RECREA TION. 



COON-TAIL'S MISHAP. 



CAPT. H. ROMEYN. 



TO the majority of his compeers, 

 plainsmen, and " Knights of the 

 Rope," his patronymic was unknown ; 

 but he was a prominent figure in the 

 cowboy landscapes of eastern Montana, 

 and derived his soubriquet from wearing 

 in his hatband the caudal appendage of 

 the animal accepted at the time as the 

 favorite of his political friends. 



The cattle for marketing had been 

 gathered from the range near the Forks 

 of the Powder, driven to Miles City, 

 and shipped for the Chicago market. 

 "Coon-tad" and such others of the 

 boys as were not needed to care for 

 them en route, after the usual fun had 

 been indulged in, in town, had started 

 for the ranch. Two days' riding had 

 served to drain the bottles, and the 

 close of the second day saw the party, 

 tired and thirsty, near Stone's Crossing, 

 sixty or more miles from the railroad 

 and in the immediate vicinity of a way- 

 side store, where, it was reasonable to 

 suppose, they could procure something 

 with which to " cool their coppers." 



The proprietor, anticipating the orgy 

 which would probably follow any in- 

 dulgence, denied having any liquor on 

 hand, and directed them to the dwelling 

 of a neighbor on the other bank of the 

 river, to which, with the cowboy rush 

 and yell, they at once proceeded. Here 

 they were told, by the wife of the owner, 

 that no whiskey could be had ; adding 

 that the person sending them was aware 

 of that fact and had only sent them as 

 a practical joke. 



This, of course, called for a settle- 

 ment with the joker, but, on returning to 

 his place of business, they found that 

 he had closed and locked his door and 

 had "taken to the prairie," to avoid a 

 meeting. 



Half a dozen shots, fired at the staple 

 which held the hasp to the door, shat- 

 tered the wood to such an extent that a 

 vigorous kick released it, and they en- 

 tered the " store." Under the rude 

 counter they found a keg, which might 

 contain the object of their search, and 

 it was at once ''tapped" by a bullet. 

 At the report of the revolver the dirt 

 roof of the cabin leaped skyward, the 

 log walls went hurtling over the prairie, 

 propelled by the force of twenty pounds 



of powder. Dry goods, canned fruits 

 and groceries filled the air, and " Coon- 

 tail," apparently lifeless, his clothing 

 torn to tatters, his hair, beard and eye- 

 brows singed off, was picked up, about 

 thirty yards away, by those who, roused 

 by the explosion, had hurried to the 

 scene. 



Finding, after a few minutes, that he 

 still breathed, he was borne to the 

 river's brink and efforts were made to 

 resuscitate him. Half an hour later he 

 could sit up, and when one of the party 

 remarked upon his narrow escape and 

 dilapidated appearance, asked for a 

 mirror that he might see how he looked. 

 As he turned his denuded head from 

 side to side and surveyed the ruin and 

 the scanty fringe of hair saved from 

 total eradication by the sweat-band of 

 his hat, he remarked : " Well, I'm 

 dogoned purty, ain't I ? That's the 



est barber shop I ever seen ; shave, 



shampoo and hair-cut, all done to 

 onct, and in less'n a minit." 



The reception accorded Recrea- 

 tion, on its first appearance, has been 

 generous and cordial in the extreme. 

 Here are extracts from a few letters : 



" I have just received and read, with much 

 pleasure, your first number of Recreation and 

 am so pleased with it that I enclose $1.00 for a 

 year. I also enclose some verses. Should like 

 to be numbered among your contributors. I had 

 almost entirely laid aside my pen ; still I feel 

 like writing a few lines occasionally." 



Isaac McLellan. 



" Enclosed find subscription to Recreation. 

 Have just received October number and am 

 highly pleased with it. In my case, at least, it 

 fills a long felt want." 



Joseph Parker, M. D. 

 " Your magazine is received, read from cover 

 to cover, and so well pleased am I with the 

 initial number that I enclose herewith my sub- 

 scription for one year." 



Richard E. Clement, 

 Prin. Public School, Cranford, N. J. 

 The first number of Recreation has just 

 reached me, and, barring the fact that I am in 

 some respects a central figure in it, I find the 

 magazine very attractive, both as to form and 

 matter. I trust that it will receive the success 

 it deserves. Very truly yours, 



David S. Jordan, 

 President Stanford University. 



Subscribe for Recreation. Show it 

 to your friends and ask them to sub- 

 scribe. $i. a year, 10 cents a copy. 



The portrait shown on page 54 is that 

 of Chief " Whirlwind," of the Cheyennes. 



