Page:Lippincotts Monthly Magazine-46.djvu/137

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
ROUND-ROBIN TALKS.
127

titude. The little fat landlord had brought his wife and five children for me to bless them. Next morning, when Stanley did arrive and heard of it, he was furious.

Stoddart.—Page, will you apologize for your presence here in a dress-suit?

Page.—The fact is, I'm fresh from a reception, and it seemed absurd to make the change simply to conform to a rule as to the propriety of which I appeal to the judgment of Colonel Ochiltree.

Ochiltree—They had a rule at a Saratoga hotel against the admission of any one to the soirées unless in the regulation claw-hammer. A couple of friends of mine ran down there. They had the new short dress-coats in vogue abroad. The landlord told them they would have to leave. They demurred, and a lot of us were called on as experts to give our opinions. I said to the landlord, "One of these gentlemen has been a guest at Marlborough House with this very style of coat." "I don't care a d—n," said he, "what dress they let you wear in Marlborough House or any other hotel in London; it's not allowed in this house."

Philips.—I suppose the dress-suit will be admitted into Cheyenne when Wyoming is admitted as a State into the Union.

Stoddart.—How about that, judge? Can't you tell us something of interest about your Territory?

Judge Carey—The town I lived in had a hard name, but it illustrated the national characteristics of the American. The Union Pacific Railway reached Cheyenne in the fall of 1867. There were about five thousand people who followed the building of the Union Pacific to that point. They pitched their tents there, and the roughs took possession of the town. Tin-horn gamblers and depraved women ruled the community; but the better class of people soon began to think about government. Life was not safe by day or night. For about three months the people did not know what part of the United States they were in. Mr. Blackstone refutes the statement that in primitive governments the people after having assembled on a plain proceeded to select the tallest man for ruler; but the idea was carried out in a measure in the first government of Cheyenne. The better class of people called a mass meeting, and when assembled selected rulers and organized a complete government and began business. They compelled obedience. They issued their warrants and managed affairs as well as if there had been a legally-organized government. One of the early scenes was the stringing up in one day of several men to telegraphpoles. The result was that two or three hundred of the worst class left town, and good order and safety were in this way secured.

Ochiltree.—That was when I was dancing in Paris.

Carey.—Cheyenne to-day is one of the most beautiful towns of the United States. It is full of elegant homes and fine business houses, and no better class of people live anywhere. The dress-suit is there, and has come to stay.

Philips.—Judge, what of the future of the cattle-business?

Carey.—It has been very profitable where well conducted. The business is not, however, as profitable now as it was a few years ago,