they already had him in jail。 The friends of law and order feeling
some little distrust as to the permanency of their own zeal for
righteousness； thought it best to settle the matter before there was
time for cooling； and accordingly； headed by Simpson； the mayor； the
judge； the Turk； and other prominent citizens of the town； they broke
into the jail and hanged Fowler。 The point in the hanging which
especially tickled my friend's fancy； as he lingered over the
reminiscence； was one that was rather too ghastly to appeal to our own
sense of humor。 In the Turk's mind there still rankled the memory of
Fowler's very unprofessional conduct while figuring before him as a
criminal。 Said Simpson； with a merry twinkle of the eye： 〃Do you know
that Turk； he was a right funny fellow too after all。 Just as the boys
were going to string up Fowler； says he； 'Boys； stop； one moment；
gentlemen；Mr。 Fowler； good…by；' and he blew a kiss to him！〃
In the cow…country； and elsewhere on the wild borderland between
savagery and civilization； men go quite as often by nicknames as by
those to which they are lawfully entitled。 Half the cowboys and
hunters of my acquaintance are known by names entirely unconnected
with those they inherited or received when they were christened。
Occasionally some would…be desperado or make…believe mighty hunter
tries to adopt what he deems a title suitable to his prowess； but such
an effort is never attempted in really wild places； where it would be
greeted with huge derision； for all of these names that are genuine
are bestowed by outsiders； with small regard to the wishes of the
person named。 Ordinarily the name refers to some easily recognizable
accident of origin； occupation； or aspect； as witness the innumerable
Dutcheys； Frencheys； Kentucks； Texas Jacks； Bronco Bills； Bear Joes；
Buckskins； Red Jims； and the like。 Sometimes it is apparently
meaningless； one of my own cowpuncher friends is always called
〃Sliver〃 or 〃Splinter〃why； I have no idea。 At other times some
particular incident may give rise to the title； a clean…looking cowboy
formerly in my employ was always known as 〃Muddy Bill；〃 because he had
once been bucked off his horse into a mud hole。
The grewsome genesis of one such name is given in the following letter
which I have just received from an old hunting…friend in the Rockies；
who took a kindly interest in a frontier cabin which the Boone and
Crockett Club was putting up at the Chicago World's Fair。
〃Feb 16th 1893； Der Sir： I see in the newspapers that your club the
Daniel Boon and Davey Crockit you intend to erect a fruntier Cabin
at the world's Far at Chicago to represent the erley Pianears of
our country I would like to see you maik a success I have all my
life been a fruntiersman and feel interested in your undrtaking
and I hoap you wile get a good assortment of relicks I want to
maik one suggestion to you that is in regard to getting a good man
and a genuine Mauntanner to take charg of your haus at Chicago I
want to recommend a man for you to get it is Liver…eating Johnson
that is the naim he is generally called he is an old mauntneer and
large and fine looking and one of the Best Story Tellers in the
country and Very Polight genteel to every one he meets I wil tel
you how he got that naim Liver…eating in a hard Fight with the
Black Feet Indians thay Faught all day Johnson and a few Whites
Faught a large Body of Indians all day after the fight Johnson cam
in contact with a wounded Indian and Johnson was aut of ammunition
and thay faught it out with thar Knives and Johnson got away with
the Indian and in the fight cut the livver out of the Indian and
said to the Boys did thay want any Liver to eat that is the way he
got the naim of Liver…eating Johnson
〃Yours truly〃 etc。； etc。
Frontiersmen are often as original as their names； and the originality
may take the form of wild savagery； of mere uncouthness； or of an odd
combination of genuine humor with simple acceptance of facts as they
are。 On one occasion I expressed some surprise in learning that a
certain Mrs。 P。 had suddenly married； though her husband was alive and
in jail in a neighboring town； and received for answer： 〃Well； you
see； old man Pete he skipped the country； and left his widow behind
him； and so Bob Evans he up and married her！〃which was evidently
felt to be a proceeding requiring no explanation whatever。
In the cow…country there is nothing more refreshing than the light…
hearted belief entertained by the average man to the effect that any
animal which by main force has been saddled and ridden； or harnessed
and driven a couple of times； is a 〃broke horse。〃 My present foreman
is firmly wedded to this idea； as well as to its complement； the
belief that any animal with hoofs； before any vehicle with wheels； can
be driven across any country。 One summer on reaching the ranch I was
entertained with the usual accounts of the adventures and
misadventures which had befallen my own men and my neighbors since I
had been out last。 In the course of the conversation my foreman
remarked： 〃We had a great time out here about six weeks ago。 There was
a professor from Ann Arbor come out with his wife to see the Bad
Lands； and they asked if we could rig them up a team； and we said we
guessed we could； and Foley's boy and I did； but it ran away with him
and broke his leg！ He was here for a month。 I guess he didn't mind it
though。〃 Of this I was less certain； forlorn little Medora being a
〃busted〃 cow…town； concerning which I once heard another of my men
remark； in reply to an inquisitive commercial traveller： 〃How many
people lives here？ Elevencounting the chickenswhen they're all in
town！〃
My foreman continued： 〃By George； there was something that professor
said afterwards that made me feel hot。 I sent word up to him by
Foley's boy that seein' as how it had come out we wouldn't charge him
nothin' for the rig； and that professor he answered that he was glad
we were showing him some sign of consideration； for he'd begun to
believe he'd fallen into a den of sharks； and that we gave him a
runaway team a purpose。 That made me hot； calling that a runaway team。
Why； there was one of them horses never /could/ have run away before；
it hadn't never been druv but twice！ And the other horse maybe had run
away a few times； but there was lots of times he /hadn't/ run away。 I
esteemed that team full as liable not to run away as it was to run
away；〃 concluded my foreman； evidently deeming this as good a warranty
of gentleness as the most exacting could require。
The definition of good behavior on the frontier is even more elastic
for a saddle…horse than for a team。 Last spring one of the Three…Seven
riders； a magnificent horseman was killed on the round…up near
Belfield； his horse bucking and falling on him。 〃It was accounted a
plumb gentle horse too；〃 said my informant； 〃only it sometimes sulked
and acted a little mean when it was cinched up behind。〃 The
unfortunate rider did not know of this failing of the 〃plumb gentle
horse；〃 and as soon as he was in the saddle it threw itself over
sideways with a great bound； and he fell on his head； and never spoke
again。
Such accidents are too common in the wild country to attract very much
attention； the men accept them with grim quiet； as inevitable in such
lives as theirslives that are harsh and narrow in their toil and
their pleasure alike； and that are ever…bounded by an iron horizon of
hazard and hardship。 During the last year and a half three other men
from the ranches in my immediate neighborhood have met their deaths in
the course of their work。 One； a trail boss of the O X； was drowned
while swimming his herd across a swollen river。 Another； one of the
fancy ropers of the W Bar； was killed while roping cattle in a corral；
his saddle turned； the rope twisted round him； he was pulled off； and
trampled to death by his own horse。
The fourth man； a cowpuncher named Hamilton； lost his life during the
last week of October； 1891； in the first heavy snowstorm of the
season。 Yet he was a skilled plainsman； on ground he knew well； and
just before straying himself； he successfully instructed two men who
did not know the country how to get to camp。 They were all three with
the round…up； and were making a circle through the Bad Lands； the
wagons had camped on the eastern edge of these Bad Lands； where they
merged into the prairie； at the head of an old disused road； which led
about due east from the Little Missouri。 It was a gray； lowering day；
and as darkness came on Hamilton's horse played out； and he told his
two companions not to wait； as it had begun to snow； but to keep on
towards the north； skirting some particularly rough buttes； and as
soon as they struck the road to turn to the right and follow it out to
the prairie； where they would find camp； he particularly warned them
to keep a sharp look…out； so as not to pass over the dim trail
unawares in the dusk and the storm。 They followed his advice； and
reached camp safely； and after they had left him nobody ever again saw
him alive。 Evidently he himself； ploddi