­ ing Indian sent a man five miles to pay her er bore it to the potato patch, where the for his last meal with her—for she told me contented child cried no more that day. that, and also that she had never lost a Once the pioneers went to a little mining dollar from an Indian. town, twenty-four miles from Helena, where Later, after the Virginia City gold rush, was a heavy payroll, and the woman’s hus­ flour was $100.00 per sack, three apples for band cashed the checks. Helena banks lent $3.00, a bunch of grapes a gift to be remem­ the money. There was a hitch one day bered for a lifetime. Each lady in Wickes among the officials as to the date of the mining camp received one from the owner of ( Continued on Page 365.) 338 The Frontier

HISTORICAL SECTION Each issue trill carry some authentic account, diary or journal or reminiscence, preferably of early days in this region of the country.

AN INDIAN GIRL'S STORY OF A TRADING EXPEDITION TO THE SOUTHWEST ABOUT 1841 Edited by W inona A dams T3o^+?ait*leri? e’ who told this story, was the daughter of Margaret, a Nez Perce woman and ttiat aHMh1J?'Tk»and father either Prench or Scotch. Catherine's statement T a ?^ ld8T r ie f°waf pelfs B a p tis e ® nft focd^et^ l0tS °f beaVer' When the trader demanded the an^, Mar&aret parted after the birth of a second daughter. The man married iTlivingbnear^lJe, MinteSl61* Bigknife’ a son of the la9t marriage, now eighty-five years old, he fnot5l,er Bapti®t«' oalled Bonaparte, because when intoxicated to fI mx.* \heir daughter, Angelina, married Michel, son of the great fur trader Peter Skene Ogden. They have three daughters still living on the Flathead Reservation ’ emnloTOo X f h . r r ,?the.rini? relurned from this trip, she married Angus McDonald, a young Scotch “ >■“ “ * Ignatius18Moi!te?anaT hfoahhShed Fi>rt 9onl?,en’ ®even miles north of the present town of St. Dmican bornfnlX 4 i h„e,i ,T f d a- fa™iIy °f twelve children, the most notable of whom is student’ of°Ind!an history^nJ mylhoToly1" the VlClnlty’ He 15 a man of culture' and a careful

returned” to^Fort “ egr chtfdref manfstiDHes S one of"hOT Sto to tte mouufo? th°eDpnfnd f pied in a ,*?uge ],edeer, which is still preserved. This definite in tim e*nlart ad° ’ apparently written down about 1875, is the most fur trader’«a dharontn06 and circumstances of any of them. It presents an unusual picture of the efer been reco/ded throws light on Indian Psychology. It is doubtful if a similar sto^ has

whichbhafe*To°relatiof'to'tldf lournev h\Ve baen om'tted s°me incidental stories venience. 8 journey. The punctuation has been changed for the reader's con- WINONA ADAMS, Assistant Cataloguer, State University of Montana Library. HE three peaks of the Rocky mountains heeded him not. The Shawnee warrior with their lesser hills head three chief T. H. rejected all evidences for favoring of T rivers, the Oregon, Colorado and Mis­ religion, saying that the Parent Spirit was souri. We left Pierre’s hole1 on their Co­ not to be found in dresses or bits of paper, lumbian side when the antelope were fawn­ pictures, or in yellow or red iron or beads, ing in the last month of spring and the first insisting that the sacred man that came so of summer. far must be a fool come to preach some The founder of the Jesuit missions was things he did not know and for which the just arrived for the first time from the east God Chief cared nothing, and told them it to convert the Indians.2 He was a man of were better to ask that Spirit to give them florid countenance, benign of speech and health and buffalo and help them to scalp stout and short of stature. Some tribes were their enemies than listen to useless prayers prepared by the Iroquois3 hunters and that had no life but in the effort of them. Prench creoles to receive him. Other tribes His words were received by many of the lon|r b L ? 0Ie’g^ther1nereDie^fiSfnrefnf lda*l0’ a ! hort distance west of Yellowstone Park, had (Cleveland, 1 M .) 114n.P f f traders, trappers and Indians. John Work—Journal.

JBau e f R o o f me i8CfimeDe0S ^ t ln 184» and, established St. Mary's Mission In the 3 T___ .m 1; DeSmet—Life, letters and travels. (New York, 1905) II, 193-342. Indians were not® ndu«MousUt r ™ e r ? ' tlthwest Company as trappers. The Western Iroquois would improve them ‘5® fur comPany hoped that the example of the ping. p e inem- The Iroquois, however, soon learned to prefer idleness to trap- The Frontier 339 leading Indians chiefly from their bold as­ stream of about 70 paces broad. The men sertion and as he who spoke them was from made rafts to carry their little baggage. The the east and said to be a man in the battle women stripped and lightening their saddles of the Black Hawk.4 on their best horses plunged into the stream Bidding farewell to our Parent Rocky with them, having tied their children one by mountain camp we left for the place of gath­ one on their backs, and swimming along with ering on one of the chief streams of the their horses on the side made several trips northern Colorado5 where more than a hun­ that way across the river before they had dred white men awaited us to add to their their children all landed safely, as they numbers. Grass of rich growth was out would not trust their little ones to the rip­ on every hill. Streams of the chastest water ples. I swam bearing my little brother, ran from their armpits and lofty glens. The whilst my stepmother swam with her young big valley below was full of heat, as the air child, my sister. The women were stripped was with flies. Games of many hoofs romped to the cotton shirt. The water was very cold, and grazed far and near. The big and little rushing from its parent springs and higher curlew, colored like the fawn, attended to peaks. Our hands and limbs were red as their young as the mother antelope stood off wild roses from the burning chill of the wat­ sometimes afar observant of where laid that ers, but the air was healthy and then the sun young. Any unusual scream or flutter of was cloudless and strong, and camping at the curlew brought the dam nearer it. The once and the boiling and broiling soup and coyote, that most cunning and timorous of roasting of the choicest bits of venison and sneaks, and the game eagle were its greatest faring generously thereon we were soon com­ enemies and fared well on the numbers of fortable and joking on the different costumes that delicious game, the most tender of all of the women whose drenched shirts stuck to flesh. Other things of prey from the moun­ their bodies shaping them as if entirely nude, tain grizzly to the rattlesnake fed well on and also on the various pranks of our horses, the numbers of ground squirrels that bored some of which delighted in this serious fun the valleys. One antelope can whip a coy­ and plunged and snorted in the cold foam ote but a young kid or fawn is helpless and with more presence of mind than many men is often killed by the raven. The game eagle when death is near them. The second river sometimes kills the coyote, but he, the lat­ was a little narrower and deeper and of a ter, as often defies the bird’s attacks by more violent pass. Before crossing the first throwing himself on his back ready to lay river on the mountain plain we saw a little hold of the eagle in his descending pass and cloud of dust far as the eye could discern it. the chief of the air flies on afraid of this It was in advance of a much larger cloud, hairy little sneak. which made us very uneasy. Was it our per­ The wild striped little bee that hides his sistent enemy that never gave us rest or was two stands of honey in the rents of the moun­ it some friendly tribe? Our courage grew tain rocks was at work and as I rode aside after looking to our arms as the clouds and and alone his moans made me sadder and I preceding black points formed of men drew wondered if ever I would return. He was nearer us and our five Indian hunters said up from his winter’s sleep. An old and that by their motions they must be friends. new life was around me on foot and on wing, ’Tis strange to the white man how far the an old and new life out in leaf and blade. Indian eye can perceive his enemy and dis­ The earth required more space. The sky tinguish him from his friends and how far grew higher with the sun. The sun himself that knowledge is conveyed with other signs looked not so old. The big splendid solitude in return by his motions with his horse. The of my Indian fathers looked glad, but our dusty clouds were soon up to us, following friends gone to join the dead did not heed a band of 150 warriors on the path of blood this all. All come back but that dead. No for their enemy. We smoked heartily with no, they would not come. them, as they met us kindly. Their simple The first river we crossed was a swift story was soon told and they passed on 4 The Black Hawk W ar of 1832. 6 Green River. From there the route lay south along the west of this stream. 340 The Frontier armed as usual In quiver and bow and shield In rare cases a woman is known to admin­ of buffalo-bull hide with guns and lance and ister this hard mercy! knife and their garniture of bits of brass and We had o f our own and for the defeated game eagles’ feathers, and rare shells of the party about 200 mules; as they were wild ocean and the land made them look pretty three days were spent in subduing them. We as they passed on in the shining sun. 100 of finally packed them with all the meat already them were horsed and fifty were footmen. dried and orders were given by the chief Upon arriving at the third river, which hunter, a dark-haired Canadian of long, thin, was about 300 paces broad, calm and of a delicate features, sinewy flesh and straight gentle flow, all of us bound our baggage in manly bearing to move camp nearer the buf­ our leather lodges, put the children on the falo. Three more hot laborious days, hunt­ top and swam our best horses ashore, hold­ ing and paring and drying meat, brought us ing cords in our teeth whose ends were tied to a stand and the chief hunter cried, “ From to the lodges. The buffalo scalp bridle makes here we shall return and go no further.” a soft, wiry and light cord and is always pre­ Brave Dalpier, you did return, but the In­ ferred in this work to any other cords. visible led you another road. We camped As we arrived at the place of gathering on a point between a fork running from the about 180 men sat and stood in groups chat­ east into a river that ran to the west. ting on the prospects of the coming trip, as The grass was already reddening and the some chewed, others smoked, and nearly all wild currants yellow and black and red whittled in earnest anticipation of a voyage weighed their boughs. Those boughs were whose ends they could not forsee. Although tall as long fishing-rods and their large it promised plenty of fur most of their wives round currants bent them in places to the refused to follow them across. They were ground. Red and white willows and poplars left to await our return. I was bent on fol­ shaded the stream. A deep ravine led the lowing my father wherever he went and fork into the river. I frequently went up as all of us thought of further preparation during fine days to look from the brow of for the coming desolations of the Colorado the ravine. My father, who was a brave and a tall, handsome, fair-haired Frenchman cautious man, always advised me in his trav­ that stood a full fathom and a hand in his els to be on the watch, my eyes being young moccasins galloped into camp with an alarm­ and strong. Mountains and plains, the sky, ing countenance and screamed that his party sun and buffalo. Just as far as the earnest were defeated by the Sioux and left at their eye could see until the sky struck the earth further disposal we soon were off again to I could see nothing but buffalo and the other relieve the defeated and procure a further smaller game lost in their masses, like young supply of Buffalo for the barren wastes of children with the group camps. Six young the Coyoterra,8 now called Arizona. girls and I went up the creek for berries Four long summer days and a half of con­ after breakfast, and having a stroll to half­ stant riding brought us to the defeated camp. circle the camp, struck the river below the All that lived were living. Two men were mouth of the creek. A middle-aged barren killed and all the horses gone. One of the Snake woman, wife of a young Canadian, men was dragged by the enemy on his horse went down to the river at midday beyond for miles, where we found him shot in many where we struck it after she passed- She places. As we found no blood where he lay had three large dogs, grey and tall as the we thought his own horse had dragged him long buffalo wolf, and she rode a famous and that he was shot when already dead. buffalo horse. Dismounted and still holding The other was taken by the old Sioux wom­ her long bridle in her hand while picking the en, tormenting him with awl and gun until largest currants she observed her dogs sniff­ he danced his life away. In these cases ing the air, pricking their hair and mutter­ sometimes the savage man is moved to silent ing low growls. She saw a shadow-like [pity] and disgusted with the cruelty of the thing passing behind a bush above h er; but women shoots the prisoner through the heart. she quietly picked her berries and slyly ob-

*Prairies?S 0 844) "ar^|0applied t0 a branch of the Apache nation. Gregg—Commerce of the The Frontier 341

served the aspect of the dogs and the direc­ commenced and our mules and horses snort­ tion of the shadow. Again they growled and ing and sniffing like stampeded elk with sniffed the air, and looking she saw a dis­ manes and tails up rattled by us on the other tinct head bob its height behind the same side of the river, which formed a half-cir­ bush. Her dogs were standing in advance cular basin where they pressed on between it with their hair up. Her horse pricked his and the mountain as the upper corner of that ears and she said in her heart, “ Sure, it is basin struck the bold heel of that mountain, the enemy,” and climbing into the saddle the the enemy rushed to turn the horses back willing charger soon brought her a couple of downward and sweep them away by the hundred paces above the shadow’s hiding lower end. Hereon he mingled in active me­ place. Whereby she saw two human heads lee with the horses. Four strong Canadians distinctly peering at her. Whereupon she took hold each of a mule dragging a long whipped her sagacious bearer into camp and cord and they were dragged by the mules all said to her young Frenchman, “Mount, go and running together scared into the willows. get our horses. The enemy is near them.” Dalpier cried thereon, “ Rush, boys, rush. “You old fool,” said he, “ what do you blow We must have a horse each anyhow,” and for?” “I say, go to our horses. The enemy he rushed through the river leading five envies them already,” said she. “You are men and I with them seeing my father’s fa­ mad, you old hag,” said he. Others hearing vorite moose-colored horse and having a long them said she might have seen something. cord on his neck. I sprang and laid hold of “ No, no,” said he, “she is always puffing and him and led him back to our pack, which ripping about nothing. Let that horse go, was strongly built of heavy logs in case of I tell you,” said he, “and he will find his need. Hastening to cross the river the voice mates.” “ You shall never get hold of him,” of Dalpier was again after me, and sang out, quoth she- “You old crazy Snake,” said he, “Run fast, my little girl, run over into the “let him go.” The old woman was hereon pack. We will drive these to follow you enraged and disgusted, and unbridling the and so they did to half the number of all the horse gave him as hard a lash as she could, animals we had. Yet no shot was fired on screaming, “Go to your master, the enemy. either side. The enemy was fairly making You do not belong to my white fool any his way with the balance. Dalpier hereon longer.” The horse with tail on end soon stood where he was without recrossing the reached his mates. stream, and raising his long black rifle, its By this time I and the little girls after smoke and one of the best-plumed of the rear picking our berries went into the river to enemy rolled at the same time. A rapid bathe. The side pools were clean and the discharge of many shots missed him and he trout were thick in them as our fingers. bounded and waded through the river to our Three little boys were there bathing and fish­ side of it. As he stood there loading and ing. We found a dry floating little log. The discharging his unerring weapon for the boys pulled at one end of it and the little third time, I stood watching him 10 steps in girls and I at the other all swimming and front of me. Just as I said to a girl that contesting who would win the log when at stood by me, “Look how fearless and proud once the eldest boy, son of the Snake chief, that brave Frenchman stands,” he gave a said with a calm, steadfast eye and with an second touch home to his bullet, a distinct apprehension unaccountable, “ Let us go crack rang from his body, he wheeled on his forth. This is not our country. We play heels once around without moving and fell in the enemy’s stream. He may be here.” dead on his front, and his faithful black rifle A thrill of alarm entered us as he spoke and fell and broke down with him. Meantime we ran towards our camp. Just arriving some of our men went to try and recover the there I heard the boys’ yell and war song. lost horses, but found not one. All the men Those wild notes that ever sounded our most joined now in the firing, but a third party serious w ork; as they rushed on our heels was off running buffalo. The enemy drove they cried, “ White men, take your arms. them into the camp. The brave chief of the We are surrounded.” Instantly a trembling Snakes rode in the rear and dashing straight of the ground and yells and cries of men down a cliff that overlooked the camp and 342 The Frontier

the enemy making every effort to catch him, other man in withdrawing the shaft could he looked not like a man but like a chased not get the broken barb to relax its hit. The blue cock which the abrupt earth could not wounded man walked about forty steps, stag­ trip nor retard. We rode some bad passes, gered as if drunk, and fell forward, clots of but I never saw a horse and rider hold to­ blood with a spasmodic effort followed and gether in so steep a place. in a few more pulses he was dead. The plumed savage shot by Dalpier on his His mate,7 a dark negro mixed blood, said first fire, I saw move his head trying to to me, “You are an Indian. You know the raise it. It fell and moved again, and again ways of the Indian. See how they come. it fell. At that time three of his friends They will mix with us. What do you think?” made a swoop to look at him. They then A tall red-haired sinewy American stood be­ moved his head into a cord and galloped off tween me and the sun, Baker by name. He with him tied to the bow of a saddle as if was excellent at his weapon. I said, “ Say he were a fallen stick. The lifeless body no to Baker that if he kills the chief who makes longer of any avail, all they desired was to the dog and who wears that black star on his hide him and take his pomp to his parents breast we still may live. That is the most who always give such to the nearest and best effectual way to save us. The combat de­ living friend of the dead; also to have a last pends now upon his life and he makes the long look at him and to be able to describe dog as of old to win or lose it.” the wound that killed him. They had advanced halfway through the In these attentions all that simple nature shallow creek led on by that human dog on can do is done, but nature is not dead and his knees and hands. They were within 40 ever after that the parent that lives on hear­ paces of us. Baker hereon and the mulatto ing the notes of the San Ka Ka, those fare­ also leveled their rifles. The two shots made well notes when starting on the path of blood, one sound. The head of the black star fol­ weeps bitterly as they bring home the lost lowed by his body laid gently forward into figure of their departed slain. These simple the creek. He was struck with one ball in farewells and notes have such an effect on the centre of the forehead and the other ball them that they, particularly the mothers and in the middle of the left eyebrow. His fol­ the sisters, will not be comforted till their lowers, seeing him dead, spoke a little with­ emotion subsides. out firing and withdrew. Baker and the After a few more discharges of brush and black man seeing us 8 girls and children, as concealed fighting the enemy resolved to the men were all further o ff each on his own enter our tents and make an end to us by a luck fighting, came to protect us and as I hand-to-hand work, there being about 10 to sat close to Baker, when loading his rifle one of us. For this purpose one well-made with the bullet that entered the brain of the naked muscled Indian wearing a splendid black star and raising it to cap it the corner cap worked with dyed porcupine quills and of its" butt struck my forehead and bled it fringed with ermine crested with feathers of freely, whereupon I said in my heart, “That the game eagle and horned by a pair o f buf­ star will d ie!” for in desperate times I often falo horns determined to lead, and walking found that our minds see and decide ahead on his fours like a dog, as they always do of our bodies, like a beam preceding the sun when deciding a trial of life or death, he before he is up. The sun was going down. crawled to the creek leading his followers. The master in chief sat protected by the horse Before this the firing had ceased, in order pen. The enemy’s shots were far and retir­ to deceive us. Two of our men were close to ing when a strong ball entered the pap of me, one standing and the other resting at his the sitter—a man by him heard a touch. length on the ground. He was the most pow­ That sitted dropped his chin on his breast erful man of our party, a large auburn-haired and he was dead with his tobacco pipe still Canadian. An arrow lashed into the air held in his teeth. from the other side of the river, struck down At night two large fires reddened the sky obliquely into the side of his backbone. The within 1000 paces of us. War songs, shots

7 According to Duncan McDonald, this negro was called Quis-so-cain because he wore a small bunch of feathers on his hat. The Frontier 343 and yells arose from one of them, wails and waste struck the Colorado far below the little screams from the other, as the foe buried his wooden home" they were out f o r ; they lost dead. On the morrow the half of our re­ themselves but their native sagacity although maining horses and mules were dead, arrowed they were never in that country before soon and bulleted, and we had to retrace our way told them the cause of their mistakes and to the place of gathering with all our lead­ corrected their way. They always choose ers and several of our best men killed. The the night to travel for fear of being discov­ camp and scaffolds of meat were left stand­ ered by the enemy. The sixth day out from ing. As we wound our road away, I cast a the scene of our bad luck we camped dry last look at the unlucky spot. There it was and heartless. in its red with buffalo meat fresh and half- Hearing a shot on a hill to the west whilst dried and the grasses in many places stiff looking with some awe and hope, the cry of in the blood of our slain. I thought it too alarm again was raised. A horseman was silent to look at. Every little bird that sang in view. Soon his motions were too well of his own fate was hushed for the time. known to me to be mistaken and the steady Fear and wonder made them shut their bills. look against the wind and labor of affection But the mountain lark resumed her story in my poor eyes made them flow freely, as I and as we left the serious place forever, I knew and discerned the motions of my fath­ wondered if these hunters would rise again. er. He was in full war paint with quiver The Indian fathers say the living will die and gun and his hair all tied on the top of and go to find the dead and stay in gladness his head like a Shawnee warrior as he rode with them never to return in the body again dashing alone into camp driving five good as the white man’s prayer teaches us. horses before him. His bold defiant aspect Defeated and chiefless, we started back. sent a sense of cheer and courage through all I put six bales of dried meat on my only our disheartened party. My father was a horse and myself on the top. When camping half Mohawk Indian and half American there was no order kept, but every one for Scotch. He could speak neither English nor himself as if our evil luck had turned us all French, but a few broken words o f the latter. into fools. Five or six black things were Tho not tall but rather low of stature he was taken for the enemy. Again the cry, “ We rather wiry and clean built and as brave as are waylaid,” arose and we rushed headlong ever drew bow on a foe. He was full of the into the nearest brush, lucky enough to see story of the American war and used to tell a creek that had any. I gazed and looked me how the British ran this way and the intently, yet saw nothing but a few ravens Americans ran that way, how the British which sitting at a distance on the wind-tossed fought there and the Americans charged sages moved like riding Indian heads and the here, and sometimes how both ran away cry of “They are ravens,” was screamed out leaving the Indians behind them, and he as loud and gladly as we could and we would then dance and sing Indian war songs started on. A poor Piute woman with swol­ of the east, songs of chiefs long gone to join len limbs was left by her man behind. He the dead. had no horse for her nor could he carry her He used to take an ironical delight in strip­ and she was left to her fate. Coming up to ping and painting his body with earth of her, all the rest being far in advance, as I various colors; then, stalking with his horse, was bent on taking my six bales of meat, I wheeling and dashing, reining short and fir­ travelled in the rear. She was sitting in the ing across against and with the wind, and sand weeping and then sarcastically smiling gesturing and speaking to the bushes and the at her being left in that plight. Helping her birds, rocks and trees as if they understood to sit on the top of my load I walked the way him. A stranger would undoubtedly think to camp. him mad when in this humor, but the truth We sent two messengers to the place of is that in his lonely days he found such a gathering to tell of our plight. Having trav­ delight in the memorizing actively of the eled by night in the wide and torn sandy genius o f past years that he became irksome

8 unturi84^inS P0St’ posslbly Port Bridger, although this post may not have been established 344 The Frontier

and dull until he armed and went through him,” so he killed her and her two little this imitation of a more serious fun. children. I thought he would be shot to In another half-day five men with more pieces, but our hunters from some cause left horses followed him and we were soon at the him to live. A quarrel arose between him wooden house of the fur trader. and the slain man about a horse. The de­ Upon arrival a mixed salutation of glad­ ceased struck the savage down with his fist ness and woe was offered us. Soon a call and gave him hard blows on the face, which was made for our trophy. We took six of the Indian soon revenged to the last reckon­ the finest scalps of the enemy, one of which ing by killing him and all his family. was beautiful, the locks of it being long and We ascended a muddy little stream six dense and curving as it covered the waist of days from the Salt Lake. Scattered sage, its father and its hair soft and line, but we juniper, nutwood and willow were on our left many a body in that brush untouched way. The natives were kind to us. Their and unscalped. women were entirely nude save a short skirt Having in that attack eighty men of good of wolf or rabbit skin which dropped from rifles and as each picked his man as he their hips to half their length of thigh. They would be picked by the foe, that foe received lived chiefly on wild fowl, roots, berries, a resistance too fatal to him, to be clearly fish and bowskin and garter snakes. Their expected, and the cry of woe he set up that great enemies were the Spaniards of Taos night might well beat the solitary hills for a and California, who always when they could, loss which never would be made good to him. robbed them of their women and children, For fun and revenge the scalp dance was leaving nothing but the men and the aged danced with other strains all night by the women, thus making their desolation more white men and Indians gathered at that dim disconsolate. Their captive women were led wooden home, but I slept well. Oh, what a to breed with their captors and to work them solace to the sleepless is an untroubled sleep; and sell them like cattle. For these reasons In subsequent defeats in the Indian country they always fled from us until they knew the great harrasser is wakefulness. The ap­ what we were, although some of us were of prehension ever awake, particularly at night, similar brand. dyes the brain with the mattacks of memory Passing on for five further days, two In­ and prostration, and want of serenity and dian women were found digging roots. They loss of appetite make fools of the bravest. were seized and forced to join us. They wept Callousness succeeds and frequently if the silently and one of them pointed to her enemy were on hand he could count his vic­ breasts, saying her child that sucked them tims with stones. would die if she left him, but our men took In a few days we started, about 150 men no heed of her. Next day her milk was designed to trap the Colorado and its wastes streaming from her dugs and she became to the sea. On descending the hills of the seriously sad, sobbing wildly and vehemently big Salt Lake some of the precipices were for her young, and I was bent on conniving armed in large antlers of pure pendent salt. at her escape- We also came upon three It was very fine and white. forsaken grass tents whose natives fled at About twenty Piute Indians came to our our approach except two children, a boy and camp. One of them, a large repulsive man, girl who had no mother, and their father be­ was naked and full armed. Our leader called ing out hunting the others left them to their him a coward and ordered him away from fate. The poor mothei’less things were much our tents, but he stood leaning on his weapon. frightened and nearly choked from fear, but He had shortly before murdered a Canadian a little rude tenderness and some food re­ trapper while his wife, a Piute woman, was lieved them of their extreme emotion and in fetching water. On seeing the body of her a few days their woeful alarm wore off and white man dead she seized her axe to strike they became playful. The Bestorer, time, the Indian down, but he, being active and grew upon them as every day told how glad strong, shunned the blow, leaping aside and and brief and bitter are our seasons. saying, “You love the white man better than But the poor father, where was he and your people. ’Tis good for you to go with what a hopeless fire he must have lighted on The Frontier 345 the night of his return to his dark and herd pressed on. Not a blade or bough was grassy home. I sometimes heard a white left for the rear herds. The snow snowed on, man pray and observed he always prayed fathoms high in many a lonely and lofty most when scared, but I did not believe that glen. The buffalo waded, plunged, weakened the Father Spirit heeded his prayers. and died. Still more herds pressed and In this country the Indians make large mounted over these dead in the snows, mak­ barriers of network stretching some of them ing death build his work higher. In spring in a square or round or pointed form as whole defiles were blocked with their rotting suits the shape of the land. The net made carcasses and in warm weather man could of native grass is staked and hung for thou­ not approach them from the stench of the sands of yards, some of them twelve to fif­ air. These great destructions are now over, teen thousand paces. In night the hares run and the buffalo range is chiefly on the great and frolic against them and hang like fish. eastern plains, being extinct in the west. In the morning the Divisioner and gatherer Where in my childhood days I often saw are out and the tribe gets each man, woman their masses living and dead and where the and child a share. These hares are visited Father Spirit made plenty abundant by no sometimes when very numerous by a most hand but His own, man must toil now and destructive living plague. The sage tick work like a yoked ox to fill and cover his attacks them in terrible numbers and fixing own little body. their heads and foreparts deep into the vitals, When on serious alarms these Indians neck and along the backbone and breast of escaped for their interior deserts they carried the suffering hare they suck the blood of the baskets of water with them. These vessels poor creature until they grow surcharged as they made water-tight by putting some gum large as pigeon eggs. Still holding and suck­ into them with heated little stones. They ing their victims, as these bloodblown mon­ then rolled the basket and the gum, in a sters expand and swell the hare gradually molten state, stuck to the hollows and declines like a consumptive woman until crevices inside that no leakage was found they are prostrated and die in countless num­ in them, and they thus made the vessel per­ bers. Then their puny murderers relax their fectly tight, keeping the water gush cool grips as the dead cool off and they disappear while it lasted. into the earth, which in turn requires their We were now bearing southwest to west destruction to rectify, justify, testify and daily, the country becoming extremely barren uphold their dread system of being. Were of grass. The sage was sparse and the gravel it not these death-driven visits and also their more sandy. The prickly pears I counted slaughter by man, wolf, fox and eagle these in 8 tribes were grown to the height of a hares would overgrow the land and die in man. We were two weeks without seeing an heaps, like the buffalo for want of grass. Indian, no fowl of any kind no hare nor rep­ Cold never killed the buffalo- ’Tis want of tile nor insect, a country that appeared to food as the front herds swallow every herb possess no life ; a big solemn silence pervaded and leaf. The rear masses now get nothing, the refused waste. I thought the Chief of and, adding to their previous perishing state, ages denied it any gladness, yet I saw now storms and desolations overtake them and and then a lonely flower, but whose face I they die like the forests strewn by the sum­ knew not, stand up bravely from the dead­ mer thunder. Man knows not the untold looking waste. We at last struck a small numbers thus perished in times past and be­ creek and rested our horses, finding good sides the accidents down untrodden preci­ grass for two days. At night we heard dis­ pices, drowned by crushing ice in mountain tant shots and we fired our guns in return. rivers and level lakes and the united effort Four Spaniards came up that had been after of wolf and man to live upon the best of us for many days. Seeing our tracks far them. Years ago when our large valleys back their party despatched them to invite and plains were dun with them one enormous us to wait and trade and travel together. mass pressed after and then in the upland They finally came up to us driving a team of defiles to seek other glens for food. Winter mules packed with Spanish blankets and on storms heaped high the snow but the buffalo their way from Texas to California. The 346 The Frontier

men looked poor and were afoot except the their native hills to lose their identity as my master, who was well horsed. They were own eyes will lose their light and shape in driving a band of sheep for their food, killing the broad stream of all this dust. But there daily in the evening. With them we traveled was the river and to cross it there was not two weeks and traded some beaver to them a bit of standing or drift timber wherewith for blankets and a little flour. The women to raft. We killed two horses, made a canoe were horsed, but all the children that could of their hides and landed safely over. By a walk walked barefooted and looked indigent long search we found willow enough to make and needy. Some girls there were going, as an osier frame for our skin canoe sufficiently they said, to California to marry. A large strong for our purpose. buck goat led their sheep. The strange Next morning at daylight we left the river, bearded thing was to me a great curiosity. which proceeded to our right west, and trav­ Forward he walked always alone in advance. eled all day with our backs to it until mid­ When some distance ahead he would stand, night. It was about the beginning of the look back and bleat. The Spaniards called first winter moon. There was no path or him San Juan. Poor sheep, I thought it was tent or man or tree, but barrenness. It was sad to travel behind him to be killed and dark and moonless, yet cloudless, and the eaten every day. The Spaniards had a guitar stars were close together as buds on the bush and a violin and the children, women and of the mountain berry. At midnight our men sang and played every evening. They guide dismounted and called to us to off were happy. They had three Indian children saddles and sleep. Our throats were fevered they forced from their parents. In such with thirst but there was no water, not a actions causing the deepest woe on earth, drop. Our guide was a half Spanish Indian, they appeared to be callous and utterly feel­ a sound, well-formed, muscular man o f one ingless. Being young, their women fre­ eye. His name was Emanuel and was the quently untied my hair, which was long and most noted guide of the noted ones. From fine and stroking it down invited me to go the first sight of the star of night I observed to California and be happy with them, but and thought that he was as familiar with it my native mountains and father were too and its travels and with the others that fol­ dear to me to heed their plausible addresses. lowed and did not follow it as he was with Our own party sold them the children they every face in our party. In the broad path­ stole as already stated from their parent less level waste he made those silent lights Indians. his roads and the blue between them his val­ Next day after separating we camped close leys. In the most confounding rents and to a high cliff. It was cut smooth and sameness of earth’s face he never swerved or straight down as if the Chief of Spirits did was at a loss to find his way, and we fol­ it with his own axe. It was an hard salt lowed him with the confidence of a child in white as snow. On the top of this cliff there its mother by night or day. Here we found were several caves in which hung heavy the winter as warm as the summer is in the limbs of the purest salt. A stream of excel­ Big Hole, head of the Missouri, Bocky Moun­ lent fresh water ran within steps of that tains. When long unwatered drives were cliff. before us Emanuel always chose the night. Next day we traveled and found some In­ We slept half the time from midnight to dian caches from which we took some corn dawn and again started on traveling until and squash and melons, leaving in their place the sun rose to his noonday height. We some knives and awls and beads. We were then saw again the Colorado river far below soon on the Colorado river. It was a dreary us. As we stood on its frowning cliffs the treeless stream of about 400 paces broad. No sight of the river was a relief, for to know grass at all on its barren course but blasted that water was there to appease our thirsty mournful and bladeless. It looked like a heat, and from steppe to steppe of a forbid­ river from another world; we did not know ding ravine we worked hard to place flat an oppressive and cursed desolation ran it stones for every descending jump our horses into its own firmament. Yet many a fresh had to make in order to reach the river, and generous spring I knew ran there from inured as we were to the roads of the stag 347 The Frontier and Bighorn we were alarmed at the dizzy sensual Spaniard, had not found them. But height onr horses must go down. Our packs they were always on the watch, their country were light, however, and we got safely down, terrible and far, and their father was dread­ man and beast running to drink his fill. ed even by the Spaniards and as for them There was some poplar trees here and a camp both they would surely die together happy of Indians but no grass. Here we got some sisters! White man, did ever you see a melons and beans and corn and set all our happy woman, be here and look at those two. traps, the river being crowded with beaver. Yet in their own wild innocence they too in In this camp I saw the tallest women ever I their wilder country like the naked couple of beheld. A half-aged woman talkative and your own garden trembled anon at the ap­ clever at signs told me we were in the lands prehension of some fiend. of a great chief. Soon we were visited by his This nation is of tall stature and very two daughters accompanied by a stout In­ swift of foot. They had no firearms but dian carrying a basket of fruits on his head. every Indian had his bow in hand. They The two girls were of an equal height and were powerfully built for foot endurance. both virgins that knew not man. They were The hairs on their limbs were long, their a full fathom high, each of them erect and headlocks long and straight down. Every straight as larch trees. Their forelocks were man had an eagle’s feather that played tied cut straight above the eyebrows and the rest to his scalp. They ran foot races of 10 to 20 of their hair flowing down combed over their miles and in those deep and warm sands backs covered their knees. Their naked paps often beat their horses. were prominent and firm as unripened cher­ From this camp we followed the river ries. Their feet of fine strong heels and three days trapping it. The country had long curved instep, but their toes were large, the same awful loneliness and desolation on square and muscular, as they never wore a its face. We came upon a bottom of dense shoe. They were both entirely naked save for underbrush that pulled some of our packs off a short skirt they wore from the navel down of our horses. When least expecting it we to half a span above their knees. These debouched on a round plain entirely sur­ skirts were twisted and wove of the hair of rounded by that brush. Here we found In­ the finest scalps which their father cut from dians gardening and we camped by them and the heads of his enemies. Their looks were trapped. Four or five of our traps were solemn and inquiring, their walk easy and stolen. The trappers were enraged. My erect. They wore a tasteful collar of seed father’s traps were never touched; he often beads, red, black, white and green, around found an Indian guarding his traps. He their necks and pendent fringes covered with used to give the Indians all the beaver meat the same beads from their ears to their col­ he and I did not consume. At last the trap­ lar-bones. The calves of their legs were not pers resolved to make a day o f revenge for highly rounded, being so tall, but the hairs their five traps and designed to attack the thereon were few and fine and their shin­ Indians in their own camp unawares. My bones were clean edged and thin skinned. father was invited to join in the bloody As they sat near me on the sand I offered work, but he refused saying, “I did not come each a handful of dried buffalo meat, at here to war but to catch fur. These Indians which they smiled gladness and thanks and may know nothing about your traps. They ate only as became modest virgins to eat. may have been taken by some distant thieves. I wondered how they were husbandless, but Why arm to murder these poor hospitable it was clear that few men could please them. people. They have no arms but clubs and The other woman told me they were often bows. Why do you take rifles? The poor and ardently applied for, but they would not people. Take clubs only, if you are brave surrender their person to any man they yet men but I will not be with you. Your pur­ saw. They loved and clung to one another pose for five old traps is cruel and bad.” as their fingers to their hands. Their faces Early the next morning before breakfast the were fairer than their bodies, as they always party took to their arms. There was one low reclined and lay naked in the warm sands. little cliff which overlooked the Indian camp I wondered how the common kidnapper, the and the river. Behind the top of it unseen 348 The Frontier

the riflemen lay. The first shot fired was to scout were advanced but saw nothing of at an old grey-headed savage who was quietly serious alarm. We had to pass down a nar­ taking his breakfast facing the sun in the row rocky gorge in the vast cliffs through door of his little home. He was struck in which the river rushed—a small path that the ball of the knee and as he sat the ball barely allowed one horse at a time was our followed and shattered to pieces his thigh way. Stones as big as horses and some as bone. He fell backward and looked toward mares and colts strewed the dismal place. the cliff. His mates at first laughed seeing Had the Indians good arm and courage ten him fall, whereupon the old man with an­ of them could have destroyed us all, but they guish in his face said, “ Why laugh you at were fearful of our weapons and under a fit me? Look, they are killing us.” They looked. of alarm and dismay to try us with arrows The cry of alarm was out and high, and as and clubs. Their bows, however powerful, the startled Indians stood out to learn and and they were as long as themselves, were look more the riflemen fired. Yells of woe no match for our long black rifles. They from men, women and children filled the had no sinews lining the back of their bows place. The dead and wounded lay there. like those of our Rocky Mountain tribes. The active ran to the river. Men, women There were plenty deer here but they were and children plunged In and swam, but they smaller than the common white tailed deer were picked off by these cruel marksmen. or chevreuil of the French but they were The women made every effort to swim and very fat. We passed safely down that gorge save their children. Women who had one or and found ourselves out of that realm of two children made by terrible labor a safe rocks, ravines, cliffs and precipices. The landing with them on the other side, but river spread out into a flat, broad bottom, those who had three and four children could lined by two even low plateaus. Much dirty not get over and gradually sank with them, grass and herb covered that bottom and sev­ going faithful to the death to what was their eral of our horses died. A remedy was only solace and delight in that lonely valley. found, however. A rider with a good whip Watching the fire I noticed one woman mounted the swollen and suffering animal. just as she landed on the other side fall dead He whipped on and galloped the horse or from a bullet that entered her back. Two mule as hard as he could. A rapid discharge men too I saw drop on the other side, hit of wind escaped the horse, perspiration soon there by our unerring game rifles. One of covered him and his expansive belly soon the men swam until he found bottom and as returned to its right size. Thus they were he walked out he was hit. He staggered, saved and the dangerous disease mastered. walked and fell dead. The other staggered Trapping along we caught uncommonly large from the river about 20 paces and fell dead. beaver, being old and unmolested in their Sometimes the Indians dove and came up ancient dams. Coming to a very poor tribe only with their mouths to breathe when these near the seashore we did not know how they fatal rifles found their heads and they sank lived, as we saw no food or preparations to forever. The trappers after this work went have any. They were living in the brush like into the deserted camp, pillaged everything deer. Emanuel told me that tribe had no they liked in it and killed the old Indian land that would produce anything. They who was first hit in the knee. They then must have lived on fish and sea fowl and came back perfectly unconcerned and smoked game, as they had bows like their more and jested over the success of their revenge. powerful neighbors. From them we rode on I noticed that the French Canadians of the and looked at the sea”. There it was, that party did not join in this cruel affair of big, mysterious thing. That Deep of which tears. In the avenging jesting over their I heard so much. We were at its side, but infernal work they said that some of those where were its back, and head and lungs, as long black rifles might have sharpened their they said it rose and breathed twice a day sights with buttons of the red coats at New like a man. All the water fowl that ever I Orleans. saw were there, and numbers more thick as After this swift attack we left. Four men they could swim. I thought the earth had •Evidently the Gulf of California. The Frontier 349 not so many different bills. The sea was of the stream and also called after that man. covered with them as a thick shower of sum­ The ruins are of natural and artificial cut mer hailstone covers our mountain prairies. stone, in square apartments of six squares, They were no doubt gathered there for the having still five chimneys left standing like winter and about to leave, like ourselves, for the big parent stumps of a past forest. Some their distant homes. When would they all other divisions there were whose traces were gather there again? not entire, the walls being heaped in their As we returned and slowly trapping our own debris and the offerings of the passing way back, a week’s short marches from the wing. A beautiful level plain surrounded sea I was in front of our party about noon these ruins. Some being of the past chose it and observed foot tracks in the sand and for the site of his house. But the ruins were masses o f Indian hair and broken arrows and far from water and I though he might have little ponds of dried blood, still fresh. Point­ a dry well some where now silent and closed ing it to our master, Pegleg Smith, he held as his own grave and it were easy perhaps his horse with a look of quiet shudder. Here to find water, the plain being nearly as low just before we stood on the spot we came as the stream. I saw a beautiful little bird near seeing the desperate struggle that 4 on the ruins and on a bough of the stream in Indians made against eight of their enemies front of them. He was about the size of the before they yielded their lives. The four snow bird but a little longer in form. His had been returning from a horse raid. The cheeks were of a bright yellow, his scalp latter were out in a party of eight warriors white, his beak black, his wings dappled and and also returning when they met the four. edged with yellow. His tail a short span The work of death began at once and two long, white in the middle feathers and the were appointed to each of the four. A ter­ side ones black. He had eight different songs rible combat of knives and arrows came on. of his own and I listened and listened and The four were slain and their bodies still looked at him again and again, and I thought smouldering in the fire in which they were of how happy he was at home enjoying his roasted. From the marks in the sand the fate whilst we were ranging the waste and four defended their lives with the utmost wildernesses day and night in eagerness and determination. blood, anxious to be rich. Next trapping a long fork10 that runs into I saw another little bird about the bulk of the left side of the Colorado, we camped a swallow, full chested, round-headed and with another tribe whose men were uncom­ no tail. His plumage was of a dawning gray. monly tall. Our tallest white man was one He had a red bar on both sides of his neck full fathom and a fist standing in his moc­ from the root of the beak around the eyes casins. The son of the chief came and stand­ and striping in blood red the two fore quills ing with our man passed him with something o f his wings to the root of the fore pinion. to spare easily under his chin with his naked This is the secret bird of love. His bill is heels tight to the ground. This young Indian like a gunworm which he lengthens straight was raw-boned and well formed and with as a lance while eating and again draws his long twisted locks and erect bearing was home like a folding screw when in repose. pretty to look at. Here we found good grass, We had one old grayheaded half Spanish poplar and willow and wild sugar. The Indian in our party. I saw him once with a beaver were not so numerous as on the chief stick in his hand as if killing something. He river nor so dark of fur as in the Rocky picked it, did something to it and cast it mountains but they were very large and fat. away. Curious to see, I found it to be this Emanuel told me that this stream is called bird. On asking why he killed it, for mangled San Francisco, after a saint of that name. as it was I found it opened and part of its One evidence of some one we found in the inside torn away, he said, “ No, I was playing large stone ruins11 within a thousand paces with it.” “No, no,” said I, watching the old

“ From the location this appears to be the Gila River, a branch of which was called San Fran­ cisco. “ As there is no record of a mission having been established in this country, it is more probable that these were the ruins of Indian dwellings. 350 The Frontier

man’s countenance and suspecting some se­ quietly bubbling from the earth in a beauti­ cret. “You were doing something you think ful clear lake fountain of about 100 paces of now. Yes, that you have in your mind.” broad and of the chastest water. And I looked him full in his eyes intent to From this fountain we started again over know why he killed and robbed the bird of the pathless waste, sandy and grassless, but its little heart only. “ Well, my girl,” said he, here and there strewn with juniper. We “as you are intent and pleasant I will tell travelled toward the right of the setting sun. you. It is a silent secret which you must Not a vestige to eat for our horses nor a drop keep to your own bosom. This bird is of of water for us or them. When we camped, strong effect as a winning medicine. The hills and mounds of deep sand surrounded heart of the bird is taken by a man who us, a starless, windy, dismal night covered wishes to possess his loved one. The heart and blew on us. Our sleep was fitful and must not be touched by your hand or any bad. part of your body nor by anything at all Travelling to the north and west a day which is the least soiled. It is taken and and night from the Indian walls, we camped crushed by a clean knife or twig and dried on a little stream about one step broad. I into dust It is then mixed with a little went to cut a little grass for my horse. There pure unmixed Vermillion, a part of this mix­ was a little straight jump the stream made ture is to color the man’s cheek a little more. on a bed of rocks and gravel. I took a piece He goes to see his sweetheart. If she be of yellow, size of a grain o f beans and looked not already in love with him he stands so at it. It was heavy and clean yellow iron, I that she can get but one short fair look at thought. I pressed it with my teeth. It had him and he walks rapidly away. This is a tough touch and I threw it away. Having done in the forepart of the day. By sunset since seen purses of gold dust, I am convinced she thinks of him more and his image takes it was pure gold I found, and in my ignor­ well in her mind. I f it is a woman or virgin ance threw away. Long after this, about who wishes to win the youth or boy or man fifteen years, and 20 more years ago, I was of her soul and he is coy and cold to her love at Fort Colville on the Columbia and saw in she then kills a female bird with a stick or- the hands of Angus McDonald of the Hud­ bow, prepares and uses its heart as I shew son’s Bay Company some of the first gold you man impresses his previous shy on e!” found in British Columbia and of which that By the stream and on the sandy pebbled company and government were informed by plains around the old ruins of San Francisco him. On seeing it I knew at once that I a low fine little herb grew with a flower like found the above gold in the wastes of the that of the purple bitterroot bud and its Colorado. He and two other gentlemen were odor was of the best fragrance. The natives about forming a party to go into the Coy- on that stream used for a part of their diet oterra Country on the news I gave them. a long broad leaf like a wild cabbage which Their intention was to pitch a camp in a they prepared in their stone ovens as we do favorable mountain of those wastes for some our kamas. In passing up and trapping years, bring some garden seeds and some of along 4 days from the home of the departed their wives, books and flute and violin and a saint, we came upon some old stone vestiges hundred men of arms. Old Emanuel said he of former Indians. Some of these were quite would not go with any other leader but that round in form and their walls built of heavy McDonald; but the latter having a good sit­ stones, stones massive enough to take a band uation in that rich company declined the of men to lift one of them, but no sign of a tempting chance and the party did not form. chimney. There were also by nature or man We left and camped at midnight without hewn in the rocky cliffs vents for smoke water. We slept a little enough to prepare which yet blackened the rocks and leading our souls for more, but the sleepless Emanuel from caverned chambers made by the Father called, “ Up, up and off” ; we go in the dark Spirit or man therein. An abundance of lu­ and he ahead following his stars. On we cid wild grape covered the hills. Emanuel traveled until noon we came to the foot of told me that here dwelt some of the first a hill wherefrom diverged 6 beaten foot­ Indians. We found the head of this stream paths of the Indians. Down deep in the top The Frontier 351 of the hill In a large cave we found a spring Again we started in the evening watch and of grateful waters. We tried it five succes­ camped at sunset next day after a hard, sive times before our men and horses were dreary, waterless stretch on a little stream satisfied. The country round was extremely about 3 spans broad. This was in the goose drear, solitary and of a grey reddish hue. moon. The sky was as bare as my nail and I thought of the many days it must have been of a lurid blue red ! The heat. The heat was since the first Indian quenched his thirst at intense. No dog lived to us. We would this spring. sometimes take a little water, but our horses For several days previously turkeys and were so exhausted and weak that a handful black-tailed deer were found. Hereupon of anything depressed them the more and after eating and drinking Emanuel told us we forebore every way to load them. The that two more days would bring water. Since sand, perpetual sand, being always deep, we left the Colorado river near the sea our making their way exhaustive and foundering. animals were perishing for want of grass We slept here at night and started at dawn and water and continuous heavy sands and for the Colorado. It was entirely barren of we found out a thing not expected before. wood save for a few scant osiers of green It was the loss of all our mules, and we willow. No traces of wild or tame man and proved that a mule cannot stand the extreme the river looked as if it were traveling like long barren tug that a horse can. We lost a passing stranger who heeds not man nor twenty mules at least to one horse. The gives any account of his way. Again we mule is a mulish cowardly animal. When killed two of our few horses to make a canoe fatigued and starved he will rest there and and we crossed well. Our trapping was done is too obstinate and cowardly when he falls and our food at an end and we traveled down to try his way again. He will not do wearily on and came at last on our outward that, but the horse of a much more willing going tracks. and braver nature will try again and again Two days after crossing the river we and advance till he dies. Wherefore we camped on a small spring and observed in the saved the most of our horses, but perished mountains moving dark spots. We found a all our mules where they stood or laid. None fine lone mare and ate her. She made about of our hunters ever boasted again of their one good meal for us. We fired a couple of mules or would trust them in a life and shots and as many were returned from the death struggle with horses. mountain. Our traveling friends were the We again started in the evening watch and Spaniards, there from California with others camped at midnight. I had carried some we knew not. A young and very tall Ameri­ water and was soon surrounded when known can was their chief. He was kind and gave to have it. Upon sleeping a little we started us all a ration of some meal I knew not, on in the dark, Emanuel always ahead and with dried beef. On travelling a week to­ riding as directed by his star. In the noon gether some of the horses of both parties we came to a hill and camped. Here in a were stolen by the Indians unseen, although dry gulch I dug in search of water to nearly guarded. The night was very dark, however, my own height. Some water oozed at last. and a deep ravine leading through the horses We made all our horses and men drink. The the Indians managed to get them into it and suffering brutes would lay hold of the moist make speed away with them. The Spaniards ground, smell and lick it and neigh and groan pursued all day. When dark they stopped and look at me as I dug, as if the Power that again, to pursue the flying tracks at dawn. made them told them what I was doing. In Late on the second day they came upon an this ground I saw many bits of yellow. Two Indian camp of three women and a number old ignorant Canadians told me, on shewing of children, but the stolen horses passed on. them, that of such were yellow buttons made The pursuers took the women and children and kettles and Indian finger rings. From and returned with them as their reward for what I know now of their ignorance then and their lost horses. These women and children my own, I am convinced it was pure gold, would not eat of the Spanish meal. Their as I have seen many purses of it in its scaly captors then killed two fat wild mares for state. (Continued on Page 367.) 352 The Frontier THE NOMENCLATURE OF THE WESTERN PROSPECTOR B y W il lia m S. L ew is

HE old time western prospector or comer, adorned with a sturdy “Arkansaw miner, in spirit at least, was a throw­ Toothpick” and a “pepperbox,” the members T back to the days of Jason and the o f the community proceeded to name him Golden Fleece—when the race was young, themselves. A kindly, infectious humor, a when language was in a formative period, ready fellowship and a quick appraisal and and names had a personal and an individual appreciation of physical characteristics and, meaning. With his grub supply of bacon, often, a keen judgment of character was coffee, tea, flour, beans, rice or rolled oats, shown in the off-hand and spontaneous ap­ and an outfit of blankets, pick, shovel, a four- plication of these nicknames to strangers on pound hammer, and, possibly, a few short their initial introduction to the camp. pieces of steel, a roll o f fuse, some caps and A good-natured and blundering miner who a stick or two of “giant,” carefully wrapped on the outskirts of the settlement encoun­ to prevent their explosion, he set forth into tered and shot a tame goose under the im­ the hills feeling as wealthy and contented as pression that it was a wild one was not only a Rockefeller or a Morgan—lured on and on made to settle handsomely with the owner by the craze of the search for gold, for the and to “set up the drinks,” but was ever discovery of it, for the uncovering of it— afterwards known and referred to by word filled with the thrill and adventure of it, of mouth and in print as “ Wild Goose Bill.” rather than the possession— drawn by the “ Cash Up” and “ No Pay” were the cognomens lure of it, the dreams of it, and the excite­ bestowed in the same camp on two men by ment of its pursuit. the name of Davis on account of the char­ This undiscouraged optimist periodically acter of their business transactions. “ Swear­ returned with his pack horse or burrow, and, ing Jack,” “Lying Bob,” “Thieving Jack,” ever financially embarrassed, induced the “Dancing Bill,” “ Snapping Andy,” “ Slippery merchant and others who had means to Dick,” “The Bilk,” “Hell-Roaring Jack,” “grub stake him” again. In return for his “ Wild Bill,” “Death on the Trail,” “Mush- grubstake of a pittance he generously made Head Jim” and “Lucky Bill from Yamhill,” a contract to go 50-50 in his future discovery conveyed more than a hint of outstanding to make millions for others. Loading the traits of character. “grub stake” provisions and supplies onto Other names indicated the previous geo­ the back of his patient pack animal, he start­ graphic habitat of the owner, in distinction ed off again along the creeks, working back from other men of the same surname: among into the foothills and mountains in renewed these we have “Texas Jack,” “ Kootenai search for the precious metal. At night he Dick,” “Eldorado Johnny,” “Washoe Bill,” rolled himself up in his blankets, his feet “Eel River Jim,” “ Montana Red,” “ Virginia towards the flickering camp fire; and lay Bill,” “The Rat of Houdan Ranch,” and the down on earth’s mattress to sleep, a loaded like. Physical characteristics earned for six-shooter or rifle by his side. their recipients such names as: “Moon-Eyed In social intercourse these pioneers of the Tom,” “ Slim Jim,” “Limber Jack,” “Hog- early western mining camps took each other Back Joe,” “Goose Necked Johnson,” “ Six at face value. By common consent a man’s Toed Pete,” “Three Fingered Ike,” “Tenas true name, history and antecedents were rec­ (Chinook for little), George.” Nationality ognized as his private affair, which good was denoted in “Yankee Bob,” “Portugese manners and a dislike for unnecessary trouble Joe,” “Dutch Jake,” and “German George.” prompted all reasonable men, when not in Individual habits and eccentricities won such their liquor, to leave with the person con­ names as “Dirty-Face Ike,” “ Shack-nasty cerned, or to the intervention of some serious- Bill,” “Coffee-Pot Tom,” “Sour-Dough Jim,” minded and interested peace officer. Hence, “Rattlesnake Jack,” “Yeast Powder Joe,” to avoid the possibility of irritating a new­ “Buffalo Kid,” “Moccasin Pete,” “Hard-Hat The Frontier 353

Dick,” “Pitch Pine Prank,” “Jewsharp Jack,” names for the Pullman cars might well take “ Shirt Collar Bill,” “Tobacco George,” “ Coon- a hunch from these old western prospectors skin Jack,” “Banjo Charley,” “Hurdy-Gurdy and, by using a little imagination, appro- Tom,” “ Sagebrush Bill,” “Peavine Jimmie,” prite and use for designating his various “Yellow Dog Smith,” “Poker Bill,” “Ace of cars some such simple conceits as “Orphan Spades Jack,” “Ten of Diamonds Joe,” Annie” or “The Rip Tailed Roarer.” “ ‘Taters” “ Cariboo Bill,” “Jackass Smith,” In marking his mining claims the pros­ “Monte Jack,” “ Gumshoe Jim,” “ Lemonade pector was restrained by no limitations of Dan,” “ Soda Bill,” “ Cocktail Joe,” “Big imagination or respect, and his peculiar Drink Jim,” and the like. These and many genius in nomenclature not only extended thousand others of similar ilk all added a over and exhausted the field of individual spice and a touch of local color and romance experience but covered as well the whole to personal intercourse. range from historical, literary, and geo­ The geography of the country these old- graphical allusions down to women’s names, timers inhabited also reflects their peculiar patriotic names, and classical terms. Rem­ facility for names and we have: First iniscent of the days that were and are not, Thought Mountain, Devil’s Gulch, Jackass when “Here’s how” was a term of friendly Creek, Dream Gulch, Oro Fino Creek, Whis­ greeting, and acquaintances were wont to ad­ key Flat, Thunder Mountain, Hell Roaring journ to a place of refreshment on meeting, Creek and such like. and hoist a few samples of the goods that The ladies of the camp did not escape at­ cheer, are the Little Brown Jug, Little Nip, tention. Among others we recall: “Poker Old Crow, Whiskey Toddy, Blind Tiger, and a Alice,” “Terrible Edith,” “Kettlebellied host of others of similar ilk yet to be read Kate,” “Molly Be Damned,” “Popcorn Kate,” in faded lettering on old location posts, “ Featherlegged Mary,” “Big Bertha” and drunkenly careening above the yawning hole “Calamity Jane.” of some caved-in prospect shaft or tunnel The whole of the great western domain opening. was unsurveyed land at the time of the Personal history was perhaps behind the early mining discoveries and a system of Gentle Annie and the Cranky Jane. Many titles arose by staking claims on the ground, a miner preserved the name of his sweet­ tying these locations to some outstanding heart or his loved ones in the name given land mark, and giving each claim a distinc­ to his claim, and women’s names probably tive name for ready reference in the mining outnumber all others. In addition to such recorder’s office. Thus each mining claim names as Alice, Anne, Abbie, Irene, Mary, in the mining district had a distinct name by May, Nellie, Pearl, Sue and many others, which it was known, recorded and trans­ one finds Sweetheart, Little Wife, Old Lady, ferred in event of a sale. As the first man Little Tad, Daddy and the like, indicative of who adopted and recorded the name had a tender thoughts of home ties and dear ones monopoly thereon in the particular mining left behind; or of fleeting attachments for camp, the same facility and conceit enabled some dance hall girl sought and won when these western prospectors to appropriately the gold dust oozed from the well filled poke designate and distinguish their respective remembered again when the lonely and pen­ mining locations by distinct and varied niless prospector wandered about in the still­ names. Seldom was a mining location re­ ness of the somber hills in search of new jected for filing on account of the locator wealth. having duplicated a name previously chosen Hope was the motif of another large class and placed on record for another mining of mine names. The Wonderful, the Lucky claim. The names of these claims displayed Jim, and the Lucky Strike are examples. many quaint conceits and obscure allusions, There are many Bonanzas, and the locator’s and honors were impartially distributed belief in the greatness of his mine is reflect­ among contemporary statesmen, prize fight­ ed in such names as the Great Eastern, the ers, and the great characters of history, fic­ Amazon, Mammoth, Golden Chest, etc. The tion and mythology. That weary individual National Debt found on one claim would also who searches out those many-syllabled indicate that the locator had some inflated 354 The Frontier ideas of its possibilities—unrealized, alas, for The great names of the contemporary we found the shaft caved in and the meager history appear on many a bleak and lonely dump overgrown with brush. A lurking mountainside mining location. Grover Cleve­ doubt appears in such names as the Great land, Ben Harrison, Boss Tweed, Levi P. Maybe, the Perhaps, Hit or Miss, and Who Morton, Moltke, Bismark, Robert Emmet, Gan Tell. Perseverance outcrops in Achieve­ Frederick the Great, Gladstone, Lord Salis­ ment, Never Get Left, Get There Prank, and bury, Marquise of Queensbury, Kosciusko, Never Say Die. Victor Emanuel, Gambretta, Garibaldi, all Hard formations and difficult working bear their messages, and indicate the period conditions that confronted the miner may be of local mining activities. inferred from such names as the Hard For­ Literary allusions are also common. The mation, Tough Nut, Hand of Iron, Hard Nut, old prospector loved his fiction. Monte Little Fraud and the Villain. One might Cristo and Edmond Dantes are particularly also easily question the personal experience prominent. Pickwick, Mutual Friend, of the prospectors who called their claims Charles Dickens, Hardscrabble, Bulwer, Lit­ the Gold Brick, Bunkum, Delusion and Fool tle Eva, Uncle Tom, Ivanhoe, Rebecca, Top- Hen, and the Vampire- sey, Humpety Dumpety, Excalibur, King Many old-time miners made their stake Solomon, King Pharaoh, Lord Byron, Vola- simply to be cleaned out again after a few puk, Roderick Dhu, Wandering Jew, Wil­ days of hilarious and free-handed dissipation liam Tell, Mohegan, Longfellow, Robert at the nearest town. Hard luck at the card Burns, King Arthur, Ben Hur and others are tables, that emptied his poke and sent him in this class. back into the mountains, might be inferred Ajax, Andromeda, Atlantis, Hercules, Hec­ from the Grub Stake, the Last Turn, the- tor, Hannibal, Jupiter, and Zenobia are some Bottom Dollar, and the Last Ante. Other o f the many classical allusions recorded. references to the miner’s great affinity for Royalty itself was not overlooked. The gambling are found in Seven Up, Four Aces, Queen, the Silver Queen, the Crown, the Seven of Diamonds, the Monte, the Gambler Golden Crown, the Monarch, and the Empire and the Faro Bank. are common names for mining claims. A Many claims were given names taken from leaning to the manly sports is found in the history. The Bunker Hill, the Ethan Allen Benecia Boy, the John L. Sullivan, Jim Cor­ and the American Eagle and like favorites bett, the Ruby Bob, the Fitzsimmons, the go back to Revolutionary war days. The Knock Out, and the Champion. Poetry had names of other mines have their memories fewer exponents, but Bob Ingersoll is re­ of the war between the states, as: the Lit­ membered on many claim locations, while tle Rebel, Nancy Hanks, Old Abe, Douglas, the Free Thinker, the Agnostic, the Evolu­ Abraham Lincoln, Phil Sheridan, General tion are also found. That the occasional Grant, Robert E. Lee, Longstreet, Stonewall prospector also had an appreciation for Jackson, Union Forever. Ku Klux and Car­ music is indicated by such names as Kreut- petbagger savor of reconstruction days. For­ zer Sonata, Madam Modjeska, and Jennie gotten days of the silver question are re­ Lind, and simpler tastes by Money Musk, called by such mines as the Trade Dollar, Yankee Doodle, and the Arkansaw Traveler. Bill Bryan, Legal Tender, Free Coinage, The names of towns and states are com­ Coxeyite, and Sixteen to One. Home Rule monly used as names for mining locations: and the Shamrock plainly indicate the na­ The New York, Buffalo, Boston, Frisco. Knob tionality of the locator. The Manila and Hill, once the home of the wealthy mining San Juan both appear, and the Matebele- men of Frisco, was frequently selected and land, the Mashonaland and Mabundaland used as an appropriate name for a mine, cause one to speculate whether the man who few of which, alas, ever led their discoverers located them was a transplanted South Af- to “easy street,” or a home among the elect frican or some hardy American Soldier of of Knob Hill. Fortune who, like John Hays Hammond, had Some names are rather hard to classify his sympathies and services enlisted in some and leave one wondering just what the lo­ of the controversies of our English cousins. cator had in mind when he affixed the The Frontier 355 particular name to the location notice of the week, the Fourth of July, Easter Sunday, his mining claim. The Reporter is one of the Good Friday, and lodes named after the these, as are the Mary’s Dream, Six Fingered year and month are found, together with the Jack, Moss Covered, Milo Blue Blanket, Gal­ Nineteenth Century and the Twentieth Cen­ tury. lant Number, Internatural, Homers Burst, On the whole the prospector appears to Hog All, Killikrates, Ring Tailed Peelers, have seldom been at loss for a name, but Pug Ugly, the Iva Esta Silver Crown, Wool- when mentally tired, after thinking of Oyster loommooUoo, Rights of Man, Odds and Ends, Can and Opener, used I XL, X No. 1 and U. Blunderhead, Dead Guess, Mike Horse, Lone One of these old prospectors, however, evi­ Studhorsey, Cooked Foot. The Stemwinder dently got stuck eventually and completely harks back to the days when most of us had exhausted his vocabulary, for he named his watches we wound with a key. The days of claim “What to Call It?”

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356 BOOK SH ELF STUDENTS W e have special rental rates IN THE EDITOR’S OPINION to offer you on all American: The Life Story of a Great Indian. Frank B. Linderman. The John TYPEWRITERS Day Company. 1930. $3.50. Both new and used machines I hail this book as an event in western of all makes sold on literature. It is the life of the Crow Indian, convenient terms. Plentycoups, from his childhood to the eighteen-eighties, when the genuine Indian prairie-roaming life stopped and took on col­ oration from the white man. At the end of the book the author condenses Plentycoups’ Lister later life into a brief note. The book is fine­ ly and copiously illustrated by H. M. Stopes. Mr. Linderman has written in one book Typewriter good history, excellent and reliable ethnology, and a stirring story told in flowing narrative and charm of manner and style. His deep respect for the Indian’s mind as an Indian's Service mind, distinguishes this book from all others Only Agents for that I can recall. His knowledge of the Indian drew from Plentycoups, whose life UNDERWOOD has been told by other writers after less sat­ Standard and PORTABLE isfactory interviews, accurate and vivid ac­ in Missoula counts of his deeds and thoughts. The In­ dian trusted him. Mr. Linderman was sent 112 E. Broadway Phone 2457 for by Plentycoups for the express purpose of relating to him his life, for he could trust Mr. Linderman to report what he was told with accuracy, without elaboration from the white man’s point of view, and with sym­ pathy. The result is a beautiful and valu­ able book. With great skill Mr. Linderman has woven EAST SIDE SERVICE into the background the picture that spreads wider and wider throughout the book of the CO. way the Indian now lives, so that uncon­ sciously the reader draws comparison with 900 E. Broadway the earlier uncontaminated Indian life. The country is described, mostly in the Indian’s MISSOULA, MONT. own relation, in intimate detail, and in beau­ tiful phrases. The Indian emerges as the dignified, re­ ligious, merry-hearted and wise-minded, steal­ ing and fighting man, highly civilized in his own ethnic development. Best of Coal The book will become a classic of western plus literature. Nothing so good about the Indian has yet appeared. Efficient, Courteous Service “I am glad I have told you these things, Sign Talker. You have felt my heart, and I have felt yours. I know you will tell only what I have said, that your writing will he SHELL GASOLINE and OILS straight like your tongue, and I sign your paper with my thumb so that Easy starting, maximum mileage your people and mine tvill know I told you the things you have writ­ ten down.” HYVIS MOTOR OIL Oregon Detour. Nard Jones. Payson & Finest, 100% Pennsylvania Clark. 1930. $2.50. A novel of life in the wheat country in 357 THE WESTERN MONTANA NATIONAL BANK INTERSTATE M ISSOULA, MONTANA LUMBER COMPANY Affiliated with the First Bank Stock Corporation Total Resources Over Q U A L IT Y Five Million Building Material and DIRECTORS Fuel F. T. Sterling W. h. Murphy C. F. Kelley H. O. Bell J. W. Sterling Tj. O. Evans Newell Gough

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358 eastern Oregon that rings true, throbs with passion, and glows with life. The story opens badly, both in content and in use of language, but once beyond the first twenty pages the reader finds himself caught up into a net of ROYAL real life experience in the wheat-minded com­ munity. The school teacher, the boy who is Fastest of Portable too ambitious for the town, the community’s traditional “bad woman,” the over-satirized T ypewriters evangelist, the too little realized minister are all opportunities for improvement, yet with these defects the novel absorbs the reader’s $60 with Case interest “You got to admit that we’re all detouring on the way to death. We’re born, and from that second we start out for death. What we do in between time is detour,” this is the ostensible theme, but what glows in the book is the very spirit of the four prin­ cipal actors in the entangled events and in the background the nuclear main street of the town and its outlying acres. Mr. Jones has both ability and gift, both courage and energy, without too much sophistication to understand the simple life he depicts. I shall look forward expectantly to his next book. How Many Miles from St. Joe? The log of Sterling B. F. Clark, a Forty-Niner. Pri­ vately Printed. San Francisco. 1929. $5.00. This very beautiful book received a prize T h e from the American Institute of Graphic Arts as being one of the best fifty books printed Office Supply Co. in 1929. The content covers the trip of Sterling B. F. Clark from S t Joe, who had originally come from Rutland, Vermont, to Sacramento in 1849. The entries in the diary are laconic, so that the reader who is looking for emotion must read between the lines— where there is plenty of material for wonder and sympathy. At the back of the book is a brief biography of James Phelan, a mer­ chant ’forty-niner, recorded by his son, Mr. Schramm-Hebard James D. Phelan. It is to be hoped that the next few years will see many such records conserved in similarly beautiful and valuable volumes. Meat Co. Walking Shadows. Joseph Upper. The Bozart Press. 1930. $1.50. Wings against the Wind. Virginia Spates. Fresh and Salt Meats The Bozart Press. 1930. $1.50. Don Felipe. D. Maitland Bushby. William Sawyer. 1929. Fish, Poultry, Buckaroo Ballads. S. Omar Barker. Santa Fe New Mexican Corp. 1928. $2.00. Oysters The Golden Stallion. An Anthology of Southwest Verse. Edited by D. Maitland Bushby. The Southwest Press, Inc. 1930. •$» 4 s The reader feels the sincerity of Mr. Jo­ seph Upper (Harris’s) disillusion, but he does not feel that either before or after dis­ illusion he was vitally active. Consequently Phone 3191 the volume of verse, all of it competent, impresses the reader with the author’s dis­ content but hardly with any stronger atti­ 417 North Higgins Avenue tude. I myself fail to find the sardonic note which the jacket promises; there is not suf­ Missoula, Montana ficient gusto in experience to breed either strong disillusion or the sardonic. There are, however, lines of poetic power. The 359 Eastman Kodaks and Films GROCERIES

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SNAP IT ! But—will it look distinguished or “ droopy” ? The mellow, seasoned fur felt in a renowned Mallory Snap-Brim Hat gives supple give-and-take for the smart, sportsman­ like “ snap,” which is so essential. MALLORY HATS are rendered moisture-proof by the celebrated “ Cravenette” Process. $6.50 and up first poem, Old Graveyard in a Wood, is both universal in theme and skilful in handling— a good poem. The volume of Miss Spate’s verse, also competent, wafts a spirit of buoyancy over DISTRIBUTORS the reader. The poems are not sharply memorable, and the lines of poetic power are occasional, and yet the volume as a Shell 400 Gasoline whole gives the reader invigoration. Both this volume and Walking Shadows are at­ Shell Motor Oils tractively got up by the publisher, save that proofreading has been careless and the pages Quaker State Motor Oil need alignment with one another. The covers have beauty. The paper and type are good. Mr. Bushby has written a longish narra­ Auto Accessories U Parts tive poem of the power of love. Mr. Barker has written good popular verse of a very popular nature on the usual cowboy themes with the usual cowboy phrases. The gun- toting seems picturesque rather than real. But there are several good ballads in the volume and a serious poem or two strike the reader’s sympathy. The Last Bronc has dig­ nity and strong sentiment. The Golden Stallion, a collection of verse McKenzie-W allace about the Southwest rather than verse by Southwest poets, is a representative volume. One gathers the fascination and beauty of the great Southwest region while reading. And several of the writers are master poets. Sendee Co. Anyone who is interested in regional writing will need this volume. It should be in li­ braries, also. THE NEW ARTS. Edited by Philip N. Youtz. Norton, 1929. 5 vols. $6. Music, 1900-1930. By Alfred J. Swan. Modern Sculpture. By Joseph Hudnut. Painters of the Modern Mind. By Mary Cecil Allen. The Modern Theatre in Revolt. By John Pool Lunches Cards Mason Brown. Potable Gold: Some Notes on Poetry and Soft Drinks This Age. By Babette Deutsch. If we may deduce from these five slender volumes, the new arts agree in rebellion against Impression, and, to a lesser degree, Enjoy Yourself in acceptance actual or implied of Expres­ sionism. The exceptions to the second statement appear to be music and sculpture. Mr. Swan is vigorous in protest against the barbarians, Stravinsky and Schoenberg, and melancholy N E W M IN T over the post-war disintegration of music. DISHMAN & NICHOLSON He pleads for the “principle of continuity” in art. Mr. Hudnut, anxious to rescue sculp­ ture from Rodin’s influence, insists that sculpture is neither an interpretative nor an Where Good Sports emotional art, and should return to “ the classic tradition which unites sculpture and architecture within the limits of a single art.” Meet The remaining three volumes come thus to appear more “modern.” Miss Allen’s open advocacy of Expressionism in painting is a 108 W . Main Street call to the painter to trust his private view to the full, and to build, not on precedent, MISSOULA, MONTANA but on personality. Her discussion of mod­ ern art is very compact but useful. Mr. Brown traces with a ready pen the revolts and counter-revolts in the theatre 361 Patronize Service Stations Operated by a Missoula Industry

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362 since fiery bands aided Hugo in his assault on the citadels of classical drama. What whirlwinds of dust some of them seem now, these battles of words of a century: Nature The and Romanticism, Nature and Naturalism, the “slice o f life,” the “fourth wall,” the Free Theatre and Ibsen, Realism—and now another New Movement. Yet Antaeus had COFFEE to touch earth again and renew his strength before we could be ready for the present cry of content, not fact, and the present plea PARLOR for imagination, suggestion, and beauty. Mr. Brown’s discussion of the modern theatre is tentative, his bibliography and his comments indicating a healthy sense of a changing world. Where the Students Miss Deutsch finds four strains in modern poetry, illustrated by Yeats, the poetry of Meet escape; Masefield, Frost, and Sandburg, the poetry of present life, scornful of rose-leaf artificialities and ready even for brutalities; the disillusioned poets of “ Waste Land,” ana­ Best Home Cooked lytical, aware of the inconsistencies of a non- rational universe, unable either to escape Meals in the City with Yeats or accept wounds with a healthy vitality; and fourth, Robinson Jeffers. This last poet seems to Miss Deutsch to be almost OUR FOUNTAIN alone of modern poets capable of some day Excels A ll Others creating a long poem for the modern world. His skeptic intelligence, his almost classical power, his passion, his brooding on abysmal forces beneath and behind man, his cosmic Open from 7 a. m. to 12 p. m. range, his sense of nature’s majesty—these, she thinks, may combine to speak in tones of greatness for the modern age. Laramie, Wyoming Wilson O. Clough

The Great Meadow. Elizabeth Madox Roberts. Viking Press. 1930. $2.50. Kentuck, the Indian name for Meadow H E A R O U R Lands, was the Land of Promise for the early settlers in Virginia, and in the days during New Orthophonic the Revolution those early pioneers began the western migration to a newer and wilder frontier. Diony and Berk, young married Victor Records people, were two of these pioneers, and we go with them along Boone’s Trace, through Victor Radio and the awesome Gap, to Harrod’s Fort. If this story of Diony were more heart­ Victrolas stirring, if we saw into her and could feel with her more understanding^, this book — A T — would be a great piece of literature. As it is, we see it all like a mural painting, whose pageant story we follow with interest and whose beauty we revel in ; but there is some­ thing flat about it. Its characters do not DICKINSON seem really human. Miss Roberts’ accurate fidelity to the de­ tails of life, first in Virginia and then in unsettled Kentuck, the quaint language of those people and their ways of living, would PIANO CO. be enough in themselves to hold our interest. The beauty of her flowing style allures us. The narration of the events of the story might Orthophonic Dealers of Missoula have made a simple tale of adventure which 218 Higgins Ave. would have absorbed us. The combination of these elements make a book of much more than ordinary merit and charm. Missoula Doris F. Merriam 363 IN

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364 THE PIONEER WOMAN OF MONTANA ( Continued from Page 337.) Everything for the House payday, which had been postponed. The money had arrived and was bearing inter­ est; delay meant not only expense, but dan­ Furniture ger, indefinitely, outside of bank vaults. The stage had refused to carry funds out to the Carpets camp. The husband would be spotted and held up if he went to Helena. So the little Draperies woman volunteered to take her pony and buckboard, as no one would for a moment Hardware think she had her valise full of gold, silver and bank bills. She went ostensibly to the Crockery dentist’s office, and said so, to a group of friends who were idly standing in front of the store. Bedding Some miles from home, standing across the road, a saddled, bridled, riderless horse; a man running towards her saying, “That dog is killing chickens in the field, are they yours?” “ No, I do not live here.” Was it a ruse for identifying her, she wondered? J. M. Lucy & Sons, Inc. No, the innocent rancher trotted his horse behind her for three miles and then took a MISSOULA, MONT. crossroad. Covertly she watched him. With­ in two miles of Helena she discovered a wheel had “ set” ; it wouldn’t turn; the horse •was laboring, sweating. Tying the wheel with a piece of rope found in the road she lightened the vehicle, for, taking o ff her heavy buffalo coat, and donning her beauti­ ful otter cloak, trimmed with seal skin, HOUSEHOLD reins in hand, she walked like a teamster by the side of the outfit down Broadway to HARDWARE the back door of the old First National Bank, and deposited the few thousands she carried, and sent a message to her husband; “All is w ell!” MINING At home again, when dusting the mantel the pioneer woman put a dingy paper, full of MACHINERY dirt, into the fire! But not a reproachful word was spoken by the husband, who thus had lost two months’ pay in gold dust. As time wore on family gold dust became more plentiful and the pioneer woman took Montana Hardware a trip, with two of her children, by stage to the “ States” . Her husband, before buying her ticket, saw to it that no treasure-box, with messenger, was to go. But ten miles Company out from Helena, at a cabin door stood a messenger, with treasure-box (it was X. W est Park Biedler, the famous guard) to take the journey. Mr. Biedler expressed his regret BUTTE that children were along and instructed the mother, should sign of highwaymen appear, to hold them close to the floor of the stage. 365 PETERSON'S PEROXIDE CREAM The Palace Hotel ROGER FLEMING, Prop. will cure Chapped, Rough Skin Over Night.

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BRANCH: Model Market, 309 No. Higgins Fresh Fruits and Phone 2835 Vegetables Night came and darkness. A plunging and stumbling of the six horses, a rocking of wheels, bouncing in midair, shouts o f the driver, cracking, ceaselessly, the whip, but Students not a shot fired; for the ambush had failed. The road had been tied across in many places Arrange to have by heavy ropes. They had been saved as by a miracle; also the $125,000 in gold dust. your Dinners, Dances and

AN INDIAN GIRL'S STORY OF A Short Orders TRADING EXPEDITION TO THE SOUTHWEST ABOUT 1841 — at — ( Continued from Page 351.) them, which they ate and dried. I observed this closely and saw them now and then hid­ The ing some of the meat in the rocks from which I inferred their intentions to escape, if pos­ sible, and they did escape about a week after­ Chimney wards making their way in a precipitous rocky mountain where no horse, man or human eye could trace their footprints. The Spaniards hereon resolved to return Com er to the place from where they took the wom­ en, fall unawares on the Indian thieves and PHONE 5473 540 Daly Ave. kill them all, but on getting there the only sign of man they found was some of the hides of their stolen horses where their wear­ ers were killed and dried for good preserved Indian food. They still had a number of horses to spare and sold as many as we wanted, giving them for one horse or mare four beaver skins. On W H Y N O T traveling about two weeks with them they bade us adieu and in a few days further USE BEET SUGAR? travel we were at the Salt Lake, where we found a large camp of Indians on one of its fresh water tributaries with a good trout fishery. Travelling on to the place of gathering we Experienced cooks find the use of found in the mountains a lone trapper with his wife having a large supply of fat venison B E E T S U G A R and he generously divided most he had with us. In the fifth month o f the year, which is advantageous in the making o f fine the Kamas moon, we arrived at the place of candies and pastries. gathering. There was a good food supply forwarded by the Hudson’s Bay Company to meet us. But their leader, Baymond, being decoyed away from his place to take a cup of coffee on the opposite side of the creek, his goods and horses were all stolen from him and his sentinel compelled or willing to AMALGAMATED go with the captors. Remaining here about 10 days feasting and romping and sometimes SUGAR CO. worried with weary idleness we started again for buffalo.

367 SMOLAND ( Continued from Page 325.) Four years in America. Then like a Fashion Club racial memory summer in Smoland stirred within him. Birch trees, lakes, Cleaners the bluest of the blue. He stood on the deck of the spank­ Phone 2661 ing new motor-ship Drottningholm. He

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