326 MY SPORTING HOLIDAYS 



bewildered in a legal fog, and lost in admiration of 

 the ability and learning of counsel for the defence. 

 Finally the ' court,' after deep deliberation, discharged 

 the prisoner, taxing the costs of the trial on the county. 

 It was, of course, open to the prosecution to carry the 

 case on appeal to a higher tribunal, but no one seemed 

 to consider such a proceeding likely. The accused 

 made a little speech, thanked the ' court,' was over- 

 whelmed with congratulations, and shook hands all 

 round. In the opinion of Caspar he left the court 

 without a stain upon his character. The meeting 

 then adjourned to the nearest saloons for drinks. 

 The prosecuting witness quietly disappeared, a friend 

 handing him a revolver in court as he passed out. 



I asked a prominent citizen of Caspar what he 

 thought the effect of the trial would be on the 

 accused's candidature for the Legislature. 'It will 

 put him in for certain,' was the answer. And I 

 believe it did. 



These illustrations of frontier life that I have so 

 far dealt with have been taken from my personal 

 experiences in the State of Wyoming. 



For many years I have also been interested in a 

 large ranching and agricultural property in the Pan- 

 handle of Texas, where I have more than once 

 visited, and thus had opportunity of seeing some- 

 thing of its inhabitants and its ways. 



Texas was one of the last States to join the Union, 

 and in area is the largest of them all. The first 

 Governor of the Lone Star State, as it is sometimes 

 called, Sam Huston by name, was a man of great 

 ability and strong character, if all that is told of him 

 be true. He was the leading citizen and practical 

 ruler of Texas when he went down to Washington 



