The Judge was bowin' some more. "We have now come to the middle of our pro_gram,_" he says. "But 'fore I begin announcin' the last half, which is our best, I want to tell you all a story. "Ladies and gents, I come t' Briggs to bring you a message--a message which I feel bound to deliver. And I've gone through a turrible lot to be able to stand here to-night and say to you what I'm a-goin' to say. "Listen! Years ago, a little boy, about so high, with his father and mother and 'leven sisters and brothers, started to cross the Plains with a' ox-team. They reached the Blackfoot country safe. But there, ladies and gents, a turrible thing happened to 'em. One day, more'n four hunderd Injuns surrounded they wagon and showed fight. They fit 'em back, ladies and gents,--the father and the mother and the children, killin' a good many bucks and woundin' more. But the Injuns was too many fer that pore fambly. And in a' hour, the reds had captured one little boy--whilst the father and mother and the 'leven sisters and brothers was no more!" (The Judge, he sniffled a little bit.) "The little boy was carried to a big Injun camp," he goes on. "And it was here, ladies and gents,--it was here he seen _won_-derful things. He seen them Injuns that was wounded put some salve on they wounds and be healed; he seen others, that was plumb tuckered with fightin', drink a blackish medicine and git up like new men. Natu'lly, he wondered what was _in_ that salve, and what was _in_ that medicine. Wal, he made friends with a nice Injun boy. He ast him _questions_ about that salve and that medicine. He learnt what plants was dug to make both of 'em. Then, one dark night, he crawled outen his wigwam on his hands and knees. Behind him come his little Injun friend. They went slow and soft to where was the pony herd. They caught up two fast ponies, and clumb onto 'em, dug in they spurs, and started eastwards as fast as they could go. The white boy's heart was filled with joy, ladies and gents. He had a secret in his bosom that meant health to ev'ry _man, woman_ and _child_ of his own race. As he galloped along, he says to hisself, 'I'll spend my _life_ givin' this priceless secret to the world!' "Wal, ladies and gents, that's what he begun to do--straight off. And t'-night, my dear friends, that boy is in Briggs City!" (A-course, ev'rybody begun to look 'round fer him.) "Prob-'bly," goes on the Judge, "they's more'n a hunderd people in this town that'll thank Providence he come: They's little children that won't be orphans; they's wives that won't be widdas. Fer he is anxious to tell 'em of a remedy that will cure a-a-all the ills of the body. And, ladies and gents, _I_--am--that--boy!" That got the punchers so excited and so tickled, that they hollered and stamped and banged and done about twenty dollars' worth of damage to the hall.