D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 2 2
58
BIG DIE
UP 1
*CHOKE*
SURELY THIS IS THE
PANORAMA OF HELL!
THE STENCH OF ROTTING
COWS IS SO THICK A MAN
COULD RIDE IT ALL THE
WAY TO KANSAS CITY.
I RECKON A MAN COULD
WALK ALL THE WAY THERE
FROM BODY TO BODY
WITHOUT HIS BOOTS EVER
TOUCHING THE EARTH.
WELL, CHARLIE,
I SURE WISH
YOUR PAINTING
WASN'T SUCH A
PREMONITION.
THE SNOW DRIFTS GOT
SO HIGH, THAT OL' COW
WAS TRYING TO EAT
TREE BRANCHES - -
WHAT THE - - !
- - THEN SHE DIED, THE SNOW
MELTED, AND LEFT HER STUCK
UP IN THE TREE!
BUT YOU'RE GETTING PRETTY
WELL-KNOWN NOW, WITH YOUR
ART HANGING IN HELENA AND
EVERYBODY TALKING ABOUT YOU...
YOU'LL PROBABLY NEED A
FANCY WAY TO SIGN YOUR
PAINTINGS BEFORE LONG...
THE
INTERMINABLE
EXTREME
COLD
AND
SNOW
TAKES
A
TERRIBLE
TOLL
ON
LIVESTOCK,
COWBOYS,
RANCHERS,
AND
HOMESTEADERS.
BUT
THE
GAUNT
SEASON
IS
A
FEAST
FOR
WOLVES
AND
COYOTES
AS
THEY
PREY
ON
THE
WEAK
AND
SCAVENGE
EMACIATED
CARCASSES...
WINTER
FINALLY
LOOSENS
ITS
ICY
DEATH
GRIP
OVER
THE
WEST
AS
SPRING
MERCIFULY
ARRIVES.
AS
THICK
STORM
CLOUDS
CLEAR
AND
MASSIVE
SNOW
DRIFTS
MELT,
A
TERRIBLE
TABLEAU
IS
UNVEILED
-
-
-
-
THE
BODIES
OF
UNCOUNTABLE
DEAD
COWS
LITTER
THE
LANDSCAPE,
STRETCHING
PAST
THE
HORIZON,
PILED
UP
IN
RAVINES,
AND
STRANGLING
WATERWAYS.
OVER
IN
CENTRAL
MONTANA...
ACROSS
THE
THAWING
WEST,
ABSURD
COMPOSITIONS
OF
ANGUISH
ARE
FOUND...
