w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m
57
BIG DIE
UP 1
NOW THE TEMPERATURE HAS
DROPPED TO FIFTY BELOW
ZERO, THE DEEP SNOWDRIFTS
HAVE BECOME ICY RAZORS
SHREDDING THE LEGS AND
HOOVES OF THE COWS!
OUR HORSES, TOO!
TARNATION! WE ARE FROZEN IN
THE FACE OF THIS APOCALYPTIC
WEATHER! I HAVE TO FIND OUT
HOW MY CATTLE ARE FARING!
I MUST GET A
REPORT FROM
MY MEN AT THE
O-H RANCH
IN JUDITH
BASIN!
BOYS, I JUST GOT AN INQUIRY
FROM MR. KAUFMAN ABOUT HOW
TOUGH IT IS OUT HERE, AND I
DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY!
THE UNENDING BLIZZARDS ARE
SO THICK AND BLINDING I GOT
LOST AND ALMOST DIED JUST
TRYING TO GET TO THE BARN!
'WHOA' IS US!
JANUARY
OF
1877
BRINGS
ONLY
MORE
DESPAIR
TO
THE
COWBOYS
AND
THEIR
DESOLATE
STOCK...
AS
THE
WINTER
OF
MISERY
CONTINUES,
CATTLE
BARONS
SUCH
AS
HELENA'S
LOUIS
KAUFMAN
BECOME
FRANTIC
FOR
NEWS
ABOUT
THEIR
INVESTMENTS...
LATER,
A
LETTER
REACHES
THE
RANCH
HOUSE
IN
CENTRAL
MONTANA...
A
YOUNG
COWBOY
FROM
MISSOURI
HAS
AN
IDEA
HOW
TO
ILLUSTRATE
THE
TERRIBLE
SITUATION...
SOON,
A
SMALL
WATERCOLOR
IS
PRESENTED
TO
THE
COWBOYS...
ONCE
THE
SPECIAL
MESSAGE
IS
FINALLY
DELIVERED
TO
THE
TENSE
HEADQUARTERS...
LET ME MAKE A
SKETCH OF WHAT
I SAW TODAY!
CHARLIE RUSSELL, I SWEAR YOUR PAINTING
EXPRESSES THE DIRE SITUATION BETTER THAN
ANY WORDS I COULD COME UP WITH.
PUT IT IN WITH
YOUR LETTER TO
MR. KAUFMAN.
HE WON'T NEED A
LETTER. THIS WILL
BE ENOUGH!
NONE OF OUR CATTLE
SHALL SURVIVE THIS
FOUL WINTER! WE'LL
BE RUINED!
THEIR PLIGHT IS
MUCH WORSE THAN
WE IMAGINED!
