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diff --git a/38309-h/38309-h.htm b/38309-h/38309-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e2d91ef --- /dev/null +++ b/38309-h/38309-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8961 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + A Texas Cowboy, by Chas. A. Siringo - A Project Gutenberg eBook. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + + h1,h2,h3 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + hr.r15 {width: 15%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + hr.r65 {width: 65%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + + .extraspacetop {padding-top: 2em; } + .extraspace3top {padding-top: 3em; } + .extraspacebot {padding-bottom: 2em; } + .extraspace4bot {padding-bottom: 4em; } + .blockquote {margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%;} + .blockquote5 {margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 5%;} + .bolded {font-weight: bold;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Texas Cow Boy, by Chas. A. Siringo + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Texas Cow Boy + or, fifteen years on the hurricane deck of a Spanish pony, + taken from real life + +Author: Chas. A. Siringo + +Release Date: December 15, 2011 [EBook #38309] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A TEXAS COW BOY *** + + + + +Produced by Dianna Adair, Suzanne Shell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="figcenter extraspacebot"> +<img src="images/col01a.jpg" width="200" height="294" alt="Cover" title="Front Cover" /> +</div> + +<h1>A TEXAS COW BOY</h1> + +<h3>OR</h3> + +<p class="center smcap">Fifteen Years on the Hurricane +Deck of a Spanish Pony.</p> + +<h3>TAKEN FROM REAL LIFE BY</h3> + +<h2>Chas. A. Siringo.</h2> + +<p class="class center bolded">AN OLD STOVE UP COW PUNCHER WHO +HAS SPENT NEARLY A LIFE TIME ON THE +GREAT WESTERN +CATTLE RANGES.</p> + +<p class="extraspace3top center small">GLOBE LITHOGRAPHING & PRINTING CO. CHICAGO</p> + +<div class="extraspace3top figcenter"> +<img src="images/col02a.jpg" width="320" height="211" alt="REPRESENTATION OF LIFE IN A COW CAMP." title="" /></div> + +<p class="center caption">REPRESENTATION OF LIFE IN A COW CAMP.</p> + +<div class="extraspace3top figcenter"> +<img src="images/gs01.png" width="400" height="552" alt="THE AUTHOR, + +In Cow Boy Uniform." title="" /></div> + +<p class="extraspace4bot center caption">THE AUTHOR,<br /> +In Cow Boy Uniform.</p> + +<h1> +A TEXAS COW BOY<br /> +<br /> +<small>OR,</small><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Fifteen Years</span><br /> +<br /> +<small>ON THE</small><br /> +<br /> +Hurricane Deck of a Spanish Pony.<br /> +<br /> +<small>TAKEN FROM REAL LIFE</small></h1> + +<p class="center">BY</p> + +<h2>CHAS. A. SIRINGO,</h2> +<p class="extraspacetop center bolded"> +AN OLD STOVE UP "COW PUNCHER," WHO HAS SPENT<br /> +NEARLY TWENTY YEARS ON THE GREAT<br /> +WESTERN CATTLE RANGES.</p> + +<p class="extraspacetop center">M. UMBDENSTOCK & CO., Publishers,<br /> +<span class="smcap">Chicago, Illinois.</span><br /> +1885.</p> + +<div class="extraspacetop figcenter"> +<img src="images/gs02.png" width="300" height="288" alt="THE AUTHOR + +after he became stove-up—financially, as well as otherwise." title="" /></div> +<p class="extraspacebot center caption">THE AUTHOR<br /> + +after he became stove-up—financially, as well as otherwise.</p> + +<hr class="r15" /> +<h2>INDEX.</h2> + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="5" width="80%" summary="0"> +<tr><td align='left' colspan='2'><span class="smcap">Chapter.</span></td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Page.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>I.</td><td align='left'>My Boyhood Days</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>II.</td><td align='left'>My Introduction to the late war</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_20">20</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>III.</td><td align='left'>My First Lesson in Cow Punching</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_31">31</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>IV.</td><td align='left'>My second experience in St. Louis</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_43">43</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>V.</td><td align='left'>A New experience</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_53">53</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>VI.</td> <td align='left'>Adopted and sent to school</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>VII.</td><td align='left'>Back at last to the Lone Star State</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_68">68</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>VIII.</td><td align='left'>Learning to rope wild steers</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_75">75</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>IX.</td><td align='left'>Owning my first cattle</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_84">84</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>X.</td><td align='left'>A start up the Chisholm trail</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_95">95</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XI.</td><td align='left'>Buys a boat and becomes a sailor</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_103">103</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XII.</td><td align='left'>Back to my favorite occupation, that of a wild and woolly Cow Boy</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_112">112</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XIII.</td><td align='left'>Mother and I meet at last</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_119">119</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XIV.</td><td align='left'>On a tare in Wichita, Kansas</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_129">129</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XV.</td><td align='left'>A lonely trip down the Cimeron</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_141">141</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XVI.</td><td align='left'>My first experience roping a Buffalo</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_150">150</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XVII.</td><td align='left'>An exciting trip after thieves</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_158">158</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XVIII.</td><td align='left'>Seven weeks among Indians</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_164">164</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XIX.</td><td align='left'>A lonely ride of eleven hundred miles</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_176">176</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XX.</td><td align='left'>Another start up the Chisholm trail</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_186">186</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXI.</td><td align='left'>A trip which terminated in the capture of "Billy the Kid"</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_196">196</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXII.</td><td align='left'>Billy the Kid's capture</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_215">215</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXIII.</td><td align='left'>A trip to the Rio Grande on a mule</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_223">223</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXIV.</td><td align='left'>Waylaid by unknown parties</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_231">231</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXV.</td><td align='left'>Lost on the Staked Plains</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_239">239</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXVI.</td><td align='left'>A trip down the Reo Pecos</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_255">255</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXVII.</td><td align='left'>A true sketch of "Billy the Kid's" life</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_269">269</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXVIII.</td><td align='left'>Wrestling with a dose of Small Pox on the Llano Esticado</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_285">285</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXIX.</td><td align='left'>In love with a Mexican girl</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_299">299</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>XXX.</td><td align='left'>A sudden leap from Cow Boy to Merchant</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_309">309</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<p class="center extraspace3top extraspace4bot"> +Copyrighted by <span class="smcap">Chas. A. Siringo</span>, Caldwell, Kans.<br /> +All rights reserved.</p> + +<hr class="r65" /> +<h2>PREFACE.</h2> + + +<p>My excuse for writing this book is money—and +lots of it.</p> + +<p>I suppose the above would suffice, but as time is +not very precious I will continue and tell how the +idea of writing a book first got into my head:</p> + +<p>While ranching on the Indian Territory line, +close to Caldwell, Kansas, in the winter of '82 and +'83, we boys—there being nine of us—made an iron-clad +rule that whoever was heard swearing or caught +picking grey backs off and throwing them on the +floor without first killing them, should pay a fine of +ten cents for each and every offense. The proceeds +to be used for buying choice literature—something +that would have a tendency to raise us above the +average cow-puncher. Just twenty-four hours after +making this rule we had three dollars in the pot—or +at least in my pocket, I having been appointed +treasurer.</p> + +<p>As I was going to town that night to see my +Sunday girl, I proposed to the boys that, while up +there, I send the money off for a years subscription +to some good newspaper. The question then came<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_x" id="Page_x">[x]</a></span> +up, what paper shall it be? We finally agreed to +leave it to a vote—each man to write the one of his +choice on a slip of paper and drop it in a hat. +There being two young Texans present who could +neither read nor write, we let them <i>speak</i> their +choice after the rest of us got our votes deposited. +At the word given them to cut loose they both yelled +"Police Gazette", and on asking why they voted for +that wicked Sheet, they both replied as though with +one voice: "Cause we can read the pictures." We +found, on counting the votes that the Police Gazette +had won, so it was subscribed for.</p> + +<p>With the first copy that arrived was the beginning +of a continued story, entitled "Potts turning Paris +inside out." Mr. Potts, the hero, was an old stove-up +New York preacher, who had made a raise of +several hundred thousand dollars and was over in +Paris blowing it in. I became interested in the +story, and envied Mr. Potts very much. I wished +for a few hundred thousand so I could do likewise; +I lay awake one whole night trying to study up a +plan by which I could make the desired amount. +But, thinks I, what can an uneducated cow puncher +do now-a-days to make such a vast sum? In trying +to solve the question my mind darted back a few<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xi" id="Page_xi">[xi]</a></span> +years, when, if I had taken time by the forelock, I +might have now been wallowing in wealth with the +rest of the big cattle kings—or to use a more appropriate +name, cattle thieves. But alas! thought I, the +days of honorable cattle stealing is past, and I must +turn my mind into a healthier channel.</p> + +<p>The next morning while awaiting breakfast I +happened to pick up a small scrap of paper and +read: "To the young man of high aims literature +offers big inducements, providing he gets into an +untrodden field."</p> + +<p>That night I lay awake again, trying to locate +some "cussed" untrodden field, where, as an author, +I might soar on high—to the extent of a few hundred +thousand at least.</p> + +<p>At last, just as our pet rooster, "Deacon Bates" +was crowing for day, I found a field that I had never +heard of any one trampling over—a "nigger" love +story. So that night I launched out on my new +novel, the title of which was, "A pair of two-legged +coons." My heroine, Miss Patsy Washington was +one shade darker than the ace of spades, while her +lover, Mr. Andrew Jackson, was three colors darker +than herself. My plot was laid in African Bend on +the Colorado river in Southern Texas.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_xii" id="Page_xii">[xii]</a></span></p> + +<p>Everything went on nicely, until about half way +through the first chapter, when Mr. Jackson was +convicted and sent to Huntsville for stealing a +neighbors hog; and while I was trying to find a +substitute for him, old Patsy flew the track and +eloped with a Yankee carpet-bagger. That was +more than I could endure, so picking up the manuscript +I threw it into the fire. Thus ended my first +attempt at Authorship.</p> + +<p>I then began figuring up an easier field for my +inexperienced pen, and finally hit upon the idea of +writing a history of my own short, but rugged life, +which dear reader you have before you. But +whether it will bring me in "shekels" enough to +capsize Paris remains yet to be "disskivered" as +the Negro says.</p> + +<hr class="r65" /> +<h2>A TEXAS COW BOY.</h2> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_I" id="Chapter_I"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter I.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">MY BOYHOOD DAYS.</p> + +<p>It was a bright morning, on the 7th day of February +1856, as near as I can remember, that your +humble Servant came prancing into this wide and +wicked world.</p> + +<p>By glancing over the map you will find his birthplace, +at the extreme southern part of the Lone +Star State, on the Peninsula of Matagorda, a narrow +strip of land bordered by the Gulf of Mexico on the +south and Matagorda Bay on the north.</p> + +<p>This Peninsula is from one to two miles wide and +seventy five miles long. It connects the mainland +at Caney and comes to a focus at Deskrows Point +or "Salura Pass." About midway between the two +was situated the "Dutch Settlement," and in the +centre of that Settlement, which contained only a +dozen houses, stood the little frame cottage that first +gave me shelter.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span></p> + +<p>My father who died when I was only a year old, +came from the sunny clime of Italy, while my dear +old mother drifted from the Boggs of good "ould" +Ireland. Am I not a queer conglomerate—a sweet-scented +mixture indeed!</p> + +<p>Our nearest neighbor was a kind old soul by the +name of John Williams, whose family consisted of +his wife and eleven children.</p> + +<p>In the fall of 1859 I took my first lessons in +school, my teacher being a Mr. Hale from Illinois.</p> + +<p>The school house, a little old frame building, +stood off by itself, about a mile from the Settlement, +and we little tow-heads, sister and I, had +to hoof it up there every morning, through the +grassburrs, barefooted; our little sunbrowned feet +had never been incased in shoe-leather up to that +time.</p> + +<p>To avoid the grassburrs, sometimes on getting +an early start we would go around by the Gulf +beach which was quite a distance out of our way. +In taking this route though, I would generally be +late at school, for there were so many little things +to detain me—such as trying to catch the shadow +of a flying sea gull, or trying to lasso sand crabs +on my stick horse.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span></p> + +<p>Crowds of Cow Boys used to come over to the +Peninsula from the mainland and sometimes have +occasion to rope wild steers in my presence—hence +me trying to imitate them.</p> + +<p>I remember getting into a scrape once by taking +the beach route to school; sister who was a year +older than I, was walking along the water edge +picking up pretty shells while I was riding along on +my stick horse taking the kinks out of my rope—a +piece of fishline—so as to be ready to take in the +first crab that showed himself. Those crabs went in +large droves and sometimes ventured quite a distance +out from the Gulf, but on seeing a person +would break for the water.</p> + +<p>It was not long before I spied a large drove on +ahead, pulling their freight for the water. I put +spurs to my pony and dashed after them. I managed +to get one old fat fellow headed off and turned +towards the prairie. I threw at him several times +but he would always go through the loop before I +could pull it up. He finally struck a hole and disappeared.</p> + +<p>I was determined to get him out and take another +whirl at him, so dropping my horse and getting<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +down on all fours I began digging the sand +away with my hands, dog fashion.</p> + +<p>About that time sister came up and told me to +come on as I would be late at school, etc.</p> + +<p>I think I told her to please go to Halifax, as I was +going to rope that crab before I quit or "bust." At +any rate she went off, leaving me digging with all +my might.</p> + +<p>Every now and then I would play dog by sticking +my snoot down in the hole to smell. But I rammed +it down once too often. Mr. Crab was nearer the +surface than I thought for. He was laying for me. +I gave a comanche yell, jumped ten feet in the air +and lit out for home at a 2:40 gait. One of his +claws was fastened to my upper lip while the other +clamped my nose with an iron-like grip.</p> + +<p>I met Mr. William Berge coming out to the beach +after a load of wood, and he relieved me of my uncomfortable +burden. He had to break the crabs +claws off to get him loose.</p> + +<p>I arrived at school just as Mr. Hale was ringing +the bell after recess. He called me up and wanted +to know what was the matter with my face, it was +so bloody. Being a little George W., minus the +hatchet, I told him the truth. Suffice to say he laid<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +me across his knee and made me think a nest of +bumble bees were having a dance in the seat of my +breeches—or at least where the seat should have +been. I never had a pair of pants on up to that +time. Had worn nothing but a long white shirt +made of a flour sack after some of the "big bugs" +in Matagorda had eaten the flour out.</p> + +<p>The fall of 1861 Mr. Hale broke up school and +left for Yankeedom to join the blue coats. And +from that time on I had a regular picnic, doing +nothing and studying mischief. Billy Williams was +my particular chum; we were constantly together +doing some kind of devilment. The old women +used to say we were the meanest little imps in the +Settlement, and that we would be hung before we +were twenty-one. Our three favorite passtimes +were, riding the milk calves, coon hunting and sailing +play-boats down on the bay shore.</p> + +<p>Shortly after school broke up I wore my first +pair of breeches. Uncle "Nick" and aunt "Mary," +mothers' brother and sister, who lived in Galveston, +sent us a trunk full of clothes and among them was +a pair of white canvas breeches for me.</p> + +<p>The first Sunday after the goods arrived mother +made me scour myself all over and try my new<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +pants on. They were large enough for two kids of +my size, but mother said I could wear them that +day if I would be a good boy, and that she would +take a few tucks in them before the next Sunday. +So after getting me fixed up she told me not to leave +the yard or she would skin me alive, etc.</p> + +<p>Of course I should have been proud of the new +addition to my wardrobe and like a good little boy +obeyed my mother; but I wasn't a good little boy +and besides the glory of wearing white pants was +insignificant compared to that of an exciting coon +hunt with dogs through brush, bramble and rushes. +You see I had promised Billy the evening before +to go coon hunting with him that day.</p> + +<p>I watched my chance and while mother was +dressing sister in her new frock I tiptoed out of +the house and skipped.</p> + +<p>Billy was waiting for me with the four dogs and +off we went for the Bay shore.</p> + +<p>Arriving there the dogs disappeared in the tall +rushes barking at every jump; we jumped right in +after them, up to our waists in the mud. We had +a genuine good all-day coon hunt, killing several +coons and one wild cat.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span></p> + +<p>We gave up the hunt about sundown, and I +started for home, the glory of my new pants having +departed. I was indeed a sorry looking sight, covered +with mud from head to foot.</p> + +<p>I entered the house with some fear and trembling, +and well I might, for mother was "laying" for me +with the old black strap. The result was I slept +sound that night, but couldn't sit down without pain +for a week afterwards.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/dec01.png" width="150" height="124" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_II" id="Chapter_II"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter II.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">MY INTRODUCTION TO THE LATE WAR.</p> + +<p>It was Monday morning—a day that I despised. +Need you wonder, for it was mother's wash day +and I had to carry wood from the Gulf beach to +keep the "pot boiling."</p> + +<p>I tried to play off sick that morning but it would +not work, for mother had noticed that I got away +with two plates of mush besides three hard boiled +eggs for breakfast.</p> + +<p>Before starting out after my first load of wood, +I hid the big old strap which hung by the door, +for I felt it in my bones there was war in the +air. I always did have a tough time of it on wash +days, and I knew this Monday would bring the +same old story.</p> + +<p>At last mother got the fire started under the wash-pot +which stood out in the yard and told me for +about the twentieth time to go after an armful of +wood. I hesitated, in hopes that she would take a +notion to go herself, but when she stamped her foot +and picked up a barrel stave I knew I had better be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +going, for when she got her Irish blood up it was +dangerous to linger.</p> + +<p>When I got out among the drift wood on the +beach, I treed a cotton-tail rabbit up a hollow log, +and I made up my mind to get Mr. cotton-tail out, +wood or no wood.</p> + +<p>I began digging the sand away from the log as +fast as I could so as to be able to roll it down +into the Gulf and drown the rabbit out.</p> + +<p>It was a very hot day and digging the heavy sand +with only my hands and a stick was slow, tiresome +work. The result was I fell asleep with my head +under the log and my bare legs sticking out in the +hot June sun. I dreamt I died and went to a dreadful +hot country and Satan was there piling hot coals +on me.</p> + +<p>Finally the sun went under a cloud, or at least I +suppose it did, for the burning pain left me and I +began to dream of Heaven; I thought the Lord was +there sitting upon His throne of gold in the midst +of scores of happy children. Calling me up to him +he pointed to a large pile of fence rails down in a +beautiful valley and said: "my boy you go down and +carry every one of those rails up here to me before +you stop."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span></p> + +<p>His words landed up against my happy thoughts +like a thunderbolt from a clear sky. I had been +thinking of what a picnic I would have with the +other children.</p> + +<p>A walk of about one mile brought me to the pile +of rails; there were more in the pile than I could +count, I shouldered one of the lightest and struck +out up the steep hill, thinking how I would like to +be back with mother, even if I had to carry an +armful of wood from the beach now and then.</p> + +<p>When about half way up the hill I heard a terrible +noise such as I had never heard before, it awakened +me, and in trying to jump up I bumped my +head against the log, and also filled my eyes full of +sand.</p> + +<p>When I got onto my feet and the sand out of +my eyes, I discovered the whole beach, east of me, +thronged with men carrying guns, and marching +right towards me. The head ones were not over a +hundred yards off, beating drums and blowing their +horns.</p> + +<p>It is needless to say I was scared and that I +ran as fast as my legs could carry me, looking back +every minute to see if they were after me. It was +in this way that I ran or sprang right into the midst<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +of Mrs. Zipprian's drove of geese, before I knew +it. There were several old ganders in the drove +which used to chase me every chance they got. I +generally took particular pains to go around them; +but this time my mind was in a different channel +from what it had ever been in before, hence my not +looking out for them.</p> + +<p>As I flew past, two of the old ganders made a dive +at me, but only one succeeded in catching on; he +grabbed the tail of my shirt, which stuck straight +out behind, in his mouth and hung on with blood in +his eyes. My speed seemed to increase instead of +slacken, every time the old gander would bounce +up and come down, his claws would rake the skin +from the calves of my legs. His death-like grip +finally broke loose and I felt considerable lighter. +My mind also, felt somewhat relieved.</p> + +<p>Mother was out in the yard washing, she had +picked up chips enough to boil the water; the tub +was sitting upon a box and she was rubbing away +with all her might, her back towards me. As I was +looking over my shoulder I ran against her, knocking +her, tub and all over in a pile, myself with them.</p> + +<p>Mother got up first with her right hand in my shirt +collar, I plead manfully, and tried to tell her about<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +the scores of men, but she was too mad to listen, +she dragged me to where the big black strap should +have hung, I knew she couldn't find it, therefore +hoped to get off with a few slaps, but alas, no she +spied the mush stick and the way she gave it to me +with that was a caution!</p> + +<p>The crowd I saw proved to be Dr. Pierceson's +company of rebels, who had been sent over from +Matagorda to drill and be ready to fight the blue +coats when they came. It was then the summer of +1862. They located their camp on the beach, about +a mile from our house, and I used to march with +them all day long sometimes. The captain, Dr. +Pierceson, gave me an umbrella stick which I used +for a gun.</p> + +<p>That coming fall about five thousand Yankees +landed at Deckrows Point on the Peninsula and +marched by our ranch on their way to the rebel +camp which was stationed forty miles above, at the +mouth of Caney Creek.</p> + +<p>They camped one night close to our house and +filled me up with hard-tack, which was quite a treat +to a fellow living on mush and milk.</p> + +<p>They had a five or six day fight with the rebels, +neither of them coming off victorious. We could<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +hear the guns plainly from the "Settlement." Many +dead men were washed ashore on the beach. My +sister and I stumbled onto one poor fellow one day, +shot through the heart. His clothes were gone and +his wrist was marked "J. T." in India ink.</p> + +<p>After the battle the Yankees marched back to +Deckrows Point where they remained to the end of +the war; the rebels still held their ground at the +mouth of Caney. Every now and then a squad from +each side would meet at the "Settlement" and have a +skirmish. I remember once after one of those skirmishes +a crowd of Yankees rounded Mr. Williams +up on the prairie—Billy and I being with him—and +throwing their pistols in his face told him if they ever +found him so far from home again they would kill him.</p> + +<p>Their threats didn't scare Mr. Williams the least +bit, for he afterwards slipped into their camp after +dark and stole eleven head of their best horses and +gave them to the rebels. But on his way back from +the rebel ramp, where he went to take the horses +they caught him and took him aboard of a Yankee +man-of-war to hang him. They had the rope around +his neck ready to swing him when the General turned +him loose, on account of his old age and bravery, +telling him never to be caught from home again.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span></p> + +<p>Fighting was going on nearly every day in sight +of us; sometimes the Yankee gun boats would get +into the Bay among the rebel boats, and at other +times they would fight across the narrow strip of +land, shooting right over the houses at one another. +Many of the cannon balls dropped on the prairie; +one of them at one time struck within a few feet of +Mr. Williams, almost burying him in the sand as it +plowed along on the ground. Poor fellow, he was +afterwards killed by one, he carried one home and +taking all the powder out of it, as he supposed, set +it out in the yard with the hole up, and then told Billy +to get him a coal of fire in the tongs. He thought +it would just flash a little.</p> + +<p>I was present, and not liking the looks of it, crept +out behind the picket gate, a few yards away, and +peeped between the pickets.</p> + +<p>The whole family was looking on to see the fun, +Mattie, one of the little girls, was sitting with her +arms around a dog's neck, within a few feet of it.</p> + +<p>Billy, arriving with the coal, handed it to his +father who reached over and let it drop down into +the hole—where he had taken out the lead screw.</p> + +<p>It seemed to me that the coal hadn't reached the +hole when the thing exploded. For a few seconds<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +everything was enveloped in smoke; when the +smoke disappeared sufficiently for me to see, the +whole sky seemed to be a blaze of fire, and finally +Mr. Williams emerged out of the heavy cloud of +smoke hopping on one leg.</p> + +<p>A piece of the bomb-shell had taken off part of +one foot on the left leg and another piece had +plowed through the calf of his right leg; part of +one ear was also gone. He only lived a few days.</p> + +<p>A piece of the shell took off one of the dog's +legs without even touching Mattie, the little girl +who had her arms around his neck.</p> + +<p>Several pieces went through the house, and one +piece went through the picket gate right over my +head. The next day Billy and I found a large piece +sticking in the wall of an old vacant house a mile +from where it exploded.</p> + +<p>During the war several ships were driven ashore +on the beach by the Yankee gun boats. The folks +at the "Settlement" would get all the plunder. One +ship was loaded with dry goods and from that time +on I wore breeches.</p> + +<p>About a year after the war broke out the rebels +gathered up all the cattle on the Peninsula and drove +them to the mainland, where they were turned<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> +loose with the thousands upon thousands of wild +cattle already over there. Their idea in doing so +was to keep the Yankees—whom they knew would +hold the lower part of the Peninsula, they having +the best gunboats—from getting fresh beef to eat. +There was only one cow left in the whole "Settlement" +and that was our old "Browny;" mother had +begged manfully for them to leave her, for she knew +we children would starve to death living on mush +straight.</p> + +<p>When the war broke up everybody was happy. +We cheered for joy when Mr. Joe Yeamans brought +the good news from town.</p> + +<p>Shortly after this all of the men and boys that +were large enough, went over to the mainland to +gather up the Peninsula cattle. On their arrival they +found it a bigger job than they had figured on, for +they were scattered over two or three hundred +miles of country and as wild as deer.</p> + +<p>Billy and I thought it very hard that we could +not go and be Cow Boys too; but we had lots of fun +all by ourselves, for we had an old mule and two or +three ponies to ride, so you see we practiced riding +in anticipation of the near future, when we would +be large enough to be Cow Boys.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span></p> + +<p>After being gone about three months the crowd +came back, bringing with them several hundred +head of cattle, which they had succeeded in gathering. +Among them were about twenty head belonging +to mother.</p> + +<p>The crowd went right back after more. This +stimulated Billy and I to become a crowd of Cow +Boys all by ourselves, therefore we put in most of +our time lassoing and riding wild yearlings, etc. +We hardly stayed at home long enough to get our +meals. Mother had to get her own wood in those +days, for sister had gone to school in Galveston. +Of course I always had to come home at night, +therefore mother would get satisfaction out of me +with the black strap or mush stick, after I was +snugly settled in bed, for my waywardness and +trifling habits.</p> + +<p>In the spring of 1867, a cattle man by the name +of Faldien brought his family over to the Peninsula +for their health and rented part of our house to +live in.</p> + +<p>After getting his wife and babies located in their +new quarters, he started back home, in Matagorda, +to make preparations for spring work, he +having to rig up new outfits, etc. He persuaded<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +mother to let me go with him, and learn to run +cattle. When she consented I was the happiest +boy in the "Settlement," for my life long wish was +about to be gratified.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/dec02.png" width="150" height="158" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_III" id="Chapter_III"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter III.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">MY FIRST LESSON IN COW PUNCHING.</p> + +<p>The next day after arriving in town, Mr. Faldien +sent me out to his ranch, twenty miles, on Big +Boggy. I rode out on the "grub" wagon with the +colored cook. That night, after arriving at the +ranch, there being several men already there, we +went out wild boar hunting. We got back about +midnight very tired and almost used up. Such a +hunt was very different from the coon hunts Billy +and I used to have at the "Settlement." Our dogs +were badly gashed up by the boars, and it was a +wonder some of us hadn't been served the same way.</p> + +<p>In a few days Mr. Faldien came out to the ranch, +bringing with him several men. After spending a +few days gathering up the cow-ponies, which hadn't +been used since the fall before, we started for Lake +Austin—a place noted for wild cattle.</p> + +<p>During the summer I was taken sick and had to +go home. I was laid up for two months with typhoid +fever. Every one thought I would die.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span></p> + +<p>That fall, about October, mother married a man +by the name of Carrier, who hailed from Yankeedom. +He claimed that he owned a farm in Michigan, besides +lots of other property.</p> + +<p>He was very anxious to get back to his farm, so +persuaded mother to sell out lock, stock and barrel +and go with him.</p> + +<p>She had hard work to find a buyer as money was +very scarce, but finally she got Mr. George Burkheart, +a merchant in Matagorda, to set his own +price on things and take them.</p> + +<p>The house and one hundred and seventy-five +acres of land only brought one hundred and seventy-five +dollars. The sixty head of cattle that we had +succeeded in getting back from the mainland went +at one dollar a head and all others that still remained +on the mainland—thrown in for good +measure.</p> + +<p>At last everything for sale was disposed of and +we got "Chris" Zipprian to take us to Indianola in +his schooner. We bade farewell to the old homestead +with tears in our eyes. I hated more than +anything else to leave old "Browny" behind for she +had been a friend in need as well as a friend indeed. +Often when I would be hungry and afraid to go<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +home for fear of mother and the mush stick, she +would let me go up to her on the prairie calf fashion +and get my milk. She was nearly as old as +myself.</p> + +<p>At Indianola we took the Steamship "Crescent +City" for New Orleans. The first night out we ran +into a large Brig and came very near going under. +The folks on the Brig were nearly starved to death, +having been drifting about for thirty days without a +rudder. We took them in tow, after getting our +ship in trim again, and landed them safely in Galveston.</p> + +<p>There was a bar-room on our ship, and our new +lord and master, Mr. Carrier, put in his spare time +drinking whisky and gambling; I do not think he +drew a sober breath from the time we left Indianola +until we landed in New Orleans, by that time he +had squandered every cent received for the homestead +and cattle, so mother had to go down into +her stocking and bring out the little pile of gold +which she had saved up before the war for "hard +times," as she used to say. With this money she +now bought our tickets to Saint Louis. We took +passage, I think, on the "Grand Republic." There +was also a bar-room on this boat, and after wheedling<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +mother out of the remainder of her funds, he +drank whisky and gambled as before, so we landed +in Saint Louis without a cent.</p> + +<p>Mother had to pawn her feather mattress and +pillows for a month's rent in an old delapidated +frame building on one of the back streets. It contained +only four rooms, two up stairs and two down; +the lower rooms were occupied by the stingy old +landlord and family; we lived in one of the upper +rooms, while a Mr. Socks, whose wife was an invalid, +occupied the other.</p> + +<p>The next day after getting established in our new +quarters, the "old man," as I called him, struck out +to find a job; he found one at a dollar a day shoveling +coal.</p> + +<p>At first he brought home a dollar every night, +then a half and finally a quarter. At last he got to +coming home drunk without a nickel in his pocket. +He finally came up missing; we didn't know what +had become of him. Mother was sick in bed at +the time from worrying. I went out several times +hunting work but no one would even give me a +word of encouragement, with the exception of an +old Jew who said he was sorry for me.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span></p> + +<p>A little circumstance happened, shortly after the +"old man" pulled his trifling carcass for parts unknown, +which made me a better boy and no doubt +a better man than I should have been had it never +happened.</p> + +<p>Everything was white without, for it had been +snowing for the past two days. It was about five +o'clock in the evening and the cold piercing north +wind was whistling through the unceiled walls of +our room. Mother was sound asleep, while sister +and I sat shivering over an old, broken stove, which +was almost cold, there being no fuel in the house.</p> + +<p>Sister began crying and wondered why the Lord +let us suffer so? I answered that may be it was because +we quit saying our prayers. Up to the time +we left Texas mother used to make us kneel down +by the bed-side and repeat the Lord's prayer every +night before retiring. Since then she had, from +worrying, lost all interest in Heavenly affairs.</p> + +<p>"Let us say our prayers now, then, brother!" +said sister drying the tears from her eyes.</p> + +<p>We both knelt down against the old, rusty stove +and commenced. About the time we had finished +the door opened and in stepped Mr. Socks with a +bundle under his arm. "Here children, is a loaf of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +bread and some butter and I will bring you up a +bucket of coal in a few moments, for I suppose +from the looks of the stove you are cold," said the +good man, who had just returned from his day's work.</p> + +<p>Was ever a prayer so quickly heard? We enjoyed +the bread and butter, for we hadn't tasted food +since the morning before.</p> + +<p>The next day was a nice sunny one, and I struck +out up town to try and get a job shoveling snow +from the sidewalks.</p> + +<p>The first place I tackled was a large stone front +on Pine street. The kind lady of the establishment +said she would give me twenty-five cents if I would +do a good job cleaning the sidewalk in front of the +house.</p> + +<p>After an hour's hard work I finished, and, after +paying me, the lady told me to call next day and +she would give me a job shoveling coal down in the +cellar, as I had done an extra good job on the sidewalk. +This was encouraging and I put in the +whole day shoveling snow, but never found any +more twenty-five cent jobs; most I received for one +whole hour's work was ten cents, and then the old +fat fellow kicked like a bay steer, about the d——d +snow being such an expense, etc.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span></p> + +<p>From that time on I made a few dimes each day +sawing wood or shoveling coal and therefore got +along splendid.</p> + +<p>I forgot to mention my first evening in Saint +Louis. I was going home from the bakery when I +noticed a large crowd gathered in front of a corner +grocery; I went up to see what they were doing. +Two of the boys had just gotten through fighting +when I got there; the store-keeper and four or five +other men were standing in the door looking on +at the crowd of boys who were trying to cap another +fight.</p> + +<p>As I walked up, hands shoved clear to the bottom +of my pockets, the store-keeper called out, pointing +at me, "there's a country Jake that I'll bet can lick +any two boys of his size in the crowd."</p> + +<p>Of course all eyes were then turned onto me, +which, no doubt, made me look sheepish. One of +the men asked me where I was from; when I told +him, the store-keeper exclaimed, "by gum, if he is +from Texas I'll bet two to one that he can clean out +any two boys of his size in the crowd."</p> + +<p>One of the other men took him up and they +made a sham bet of ten dollars, just to get me to +fight. The two boys were then picked out; one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +was just about my size and the other considerably +smaller. They never asked me if I would take a +hand in the fight until everything was ready. Of +course I hated to crawl out, for fear they might +think I was a coward.</p> + +<p>Everything being ready the store-keeper called +out, "dive in boys!"</p> + +<p>We had it up and down for quite a while, finally +I got the largest one down, and was putting +it to him in good shape, when the other one picked +up a piece of brick-bat and began pounding me on +the back of the head with it. I looked up to see +what he was doing and he struck me over one eye +with the bat. I jumped up and the little fellow took +to his heels, but I soon overtook him and blackened +both of his eyes up in good shape, before the +other boy, who was coming at full tilt could get there +to help him. I then chased the other boy back to +the crowd. That ended the fight and I received +two ginger-snaps, from the big hearted storekeeper, +for my trouble. I wore the nick-name of +"Tex" from that time on, during my stay in that +neighborhood; and also wore a black eye, where +the little fellow struck me with the bat, for several +days afterwards.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span></p> + +<p>About the middle of January mother received a +letter from the "old man," with ten dollars enclosed, +and begging her to come right on without delay as +he had a good job and was doing well, etc. He +was at Lebanon, Ill., twenty-five miles from the +city. The sight of ten dollars and the inducements +he held out made us hope that we would meet with +better luck there, so we packed up our few traps +and started on the Ohio and Mississippi railroad.</p> + +<p>On arriving in Lebanon about nine o'clock at +night we found the "old man" there waiting for us.</p> + +<p>The next morning we all struck out on foot, +through the deep snow, for Moore's ranch where +the "old man" had a job chopping cord wood. A +tramp of seven miles brought us to the little old log +cabin which was to be our future home. A few +rods from our cabin stood a white frame house in +which lived Mr. Moore and family.</p> + +<p>Everything went on lovely for the first week, +notwithstanding that the cold winds whistled +through the cracks in our little cabin, and we had +nothing to eat but corn bread, black coffee and old +salt pork that Moore could not find a market for.</p> + +<p>The first Saturday after getting established in our +new home the "old man" went to town and got on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +a glorious drunk, squandered every nickel he could +rake and scrape; from that time on his visits to +town were more frequent than his trips to the +woods, to work. At last I was compelled to go to +work for Moore at eight dollars a month, to help +keep the wolf from our door, and don't you forget +it, I earned eight dollars a month, working out in +the cold without gloves and only half clothed.</p> + +<p>Towards spring the "old man" got so mean and +good-for-nothing that the neighbors had to run him +out of the country. A crowd of them surrounded +the house one night, took the old fellow out and +preached him a sermon; then they gave him until +morning to either skip or be hung. You bet he +didn't wait until morning.</p> + +<p>A short while afterwards mother took sister and +went to town to hunt work. She left her household +goods with one of the near neighbors, a Mr. Muck, +where they still remain I suppose, if not worn out. +But there was nothing worth hauling off except the +dishes. I must say the table ware was good; we +had gotten them from a Spanish vessel wrecked on +the Gulf beach during the war.</p> + +<p>Mother found work in a private boarding house, +and sister with a Mrs. Bell, a miller's wife, while I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +still remained with Moore at the same old wages.</p> + +<p>Along in June sometime I quit Moore on account +of having the ague. I thought I should have money +enough to take a rest until I got well, but bless you +I only had ninety cents to my credit, Moore +had deducted thirty-five dollars the "old man" owed +him out of my earnings. I pulled for town as mad +as an old setting hen. But I soon found work again, +with an old fellow by the name of John Sargent, +who was to give me eight dollars a month, board +and clothes and pay my doctor bills.</p> + +<p>About the first of September mother and sister +went to Saint Louis where they thought wages +would be higher. They bade me good bye, promising +to find me a place in the city, so I could be +with them; also promised to write.</p> + +<p>Shortly afterwards I quit Mr. Sargent with only +one dollar to my credit; and that I havn't got yet. +He charged me up with everything I got in the +shape of clothes, doctor bills, medicine, etc.</p> + +<p>I then went to work for a carpenter, to learn the +trade, for my board, clothes, etc. I was to remain +with him three years. My first day's work was +turning a big heavy stone for him to grind a lot of +old, rusty tools on. That night after supper I broke<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> +my contract, as I concluded that I knew just as +much about the carpenter's trade as I wished to +know, and skipped for the country, by moonlight.</p> + +<p>I landed up at a Mr. Jacobs' farm twelve miles +from town and got a job of work at twelve dollars +a month. I didn't remain there long though, as I +had a chill every other day regular, and therefore +couldn't work much.</p> + +<p>I made up my mind then to pull for Saint Louis +and hunt mother and sister. I had never heard a +word from them since they left. After buying a +small satchel to put my clothes in and paying for a +ticket to the city, I had only twenty-five cents left +and part of that I spent for dinner that day.</p> + +<p>I arrived in East Saint Louis about midnight with +only ten cents left. I wanted to buy a ginger-cake +or something, as I was very hungry, but hated to +as I needed the dime to pay my way across the +river next morning. I wasn't very well posted then, +in regard to the ways of getting on in the world, or +I would have spent the dime for something to eat, +and then beat my way across the river.</p> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_IV" id="Chapter_IV"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter IV.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">MY SECOND EXPERIENCE IN ST. LOUIS.</p> + +<p>Bright and early next morning I gave my dime +to the ferryman and pulled out for the bustling +city, where I was soon lost in the large crowd which +thronged the levee.</p> + +<p>I left my satchel in a saloon and struck out to find +Mr. Socks, hoping he could give me some information +as to mother and sister's whereabouts, but I +was sadly disappointed, he had left that part of the +city in which he lived when I knew him.</p> + +<p>I put in the rest of the day gazing through the +show windows, especially of the bakeries, at the +fat pies, cakes, etc., for I was getting very hungry, +my last meal being dinner the day before.</p> + +<p>About dark I strolled up to a second-hand book +store and asked how much a bible, nearly new, +would bring? The man behind the counter told me +to bring it around and he would give whatever it +was worth. So I struck out after my satchel; I +hated the idea of parting with the book for it had +been presented to me by my late employer's mother<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +Mrs. Moore, a nice old lady who had taken a liking +to me. But you know how it is when a fellow is +hungry, or would have known had you been in my +shoes.</p> + +<p>I got twenty-five cents for the bible and immediately +invested fifteen cents of it in a mince pie.</p> + +<p>That night I stowed myself away in an empty +dry goods box. I did not sleep well, and when I +did sleep it was to dream of snakes and other venomous +reptiles.</p> + +<p>I put in the whole of the next day hunting work, +but failed to find it. I had bought a five cent ginger-cake +for my dinner and now I got a five cent pie +for my supper; this broke me flat and I had nothing +else that I could sell; so I put up for the night in a +pile of bailed hay, which was stacked up behind a +store.</p> + +<p>The next morning I struck out again hunting +work, but this time on an empty stomach. About +two o'clock in the afternoon I found a hack driver +who said he wanted to hire a boy to take care of +his horses; he said he would not be going home +until about one o'clock that night and for me to wait +for him in front of the Court house on Fourth street.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span></p> + +<p>Just as soon as dark came, I went to the appointed +place and staid there for fear my man +would conclude to go home earlier than he expected. +I was exceedingly happy when the long-looked +for hour drew near, for I thought it wouldn't +be long until I would have a good square meal and +a warm bed to sleep in.</p> + +<p>About two o'clock, while leaning against a lamppost +gazing up and down Fourth street, a policeman +punched me in the ribs and told me to "hunt my +hole" and that if he caught me out again so late +at night he would put me in the cooler.</p> + +<p>I pulled out across the street and waited until he +got out of sight, then I went back to my same old +stand, thinking that my man would certainly be +along in a few moments at the outside. Every hack +that drove by would cause me to have a spell of the +blues, until another hove in sight—soon to disappear +again. Finally about three o'clock my courage +and what few sparks of hopes that still remained, +wilted, for, an empty stomach and sitting up so late +had given me a terrible headache, which was almost +past endurance.</p> + +<p>I was sitting on the edge of the sidewalk, with +my face buried in both hands, crying, when someone<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> +touched me on the shoulder. I was scared at +first for I thought it was a "peeler;" but my fears +vanished when I looked up into the gleaming countenance +of a small, red complexioned man, who +said in a pleasant tone:—"Is there anything I can +do for you my little man?"</p> + +<p>His kindness proved too much for me, I burst +out crying and it was quite awhile before I could +tell him my trouble. He was terribly mad when I +told him how the hack man had served me; he told +me to watch for the hard-hearted wretch next day +and if I saw him to point him out and he would +teach him how to play jokes on innocent children.</p> + +<p>He took me to his boarding place, a fancy restaurant, +right across the street; he said he was just +fixing to go to bed when he spied me across the +street, acting as though in trouble.</p> + +<p>When he found out that I hadn't had a square +meal for three days he remarked that it was a d—d +shame and then told the night clerk, who appeared +to be half asleep, to have me a good supper fixed +up and to give me a good room. He then bid me +good night and started to bed, telling me to remain +there until I found work, if it was a month, that he +would arrange everything with the proprietor in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> +morning before he went to work. I thanked him +with tears in my eyes, for his kindness.</p> + +<p>I was so tired and sleepy that I never woke up +until nearly noon next day. After eating breakfast, +I struck out to hunt a job, but failed as usual.</p> + +<p>Three days after, while out hunting work, I +stopped an old man and asked him if he knew +where I could find a job? He smiled and said: +"My boy this is the fourth time you have asked me +that same question in the last three days. You must +like my looks, for I have noticed you pass scores +of men without stopping them."</p> + +<p>I told him I never tackled a man unless he had +a pleasing countenance, for I had been snapped up +short by so many; I also told him that I did not +remember asking him before.</p> + +<p>He finally, after asking me a few questions, said: +"Follow me and I will find you work before I stop."</p> + +<p>The first place we went into was the Planters' +House, on Fourth street, between Pine and Chestnut, +and he asked the clerk if they needed a bell +boy. "No," was the short answer he received.</p> + +<p>He then asked where he could find the proprietor. +"Up in his room, No.—. on first floor," was the +answer.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span></p> + +<p>We found the "boss" busily writing. My new +friend plead my case like a dutch uncle and told him +if I didn't prove to be just what he recommended +me to be—a wide-awake, get-up-and-get, honest +boy, that he would pay all damages, etc.</p> + +<p>That seemed to settle it, for I was told to go +down to the office and wait for orders.</p> + +<p>I was too happy to live. I thanked the kind old +gentleman from the bottom of my heart and offered +to pay him for his trouble as soon as I earned some +money. He told me I could pay him for his trouble +by being a good boy.</p> + +<p>After waiting a few minutes in the office, the proprietor +came down and made a bargain with me. +My wages were to be ten dollars a month. He +gave me one month's wages in advance, to buy +clean clothes with.</p> + +<p>I was put on the forenoon watch which went on +duty at eight in the morning and came off at one in +the afternoon. There were five of us on at a time.</p> + +<p>We would always make from twenty-five cents to +five dollars a day while on duty, for we hardly ever +went to wait on a person but what they would give +us something in the shape of money. Gamblers +generally gave us the most; sometimes a lot of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> +them would get together in a room to play cards +and send down to the bar after their drinks and +may be send a ten or twenty dollar bill and tell the +bell boy to keep the change. With this money we +used to have some gay old times taking in the city +after coming off guard.</p> + +<p>The next fall, nearly one year after landing at +the "Planters," I had a fight with one of the bell +boys, Jimmie Byron. He called me a liar and I +jumped aboard of him. When it was over with, +the clerk, Mr. Cunningham, called me up to the +counter and slapped me without saying a word.</p> + +<p>I went right straight to my room, packed up my +"gripsack" and went to the proprietor for a settlement.</p> + +<p>He was surprised and wanted to know what in +the world had gotten into me.</p> + +<p>I told him the whole thing, just as it happened. +He tried to get me to stay but I was still mad and +wouldn't listen to him. I had made up my mind +to buy a pistol, come back and get square with Mr. +Cunningham for slapping me.</p> + +<p>I left the house with eighteen dollars in my +pocket; jumped aboard of a street car and rode down +to the levee. I left my valise at a saloon and then<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +started back to find a gun store. I finally found one +and gave ten dollars for a fancy little ivory handled +five-shooter.</p> + +<p>I then started for the "Planters" still as mad as an +old setting hen. I had not gone far when I came +across a large crowd gathered around one of those +knife rackets, where you pay a quarter for five rings +and try to "ring" a knife.</p> + +<p>I watched the thing awhile and finally invested a +quarter. I got a little "Jim Crow" barlow the first +throw. That made it interesting, so I bought another +quarters worth, and another until five dollars +was gone. This did not satisfy me, so I kept on +until I didn't have a nickel left.</p> + +<p>But wasn't I mad when I realized what I had +done! I forgot all about my other troubles and felt +like breaking my own head instead of Cunningham's.</p> + +<p>I went to the levee and found out that the "Bart +Able" would start for New Orleans in a few minutes, +so I ran to get my satchel, not far off, determined +on boarding the steamer and remaining there until +kicked off. Anything to get nearer the land of my +birth, I thought, even if I had to break the rules +of a gentleman in doing so.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span></p> + +<p>When the Purser came around collecting fares, +I laid my case before him with tears in my eyes; +I told him I was willing to work—and hard, too, to +pay my fare. He finally, after studying awhile, +said, "Well go ahead, I'll find something for you +to do."</p> + +<p>Everything went on lovely with me until one +evening when we stopped at a landing to take on +some freight, mostly grain. We pulled up by the +side of an old disabled steamer which was being +used for a wharf-boat and went to work loading. +The job given to me was sewing sacks when ever +one was found out of order.</p> + +<p>There were two sets of men loading, one in the +stern and the other in the bow, and I was supposed +to do the sewing at both ends. When they came +across a holey sack, if I happened to be at the +other end they would holloa for me and I would go +running through the narrow passage way, leading +from one end to the other.</p> + +<p>I was in the stern when the sound of my name +came from the other end; I grabbed my ball of +twine and struck out in a dog trot through the +passage the sides of which were formed of grain +piled to the ceiling. When about half way through<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +I thought I heard my name called from the end I +had just left; I stopped to listen and while waiting, +being tired, I went to lean over against the wall of +sacked grain, but instead of a wall there was an +old vacated hatchway and over into that I went. +There being no flooring in the boat, there was +nothing but the naked timbers for my weary bones +to alight upon.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/dec03.png" width="160" height="147" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_V" id="Chapter_V"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter V.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">A NEW EXPERIENCE.</p> + +<p>The next day about noon I came to my senses. +I found myself all alone in a nice little room on +a soft bed. I tried to get up but it was useless; my +back felt as if it was broken. I couldn't think what +had happened to me. But finally the door opened +and in stepped a doctor, who explained the whole +matter. He said the captain, just as the boat was +fixing to pull out, was walking through the passage +way when he heard my groans down in the hold +and getting a lantern, ladder and help, fished me +out almost lifeless. I was in the captain's private +room and having the best of care. The back of my +head was swollen out of shape, it having struck on +one of the cross timbers, while my back landed +across another. The doctor said I owed my life to +the captain for finding me, "for," said he, "if you +had remained in there twenty minutes longer your +case would have been hopeless."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span></p> + +<p>At last we arrived in Memphis, Tenn. We had +been traveling very slowly on account of having to +stop at all the small landings and unload freight or +take on more.</p> + +<p>After landing at Memphis I took a notion that a +little walk would help my lame back, so I struck +out along the river bank, very slowly.</p> + +<p>During my walk I came across a drove of small +snipe, and having my pistol with me, I shot at +them. The pistol report attracted the attention of +two boys who were standing not far off. They +came over to me, and one of them, the oldest, who +was on crutches, having only one leg, asked how +much I would take for my "shooter?" I told him +I would take ten dollars for it, as I was in need of +money. He examined it carefully and then said: +"It's a trade buddy, but you will have to go up to +that little house yonder, to get the money, as I +havn't got that much with me."</p> + +<p>The house he pointed out stood off by itself to +the right of the town, which was situated about a mile +from the river. The house in question being half a +mile off, I told him that I was too weak to walk that +far, on account of my back being out of whack. +"Well," said he, "you go with us as far as that big<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +sand hill yonder," pointing to a large red sand hill a +few hundred yards from where we stood, "and my +chum here, who has got two good legs, will run +on and get the money while we wait."</p> + +<p>I agreed, not suspecting anything wrong and +when behind the sand hill, out of sight of the +steamboat landing, Mr. one-leg threw down on me +with my own "shooter" and ordered me to throw +up my hands. I obeyed and held mighty still while +the other young ruffian went through my pockets. +They walked off with everything I had in my +pockets, even took my valise key. I felt considerably +relieved, I can assure you, when the cocked +revolver was taken down from within a few inches +of my nose. I was in dread for fear his trembling +finger might accidently touch the trigger.</p> + +<p>As soon as I was released I went right back to +the landing and notified a policeman who struck +out after them. But whether he caught them or not +I never knew, as the "Bart Able" steamed down the +river shortly afterwards.</p> + +<p>The same evening after arriving in New Orleans +the "Bart Able" pulled back, for Saint Louis, leaving +me there flat broke and among strangers.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> + +<p>I looked terribly blue late that evening as I +walked up and down the crowded levee studying +what to do. I had already been to the Morgan +steamship landing and begged for a chance to work +my way to Texas, but met with poor success. I +could not hire out even if I had applied and got a +job, for my back was still stiff, so much so that I +couldn't stoop down without terrible pain.</p> + +<p>That night I laid down under an old tarpaulin +which was spread over a lot of sugar.</p> + +<p>After getting up and shaking the dust off next +morning, I went down the river about a mile where +scores of small boats were being unloaded.</p> + +<p>Among them were several boat loads of oranges, +bananas, etc., which were being unloaded. In carrying +the bananas on shore the over ripe ones would +drop off. On those I made my breakfast, but I +wished a thousand times before night that I had not +eaten them, for Oh Lord, how my head did ache!</p> + +<p>That night I went to sleep on a pile of cotton +bales—that is I tried to sleep, but my headache was +terrible, I could get but little repose.</p> + +<p>The next morning I found there was a Morgan +steamship in from Texas, and I struck out to interview<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +the captain in regard to a free ride to Texas. +But the old pot-bellied sinner wouldn't talk to me.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon I began to grow weak from hunger +and my back ached badly. I sat down on an +old stove at the foot of Canal street and never moved +for three long hours.</p> + +<p>Finally a well dressed old man about fifty years +of age, with an umbrella over his head, came out +of Couens' office, a small building a short distance +from where I sat, and walking up to me said, in a +gruff voice, "young man what are you sitting out +here in the sun for, so upright and stiff, as if nailed +to that old stove?"</p> + +<p>I told him I was compelled to sit upright on +account of a lame back. In fact I laid my case before +him in full. He then said in a much more pleasant +voice: "My boy I'm going to make you an offer, +and you can take it or let it alone—just as you like. +I will give you four dollars a month to help my wife +around the house and at the end of four months +will give you a free pass to Texas. You see I am +agent for Couens' Red River line of boats and, +therefore, can get a pass cheap."</p> + +<p>I accepted his offer at once and thanked him +with all my heart for his kindness. Being on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +his way home, we boarded a Canal street car. It +was then almost sundown.</p> + +<p>About a half hour's ride brought us within half +a block of our destination.</p> + +<p>Walking up a pair of nicely finished steps at No. +18 Derbigny street, he rang a bell. A negro servant +whom he called "Ann," answered the call. +Everything sparkled within, for the house was furnished +in grand style. The old gentleman introduced +me to his wife as a little Texas hoosier that +had strayed off from home and was about to starve.</p> + +<p>After supper "Miss Mary," as the servants called +Mrs. Myers and as I afterwards called her showed +me to the bath house and told me to give myself +an extraordinary good scrubbing.</p> + +<p>I do not know as this improved my looks any, as +I hadn't any clean clothes to put on, my valise +having been stolen during my illness coming down +the river.</p> + +<p>The next day Miss Mary took me to a clothing +house and fitted me out in fine style. I admired +all but the narrow brimmed hat and peaked toed +gaiters. I wanted a broad brimmed hat and star +top boots, but she said I would look too much like +a hoosier with them on.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span></p> + +<p>That evening I got a black eye. After Mr. Myers +came home from his work about four o'clock, we all +went out on the front steps to breathe the fresh air. +There being a crowd of boys playing at the corner +I asked Mr. and Mrs. Myers if I could go over and +watch them awhile. Both consented, but told me +not to stay long as they didn't want me to get into +the habit of mixing with the street loafers.</p> + +<p>On arriving there all eyes were turned towards +me. One fellow yelled out, "Hello dandy, when +did you arrive!" and another one remarked, "He is +a stiff cuss—aint he?"</p> + +<p>I concluded there was nothing to be seen and +turned back; just as I turned around a yellow negro +boy slipped up behind me and pulled my hair. +The white boys had put him up to it, no doubt.</p> + +<p>I jumped aboard of him quicker than a flash and +forgot all about my sore back. It was nip and tuck +for awhile—we both being about the same size, but +I finally got him down and blooded his nose in +good shape. As I went to get up he kicked me +over one eye with his heavy boot. Hence the black +eye, which was swollen up in a few minutes to an +enormous size.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span></p> + +<p>I expected to get a scolding from Mr. and Mrs. +Myers, but they both gloried in my spunk for taking +my own part. They had witnessed the whole thing.</p> + +<p>Somehow or another that fight took the kink out +of my back for from that time on it began to get +well. I am bothered with it though, to this day, +when I take cold or do a hard day's work.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/dec04.png" width="250" height="94" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_VI" id="Chapter_VI"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter VI.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">ADOPTED AND SENT TO SCHOOL.</p> + +<p>Mr. and Mrs. Myers had no children and after I +had been with them about a month, they proposed +to adopt me, or at least they made me +promise to stay with them until I was twenty-one +years of age.</p> + +<p>They were to send me to school until I was seventeen +and then start me in business. They also +promised to give me everything they had at their +death.</p> + +<p>So they prepared me for school right away. As +I was not very far advanced in book learning, having +forgotten nearly all that Mr. Hale taught me, they +thought I had better go to Fisk's public school until +I got a start.</p> + +<p>I had not been going to this school long when I +had trouble with the lady teacher, Miss Finnely. +It happened thus: A boy sitting behind me, struck +me on the neck with a slate pencil, and when I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +turned around and accused him of it he whispered, +"you lie." I gave him a lick on the nose that made +him bawl like a calf.</p> + +<p>Of course the teacher heard it and called us up +to take our medicine.</p> + +<p>She made the other boy hold out his hand first +and after giving him five raps told him to take his +seat.</p> + +<p>It was then my time, and I stuck out my hand +like a little man. She gave me five licks and was +raising the rule to strike again when I jerked my +hand away, at the same time telling her that it +wasn't fair to punish me the most when the other +boy caused the fuss. She insisted on giving me a +little more so finally I held out my hand and received +five more licks and still she was not satisfied; +but I was and went to my seat. She told me two +or three times to come back but I would not do it, +so she sent a boy upstairs after Mr. Dyer, the gentleman +who taught the large boys.</p> + +<p>I had seen Mr. Dyer try his hand on boys, at +several different times, therefore didn't intend to let +him get hold of me if I could help it. She saw me +looking towards the door, so she came over and +stood between me and it.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span></p> + +<p>I heard Mr. Dyer coming down the stairs; that +was enough; I flew for the door. I remember +running against something soft and knocking it +over and suppose it must have been Miss Finnely. +When I got to the street I pulled straight for home.</p> + +<p>About a week afterwards Mr. Myers sent me to +pay school, where I was taught German, French and +English. My teacher was an old gentleman who +only took a few select scholars.</p> + +<p>Everything went on fine until the following spring, +in May or June, when I got into a fuss with one of +the scholars and skipped the country.</p> + +<p>The way it happened: One day when school let +out for dinner we all, after emptying our dinner baskets, +struck out for the "green" to play "foot and a +half."</p> + +<p>There was one boy in the crowd by the name of +Stemcamp who was always trying to pick a fuss +with me. He was twice as large as I was, therefore +I tried to avoid him, but this time he called me +a liar and I made for him.</p> + +<p>During the scuffle which followed, I got out my +little pearl handled knife, one "Miss Mary" had given +me just a few days before and was determined to +use it the first opportunity.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span></p> + +<p>I was down on all fours and he astride of my +back putting it to me in the face, underhanded. +The only place I could get at with the knife was +his legs, so I stuck it in up to the handle, on the inside +of one leg, just below the groin and ripped +down.</p> + +<p>He jumped ten feet in the air and roared out +"Holy Moses!"</p> + +<p>As soon as I regained my feet he took to his +heels, but I soon overtook him and got another dig +at his back. I thought sure I had done him up for +good this time but found out afterwards that I had +done no harm, with the exception of ripping his +clothes down the back.</p> + +<p>The next day at that time I was on my way to +Saint Louis. I had stowed myself away on board +of the "Mollie Able" among the cotton bales.</p> + +<p>The second night out we had a blow up. One of +the cylinder-heads blew out of the engine. It +nearly killed the engineer and fireman, also several +other persons.</p> + +<p>A little negro boy—who was stealing his passage—and +I were sleeping on a pile of lumber close to the +engine when she went off. We both got pretty +badly scalded.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span></p> + +<p>The steamer ran ashore and laid there until morning +and then went the balance of the way on one +wheel. It took us just eight days from that time to +get to Saint Louis.</p> + +<p>I remained in Saint Louis one day without food—not +caring to visit the "Planters" or any of my acquaintances—and +then walked to Lebanon, Ill., +twenty-five miles. I thought may be I might find +out through some of my Lebanon friends where +mother and sister were.</p> + +<p>It was nearly noon when I struck out on my journey +and nine o'clock at night when I arrived at my +destination. I went straight to Mrs. Bell's, where +sister had worked, but failed to hear a word of +mother and sister's whereabouts.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Bell gave me a good bed that night and +next morning I struck out to hunt a job.</p> + +<p>After considerable tramping around I found work +with one of my old employers, a Mr. Jacobs, who +lived twelve miles from town.</p> + +<p>I only worked a short while when I began to wish +I was back under "Miss Mary's" wing. So one +morning I quit and pulled for Saint Louis.</p> + +<p>I had money enough to pay my fare to Saint +Louis and I arrived there just as the "Robert E.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +Lee" and "Natchez" were fixing to pull out on their +big race for New Orleans.</p> + +<p>The "Robert E. Lee" being my favorite boat, I +jumped aboard just as she was shoving off. Of +course I had to keep hidden most of the time, especially +when the captain or purser were around. +I used to get my chuck from the cook who thought +I was a bully boy.</p> + +<p>The "Natchez" would have beaten, no doubt, but +she got too smart by trying to make a cut-off through +an old canal opposite Memphis and got stuck in +the mud.</p> + +<p>The first thing after landing in New Orleans, I +hunted up one of my boy friends and found out by +him how my victim was getting on. He informed +me that he was up and hobbling about on crutches. +He also stated that the poor fellow came very near +losing his leg. I concluded if they did have me +arrested that Mr. Myers was able to help me out, so +I braced up and struck out for home.</p> + +<p>Mr. and Mrs. Myers were terribly tickled over +my return. They had an awful time though getting +me scrubbed up again, as I was very black and dirty.</p> + +<p>A few days after my return Mr. Myers went to +see my same old teacher to find out whether he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> +would take me back or not. At first he said that +no money could induce him to be bothered with me +again, but finally Mr. Myers talked him into the notion +of trying me once more.</p> + +<p>So the next morning I shouldered my books and +struck out for school to take up my same old studies, +German, French and English.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/dec05.png" width="200" height="102" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_VII" id="Chapter_VII"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter VII.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">BACK AT LAST TO THE LONE STAR STATE.</p> + +<p>Everything went on lovely until the coming fall, +about the latter part of November when I skipped +the country for good. I will tell you how it +happened.</p> + +<p>One afternoon a fire broke out close to the school +house and as everybody was rushing by, I became +excited and wanted to go too, to see the fun. I +asked the teacher if I could go, but he refused in a +gruff voice. This did not keep me, I made a break +for the door and was soon lost among the surging +mass of people.</p> + +<p>The next heard of me was on the "rolling deep." +I had boarded a Morgan steamship and stowed +myself away until the vessel was at sea, where I +knew they wouldn't land to put me ashore.</p> + +<p>"St. Mary" was the name of the ship. She lost +one of her wheel houses and was considerably out +of shape when we landed in Galveston, Texas. It +had stormed terribly during the whole trip.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span></p> + +<p>During the few hours that the ship remained in +Galveston, I put in my time hunting an old uncle +of mine by the name of "Nick" White, whom I +had never seen. He had been living there seventeen +years, therefore I experienced but little difficulty +in finding his place; but after finding it I +didn't have courage enough to go in and make myself +known. One reason was, I thought he might +think I was beholden to him, or in other words, +trying to get his sympathy. I just stood at the gate +a few minutes viewing the beautiful shrubbery, +which filled the spacious yard and went back to the +boat which by that time, was just fixing to pull out.</p> + +<p>We arrived in Indianola one morning about sun-up. +I recognized several of my old acquaintances +standing on the wharf before the ship landed; +among them was my old God-father Mr. Hagerty, +who stood for me when I was being christened by +the Catholic priest.</p> + +<p>They were all surprised to see me back. Mr. +Hagerty took me home with him and told me to +content myself until I could find work.</p> + +<p>In about a week I went to work for Mr. H. +Selickson, who ran a packing house five miles below +town. He gave me fifteen dollars a month all winter.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span></p> + +<p>The first month's wages went for a fancy pistol, +the next, or at least part of it, for a pair of star topped +boots and all the balance on "monte," a mexican +game. There were lots of mexicans working there +and after working hours some of them would "deal" +monte while the rest of us "bucked."</p> + +<p>About the first of February I quit the packing +house and went to Matagorda where I was welcomed +by all my old acquaintances. From there I +took a trip over to the "Settlement," on the Peninsula, +to see the old homestead. Everything looked +natural; the cedar and fig trees were covered with +little red winged black birds, seemingly the same +ones that were there when I left, nearly three years +before.</p> + +<p>After a week's stay in the Settlement, I went back +to Matagorda and went to work for Mr. Joseph +Yeamans, a Baptist preacher. My work was farming +and my wages part of the crop.</p> + +<p>Mr. Yeamans' farm was a thirty acre sand patch +on the Peninsula, about forty miles above the Settlement. +Our aim was to raise a big crop of water +melons and sweet potatoes, but when I left everything +pointed to a big crop of grass burrs and a very +slim lay out of sweet potatoes and water melons.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span></p> + +<p>The old gentleman and I lived all alone in a little +delapidated shanty with a dirt floor. Our chuck +consisted of black coffee, hard-tack and coon or +'possum meat. We had three good coon dogs, +therefore had plenty of fresh meat such as it was.</p> + +<p>There being plenty "Mavricks" close at hand, +and being tired of coon meat, I used to try and get +the old man to let me butcher one now and then for +a change, but he thought it wicked to kill cattle not +our own.</p> + +<p>As some of you may not know what a "Mavrick" +is, I will try and explain.</p> + +<p>In early days, a man by the name of Mavrick +settled on the Lavaca river and started a cow ranch. +He being a chicken-hearted old rooster, wouldn't +brand nor ear-mark any of his cattle. All his neighbors +branded theirs, therefore Mr. Mavrick claimed +everything that wore long ears.</p> + +<p>When the war broke out Mr. Mavrick had to bid +adieu to wife and babies and go far away to fight +for his country's good.</p> + +<p>When the cruel war was ended, he went home +and found his cattle roaming over a thousand hills. +Everywhere he went he could see thousands upon +thousands of his long-eared cattle.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span></p> + +<p>But when his neighbors and all the men in the +surrounding country came home and went to branding +their five years increase, Mr. Mavrick did not +feel so rich. He made a terrible fuss about it, but +it did no good, as in a very few years his cattle +wore some enterprising man's brand and he was +left out in the cold.</p> + +<p>Hence the term "Mavrick." At first people used +to say: "Yonder goes one of Mr. Mavrick's animals!" +Now they say: "Yonder goes a Mavrick!"</p> + +<p>About the time we got our crops, sweet potatoes, +melons, etc., in the ground, I swore off farming +and skipped out for town, leaving Mr. Yeamans my +share of the "crop" free <i>gratis</i>.</p> + +<p>After arriving in Matagorda I hired out to a Mr. +Tom Nie, who was over there, from Rancho Grande, +hiring some Cow Boys.</p> + +<p>"Rancho Grande" was owned by "Shanghai" Pierce +and Allen and at that time was considered one of +the largest ranches in the whole state of Texas. +To give you an idea of its size, will state, that the +next year after I went to work we branded twenty-five +thousand calves—that is, just in one season.</p> + +<p>Altogether there were five of us started to Rancho +Grande to work—all boys about my own age; we<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> +went in a sail boat to Palacious Point, where the +firm had an outside ranch and where they were +feeding a large lot of cow ponies for spring work.</p> + +<p>It was about the middle of April, 1871, that we +all, about twenty of us, pulled out for the headquarter +ranch at the head of Tresspalacious creek. +It took us several days to make the trip as we had +to brand calves and Mavricks on the way up.</p> + +<p>A few days after arriving at the ranch Mr. or +"Old Shang" Pierce as he was commonly called, +arrived from Old Mexico with about three hundred +head of wild spanish ponies, therefore we kids had +a high old time learning the art of riding a "pitching" +horse.</p> + +<p>We put in several days at the ranch making preparations +to start out on a two months trip. Being +a store there we rigged up in good shape; I spent +two or three months' wages for an outfit, spurs, etc., +trying to make myself look like a thoroughbred +Cow Boy from Bitter creek.</p> + +<p>There were three crowds of us started at the same +time; one to work up the Colorado river, the other +around home and the third which was ours, to work +west in Jackson and Lavaca counties.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span></p> + +<p>Our crowd consisted of fifteen men, one hundred +head of ponies—mostly wild ones—and a chuck +wagon loaded down with coffee, flour, molasses +and salt. Tom Nie was our boss.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/dec06.png" width="200" height="244" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_VIII" id="Chapter_VIII"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter VIII.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">LEARNING TO ROPE WILD STEERS.</p> + +<p>Arriving on the Navadad river, we went to work +gathering a herd of "trail" beeves and also +branding Mavricks at the same time. Some days +we would brand as high as three or four hundred +Mavricks—none under two years old.</p> + +<p>After about a month's hard work we had the herd +of eleven hundred ready to turn over to Mr. Black +who had bought them, delivered to him at the +Snodgrass ranch. They were all old mossy horn +fellows, from seven to twenty-seven years old.</p> + +<p>Mr. Black was a Kansas "short horn" and he had +brought his outfit of "short horn" men and horses, +to drive the herd "up the trail."</p> + +<p>Some of the men had never seen a Texas steer, +consequently they crossed Red river into the Indian +territory with nothing left but the "grub" wagon +and horses. They had lost every steer and Mr. +Black landed in Kansas flat broke.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span></p> + +<p>Lots of the steers came back to their old ranges +and Mr. "Shanghai" had the fun of selling them +over again, to some other greeny, may be.</p> + +<p>"Shanghai" Pierce went to Kansas the next year +and when he returned he told of having met Mr. +Black up there, working at his old trade—blacksmithing. +He said Mr. Black cursed Texas shamefully +and swore that he never would, even if he should +live to be as old as Isaac, son of Jacob, dabble in +long horns again.</p> + +<p>After getting rid of Mr. Black's herd we turned +our whole attention to branding Mavricks.</p> + +<p>About the first of August we went back to the +ranch and found that it had changed hands in our +absence. "Shanghai" Pierce and his brother Jonathan +had sold out their interests to Allen, Pool & Co. +for the snug little sum of one hundred and ten +thousand dollars.</p> + +<p>That shows what could be done in those days, +with no capital, but lots of cheek and a branding +iron. The two Pierce's had come out there from +Yankeedom a few years before poorer than skimmed +milk.</p> + +<p>Everything had taken a change—even to the +ranch. It had been moved down the river four<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +miles to Mr. John Moore's place. Mr. Moore had +been appointed "big chief," hence the ranch being +moved to his place.</p> + +<p>About the middle of August we pulled out again +with a fresh supply of horses, six to the man and a +bran new boss, Mr. Wiley Kuykendall.</p> + +<p>Some of the boys hated to part with Mr. Nie, +but I was glad of the change, for he wouldn't allow +me to rope large steers nor fight when I got on the +war-path. I remember one time he gave me fits for +laying a negro out with a four-year old club; and +another time he laid me out with his open hand for +trying to carve one of the boys up with a butcher +knife.</p> + +<p>We commenced work about the first of September +on "Big Sandy" in Lavaca county, a place noted for +wild "brush" cattle. Very few people lived in that +section, hence so many wild unbranded cattle.</p> + +<p>To illustrate the class of people who lived on Big +Sandy, will relate a little picnic a negro and I had +a few days after our arrival there.</p> + +<p>While herding a bunch of cattle, gathered the +day before, on a small prairie, we noticed a +footman emerge from the thick timber on the opposite +side from where we were and make straight<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +for a spotted pony that was "hobbled" and grazing +out in the open space.</p> + +<p>He was indeed a rough looking customer, being +half naked. He had nothing on his head but a +thick mat of almost gray hair; and his feet and legs +were bare.</p> + +<p>We concluded to "rope" him and take him to +camp, so taking down our ropes and putting spurs +to our tired horses we struck out.</p> + +<p>He saw us coming and only being about a hundred +yards from the spotted pony, he ran to him and +cutting the "hobbles," which held his two front legs +together, jumped aboard of him and was off in the +direction he had just come, like a flash. The pony +must have been well trained for he had nothing to +guide him with.</p> + +<p>A four hundred yard race for dear life brought +him to the "brush"—that is timber, thickly covered +with an underbrush of live-oak "runners." He shot +out of sight like an arrow. He was not a minute +too soon, for we were right at his heels.</p> + +<p>We gave up the chase after losing sight of him, +for we couldn't handle our ropes in the "brush."</p> + +<p>The next day the camp was located close to the +spot where he disappeared at, and several of us<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> +followed up his trail. We found him and his three +grown daughters, his wife having died a short while +before, occupying a little one room log shanty in a +lonely spot about two miles from the little prairie in +which we first saw him. The whole outfit were +tough looking citizens. The girls had never seen +a town, so they said. They had about two acres +in cultivation and from that they made their +living. Their nearest neighbor was a Mr. Penny, +who lived ten miles west and the nearest town +was Columbus, on the Colorado river, fifty miles east.</p> + +<p>As the cattle remained hidden out in the "brush" +during the day-time, only venturing out on the small +prairies at night, we had to do most of our work +early in the morning, commencing an hour or two +before daylight. As you might wish to know exactly +how we did, will try and explain:—About +two hours before daylight the cook would holloa +"chuck," and then Mr. Wiley would go around and +yell "breakfast, boys; d——n you get up!" two or +three times in our ears.</p> + +<p>Breakfast being over we would saddle up our +ponies, which had been staked out the night before, +and strike out for a certain prairie may be three or +four miles off—that is all but two or three men, just<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +enough to bring the herd, previously gathered, on +as soon as it became light enough to see.</p> + +<p>Arriving at the edge of the prairie we would dismount +and wait for daylight.</p> + +<p>At the first peep of day the cattle, which would +be out in the prairie, quite a distance from the +timber, would all turn their heads and commence +grazing at a lively rate towards the nearest point of +timber. Then we would ride around through the +brush, so as not to be seen, until we got to the +point of timber that they were steering for.</p> + +<p>When it became light enough to see good, we +would ride out, rope in hand, to meet them and apt +as not one of the old-timers, may be a fifteen or +twenty-year old steer, which were continuously on +the lookout, would spy us before we got twenty +yards from the timber. Then the fun would begin—the +whole bunch, may be a thousand head, would +stampede and come right towards us. They never +were known to run in the opposite direction from +the nearest point of timber. But with cattle raised +on the prairies, it's the reverse, they will always +leave the timber.</p> + +<p>After coming in contact, every man would rope +and tie down one of the finest animals in the bunch.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> +Once in awhile some fellow would get more beef +than he could manage; under those circumstances he +would have to worry along until some other fellow +got through with his job and came to his rescue.</p> + +<p>If there was another prairie close by we would go +to it and tie down a few more, but we would have +to get there before sunup or they would all be in +the brush. It was their habit to graze out into the +little prairies at night-fall and go back to the brush +by sunrise next morning.</p> + +<p>Finally the herd which we had gathered before +and which was already "broke in," would arrive +from camp, where we had been night-herding +them and then we would drive it around to each +one of the tied-down animals, letting him up so +he couldn't help from running right into the herd, +where he would generally stay contented. Once in +awhile though, we would strike an old steer that +couldn't be made to stay in the herd. Just as soon +as he was untied and let up he would go right +through the herd and strike for the brush, fighting +his way. Under those circumstances we would have +to sew up their eyes with a needle and thread. That +would bring them to their milk, as they couldn't see +the timber.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span></p> + +<p>I got into several scrapes on this trip, by being a +new hand at the business. One time I was going at +full speed and threw my rope onto a steer just as he +got to the edge of the timber; I couldn't stop my +horse in time, therefore the steer went on one side +of a tree and my horse on the other and the consequence +was, my rope being tied hard and fast to the +saddle-horn, we all landed up against the tree in a +heap.</p> + +<p>At another time, on the same day, I roped +a large animal and got my horse jerked over backwards +on top of me and in the horse getting up he +got me all wound up in the rope, so that I couldn't +free myself until relieved by "Jack" a negro man +who was near at hand. I was certainly in a ticklish +predicament that time; the pony was wild and there +I hung fast to his side with my head down while +the steer, which was still fastened to the rope, was +making every effort to gore us.</p> + +<p>Just before Christmas Moore selected our outfit +to do the shipping at Palacious Point, where a +Morgan steamship landed twice a week to take +on cattle for the New Orleans market.</p> + +<p>We used to ship about five hundred head at each +shipping. After getting rid of one bunch we would<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> +strike right back, to meet one of the gathering +outfits, after another herd. There were three different +outfits to do the gathering for us.</p> + +<p>We kept that up all winter and had a tough time +of it, too, as it happened to be an unusually cold and +wet winter.</p> + +<p>Towards spring the cattle began to get terribly +poor, so that during the cold nights while night-herding +them a great many would get down in the +mud and freeze to death. Have seen as high as +fifty head of dead ones scattered over the ground +where the herd had drifted during the night. It's a +pity if such nights as those didn't try our nerves.</p> + +<p>Sometimes it would be twelve o'clock at night +before we would get the cattle loaded aboard of the +ship. But when we did get through we would surely +have a picnic—filling up on Mr. Geo. Burkheart's +red eye. Mr. Burkheart kept a store at the "Point" +well filled with Cow Boys delight—in fact he made +a specialty of the stuff.</p> + +<p>Our camping ground was three miles from the +Point, and some mornings the cook would get up +and find several saddled horses standing around +camp waiting for their corn—their riders having +fallen by the wayside.</p> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_IX" id="Chapter_IX"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter IX.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">OWNING MY FIRST CATTLE.</p> + +<p>When spring opened, our outfit, under the leadership +of Mr. Robert Partin, Mr. Wiley having +quit, struck out up the Colorado river in Whorton +and Colorado counties to brand Mavricks.</p> + +<p>About the last of July we went to the "home" +ranch, where Mr. Wiley was put in charge of us +again. We were sent right out on another trip, +west, to Jackson county.</p> + +<p>It was on this trip that I owned my first cattle. +Mr. Wiley concluded it would look more business +like if he would brand a few Mavricks for himself instead +of branding them all for Allen, Pool & Co., +so he began putting his own brand on all the +finest looking ones. To keep us boys from giving +him away, he gave us a nest egg apiece—that is a +few head to draw to. My nest eggs were a couple of +two-year olds, and my brand was A. T. connected—the +T. on top of the A. Of course after that I +always carried a piece of iron tied to my saddle so<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +in case I got off on the prairie by myself I could +brand a few Mavricks for myself, without Mr. Wiley +being any the wiser of it. The way I would go about +it would be to rope and tie down one of the long-eared +fellows and after heating the straight piece of +round, iron bolt, in the brush or "cow-chip" fire, +"run" my brand on his hip or ribs. He was then my +property.</p> + +<p>Everything ran along as smooth as if on greased +wheels for about two months, when somehow or +another, Mr. Moore, our big chief, heard of our +little private racket and sent for us to come home.</p> + +<p>Mr. Wiley got the "G. B." at once and a Mr. +Logan was put in his place. Now this man Logan +was a very good man but he was out of his latitude, +he should have been a second mate on a Mississippi +steamboat.</p> + +<p>I worked with Logan one trip, until we got back to +the ranch and then I settled up for the first time +since going to work, nearly two years before.</p> + +<p>An old irishman by the name of "Hunky-dorey" +Brown kept the store and did the settling up with +the men. When he settled with me he laid all +the money, in silver dollars, that I had earned since +commencing work, which amounted to a few hundred<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> +dollars, out on the counter and then after +eyeing me awhile, said: "Allen, Pool & Co. owe +you three hundred dollars," or whatever the amount +was, "and you owe Allen, Pool & Co. two hundred +ninety-nine dollars and a quarter, which leaves you +seventy-five cents." He then raked all but six bits +into the money drawer.</p> + +<p>To say that I felt mortified wouldn't near express +my feelings. I thought the whole pile was mine +and therefore had been figuring on the many purchases +that I intended making. My intentions were +to buy a herd of ponies and go to speculating. I +had a dozen or two ponies, that I knew were for +sale, already picked out in my mind. But my fond +expectations were soon trampled under foot. You +see I had never kept an account, consequently never +knew how I stood with the company.</p> + +<p>After pocketing my six bits, I mounted "Fannie" +a little mare that I had bought not long before and +struck out for W. B. Grimes' ranch, a few miles up +the river. I succeeded in getting a job from the old +gentleman at fifteen dollars per month.</p> + +<p>Mr. Grimes had a slaughter house on his ranch +where he killed cattle for their hides and tallow—the +meat he threw to the hogs. About two hundred<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> +head per day was an average killing. Did you ask +kind reader, if those were all his own cattle that he +butchered? If so, will have to say that I never +tell tales out of school.</p> + +<p>After working around the ranch a short while Mr. +Grimes gave me the job of taking care of his "stock +horses," that is mares, colts and horses that wern't +in use. There were about two hundred head of +those and they were scattered in two hundred and +fifty different places—over fifty square miles of +territory and of course before I could take care of +them I had to go to work and gather them up into +one bunch.</p> + +<p>A little circumstance happened shortly after going +to work at the "W. B. G." ranch which I am going +to relate.</p> + +<p>An old gentleman by the name of Kinchlow, who +owned a large horse ranch up on the Colorado river +in Whorton county, came down and told Mr. Grimes +that his outfit was fixing to start on a horse "hunt" +and for him to send a man along, as there were +quite a number of "W. B. G." horses in that country.</p> + +<p>As I had the job taking care of the horses, it fell +to my lot to accompany the old gentleman, Mr. +Kinchlow, to his ranch fifty miles distant.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span></p> + +<p>It was bright and early one morning when we +pulled out, aiming to ride the fifty miles by ten +o'clock that night. Mr. Kinchlow was mounted on +"old Beauregard," a large chestnut sorrel, while I +rode a fiery little bay.</p> + +<p>Our journey was over a bald, wet prairie; night +overtook us at the head of Blue creek, still twenty +miles from our destination.</p> + +<p>A few minutes after crossing Blue creek, just +about dusk, we ran across a large panther, which +jumped up out of the tall grass in front of us. It +was a savage looking beast and appeared to be on +the war-path. After jumping to one side it just sat +still, growling and showing its ugly teeth. I started +to shoot it but Mr. Kinchlow begged me not to as +it would frighten his horse, who was then almost +beyond control, from seeing the panther.</p> + +<p>We rode on and a few minutes afterwards discovered +the panther sneaking along after us through +the tall grass. I begged Mr. Kinchlow to let me +kill it, but he wouldn't agree, as, he said, a pistol +shot would cause old Beauregard to jump out of +his hide.</p> + +<p>It finally became very dark; our guide was a +certain bright little star. We had forgotten all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> +about the panther as it had been over half an hour +since we had seen it. The old man was relating an +indian tale, which made my hair almost stand on +end, as I imagined that I was right in the midst of +a wild band of reds, when all at once old Beauregard +gave a tremendous loud snort and dashed +straight ahead at a break-neck speed. Mr. Kinchlow +yelled "whoa," every jump; finally his voice died +out and I could hear nothing but the sound of his +horse's hoofs, and finally the sound of them too, +died out.</p> + +<p>Of course I socked spurs to my pony and tried +to keep up, for I imagined there were a thousand +and one indians and panthers right at my heels.</p> + +<p>After running about a quarter of a mile I heard +something like a faint, human groan, off to my right +about fifty yards. I stopped and listened, but could +not hear anything more, except now and then the +lonely howl of a coyote off in the distance. I +finally began to feel lonesome, so I put spurs to my +pony again. But I hadn't gone only a few jumps +when I checked up and argued with myself thusly:—Now +suppose that groan came from the lips of Mr. +Kinchlow, who may-be fell from his horse and is +badly hurt; then wouldn't it be a shame to run off<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +and leave him there to die when may be a little aid +from me would save him?</p> + +<p>I finally spunked up and drawing my pistol started +in the direction from whence came the groan. +My idea in drawing the pistol was, for fear the +panther, who I felt satisfied had been the cause of +the whole trouble, might tackle me. Suffice it to +say that I found the old gentleman stretched out on +the ground apparently lifeless and that a half hour's +nursing brought him to. He finally after several +trials, got so he could stand up, with my aid. I +then helped him into my saddle, while I rode behind +and held him on and we continued our journey +both on one horse. He informed me after he came +to his right senses, that old Beauregard had fallen +and rolled over him.</p> + +<p>We landed at our destination about ten o'clock +next morning; but the good old man only lived +about two weeks afterwards. He died from the +effects of the fall, so I heard.</p> + +<p>About Christmas I quit Mr. Grimes and went to +work on my own hook, skinning "dead" cattle and +adding to the nest egg Mr. Wiley gave me. I put +my own brand on quite a number of Mavricks while +taking care of Mr. Grimes' horses, which began to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +make me feel like a young cattle king. The only +trouble was they were scattered over too much wild +territory and mixed up with so many other cattle. +When a fellow branded a Mavrick in those days it +was a question whether he would ever see or realize +a nickel for it. For just think, one, or even a +hundred head mixed up with over a million of cattle, +and those million head scattered over a territory +one hundred miles square and continually drifting +around from one place to another.</p> + +<p>After leaving Daddy Grimes I made my home +at Mr. Horace Yeamans', an old mexican war veteran, +who lived five miles from Grimes'. His +family consisted of two daughters and two sons, all +grown but the youngest daughter, Sally, who was +only fourteen, and who I was casting sheeps eyes +at. The old gentleman had brought his children up +very pious, which was a glorious thing for me as, +during the two years that I made my home there, +I got broke of swearing—a dirty, mean habit which +had fastened itself upon me, and which I thought was +impossible to get rid of. I had become so that it +was almost an impossibility for me to utter a sentence +without using an oath to introduce it and +another to end it. To show how the habit was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +fastened upon me: Mr. Parten, one of my former +bosses, made me an offer of three dollars more +wages, on the month, if I would quit cursing but I +wouldn't do it.</p> + +<p>Horace Yeamans, who was about my own age +and I went into partnership in the skinning business. +Cattle died by the thousands that winter, on account +of the country being overstocked, therefore Horace +and I had a regular picnic skinning, and branding +Mavricks—only those that looked as if they might +pull through the winter.</p> + +<p>To give you an idea how badly cattle died that +winter will state that, at times, right after a sleet, +a man could walk on dead animals for miles without +stepping on the ground. This, of course, would be +along the Bay shore, where they would pile up on +top of one another, not being able to go further, on +account of the water.</p> + +<p>About five miles east of Mr. Yeamans' was a +slough or creek called "Turtle bayou" which lay east +and west a distance of several miles, and which I +have seen bridged over with dead cattle, from one +end to the other. You see the solid mass of half +starved animals, in drifting ahead of a severe +"Norther," would undertake to cross the bayou,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> +which was very boggy and consequently the weakest +ones would form a bridge for the others to cross on.</p> + +<p>My share of the first hides we shipped to Indianola +amounted to one hundred and fourteen +dollars. You bet I felt rich. I never had so much +money in all my life. I went at once and bought +me a twenty-seven dollar saddle and sent mother +twenty-five dollars. I had found out mother's address, +in Saint Louis, by one of my old Peninsula +friends getting a letter from sister.</p> + +<p>Our next sale amounted to more than the first. +That time Horace and I went to Indianola with the +hides for we wanted to blow in some of our surplus +wealth; we were getting too rich.</p> + +<p>When spring opened I bought five head of horses +and thought I would try my hand at trading horses. +The first trade I made, I cleared twenty-five dollars. +I gave an old mare which cost me twenty dollars, +for a pony which I sold a few days afterwards for +forty-five.</p> + +<p>Along in May I fell head over heels in love, for +the first time in my life. A pretty little fourteen +year old Miss, cousin to Horace and the girls, came +over on a month's visit and when she left I was completely +rattled—couldn't think of anything but her;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +her beautiful image was continually before my eyes.</p> + +<p>Her father, who was Sheriff of Matagorda county +lived on the road to Matagorda, fifteen miles from +Mr. Yeamans', therefore, during the coming summer +I went to town pretty often; to get a new brand +recorded was generally my excuse. You see, as +she lived about half way between the Yeamans' +ranch and town, I could be near her two nights +each trip, one going and one returning.</p> + +<p>I had very poor success that summer in my new +enterprise, horse trading. I was too badly "locoed" +to tell a good horse from a bad one; in fact I wasn't +fit for anything, unless it would have been a Mail +carrier between "Denning's Bridge" and Matagorda.</p> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_X" id="Chapter_X"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter X.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">A START UP THE CHISHOLM TRAIL.</p> + +<p>I put in the following winter branding Mavricks, +skinning cattle and making regular trips to Matagorda; +I still remained in partnership with Horace +Yeamans in the skinning business. I made considerable +money that winter as I sold a greater number +of Mavricks than ever before. But the money +did me no good as I spent it freely.</p> + +<p>That coming spring, it being 1874, I hired to +Leander Ward of Jackson county to help gather a +herd of steers for the Muckleroy Bros., who were +going to drive them to Kansas. I had also made a +contract with Muckleroy's boss, Tom Merril, to go +up the trail with him, therefore I bid my friends +good-bye, not expecting to see them again until the +coming fall. My wages were thirty-five dollars per +month and all expenses, including railroad fare back +home.</p> + +<p>After a month's hard work we had the eleven hundred +head of wild and woolly steers ready to turn over<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> +to the Muckleroy outfit at Thirteen mile point on +the Mustang, where they were camped, ready to +receive them. Their outfit consisted mostly of +Kansas "short horns" which they had brought back +with them the year before.</p> + +<p>It was a cold, rainy evening when the cattle were +counted and turned over to Tom Merril. Henry +Coats, Geo. Gifford and myself were the only boys +who were turned over with the herd—that is kept +right on. We were almost worn out standing night +guard half of every night for the past month and +then starting in with a fresh outfit made it appear +tough to us.</p> + +<p>That night it began to storm terribly. The herd +began to drift early and by midnight we were five +or six miles from camp. The steers showed a disposition +to stampede but we handled them easy and +sang melodious songs which kept them quieted. +But about one o'clock they stampeded in grand +shape. One of the "short horns," a long legged +fellow by the name of Saint Clair got lost from the +herd and finally when he heard the singing came +dashing through the herd at full speed yelling "let +'em slide, we'll stay with'em!" at every jump.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span></p> + +<p>They did slide sure enough, but he failed to "stay +with 'em." For towards morning one of the boys +came across him lying in the grass sound asleep. +When he came dashing through the herd a stampede +followed; the herd split up into a dozen different +bunches—each bunch going in a different direction. +I found myself all alone with about three hundred +of the frightened steers. Of course all I could do +was to keep in front or in the lead and try to check +them up. I finally about three o'clock got them +stopped and after singing a few "lullaby" songs they +all lay down and went to snoring.</p> + +<p>After the last steer dropped down I concluded I +would take a little nap too, so locking both legs +around the saddle-horn and lying over on the tired +pony's rump, with my left arm for a pillow, while +the other still held the bridle-reins, I fell asleep. I +hadn't slept long though when, from some unaccountable +reason, every steer jumped to his feet at +the same instant and was off like a flash. My pony +which was sound asleep too, I suppose, became +frightened and dashed off at full speed in the opposite +direction. Of course I was also frightened +and hung to the saddle with a death grip. I was +unable to raise myself up as the pony was going so<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +fast, therefore had to remain as I was, until after +about a mile's run I got him checked up.</p> + +<p>Just as soon as I got over my scare I struck out +in a gallop in the direction I thought the cattle had +gone, but failed to overtake them. I landed in +camp almost peetered out about nine o'clock next +morning. The rest of the boys were all there, just +eating their breakfast. Tom Merril and Henry +Coats had managed to hold about half of the herd, +while the balance were scattered and mixed up with +"range" cattle for twenty miles around.</p> + +<p>After eating our breakfast and mounting fresh +horses we struck out to gather up the lost steers. +We could tell them from the range cattle by the +fresh "road" brand—a brand that had been put +on a few days before—therefore, by four o'clock +that evening we had all but about one hundred head +back to camp and those Leander Ward bought +back at half price—that is he just bought the road +brand or all cattle that happened to be left behind.</p> + +<p>On arriving at camp, we all caught fresh horses +before stopping to eat dinner or supper, whichever +you like to call it, it being then nearly night. The +pony I caught was a wild one and after riding up +to camp and dismounting to eat dinner, he jerked<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> +loose from me and went a flying with my star-spangled +saddle.</p> + +<p>I mounted a pony belonging to one of the other +boys and went in hot pursuit. I got near enough +once to throw my rope over his rump and that was +all. After a run of fifteen miles I gave it up as a +bad job and left him still headed for the Rio Grande.</p> + +<p>I got back to camp just at dark and caught a +fresh horse before stopping to eat my supper. It +was still raining and had kept it up all day long. +Mr. "Jim" Muckleroy had an extra saddle along +therefore I borrowed it until I could get a chance +to buy me another one.</p> + +<p>After eating a cold supper, the rain having put +the fire out, I mounted and went on "guard," the +first part of the night, until one o'clock, being +my regular time to stay with the herd, while the +last "guard" remained in camp and slept.</p> + +<p>About ten o'clock it began to thunder and lightning, +which caused the herd to become unruly. +Every time a keen clash of thunder would come the +herd would stampede and run for a mile or two before +we could get them to stop. It continued in that +way all night so that we lost another night's rest;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> +but we managed to "stay with 'em" this time; didn't +even loose a steer.</p> + +<p>That morning we struck out on the trail for Kansas. +Everything went on smoothly with the exception +of a stampede now and then and a fuss with +Jim Muckleroy, who was a regular old sore-head. +Charlie, his brother was a white man. Where the +trouble began, he wanted Coats and I, we being +the only ones in the crowd who could ride wild +horses—or at least who were willing to do so, to +do the wild horse riding for nothing. We finally +bolted and told him that we wouldn't ride another +wild horse except our regular "mount," unless he +gave us extra pay. You see he expected us to ride +a horse a few times until he began to get docile and +then turn him over to one of his muley pets while +we caught up a fresh one.</p> + +<p>At High Hill in Fayette county I got the bounce +from old Jim and a little further on Coats got the +same kind of a dose; while nearing the northern +state-line Geo. Gifford and Tom Merril, the boss, +were fired; so that left old Jim in full charge. He +hired other men in our places. He arrived in +Wichita, Kansas with eight hundred steers, out of +the eleven hundred we started with.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span></p> + +<p>After leaving the outfit I rode to the Sunset railroad +at Shusenburg and boarded a train for Columbus +on the Colorado river. "Pat" Muckleroy, +Charlie's son, who was about eighteen years old, +quit and went with me. His home was in Columbus +and he persuaded me to accompany him and have +a good time.</p> + +<p>On arriving in Columbus I went with Pat to his +home where I remained during my stay in that +place. I found Mrs. M., Pat's mother, to be a kind-hearted +old lady, and I never shall forget the big, +fat apple cobblers she used to make; she could beat +the world making them. There were also two young +Misses in the family, Nannie and Mary, who made +time pass off pleasantly with me.</p> + +<p>It being seventy-five miles to Tresspalacious and +there being no railroad nearer than that, I had to +wait for a chance to get home. I could have bought +a horse and saddle when I first struck town but after +remaining there a week I began to get light in the +pocket, for it required quite a lot of money to keep +up my end with the crowd that Pat associated with.</p> + +<p>At last after about a three weeks stay, I struck +Asa Dawdy, an old friend from Tresspalacious. +He was there with a load of stock and was just fixing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> +to load them on the cars to ship them to Galveston +when I ran afoul of him. He had sold his +saddle and was going to put his pet pony, one that +he wouldn't sell, into a pasture until some other +time when he happened up there. So you see I was +in luck, he turned the pony over to me to ride +home on.</p> + +<p>After buying and rigging up a saddle I left town +flat broke. I spent my last dime for a glass of +lemonade just before leaving. Thus ended my first +experience on the "trail."</p> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XI" id="Chapter_XI"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XI.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">BUYS A BOAT AND BECOMES A SAILOR.</p> + +<p>A three days' ride brought me to Grimes' ranch +where I hoped to strike a job, but the old +gent' informed me that he was full handed—had +more men than he really needed. But he offered +me a job cutting cord wood at a dollar a cord until +there should be an opening for me, which he +thought would be when the branding outfit arrived +from Jackson county where it had gone quite a +while before.</p> + +<p>"Cutting cord wood" sounded tough to me, but +I finally agreed to try it a round or two, for I hated +the idea of being "busted." Mr. Grimes was to advance +me about two weeks provisions on "tick," so +I concluded I couldn't lose anything—unless it was +a few pounds of muscle and I had grave doubts +about that, for I knew my failing when it came to +dabbling in wood.</p> + +<p>Before launching out into the wood business I +borrowed a horse and struck out to hunt up old<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> +Satan so that I could ride around and find easy +trees to cut down; I found him about thirty miles +from Grimes' ranch; he was fat and wild; I had to +get help to put him in a corral and when I mounted +him he pitched like a wolf. He had forgotten that +he had ever been ridden.</p> + +<p>The "wood camp" was three miles from the ranch +in a thinly timbered bottom. I had to camp all by +myself, which made it a disagreeable job.</p> + +<p>The first day, after locating camp, was spent in +building a kind of Jim Crow shanty out of rotten +logs—was saving my muscle to cut cord wood.</p> + +<p>Next morning bright and early I mounted Satan +and rode around hunting some easy trees—ones +that I thought would cut nicely. I marked about +a dozen and went back to camp, it being noon by +that time.</p> + +<p>After dinner I lay down to take a nap until +evening when it would be cooler. About five o'clock +I rolled up my sleeves and waded into a small, sickly +pin-oak tree and the way chips flew for half an +hour was a caution. I then put in the balance of +the evening cording it up—that is what I had cut. +It lacked considerable of being half a cord, but +I filled in a lot of rotten chunks to make it pan out<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> +fifty cents worth. I slept sound that night for I +was tired.</p> + +<p>Bright and early next morning I shouldered my +axe and struck out to tackle another sickly pin-oak +tree. While spitting on my hands and figuring on +how many licks it would take to down the little sapling, +I spied a large coon in a neighboring live-oak. +Now catching coons, you all know by this time was +a favorite passtime with me, so dropping the axe I +went for him. By the time I got part of him +cooked it was noon; and after dinner I fell asleep +and dreamt happy dreams until after sundown. After +supper I went turkey hunting and killed a fat +gobbler. Thus ended my third day in a wood camp.</p> + +<p>I became tired of the cord wood business after +two weeks time. It was too lonesome a work for +a boy of my restless disposition. I mounted Satan +one morning after devouring the last speck of grub +in camp and struck out for the ranch. On my arrival +there Mr. Grimes asked me how much wood I had? +I told him I thought there was enough to balance +my grub bill. He said all right, he would send a +man up there with me next morning to measure it. +I finally informed him that it wasn't in shape for +measuring, with the exception of half a cord that I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> +cut the first day, as it was scattered over a vast +territory, two or three sticks in a place.</p> + +<p>I suppose he balanced my grub bill as he has +never presented it yet.</p> + +<p>Just then I came across a factory hand, John +Collier by name, who had a boat for sale. He had +bought it for a pleasure boat but found he couldn't +support such a useless piece of furniture. He +offered it to me for forty dollars and he had paid +one hundred for it. I tried to sell Satan so as to +buy it, but no one would have him as a gift, as they +said they would have to get their lives insured before +mounting him.</p> + +<p>I wanted the boat, but how to get her I did not +know. I finally studied up a scheme: Mr. Collier +wanted to buy a horse in case he sold the boat, so +I began talking horse trade. Nothing but a gentle +animal would suit he said. I then described one to +him and asked how much he would take to-boot if +the pony proved to be as I represented? "Ten dollars" +said he; "she pops" continued I. So I started +over to Cashe's creek to trade Horace Yeamans out +of an old crippled pony that he couldn't get rid of. +He was a nice looking horse and apparently as +sound as a dollar; but on trotting him around a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> +short while he would become suddenly lame in both +of his front legs.</p> + +<p>Before starting to Cashe's creek next morning +Mr. Collier told me to try and get the horse there +that night as, in case we made the trade, he and +Mr. Murphy would start next morning on a pleasure +trip to Columbia, a town forty miles east. I assured +him that I would be back by dark. You see, that +was a point gained, making the trade after dark.</p> + +<p>I succeeded in making the trade with Horace; he +gave me "old gray" as he called him and fourteen +dollars in money for my interest in three different +brands of cattle. He afterwards sold the cattle for +enough to buy a whole herd of crippled ponies.</p> + +<p>I rode back to Grimes' ranch very slowly so as +not to cause old gray to become lame.</p> + +<p>I arrived there about sundown, but remained out +in the brush until after dark.</p> + +<p>Mr. Collier, on being notified of my arrival, +came out, lantern in hand, bringing his friend +Murphy along to do the judging for him. He confessed +that he was a very poor judge of a spanish +pony, not having been long in America. He was +from "Hengland."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span></p> + +<p>After examining old gray all over they both pronounced +him a model of beauty—an honor to the +mustang race. You see, he was hog fat, not having +been used for so long.</p> + +<p>The trade was sealed that night and next morning +Mr. Collier and Murphy, who already had a +pony of his own, started on their forty mile journey. +When within five miles of Elliott's ferry on the +Colorado river, which was fifteen miles from Grimes' +old gray gave out entirely, so that poor Collier had +to hoof it to the ferry where he secured another +horse.</p> + +<p>Now kind reader you no doubt think that a +shabby trick. If so, all I can say is "such is life +in the far west."</p> + +<p>Now that I was owner of a ship I concluded it +policy to have a partner for company if nothing +more, so I persuaded a young factory hand by the +name of Sheiseinhamer or some such name to go +in with me in my new enterprise. He only had +ten dollars to invest, therefore I held the controlling +interest.</p> + +<p>Our ship was schooner-rigged and would carry +about three tons. Her name was "Great Eastern" +but we changed it to "The Blood Hound."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span></p> + +<p>I turned Satan loose to rustle for himself (I afterwards +sold him to a <i>stranger</i> for thirty dollars) and +then pulled down the river for Matagorda Bay, a +distance of fifteen miles.</p> + +<p>I concluded to go to the Peninsula and buy a load +of melons that trip, as there were none on Tresspalacious.</p> + +<p>We struck the Bay just at dark; the water was +terribly rough and the wind was so strong that it +made the Blood Hound dip water and slide along as +though it was fun. My young pard, who had never +been on salt water before, having been raised in +Saint Louis, turned pale behind the gills and wanted +to turn back when the low streak of land behind us +began to grow dim. But as I owned the controlling +interest in the ship, I told him he would have to +grin and bear it. He swore that would be his last +trip and it was. He sold me his interest on the +way back for eight dollars; he lost just two dollars +besides his time in the speculation.</p> + +<p>Finally we hove in sight of the light house at +Salura Pass. Then we were all right for I could +tell just where to head for, although I hadn't been +on the Bay much since leaving there in '67. But I +had learned it thoroughly before then.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span></p> + +<p>It was fifteen miles across the Bay to Fred Vogg's +landing, where I had concluded to land. We arrived +there about midnight and next morning walked up +to Mr. Vogg's house, about half a mile for breakfast. +The whole family were glad to see me—for +the first time in eight years.</p> + +<p>I bought a load of melons delivered at the landing +for five cents a head—or piece I should have +said.</p> + +<p>The next evening we started back home, and +arrived at Grimes' just as the whistle was tooting +for dinner, next day. The whole crowd of factory +hands, there being about seventy-five, made a +break for the boat to fill up on melons. The largest +I sold at fifty cents and the smallest at twenty-five. +By night I had sold entirely out and started back +after another load, all by myself this time, with the +exception of a dog, a stray that I had picked up.</p> + +<p>I bought my melons at a different place this time, +from a Mr. Joe Berge who lived a few miles above +Mr. Vogg. I got them for two and a half cents a +piece, therefore made a better "speck" than before. +I struck a terrible storm on my return trip and came +very near swamping.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span></p> + +<p>I made my next trip to Indianola as I had four +passengers to take down, at two dollars and a half +a head.</p> + +<p>Shortly after landing in Indianola I got two passengers, +one of them a pretty young lady, Miss +Ruthie Ward, to take to Sand Point in Lavaca +county, just across the Bay from Indianola.</p> + +<p>I remained in Indianola two days "bucking" +monte. I left there broke after paying for a load +of melons.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/dec07.png" width="300" height="62" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XII" id="Chapter_XII"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XII.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">BACK TO MY FAVORITE OCCUPATION, THAT OF A WILD AND WOOLLY +COW BOY.</p> + +<p>When the oyster season began, I abandoned +the melon trade in favor of the former.</p> + +<p>I would load up at one of the many oyster reefs +in the Bay and take them either to the factory or +Indianola where they sold for one dollar a barrel, +in the shell.</p> + +<p>Along in October sometime, I worked up a +scheme by which I thought I could make a stake. +My scheme was to get into the Colorado river +where there were no boats and speculate among the +africans that lined the river banks on both sides just +as far up as it was navigable, which was fifty miles +or more.</p> + +<p>The worst job was to get the boat into the river, +the mouth of it being stopped up with a raft, or "drift" +about eighteen miles long.</p> + +<p>My only show was to snake her across the prairie +from the head of Willson's creek, a distance of five<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> +miles—and that I concluded to do if it took all the +oxen in Matagorda county.</p> + +<p>As I needed a partner in my new enterprise, I +managed to find one in the person of an old irishman +by the name of "Big Jack." He only had a +capital of eighteen dollars but I agreed to give him +half of the profits—which I figured on being very +large. You see my intentions were to swap for +hides, pecans, etc., which I would have hauled overland +to Willson's creek and from there to Indianola +by sail boat.</p> + +<p>Our plans being laid we struck out for Indianola +to buy our goods—all kinds of articles that we +thought would catch the negro's eye, including a +good supply of tanglefoot—which I am sorry to say +cost me dear, besides being the cause of smashing +my little scheme into a thousand fragments.</p> + +<p>We finally started back from Indianola with our +load of goods; and Jack being an irishman, couldn't +resist the temptation of taking a "wee drop of the +critter" every fifteen or twenty minutes. The consequences +were everything but edifying.</p> + +<p>I hired Anthony Moore, a gentleman of color to +haul the Blood Hound and all of our traps to the +river.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span></p> + +<p>We fixed rollers under the boat and after getting +her out high and dry on the ball prairie, found that +we didn't have oxen enough to carry out the job.</p> + +<p>While Anthony Moore was off rustling for a couple +more yoke of cattle, I hired a horse to ride up to +the Post Office after my mail, but before starting +I gave Jack a raking over for remaining drunk so +long. He hadn't drawn a sober breath since leaving +town.</p> + +<p>When I returned next evening Jack was gone—no +one there but my faithful dog, Ranger.</p> + +<p>I found Jack had taken a negro's skiff and pulled +down Willson's creek, taking all of my snide jewelry, +tobacco, etc. along. I traced him up to where he +had sold a lot of the stuff. He sold an old englishman +a lot of tobacco for seven dollars that didn't +cost less than twenty. Being discouraged I sold +the Blood Hound to Anthony Moore for twenty-five +dollars, right where she lay, on the open prairie.</p> + +<p>I then hired to Wiley Kuykendall, who was buying +and shipping beeves at Houston, at twenty-five +dollars per month. I left my companion, Ranger, +with Anthony, paying him two dollars and a half a +month for his board. But poor dog he met a sad +fate the next winter during one of my rash moments.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span></p> + +<p>I was out after a wild bunch of horses one day +and while trying to slip up on them unobserved +Ranger and three others belonging to a neighbor +made a break after a little calf that jumped up out +of the tall grass, which of course scared the horses. +I wanted to run after them as that was my best and +only chance, but I hated to go off and let the dogs +kill the poor little calf which they all four had hold +of by that time.</p> + +<p>I finally galloped back and yelled myself hoarse +trying to get them off; but no use, so drawing my +pistol I began firing right and left.</p> + +<p>When the smoke cleared away I discovered two +of the dogs lifeless and poor Ranger crawling up +towards me howling with pain. He was shot through +both shoulders. No, no! I didn't feel bad; it was +some other youngster about my size. I dismounted +and caressed the poor dumb brute, with tears in +my eyes. It was ten miles to camp or the nearest +ranch, therefore I had no alternative but to kill +him—or leave him there to suffer and finally die. +I had tried to lift him on my horse so as to take +him to camp and try and doctor him up, but he was +too heavy—being a large, powerful brute.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span></p> + +<p>I made several attempts to kill him, but every +time I would raise the pistol to shoot he would look +up into my eyes so pitifully as much as to say +please don't kill me. I at last mounted my horse +and after starting off wheeled around in my saddle +and put a bullet between his eyes. Thus ended the +life of as faithful a dog as ever lived.</p> + +<p>After New Year's I quit Mr. Wiley and went to +work again on my own hook, skinning cattle and +branding Mavricks. I had bought me a twenty-five +dollar horse for the occasion.</p> + +<p>I established my camp at the head of Cashe's +creek, three miles above Mr. Yeamans.' The only +company I had was Ranger and I didn't have him +but a short while, as you already know.</p> + +<p>Cattle died pretty badly that winter and therefore +I made quite a pile of money, besides branding a +great many Mavricks.</p> + +<p>About the middle of April I met with a painful and +almost fatal accident—got shot through the knee +with one of those old time dragoon pistols, which +carry a very large ball.</p> + +<p>The bullet entered the top of my knee and came +out—or at least was cut out—on the opposite side; +went right through the knee-cap. The doctor who<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> +waited on me said I would be a cripple for life, but +he missed his guess, although I have received another +bullet hole through the same knee since then.</p> + +<p>After getting wounded I remained at Mr. Yeamans' +awhile and then went down to Mr. Morris' +on Tresspalacious Bay to board.</p> + +<p>When I got so that I could move around on +crutches I went up to Mr. John Pierce's ranch to +live. Mr. Pierce had persuaded me to put in my +time going to school while unable to work. He +gave me my board and washing free and all I had to +do was to take care of the "children," little Johnny +Pierce, eight years old, Mamie Pierce, "Shang's" +only child, twelve years old and a Miss Fannie +Elliott, sweet sixteen. The school house being two +miles off, we had to ride on horseback.</p> + +<p>I would have had a soft time of it all summer, +but before two weeks rolled around I had a fuss +with the red complexioned school master. I then +mounted "Boney-part" and struck out for Houston, +ninety miles east.</p> + +<p>I arrived in Houston during the State Fair. +Everything was lively there—in fact too lively for +me. The first thing I did was to strike a monte<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> +game and the second thing was lose nearly all the +money I had.</p> + +<p>After quitting the monte game I struck out to +hunt aunt "Mary" whom I heard had moved to +Houston from Galveston. I had never seen her +that I remembered of, but held her in high esteem +for her kindness in sending me the white canvas +breeches during the war.</p> + +<p>I found her after hunting all day; she kept a private +boarding house close to the Union depot. +She appeared to be glad to see me.</p> + +<p>The next day aunt Mary's husband, Mr. James +McClain, took me out to the Fair ground to see +the sights. The biggest sight to me was Jeff. Davis, +although I was deceived as to his makeup; I expected +to see a portly looking man on a gray horse.</p> + +<p>May be the following song that I used to sing +during the war had something to do with that, for +it ran thus:</p> + +<p class="blockquote"> +Jeff Davis is our President,<br /> +And Lincoln is a fool,<br /> +Jeff Davis rides a big gray horse<br /> +While Lincoln rides a mule.<br /> +</p> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XIII" id="Chapter_XIII"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XIII.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">MOTHER AND I MEET AT LAST.</p> + +<p>After spending a week with aunt Mary, I grew +restless and pulled for Galveston to visit my +uncle "Nick." I went by way of steamboat down +Buffalo bayou, leaving my horse and saddle in +Houston.</p> + +<p>I landed in the "Island City" one evening about +dark. The first man I met, I inquired of him, if +he knew where Mr. Nicholas White lived? "Why +of course," was his quick answer, "I have known +him for seventeen years." He then gave me the +directions how to find him.</p> + +<p>His wife, whom he had just married a short while +before, she being his second wife, met me at the +door and escorted me to the bed room where I +found the old fellow three sheets in the wind. He +soon braced up though and tendered me a hearty +welcome.</p> + +<p>The next day he spent in showing me around the +city and introducing me to his friends as his little +nephew who had to "skip" from western Texas for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> +stealing cattle. I remember there were several high +toned officials among the ones he introduced me to; +one of them I think was Tom Ochiltree—a red-headed +Congressman or Senator, I forget which.</p> + +<p>The old gentleman had a horse and buggy, consequently +I had a regular picnic, during my stay, +driving up and down the beach watching the pretty +girls go in bathing.</p> + +<p>I remained there two weeks and on taking my +departure uncle "Nick" presented me with a Spencer +Carbine—one he had captured from a yankee +while out scouting during the war. I was very +proud of the gift for I had never owned a repeating +rifle before.</p> + +<p>I landed in Houston flat broke, but wasn't long +in making a raise of ten dollars from aunt Mary. +Boney-part had been taken good care of during my +absence, which made him feel too rollicky—he tried +to pitch me off when I got on him.</p> + +<p>After bidding aunt Mary and uncle "Jim" good-bye +I struck out for Allen, Pool & Co.'s ranch on +Simms' bayou. There I hired to a Mr. Joe Davis of +Clear creek, who had the contract furnishing beef +to the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe R. R. which +was just building out from Galveston.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span></p> + +<p>About the first of September I mounted Ranger, +a pony I swapped Boney-part for and lit out for +Tresspalacious. My wound by that time was about +well.</p> + +<p>On arriving at Mr. "Tom" Kuykendall's at the +head of Tresspalacious river, I learned that mother +was at Mr. Morris', at the mouth of Cashe's creek, +waiting for me. She had arrived there just a few +days after my departure—for parts unknown, as +no one knew where I was going.</p> + +<p>You see after getting shot I wrote to mother +telling her of the accident and also sending her +some money, as I was in the habit of doing when +flush. Hence, like a kind mother, she came out to +be of service to me, but arrived too late.</p> + +<p>It is needless to say we were glad to meet, for +the first time in several long years.</p> + +<p>I went right to work trying to rig up a home for +her. She had brought some money with her and I +sold a lot of Mavricks—some of those I branded the +winter previous—for two dollars a head, therefore +we both together had money enough to build and +furnish a shanty.</p> + +<p>As Mr. Morris was just going to Indianola in his +schooner we sent by him after our lumber, etc.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> +But before he got there the "big" storm, which swept +nearly every soul from the Peninsula and nearly +wiped Indianola out of existence, struck him and +scattered his boat, money and everything he had +aboard to the four winds of Heaven. He and his +son "Tom" barely escaped with their own lives.</p> + +<p>Mother and I experienced a share of the same +storm too; we were still at Mr. Morris.' The storm +came about ten o'clock at night and blew the Morris +mansion down, leaving us, Mrs. Morris, her +three children and a step-son, "Jim," mother and +myself to paddle around in water up to our waists +until morning.</p> + +<p>When daylight came the Bay shore was lined +with dead cattle just as far as the eye could reach; +cattle that had blown into the water and drowned.</p> + +<p>When Mr. Morris got back he started a new +ranch up at the head of Cashe's creek, where I had +camped the winter before and I built mother a +shanty a few hundred yards from his, so she +wouldn't get lonesome while I was away.</p> + +<p>I built it out of an old torn down house that I +bought from Mr. John Pierce on "tick" for I was +then financially "busted."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span></p> + +<p>Cattle didn't die very badly that coming winter, +therefore I did not make much money. But towards +spring I got my work in branding Mavricks. +Some days I would brand as high as fifteen or +twenty head.</p> + +<p>That spring there was a law passed prohibiting +the carrying of pistols and I was the first man to +break the law, for which they socked a heavier fine +to me than I was able to pay; but I found a good +friend in the person of Mr. John Pierce who loaned +me the desired amount without asking for it.</p> + +<p>The first of April I hired to W. B. Grimes to go +"up the trail" at thirty dollars per month. I bade +mother good bye, promising to return, sure, that +coming fall.</p> + +<p>Our outfit consisted of twenty-five hundred head +of old mossy-horn steers, a cook and twenty-five +riders, including the boss, Asa Dawdy, with six +head of good horses to the man.</p> + +<p>Everything went on lovely with the exception of +swimming swollen streams, fighting now and then +among ourselves and a stampede every stormy night, +until we arrived on the Canadian river in the Indian +territory; there we had a little indian scare. When +within a few miles of the river, Dawdy went on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> +ahead to look up a good crossing; it wasn't long +until we discovered a terrible dust on the trail between +us and the river; it looked like it might be a +cyclone coming, but instead of that it was our boss +returning. He galloped up almost out of wind +telling us to stop the herd and make preparations +for war, as the woods along the river were covered +with indians on the war path.</p> + +<p>After getting everything in shape for war, he +selected two of his best armed men, which happened +to be Otto Draub and myself, to go back with +him and try to make peace with the red devils. We +scoured the woods out thoroughly, but only succeeded +in finding one old, blind "buck." Asa had, +no doubt, seen him and imagined the rest. From +that time on though we were among indians all the +time; and they used to try and scare Asa into giving +them "wo-ha's," (cattle) but he wasn't one of the +scaring kind—except when taken by surprise.</p> + +<p>Everything went on smoothly again until we arrived +at "Salt Fork" close to the Kansas line. It +was raining and storming terribly when we hove in +sight of the above named river. Asa went on +ahead with the wagons—we having an extra one +along then to haul wood and water in—to find a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> +crossing, but on arriving there he found it very +high, almost swimming; he succeeded in getting +both wagons over though. He then galloped back +to hurry the herd up.</p> + +<p>We were just about a mile from the river when +he came dashing up saying: "Whoop 'em up boys! +for she's rising a foot every second."</p> + +<p>When we got there she was "bank full" and still +rising. It was at least half a mile to the opposite +side and drift wood was coming down at a terrible +rate, which made it dangerous to cross. But the +wagons being over made it a ground hog case—or +at least we thought so.</p> + +<p>The old lead steers went right into the foaming +water without a bit of trouble and of course the +balance followed.</p> + +<p>Henry Coats was in the lead of the herd, Asa +Dawdy and Otto Draub on the left point, while +negro "Gabe" and I kept them from turning to the +right.</p> + +<p>We were all—that is we fellows on the points—out +in swimming water when Henry Coats' horse +went under, which scared the leaders, causing the +whole herd to turn back amidst terrible confusion. +Coats came very near drowning. We worked for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> +half an hour or more trying to get the herd to take +water again, but failed. The river continued to rise +until she was over a mile wide.</p> + +<p>Suffice it to say, we remained there seven days +without anything to eat except fresh meat without +salt. It rained during the whole time nearly, so +that we didn't get much sleep on account of having +to stay with the cattle night and day.</p> + +<p>The first grub we got was from a lot of soldiers +camped on the opposite side of the wicked little +stream "Wild Horse." They were waiting for it to +go down so they could proceed to Wichita, Kansas, +their destination.</p> + +<p>The boss, Dawdy, a fellow by the name of +Hastings and myself found the "blue coats" while +out hunting a lot of steers lost the night before during +a severe storm. We had spied the white tents +off to the southward and pulled out for them, in +a gallop.</p> + +<p>On arriving within a few hundred yards we found +out that a swift stream of muddy water laid +between us.</p> + +<p>They were camped right on the opposite bank +from where we stood. Dawdy yelled over asking<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> +if they could spare some chuck? "Yes" was the +quick response, "If you will come over after it."</p> + +<p>Dawdy and Hastings both looked at me, as much +as to say: "Charlie it all depends on you." I was +considered an extra good swimmer.</p> + +<p>After shedding my heaviest clothes—there being +officers' wives in camp, so that I couldn't undress +altogether—I put spurs to "Yankee-doodle" and +went into her. It was at least two hundred yards +across, but I made it all O. K.</p> + +<p>When the captain found out how long we had +been without grub he ordered the cook to bring out +some cold biscuits. He brought out a large pan +full, and after I got my fists full, a lot of the soldiers +took the balance and selecting a narrow place, +threw them over one by one to Dawdy and Hastings.</p> + +<p>After hiding a dozen or two fat Government biscuits +under my belt, I began studying up a plan by +which I could get some flour and salt, also coffee, +over. At last I hit upon a plan: I got a wash-tub +from the captain's wife and filling it full of such +stuff as we needed, launched her out into the water; +I swam by the side of it and landed on the opposite +side about half a mile below where I started +in at. I then took the tub back thanked our benefactors,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> +mounted Yankee-doodle and pulled for the +other shore feeling a thousand per cent. better.</p> + +<p>We arrived at camp about sundown and the boys +went to work baking bread by rolling the dough +around a stick and holding it over the fire. Some +of them sat up all night eating, trying to make up +for lost time.</p> + +<p>The sun came out next morning for the first time +in eight long days and towards evening we made it +across the river. The wagons we found at the "Pond +Creek" ranch on the Kansas line. The cooks had +been having a soft time.</p> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XIV" id="Chapter_XIV"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XIV.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">ON A TARE IN WICHITA, KANSAS.</p> + +<p>On the fourth day of July, after being on the +trail just three months, we landed on the "Ninnasquaw" +river, thirty miles west of Wichita, Kansas.</p> + +<p>Nearly all the boys, the boss included, struck out +for Wichita right away to take the train for Houston, +Texas, the nearest railroad point to their +respective homes. Mr. Grimes paid their railroad +fares according to custom in those days. I concluded +I would remain until fall.</p> + +<p>Mr. Grimes had come around by rail, consequently +he was on hand to receive us. He already had several +thousand steers—besides our herd—on hand; +some that he drove up the year before and others he +bought around there. He had them divided up into +several different herds—about eight hundred to the +herd—and scattered out into different places, that +is each camp off by itself, from five to ten miles +from any other. With each herd or bunch would be +a cook and "chuck" wagon, four riders, a "boss"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> +included—and five horses to the rider. During the +day two men would "herd" or watch the cattle until +noon and the other two until time to "bed" them, +which would be about dark. By "bedding" we +mean take them to camp, to a certain high piece of +ground suitable for a "bed ground" where they +would all lie down until morning, unless disturbed +by a storm or otherwise. The nights would be divided +up into four equal parts—one man "on" at a +time, unless storming, tormented with mosquitos or +something of the kind, when every one except the +cook would have to be "out" singing to them.</p> + +<p>The herd I came up the trail with was split into +three bunches and I was put with one of them under +a man by the name of Phillups, but shortly +afterwards changed and put with a Mr. Taylor.</p> + +<p>I spent all my extra time when not on duty, +visiting a couple of New York damsels, who lived +with their parents five miles east of our camp. They +were the only young ladies in the neighborhood, +the country being very thinly settled then, therefore +the boys thought I was very "cheeky"—getting on +courting terms with them so quick. One of them +finally "put a head on me"—or in grammatical +words, gave me a black eye—which chopped my<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> +visits short off; she didn't understand the Texas +way of proposing for one's hand in marriage, was +what caused the fracas. She was cleaning roasting-ears +for dinner when I asked her how she would +like to jump into double harness and trot through +life with me? The air was full of flying roasting-ears +for a few seconds—one of them striking me +over the left eye—and shortly afterwards a young +Cow Puncher rode into camp with one eye in a +sling. You can imagine the boys giving it to me +about monkeying with civilized girls, etc.</p> + +<p>After that I became very lonesome; had nothing +to think of but my little Texas girl—the only one +on earth I loved. While sitting "on herd" in the hot +sun, or lounging around camp in the shade of the +wagon—there being no trees in that country to supply +us with shade—my mind would be on nothing +but her. I finally concluded to write to her and find +out just how I stood. As often as I had been with her +I had never let her know my thoughts. She being +only fourteen years of age, I thought there was +plenty time. I wrote a long letter explaining everything +and then waited patiently for an answer. I +felt sure she would give me encouragement, if nothing +more.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span></p> + +<p>A month passed by and still no answer. Can it +be possible that she don't think enough of me to +answer my letter? thought I. "No," I would finally +decide, "she is too much of an angel to be guilty +of such."</p> + +<p>At last the supply wagon arrived from Wichita +and among the mail was a letter for me. I was on +herd that forenoon and when the other boys came +out to relieve Collier and I, they told me about +there being a letter in camp for me, written by a female, +judging from the fine hand-writing on the +envelope.</p> + +<p>I was happy until I opened the letter and read a +few lines. It then dropped from my fingers and I +turned deathly pale. Mr. Collier wanted to know +if some of my relations wasn't dead? Suffice it to +say that the object of my heart was married to my +old playmate Billy Williams. The letter went on to +state that she had given her love to another and +that she never thought I loved her only as a friend, +etc. She furthermore went on advising me to grin +and bear it, as there were just as good fish in the +sea as ever was caught etc.</p> + +<p>I wanted some one to kill me, so concluded to +go to the Black hills—as everyone was flocking<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> +there then. Mr. Collier, the same man I traded +the crippled horse to—agreed to go with me. So +we both struck out for Wichita to settle up with +daddy Grimes. Mr. Collier had a good horse of +his own and so did I; mine was a California pony +that I had given fifty-five dollars for quite awhile +before. My intention was to take him home and +make a race horse of him; he was only three years +old and according to my views a "lightning striker."</p> + +<p>After settling up, we, like other "locoed" Cow +Punchers proceeded to take in the town, and the +result was, after two or three days carousing around, +we left there "busted" with the exception of a few +dollars.</p> + +<p>As we didn't have money enough to take us to +the Black hills, we concluded to pull for the Medicine +river, one hundred miles west.</p> + +<p>We arrived in Kiowa, a little one-horse town on +the Medicine, about dark one cold and disagreeable +evening.</p> + +<p>We put up at the Davis House, which was kept +by a man named Davis—by the way one of the +whitest men that ever wore shoes. Collier made +arrangements that night with Mr. Davis to board<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> +us on "tick" until we could get work. But I wouldn't +agree to that.</p> + +<p>The next morning after paying my night's lodging +I had just one dollar left and I gave that to +Mr. Collier as I bade him adieu. I then headed +southwest across the hills, not having any destination +in view; I wanted to go somewhere but didn't +care where. To tell the truth I was still somewhat +rattled over my recent bad luck.</p> + +<p>That night I lay out in the brush by myself and +next morning changed my course to southeast, +down a creek called Driftwood. About noon I accidently +landed in Gus Johnson's Cow camp at the +forks of Driftwood and "Little Mule" creeks.</p> + +<p>I remained there all night and next morning when +I was fixing to pull out—God only knows where, +the boss, Bill Hudson, asked me if I wouldn't stay +and work in his place until he went to Hutchison, +Kansas and back? I agreed to do so finally if he +would furnish "Whisky-peat," my pony, all the corn +he could eat—over and above my wages, which were +to be twenty-five dollars a month. The outfit consisted +of only about twenty-five hundred Texas +steers, a chuck wagon, cook and five riders besides +the boss.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span></p> + +<p>A few days after Mr. Hudson left we experienced +a terrible severe snow storm. We had to stay with +the drifting herd night and day, therefore it went +rough with us—myself especially, being from a +warm climate and only clad in common garments, +while the other boys were fixed for winter.</p> + +<p>When Mr. Hudson came back from Hutchison +he pulled up stakes and drifted south down into the +Indian territory—our camp was then on the territory +and Kansas line—in search of good winter +quarters.</p> + +<p>We located on the "Eagle Chief" river, a place +where cattle had never been held before. Cattlemen +in that section of country considered it better +policy to hug the Kansas line on account of indians.</p> + +<p>About the time we became settled in our new +quarters, my month was up and Mr. Hudson paid +me twenty-five dollars, telling me to make that my +home all winter if I wished.</p> + +<p>My "pile" now amounted to forty-five dollars, +having won twenty dollars from one of the boys, +Ike Berry, on a horse race. They had a race horse +in camp called "Gray-dog," who had never been +beaten, so they said, but I and Whisky-peat done +him up, to the extent of twenty dollars, in fine shape.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span></p> + +<p>I made up my mind that I would build me a "dug-out" +somewhere close to the Johnson camp and put +in the winter hunting and trapping. Therefore as +Hudson was going to Kiowa, with the wagon, after +a load of provisions, etc., I went along to lay me +in a supply also.</p> + +<p>On arriving at Kiowa I found that my old "pard" +Mr. Collier had struck a job with a cattleman whose +ranch was close to town. But before spring he left +for good "Hold Hengland" where a large pile of +money was awaiting him; one of his rich relations +had died and willed him everything he had. We +suppose he is now putting on lots of "agony," if +not dead, and telling his green countrymen of his +hair-breadth escapes on the wild Texas plains.</p> + +<p>We often wonder if he forgets to tell of his experience +with "old gray," the pony I traded to him +for the boat.</p> + +<p>After sending mother twenty dollars by registered +mail and laying in a supply of corn, provisions, +ammunition, etc., I pulled back to Eagle Chief, to +make war with wild animals—especially those that +their hides would bring me in some money, such as +gray wolves, coyotes, wild cats, buffaloes and bears. +I left Kiowa with just three dollars in money.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span></p> + +<p>The next morning after arriving in camp I took +my stuff and moved down the river about a mile +to where I had already selected a spot for my winter +quarters.</p> + +<p>I worked like a turk all day long building me a +house out of dry poles—covered with grass. In +the north end I built a "sod" chimney and in the +south end, left an opening for a door. When finished +it lacked about two feet of being high enough +for me to stand up straight.</p> + +<p>It was almost dark and snowing terribly when I +got it finished and a fire burning in the low, Jim +Crow fire-place. I then fed Whisky-peat some corn +and stepped out a few yards after an armful of good +solid wood for morning. On getting about half an +armful of wood gathered I heard something crackling +and looking over my shoulder discovered my +mansion in flames. I got there in time to save +nearly everything in the shape of bedding, etc. +Some of the grub, being next to the fire-place, was +lost. I slept at Johnson's camp that night.</p> + +<p>The next morning I went about two miles down +the river and located another camp. This time I +built a dug-out right on the bank of the stream, in +a thick bunch of timber.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span></p> + +<p>I made the dug-out in a curious shape; started in +at the edge of the steep bank and dug a place six +feet long, three deep and three wide, leaving the +end next to the creek open for a door. I then commenced +at the further end and dug another place +same size in an opposite direction, which formed an +"L." I then dug still another place, same size, +straight out from the river which made the whole +concern almost in the shape of a "Z." In the end +furthest from the stream I made a fire-place by +digging the earth away—in the shape of a regular +fire-place. And then to make a chimney I dug a +round hole, with the aid of a butcher knife, straight +up as far as I could reach; then commencing at the +top and connecting the two holes. The next thing +was to make it "draw," and I did that by cutting +and piling sods of dirt around the hole, until about +two feet above the level.</p> + +<p>I then proceeded to build a roof over my 3 × 18 +mansion. To do that I cut green poles four feet +long and laid them across the top, two or three +inches apart. Then a layer of grass and finally, to +finish it off, a foot of solid earth. She was then +ready for business. My idea in making it so +crooked was, to keep the indians, should any happen<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> +along at night, from seeing my fire. After +getting established in my new quarters I put out +quite a number of wolf baits and next morning +in going to look at them found several dead wolves +besides scores of skunks, etc. But they were frozen +too stiff to skin, therefore I left them until a warmer +day.</p> + +<p>The next morning on crawling out to feed my +horse I discovered it snowing terribly, accompanied +with a piercing cold norther. I crawled back into +my hole after making Whisky-peat as comfortable +as possible and remained there until late in the evening, +when suddenly disturbed by a horny visitor.</p> + +<p>It was three or four o'clock in the evening, while +humped up before a blazing fire, thinking of days +gone by, that all at once, before I had time to +think, a large red steer came tumbling down head +first, just missing me by a few inches. In traveling +ahead of the storm the whole Johnson herd had +passed right over me, but luckily only one broke +through.</p> + +<p>Talk about your ticklish places! That was truly +one of them; a steer jammed in between me and +daylight, and a hot fire roasting me by inches.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span></p> + +<p>I tried to get up through the roof—it being only +a foot above my head—but failed. Finally the old +steer made a terrible struggle, just about the time +I was fixing to turn my wicked soul over to the +Lord, and I got a glimpse of daylight under his +flanks. I made a dive for it and by tight squeezing +I saved my life.</p> + +<p>After getting out and shaking myself I made a +vow that I would leave that God-forsaken country +in less than twenty-four hours; and I did so.</p> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XV" id="Chapter_XV"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XV.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">A LONELY TRIP DOWN THE CIMERON.</p> + +<p>The next morning after the steer racket I pulled +out for Kiowa, Kansas. It was then sleeting +from the north, consequently I had to face it.</p> + +<p>About three o'clock in the evening I changed my +notion and concluded to head for Texas. So I +turned east, down the Eagle Chief, to where it +emptied into the Cimeron, and thence down that +stream; knowing that I was bound to strike the +Chisholm trail—the one I came up on, the spring +before.</p> + +<p>I camped that night at the mouth of Eagle Chief, +and went to roost on an empty stomach, not having +brought any grub with me. I was then in the western +edge of what is known as the Black-jack country, +which extends east far beyond the Chisholm +trail.</p> + +<p>The next morning I continued down the Cimeron, +through Black-jack timber and sand hills. +To avoid the sand hills, which appeared fewer on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> +the opposite side, I undertook to cross the river, +but bogged down in the quicksand and had to turn +back.</p> + +<p>That night I camped between two large sand +hills and made my bed in a tall bunch of blue-stem +grass. I went to bed as full as a tick, as I had just +eaten a mule-eared rabbit, one I had slipped up +onto and killed with a club. I was afraid to shoot +at the large droves of deer and turkeys, on account +of the country being full of fresh indian signs.</p> + +<p>I crawled out of my nest next morning almost +frozen. I built a roaring big fire on the <i>south</i> edge +of the bunch of tall grass so as to check the cold +piercing norther. After enjoying the warm fire a few +moments, I began to get thirsty and there being no +water near at hand, I took my tin cup and walked +over to a large snow-drift a short distance off, to +get it full of clean snow, which I intended melting +by the fire to quench my burning thirst.</p> + +<p>While filling the cup I heard a crackling noise +behind me and looking over my shoulder discovered +a blaze of fire twenty feet in the air and spreading at +a terrible rate. I arrived on the scene just in time +to save Whisky-peat from a horrible death. He +was tied to a tree, the top limbs of which were already<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> +in a blaze. I also managed to save my saddle +and an old piece of saddle blanket, they being out +under the tree that Whisky-peat was tied to. I +didn't mind losing my leather leggins, saddle blankets, +etc., so much as I did the old delapidated +overcoat that contained a little silver-plated match +box in one of the pockets.</p> + +<p>That day I traveled steady, but not making very +rapid progress, on account of winding around sand +hills, watching for indians and going around the +heads of boggy sloughs. I was certain of striking +the Chisholm trail before night, but was doomed to +disappointment.</p> + +<p>I pitched camp about nine o'clock that night and +played a single-handed game of freeze-out until +morning, not having any matches to make a fire +with.</p> + +<p>I hadn't gone more than two miles next morning +when I came across a camp-fire, which looked as +though it had been used a few hours before; on +examination I found it had been an indian camp, +just vacated that morning. The trail, which contained +the tracks of forty or fifty head of horses, +led down the river. After warming myself I struck +right out on their trail, being very cautious not to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> +run onto them. Every now and then I would dismount +and crawl to the top of a tall sand hill to see +that the road was clear ahead.</p> + +<p>About noon I came to a large creek, which proved +to be "Turkey Creek." The reds had made a good +crossing by digging the banks down and breaking +the ice.</p> + +<p>After crossing, I hadn't gone but a short distance +when I came in sight of the Chisholm trail. I never +was so glad to see anything before—unless it was +the little streak of daylight under the steer's flanks.</p> + +<p>The indians on striking the trail had struck south +on it; and after crossing the Cimeron I came in sight +of them, about five miles ahead of me. I rode +slow so as to let them get out of sight. I didn't +care to come in contact with them for fear they +might want my horse and possibly my scalp.</p> + +<p>About dark that evening I rode into a large camp +of Government freighters, who informed me that +the fifty indians who had just passed—being on +their way back to the reservation—were Kiowas +who had been on a hunting expedition.</p> + +<p>I fared well that night, got a good supper and a +warm bed to sleep in—besides a good square meal +of corn and oats for my horse.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span></p> + +<p>The next morning before starting on my journey, +an old irish teamster by the name of "Long Mike" +presented me with a pair of pants—mine being almost +in rags—and a blue soldier coat, which I can +assure you I appreciated very much.</p> + +<p>About dusk that evening, I rode into Cheyenne +Agency and that night slept in a house for the first +time since leaving Kiowa—in fact I hadn't seen a +house since leaving Kiowa.</p> + +<p>The next morning I continued south and that +night put up at "Bill" Williams' ranch on the "South +Canadian" river.</p> + +<p>Shortly after leaving the Williams ranch next +morning I met a crowd of Chickasaw indians who +bantered me for a horse race. As Whisky-peat +was tired and foot-sore, I refused; but they kept +after me until finally I took them up. I put up my +saddle and pistol against one of their ponies. The +pistol I kept buckled around me for fear they might +try to swindle me. The saddle I put up and rode +the race bare-back. I came out ahead, but not +enough to brag about. They gave up the pony +without a murmer, but tried to persuade me to run +against one of their other ponies, a much larger +and finer looking one. I rode off thanking them<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> +very kindly for what they had already done for me.</p> + +<p>That night I put up at a ranch on the Washita +river and next morning before leaving swapped my +indian pony off for another one and got ten dollars +to-boot.</p> + +<p>That morning I left the Chisholm trail and struck +down the Washita river, in search of a good, lively +place where I might put in the balance of the winter.</p> + +<p>I landed in Erin Springs late that evening and +found a grand ball in full bloom at Frank Murry's +mansion. The dancers were a mixed crowd, the +ladies being half-breeds and the men, mostly americans +and very tough citizens.</p> + +<p>Of course I joined the mob, being in search of +excitement and had a gay old time drinking kill-me-quick +whisky and swinging the pretty indian maidens.</p> + +<p>After breakfast next morning the whole crowd, +ladies and all, went down the river five miles to +witness a "big" horse race at "Kickapoo" flat.</p> + +<p>After the "big" race—which was for several thousand +dollars—was over the day was spent in running +pony races and drinking whisky. By night the +whole mob were gloriously drunk, your humble servant +included. There were several fights and fusses<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> +took place during the day, but no one seriously +hurt.</p> + +<p>It being against the laws of the United States +to sell, or have whisky in the Indian territory, you +might wonder where it came from: A man by the +name of Bill Anderson—said to have been one of +Quantrell's men during the war—did the selling.</p> + +<p>He defied the United States marshalls and it was +said that he had over a hundred indictments against +him. He sold it at ten dollars a gallon, therefore +you see he could afford to run quite a risk.</p> + +<p>The next day on my way down the river to +Paul's valley I got rid of my extra pony; I came +across two apple peddlers who were on their way to +Fort Sill with a load of apples and who had had the +misfortune of losing one of their horses by death, +the night before, thereby leaving them on the +prairie helpless, unable to move on. They had no +money to buy another horse with, having spent all +their surplus wealth in Arkansas for the load of +apples. When I gave them the pony, they felt +very happy judging from their actions. On taking +my departure one of them insisted on my taking his +silver watch as a token of friendship. I afterwards +had the watch stolen from me.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span></p> + +<p>Well, patient reader, I will now drop the curtain +for awhile. Just suffice it to say I had a tough time +of it during the rest of the winter and came out +carrying two bullet wounds. But I had some gay +times as well as tough and won considerable money +running Whisky-peat.</p> + +<p>The following May I landed in Gainesville, Texas, +"right side up with care" and from there went to +Saint Joe on the Chisholm trail, where I succeeded +in getting a job with a passing herd belonging to +Capt. Littlefield of Gonzales. The boss' name was +"Jim" Wells and the herd contained thirty-five +hundred head of stock cattle. It being a terribly +wet season we experienced considerable hardships, +swimming swollen streams, etc. We also had some +trouble with indians.</p> + +<p>We arrived in Dodge City, Kansas on the third +day of July and that night I quit and went to town +to "whoop 'em up Liza Jane."</p> + +<p>I met an old friend that night by the name of +"Wess" Adams and we both had a gay time, until +towards morning when he got severely stabbed in a +free-to-all fight.</p> + +<p>On the morning of July fifth I hired to David T. +Beals—or the firm of Bates & Beals, as the outfit<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> +was commonly called—to help drive a herd of steers, +twenty-five hundred head, to the Panhandle of +Texas, where he intended starting a new ranch.</p> + +<p>The next morning we struck out on the "Old Fort +Bascom" trail, in a southwesterly direction.</p> + +<p>The outfit consisted of eight men besides the +boss, Bill Allen and "Deacon" Bates, one of Mr. +Beals' silent partners, who was going along to locate +the new range and O. M. Johnson, the whole-souled +ex-rebel cook. We had six extra good +horses apiece, my six being named as follows: +Comanche, Allisan, Last Chance, Creeping Moses, +Damfido and Beat-and-be-damned. The last named +was afterwards shot full of arrows because he +wouldn't hurry while being driven off by a band of +indians who had made a raid on the camp.</p> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XVI" id="Chapter_XVI"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XVI.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">MY FIRST EXPERIENCE ROPING A +BUFFALO.</p> + +<p>About the sixth day out from Dodge we crossed +the Cimeron and that evening I had a little +excitement chasing a herd of buffaloes.</p> + +<p>After crossing the river about noon, we drove +out to the divide, five or six miles and made a "dry" +camp. It was my evening to lay in camp, or do +anything else I wished. Therefore concluded I +would saddle my little indian mare—one I had +traded for from an indian—and take a hunt.</p> + +<p>About the time I was nearly ready to go Mr. +Bates, seeing some of the cattle slipping off into a +bunch of sand hills which were near the herd, asked +me if I wouldn't ride out and turn them back. I +went, leaving my pistol and gun in camp, thinking +of course that I would be back in a few minutes. +But instead of that I didn't get back until after dinner +the next day.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span></p> + +<p>Just as I was starting back to camp, after turning +the cattle, a large herd of buffaloes dashed by camp +headed west. The boys all ran out with their guns +and began firing. I became excited and putting +spurs to my pony, struck out to overtake and kill +a few of them, forgetting that I didn't have anything +to shoot with. As they had over a mile the start it +wasn't an easy matter to overtake them. It was +about four o'clock in the afternoon and terribly hot; +which of course cut off my pony's wind and checked +her speed to a great extent.</p> + +<p>About sundown I overtook them. Their tongues +were sticking out a yard. I took down my rope +from the saddle-horn, having just missed my shooting +irons a few minutes before, and threw it onto +a yearling heifer. When the rope tightened the +yearling began to bleat and its mammy broke back +out of the herd and took after me. I tried to turn +the rope loose so as to get out of the way, but +couldn't, as it was drawn very tight around the saddle-horn. +To my great delight, after raking some +of the surplus hair from my pony's hind quarters, +she turned and struck out after the still fleeing herd.</p> + +<p>Now the question arose in my mind, "how are +you going to kill your buffalo?" Break her neck<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> +was the only way I could think of; after trying it +several times by running "against" the rope at full +speed, I gave it up as a failure. I then concluded +to cut the rope and let her go, so getting out my +old frog-sticker—an old pocket knife I had picked +up a few days before and which I used to clean my +pipe—I went to work trying to open the little blade +it being the only one that would cut hot butter. +The big blade was open when I found it, consequently +it was nothing but a sheet of rust. The +little blade had become rusted considerably, which +made it hard to open. Previous to that I always +used my bowie knife, which at that time was hanging +to my pistol belt, in camp, to open it with. +After working a few minutes I gave up the notion +of opening the little blade and went to work sawing +at the rope with the big one. But I soon gave +that up also, as I could have made just as much +headway by cutting with my finger. At last I dismounted +and went to him, or at least her, with +nothing but my muscle for a weapon.</p> + +<p>I finally managed to get her down by getting one +hand fastened to her under jaw and the other hold +of one horn and then twisting her neck. As some +of you might wonder why I had so much trouble with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> +this little animal, when it is a known fact that one +man by himself can tie down the largest domestic +bull that ever lived, I will say that the difference +between a buffalo and a domestic bull is, that the +latter when you throw him hard against the ground +two or three times, will lie still long enough to give +you a chance to jump aboard of him, while the +former will raise to his feet, instantly, just as long +as there's a bit of life left.</p> + +<p>After getting her tied down with my "sash," a +silk concern that I kept my breeches up with, I +went to work opening the little blade of my knife. +I broke the big one off and then used it for a pry to +open the other with.</p> + +<p>When I got her throat cut I concluded it a good +idea to take the hide along, to show the boys that I +didn't have my run for nothing, so went to work +skinning, which I found to be a tedious job with +such a small knife-blade.</p> + +<p>It was pitch dark when I started towards camp +with the hide and a small chunk of meat tied behind +my saddle.</p> + +<p>After riding east about a mile, I abandoned the +idea of going to camp and turned south facing the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> +cool breeze in hopes of finding water, my pony and +I both being nearly dead for a drink.</p> + +<p>It was at least twenty miles to camp over a level, +dry plain, therefore I imagined it an impossibility +to go that distance without water. As the streams +all lay east and west in that country, I knew by +going south I was bound to strike one sooner or +later.</p> + +<p>About midnight I began to get sleepy, so, pulling +the bridle off my pony so she could graze, I spread +the buffalo hide down, hair up, and after wrapping +the end of the rope, that my pony was fastened to +around my body once or twice so she couldn't get +loose without me knowing it, fell asleep.</p> + +<p>I hadn't slept long when I awoke, covered from +head to foot with ants. The fresh hide had attracted +them.</p> + +<p>After freeing myself of most of the little pests +I continued my journey in search of water.</p> + +<p>About three o'clock in the morning I lay down +again, but this time left the hide on my saddle.</p> + +<p>I think I must have been asleep about an hour +when all at once my pony gave a tremendous +snort and struck out at full speed, dragging me +after her.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span></p> + +<p>You see I had wrapped the rope around my body +as before and it held me fast some way or another; +I suppose by getting tangled. Luckily for me +though it came loose after dragging me about a +hundred yards.</p> + +<p>You can imagine my feelings on gaining my feet, +and finding myself standing on the broad prairie +afoot. I felt just like a little boy does when he lets +a bird slip out of his hand accidently—that is—exceedingly +foolish.</p> + +<p>The earth was still shaking and I could hear a +roaring noise like that of distant thunder. A large +herd of buffaloes had just passed.</p> + +<p>While standing scratching my head a faint noise +greeted my ear; it was my pony snorting. A tramp +of about three hundred yards brought me to her. +She was shaking as though she had a chill. I +mounted and continued my journey south, determined +on not stopping any more that night.</p> + +<p>About ten o'clock next morning I struck water +on the head of Sharp's creek, a tributary to +"Beaver" or head of North Canadian.</p> + +<p>When I got to camp—it having been moved south +about twenty miles from where I left it—the boys +had just eaten dinner and two of them were fixing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> +to go back and hunt me up, thinking some sad +misfortune had befallen me.</p> + +<p>When we got to Blue Creek, a tributary to South +Canadian, camp was located for awhile, until a +suitable location could be found for a permanent +ranch.</p> + +<p>Mr. Bates struck out across the country to the Canadian +river, taking me along, to hunt the range—one +large enough for at least fifty thousand cattle.</p> + +<p>After being out three days we landed in Tascosa, +a little mexican town on the Canadian. There were +only two americans there, Howard & Reinheart, +who kept the only store in town. Their stock of +goods consisted of three barrels of whisky and half +a dozen boxes of soda crackers.</p> + +<p>From there we went down the river twenty-five +miles where we found a little trading point, consisting +of one store and two mexican families. The +store, which was kept by a man named Pitcher, +had nothing in it but whisky and tobacco. His customers +were mostly transient buffalo hunters, they +being mostly indians and mexicans. He also made +a business of dealing in robes, furs, etc., which he +shipped to Fort Lyons, Colorado, where his partner, +an officer in the United States Army lived.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> +There were three hundred Apache indians camped +right across the river from "Cold Springs," as +Pitcher called his ranch.</p> + +<p>A few miles below where the little store stood +Mr. Bates decided on being the center of the +"L. X." range; and right there, Wheeler post-office +now stands. And that same range, which was then +black with buffaloes, is now stocked with seventy-five +thousand fine blooded cattle, and all fenced in. +So you see time makes changes, even out here in +the "western wilds."</p> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XVII" id="Chapter_XVII"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XVII.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">AN EXCITING TRIP AFTER THIEVES.</p> + +<p>After arriving on our newly located ranch we +counted the cattle and found the herd three +hundred head short.</p> + +<p>Bill Allen, the boss, struck back to try and find +their trail. He found it leading south from the +"rifle pits." The cattle had stolen out of the herd +without anyone finding it out; and of course finding +themselves free, they having come from southern +Texas, they headed south across the Plains.</p> + +<p>Allen came back to camp and taking me and two +horses apiece, struck down the river to head them +off. We made our headquarters at Fort Elliott and +scoured the country out for a hundred miles square.</p> + +<p>We succeeded in getting about two hundred head +of them; some had become wild and were mixed +up with large herds of buffalo, while others had +been taken up by ranchmen around the Fort and +the brands disfigured. We got back to camp after +being absent a month.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span></p> + +<p>About the first of October four more herds arrived; +three from Dodge and one from Grenada, +Colorado, where Bates & Beals formerly had a large +ranch. We then turned them all loose on the river +and established "Sign" camps around the entire +range, which was about forty miles square. The +camps were stationed from twenty-five to thirty +miles apart. There were two men to the camp and +their duty was to see that no cattle drifted outside +of the line—on their "ride," which was half way to +the next camp on each side, or in plainer words +one man would ride south towards the camp in that +direction, while his pard would go north until he +met the man from the next camp, which would +generally be on a hill, as near half way as possible. +If any cattle had crossed over the line during the +night they would leave a trail of course, and this +the rider would follow up until he overtook them. +He would then bring them back inside of the +line; sometimes though they would come out so +thick that half a dozen men couldn't keep them +back, for instance, during a bad storm. Under +such circumstances he would have to do the best he +could until he got a chance to send to the "home +ranch" for help.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span></p> + +<p>A young man by the name of John Robinson +and myself were put in a Sign camp ten miles south +of the river, at the foot of the Staked Plains. It +was the worst camp in the whole business, for three +different reasons, the first one being, cattle naturally +want to drift south in the winter, and secondly, the +cold storms always came from the north, and the +third and most objectionable cause was, if any happened +to get over the line onto the Staked plains +during a bad snow storm they were considered gone, +as there were no "breaks" or anything to check +them for quite a distance. For instance, drifting +southwest they would have nothing but a level plain +to travel over for a distance of three hundred miles +to the Pecos river near the old Mexico line.</p> + +<p>John and I built a small stone house on the head +of "Bonetta" Canyon and had a hog killing time all +by ourselves. Hunting was our delight at first, +until it became old. We always had four or five +different kinds of meat in camp. Buffalo meat was +way below par with us, for we could go a few hundred +yards from camp any time of day and kill any +number of the woolly brutes. To give you an idea +how thick buffaloes were around there that fall will +say, at one time when we first located our camp on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> +the Bonetta, there was a solid string of them, from +one to three miles wide, going south, which took +three days and nights to cross the Canadian river. +And at other times I have seen them so thick on +the plains that the country would look black just as +far as the eye could reach.</p> + +<p>Late that fall we had a change in bosses. Mr. +Allen went home to Corpus Christi, Texas, and a +man by the name of Moore came down from Colorado +and took his place.</p> + +<p>About Christmas we had a little excitement, chasing +some mexican thieves, who robbed Mr. Pitcher +of everything he had in his little Jim Crow store. +John and I were absent from our camp, six days on +this trip. There were nine of us in the persuing +party, headed by Mr. Moore, our boss. We caught +the outfit, which consisted of five men, all well +armed and three women, two of them being pretty +maidens, on the staked plains, headed for Mexico. +It was on this trip that I swore off getting drunk, +and I have stuck to it—with the exception of once +and that was over the election of President Cleveland—It +happened thus:</p> + +<p>We rode into Tascosa about an hour after dark, +having been in the saddle and on a hot trail all day<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> +without food or water. Supper being ordered we +passed off the time waiting, by sampling Howard +and Reinheart's bug juice.</p> + +<p>Supper was called and the boys all rushed to the +table—a few sheepskins spread on the dirt floor. +When about through they missed one of their +crowd—a fellow about my size. On searching far +and near he was found lying helplessly drunk under +his horse, Whisky-peet—who was tied to a rack in +front of the store. A few glasses of salty water +administered by Mr. Moore brought me to my right +mind. Moore then after advising me to remain +until morning, not being able to endure an all night +ride as he thought, called, "come on, fellers!" And +mounting their tired horses they dashed off at almost +full speed.</p> + +<p>There I stood leaning against the rack not feeling +able to move. Whisky-peet was rearing and prancing +in his great anxiety to follow the crowd. I +finally climbed into the saddle, the pony still tied +to the rack. I had sense enough left to know that +I couldn't get on him if loose, in the fix I was in. +Then pulling out my bowie knife I cut the rope and +hugged the saddle-horn with both hands. I overtook +and stayed with the crowd all night, but if<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> +ever a mortal suffered it was me. My stomach felt +as though it was filled with scorpions, wild cats and +lizards. I swore if God would forgive me for geting +on that drunk I would never do so again. But +the promise was broken, as I stated before, when I +received the glorious news of Cleveland's election.</p> + +<p>After New Year's, Moore took Jack Ryan, Vandozen +and myself and went on an exploring expedition +south, across the Staked plains, with a view +of learning the country.</p> + +<p>The first place we struck was Canyon Paladuro, +head of Red river. The whole country over there +was full of indians and mexicans. We laid over two +days in one of their camps, watching them lance +buffaloes. From there we went to Mulberry where +we put in three or four days hunting. When we +pulled out again our pack-pony was loaded down +with fat bear meat.</p> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XVIII" id="Chapter_XVIII"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XVIII.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">SEVEN WEEKS AMONG INDIANS.</p> + +<p>On our arrival back to the ranch, Moore rigged +up a scouting outfit to do nothing but drift over +the Plains in search of strayed cattle.</p> + +<p>The outfit consisted of a well-filled chuck-wagon, +a number one good cook, Mr. O. M. Johnson, and +three warriors, Jack Ryan, Vanduzen and myself. +We had two good horses apiece, that is, all but myself, +I had three counting Whisky-peet.</p> + +<p>About the sixth day out we struck three thousand +Comanche Indians and became pretty badly scared +up. We had camped for the night on the plains, +at the forks of Mulberry and Canyon Paladuro; a +point from whence could be seen one of the roughest +and most picturesque scopes of country in the west.</p> + +<p>The next morning Jack Ryan went with the +wagon to pilot it across Mulberry Canyon, while +"Van" and I branched off down into Canyon Paladuro +to look for cattle signs. We succeeded in +finding two little knotty-headed two-year old steers<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> +with a bunch of buffalo. They were almost as wild +as their woolly associates, but we managed to get +them cut out and headed in the direction the wagon +had gone.</p> + +<p>About noon, on turning a sharp curve in the canyon, +we suddenly came in full view of our wagon +surrounded with a couple of thousand red skins, on +horse back, and others still pouring down from the +hills, on the east.</p> + +<p>It was too late to figure on what to do, for they +had already seen us, only being about half a mile +off. You see the two wild steers had turned the +curve ahead of us and attracted the indians attention +in that direction. We couldn't see anything +but the white top of our wagon, on account of the +solid mass of reds, hence couldn't tell whether our +boys were still among the living or not. We thought +of running once, but finally concluded to go up and +take our medicine like little men, in case they were +on the war-path. Leaving Whisky-peet, who was +tied behind the wagon, kept me from running more +than anything else.</p> + +<p>On pushing our way through the mass we found +the boys, winchesters in hand, telling the old chiefs +where to find plenty of buffalo. There were three<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> +thousand in the band, and they had just come from +Ft. Sill, Indian Territory, on a hunting expedition. +They wanted to get where buffaloes were plentiful +before locating winter quarters.</p> + +<p>From that time on we were among indians all the +time. The Pawnee tribe was the next we came in +contact with. Close to the Indian Territory line we +run afoul of the whole Cheyenne tribe. They were +half starved, all the buffalo having drifted south, and +their ponies being too poor and weak to follow them +up. We traded them out of lots of blankets, trinkets, +etc. For a pint of flour or coffee they would give +their whole soul—and body thrown in for good +measure. We soon ran out of chuck too, having +swapped it all off to the hungry devils.</p> + +<p>We then circled around by Ft. Elliott, and up the +Canadian river to the ranch, arriving there with +eighteen head of our steers, after an absence of seven +weeks.</p> + +<p>We only got to remain at the ranch long enough +to get a new supply of chuck, etc., and a fresh lot +of horses, as Moore sent us right back to the Plains. +In a south westerly direction this time.</p> + +<p>We remained on the Plains scouting around during +the rest of the winter, only making short trips<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> +to the ranch after fresh horses and grub. We experienced +some tough times too, especially during +severe snow storms when our only fuel, "buffalo-chips," +would be covered up in the deep snow. +Even after the snow melted off, for several days +afterwards, we couldn't get much warmth out of the +buffalo-chips, on account of them being wet.</p> + +<p>About the first of April, Moore called us in from +the Plains to go up the river to Ft. Bascom, New +Mexico, on a rounding-up expedition. We were +gone on that trip over a month.</p> + +<p>On our arrival back, Moore went right to work +gathering up everything on the range in the shape +of cattle, so as to "close-herd" them during the +summer. His idea in doing that was to keep them +tame. During the winter they had become almost +beyond control. The range was too large for so +few cattle. And another thing buffalo being so +plentiful had a tendency to making them wild.</p> + +<p>About the first of June Moore put me in charge +of an outfit, which consisted of twenty-five hundred +steers, a wagon and cook, four riders, and five horses +to the man or rider. He told me to drift over the +Plains wherever I felt like, just so I brought the +cattle in fat by the time cold weather set in.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span></p> + +<p>It being an unusually wet summer the scores of +basins, or "dry lakes," as we called them, contained +an abundance of nice fresh water, therefore we +would make a fresh camp every few days. The +grass was also fine, being mostly buffalo-grass and +nearly a foot high. If ever I enjoyed life it was +that summer. No flies or mosquitoes to bother, lots +of game and a palmy atmosphere.</p> + +<p>Towards the latter part of July about ten thousand +head of "through" cattle arrived from southern +Texas. To keep the "wintered" ones from catching +the "Texas fever," Mr. Moore put them all on the +Plains, leaving the new arrivals on the north side of +the river. There was three herds besides mine. +And I was put in charge of the whole outfit, that is, +the four herds; although they were held separate as +before, with the regular number of men, horses, etc. +to each herd.</p> + +<p>I then put one of my men in charge of the herd +I had been holding, and from that time on until late +in the fall I had nothing to do but ride from one +herd to the other and see how they were getting +along. Some times the camps would be twenty +miles apart. I generally counted each bunch once +a week, to be certain they were all there.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span></p> + +<p>About the first of October, Moore came out and +picked eight hundred of the fattest steers out of the +four herds and sent them to Dodge to be shipped to +Chicago. He then took everything to the river, to +be turned loose onto the winter range until the next +spring.</p> + +<p>When the hardest work was over—winter camps +established, etc., I secured Moore's consent to let +me try and overtake the shipping steers, and +accompany them to Chicago. So mounted on +Whisky-peet I struck out, accompanied by one of +the boys, John Farris. It was doubtful whether we +would overtake the herd before being shipped, as +they had already been on the road about fifteen +days, long enough to have gotten there.</p> + +<p>The night after crossing the Cimeron river we +had a little indian scare. About three o'clock that +afternoon we noticed two or three hundred mounted +reds, off to one side of the road, marching up a +ravine in single file. Being only a mile off, John +proposed to me that we go over and tackle them for +something to eat. We were terribly hungry, as well +as thirsty.</p> + +<p>I agreed, so we turned and rode towards them. +On discovering us they all bunched up, as though<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> +parleying. We didn't like such maneuvering, being +afraid maybe they were on the war-path, so turned +and continued our journey along the road, keeping +a close watch behind for fear they might conclude +to follow us.</p> + +<p>We arrived on Crooked Creek, where there was +a store and several ranches, just about dark. On +riding up to the store, where we intended stopping +all night, we found it vacated, and everything turned +up-side down as though the occupants had just left +in a terrible hurry. Hearing some ox bells down +the creek we turned in that direction, in hopes of +finding something to eat.</p> + +<p>About a mile's ride brought us to a ranch where +several yoke of oxen stood grazing, near the door. +Finding a sack of corn in a wagon we fed our horses +and then burst open the door of the log house, +which was locked. Out jumped a little playful +puppy, who had been asleep, his master having +locked him up in there, no doubt, in his anxiety to +pull for Dodge.</p> + +<p>Hanging over the still warm ashes was a pot of +nice beef soup which had never been touched. And +in the old box cupboard was a lot of cold biscuits and +a jar of nice preserves, besides a jug of molasses, etc.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span></p> + +<p>After filling up we struck out for Dodge, still a +distance of twenty-five miles. We arrived there +a short while after sun-up next morning; and the +first man we met—an old friend by the name of +Willingham—informed us of the indian outbreak. +There had been several men killed on Crooked +Creek the evening before—hence John and I finding +the ranches deserted.</p> + +<p>On riding through the streets that morning, +crowds of women, some of them crying, seeing we +were just in from the South, flocked around us inquiring +for their absent ones, fathers, brothers, +lovers and sons, some of whom had already been +killed, no doubt; there having been hundreds of +men killed in the past few days.</p> + +<p>John and I of course laughed in our boots to +think that we turned back, instead of going on to +the band of blood-thirsty devils that we had started +to go to.</p> + +<p>The first thing after putting our horses up at the +livery stable, we went to Wright & Beverly's store +and deposited our "wealth." John had a draft for +one hundred and fourteen dollars, while I had about +three hundred and fifty dollars. We then shed our<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> +old clothes and crawled into a bran new rig out and +out. Erskine Clement, one of Mr. Beal's partners, +was in town waiting to ship the herd which should +have been there by that time. But he hadn't heard +a word from it, since getting Moore's letter—which, +by the way, had to go around through Las Vegas, +New Mexico, and down through the southern part +of Colorado—stating about what time it would +arrive in Dodge. He was terribly worried when I +informed him that John and I had neither seen nor +heard anything of the outfit since it left the ranch.</p> + +<p>That night about ten o'clock John, who had struck +a lot of his old chums, came and borrowed twenty-five +dollars from me, having already spent his one +hundred and fourteen dollars that he had when he +struck town.</p> + +<p>I went to bed early that night, as I had promised +to go with Clement early next morning to make a +search for the missing herd.</p> + +<p>The next morning when Clement and I were fixing +to strike out, John came to me, looking bad +after his all night rampage, to get his horse and +saddle out of "soak." I done so, which cost me +thirty-five dollars, and never seen the poor boy +afterwards. Shortly after that he went to Ft. Sumner<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> +and was killed by one of "Billy the Kid's" +men, a fellow by the name of Barney Mason. Thus +ended the life of a good man who, like scores of +others, let the greatest curse ever known to mankind, +whisky, get the upper hand of him.</p> + +<p>Clement and I pulled south, our ponies loaded +down with ammunition so in case the indians got us +corralled we could stand them off a few days, at +least. We were well armed, both having a good +winchester and a couple of colts' pistols apiece.</p> + +<p>We found the outfit coming down Crooked Creek; +they having left the main trail, or road, on the Cimeron, +and came over a much longer route, to avoid +driving over a dry stretch of country, forty miles +between water. Hence John and I missing them. +No doubt but that it was a lucky move in them taking +that route, for, on the other, they would have +just about come in contact with the three or four +hundred Cheyenne reds, whose bloody deeds are +still remembered in that country.</p> + +<p>On arriving in town with the herd we split it in +two, making four hundred head in each bunch, and +put one half on the cars to be shipped to Chicago. +I accompanied the first lot, while Clement remained +to come on with the next.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span></p> + +<p>In Burlington, Iowa, I met Mr. Beals. We lay +there all day feeding and watering the cattle.</p> + +<p>On arriving in Chicago, I went right to the Palmer +house, but after paying one dollar for dinner I +concluded its price too high for a common clod-hopper +like myself. So I moved to the Ervin +House, close to the Washington Street tunnel, a +two dollar a day house.</p> + +<p>That night I turned myself loose taking in the +town, or at least a little corner of it. I squandered +about fifteen dollars that night on boot-blacks alone. +Every one of the little imps I met struck me for a +dime, or something to eat. They knew, at a glance, +from the cut of my jib, that they had struck a bonanza. +They continued to "work" me too, during +my whole stay in the city. At one time, while +walking with Mr. Beals and another gentleman, a +crowd of them who had spied me from across the +street, yelled "Yonder goes our Texas Ranger! +Lets tackle him for some stuff!"</p> + +<p>About the third day I went broke, and from that +time on I had to borrow from Mr. Beals. I left +there about a hundred dollars in his debt.</p> + +<p>After spending six days in the city I left for +Dodge City, Kansas, in company with Mr. Beals<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> +and Erskine Clement, who, instead of stopping at +Dodge, continued on to Grenada, Colorado, where +the "Beals Cattle Co." still held their headquarters.</p> + +<p>Arriving in Dodge City, I found Whiskey-peet, +whom I had left in Anderson's stable, all O. K., and +mounting him I struck out all alone for the "L. X." +ranch, two hundred and twenty-five miles.</p> + +<p>Arriving at the ranch I found the noted "Billy +the Kid" and his gang there. Among his daring +followers were the afterwards noted Tom O'Phalliard, +and Henry Brown, leader of the Medicine Lodge +Bank tragedy which happened in 1884, who was +shot in trying to escape, while his three companions +were hung. "The Kid" was there trying to dispose +of a herd of ponies he had stolen from the +"Seven River warriors" in Lincoln County, New +Mexico—his bitter enemies whom he had fought so +hard against, that past summer, in what is known +as the "bloody Lincoln County war of '78." During +his stay at the ranch and around Tascosa, I became +intimately acquainted with him and his jovial crowd. +I mention these facts because I intend to give you +a brief sketch of Billy's doings, in the closing pages +of this book.</p> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XIX" id="Chapter_XIX"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XIX.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">A LONELY RIDE OF ELEVEN HUNDRED MILES.</p> + +<p>After laying around the ranch a couple of weeks, +Mr. Moore put me in charge of a scouting +outfit and sent me out on the South Plains to drift +about all winter, watching for cattle thieves, etc.; also +to turn back any cattle that might slip by the "sign +riders" and drift across the Plains.</p> + +<p>During that winter we, that is my crowd, went +to church several times. A little Colony of Christians +headed by the Rev. Cahart, had settled on the +head of Salt Fork, a tributary of Red river, and +built a church house in which the little crowd, numbering +less than fifty souls would congregate every +Sunday and pray.</p> + +<p>That same little church house now ornaments the +thriving little city of Clarendon, County seat of +Donley County. The old inhabitants point to it +with pride when telling of how it once stood solitary +and alone out on the great buffalo range two +hundred miles from nowhere.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span></p> + +<p>The Colony had come from Illinois and drifted +away out there beyond the outskirts of civilization to +get loose from that demon whisky. And early +that coming spring a lot of ruffians started a saloon +in their midst. A meeting was called in the little +church house and resolutions passed to drive them +out, if in no other way, with powder and lead. They +pulled their freight and I am proud to state that I +had a hand in making them pull it; for the simple +reason that they had no business encroaching upon +those good people's rights.</p> + +<p>When spring opened Mr. Moore called me in +from the Plains and put me in charge of a rounding-up +outfit, which consisted of twelve riders and a +cook.</p> + +<p>To begin rounding-up, we went over to Canyon +Paladuro, where Chas. Goodnight had a ranch, and +where a great many of the river cattle had drifted +during the winter. There was about a hundred +men and seven or eight wagons in the outfit that +went over. We stopped over Sunday in the little +Christian Colony and went to church. The Rev. +Cahart preached about the wild and woolly Cow +Boy of the west; how the eastern people had him +pictured off as a kind of animal with horns, etc.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> +While to him, looking down from his dry goods +box pulpit into the manly faces of nearly a hundred +of them, they looked just like human beings, minus +the standing collar, etc.</p> + +<p>About the first of July, Moore sent me to Nickerson, +Kansas, with a herd of eight hundred shipping +steers. My outfit consisted of five men, a chuck +wagon, etc. Our route lay over a wild strip of +country where there was no trails nor scarcely any +ranches—that is, until reaching the southern line of +Kansas.</p> + +<p>We arrived at Nickerson after being on the road +two months. "Deacon" Bates, Mr. Beals partner, +was there waiting for us. He had come through +with several herds that had left the ranch a month +ahead of us. He was still holding some of the +poorest ones, south of town, where he had a camp +established.</p> + +<p>After loading my wagon with a fresh supply of +grub, Mr. Bates, or the "Deacon" as he was more +commonly called, sent me back over the trail he +and his outfits had come, to gather lost steers—some +they had lost coming through.</p> + +<p>I was gone about a month and came back with +eighteen head. We had a soft trip of it, as most<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span> +of our hard work was such as buying butter, eggs, +etc., from the scattering grangers along the Kansas +border. We never missed a meal on the trip, and +always had the best the country afforded, regardless +of cost. Deacon Bates was always bragging on +some of his bosses, how cheap they could live, etc. +I just thought I would try him this time, being in a +country where luxuries were plentiful, and see if he +wouldn't blow on me as being a person with good +horse sense. An animal of course, as we all know, +will eat the choicest grub he can get; and why not +man, when he is credited with having more sense +than the horse, one of the most intellectual animals +that exists?</p> + +<p>On our return to Nickerson, I concluded to quit +and spend the winter with mother, whom I received +letters from every now and then begging me to +come home. As I wasn't certain of coming back, +I thought it best to go overland and take Whisky-peet +along, for I couldn't even bear the <i>thought</i> of +parting with him; and to hire a car to take him +around by rail would be too costly.</p> + +<p>I got all ready to start and then went to Deacon +Bates for a settlement. He took my account book +and, after looking it over, said: "Why, Dum-it to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> +h—l, I can't pay no such bills as those! Why, +Dum-it all, old Jay Gould would groan under the +weight of these bills!" He then went on to read +some of the items aloud. They ran as follows: +Cod-fish $10; eggs $40; butter $70; milk $5; bacon +$150; flour $200; canned fruits $400; sundries +$600, etc., etc. Suffice it to say, the old gent told me +in plain Yankee English that I would have to go +to Chicago and settle with Mr. Beals. I hated the +idea of going to Chicago, for I knew my failings—I +was afraid I wouldn't have money enough left +when I got back to pay my expenses home.</p> + +<p>That same evening a letter came from Mr. Beals +stating that he had just received a letter from Moore, +at the ranch, in which he informed him that there +were two more herds on the trail for Nickerson, +and, as it was getting so near winter, for Joe +Hargraves, better known as "Jinglebob Joe," and I +to go and turn them to Dodge City, the nearest +shipping point.</p> + +<p>After putting Whisky-peet and my "Missouri" +mare, one I had bought to use as a pack-horse going +home, in care of an old granger to be fed and taken +good care of until my return, Joe and I struck out<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span> +with only one horse apiece—just the ones we were +riding.</p> + +<p>On our arrival in Dodge I pulled out for Chicago, +to get a settlement, with the first train load we +shipped. I took my saddle, bridle, spurs, etc. +along and left them in Atchison, Mo., the first point +we stopped to feed at, until my return.</p> + +<p>Arriving in Chicago, I told Mr. Beals that I was +going home to spend the winter, and therefore +wanted to settle up.</p> + +<p>He set 'em up to a fine Havana and then proceeded. +Every time he came to one of those big +bills, which caused the Deacon's eyes to bulge +out, he would grunt and crack about a forty-cent +smile, but never kicked.</p> + +<p>When he had finished there was a few hundred +dollars to my credit. He then asked me if I could +think of anything else that I had forgotten to charge +the "company" with? Of course I couldn't, because +I didn't have time; his question was put to +me too sudden. If I could have had a few hours +to myself, to figure the thing up just right, I think +I could have satisfied the old Gent.</p> + +<p>I remained in the city three days taking in the +sights and feeding the hungry little boot blacks.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> +When leaving, Mr. Beals informed me that he was +going to buy a lot of southern Texas cattle, to put +on his Panhandle ranch, the coming spring, and if +I wanted a job, to hold myself in readiness to boss +one of the herds up the trail for him. Of course +that just suited me, providing I couldn't make up +my mind to remain at home.</p> + +<p>Landing in Nickerson I hired a horse and went +out to the old granger's ranch where I had left my +two ponies. They were both fat and feeling good.</p> + +<p>Before starting out on my little journey of only +eleven hundred miles, I bought a pack-saddle and +cooking outfit—that is, just a frying pan, small coffee +pot, etc. I used the mare for a pack animal and +rode Whisky-peet. I had just six dollars left when +I rode out of Nickerson.</p> + +<p>I went through Fort Reno and Fort Sill, Indian +territory and crossed Red river into Texas on the +old military road, opposite Henrietta.</p> + +<p>When within ten miles of Denton, Texas, on +Pecan creek, Whisky-peet became lame—so much +so that he could scarcely walk. I was stopping +over night with a Mr. Cobb, and next morning I +first noticed his lameness.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span></p> + +<p>I lacked about twenty-five cents of having enough +to pay Mr. Cobb for my night's lodging that morning. +I had sold my watch for five dollars a short +while before and now that was spent.</p> + +<p>Whisky-peet being too lame to travel, I left him +with Mr. Cobb while I rode into Denton to try and +make a raise of some money.</p> + +<p>I tried to swap my mare off for a smaller animal +and get some boot, but every one seemed to think +that she had been stolen; I being so anxious to +swap.</p> + +<p>I rode back to Mr. Cobb's that night in the same +fix, financially, as when I left that morning.</p> + +<p>The next day I made a raise of some money. +Mr. Cobb and I made a saddle swap, he giving +me twenty dollars to boot. He and I also swapped +bridles, I getting four dollars and a half to boot. +One of his little boys then gave me his saddle and +one dollar and a half for my pack-saddle, which +had cost me ten dollars in Nickerson. I then had +lots of money.</p> + +<p>Whisky-peet soon got over his lameness, having +just stuck a little snag into the frog of his foot, +which I succeeded in finding and pulling out before<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> +it had time to do serious damage, and I started on +my journey again.</p> + +<p>On arriving in Denton that time, a negro struck +me for a horse swap right away. I got a three +year old pony and six dollars in money for my mare; +the pony suited just as well for a pack animal as +the mare.</p> + +<p>The next day after leaving Denton, I stopped in +a negro settlement and won a fifty-dollar horse, +running Whisky-peet against a sleepy looking grey. +I had up twenty dollars in money and my Winchester, +a fine silver mounted gun. I won the race +by at least ten open feet, but the negroes tried to +swindle me out of it.</p> + +<p>While riding along that evening three negroes +rode up and claimed the horse I had won. They +claimed that the parties who bet him off had no +right to him, as they just had borrowed him from +one of them to ride to the Settlement that morning. +I finally let them have him for twenty dollars.</p> + +<p>I went through the following towns after leaving +Denton: Ft. Worth, Clenborn, Hillsborough, Waco, +Herrene, Bryant, Brenham and Columbus; besides +scores of smaller places.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span></p> + +<p>I rode up to mother's little shanty on Cashe's +creek after being on the road just a month and +twelve days.</p> + +<p>To say that mother was glad to see me would +only half express it. She bounced me the first +thing about not coming back the next fall after +leaving as I had promised. I had been gone nearly +four years.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/dec04.png" width="250" height="94" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XX" id="Chapter_XX"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XX.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">ANOTHER START UP THE CHISHOLM TRAIL.</p> + +<p>I hadn't been at home but a few days when I came +very near getting killed by a falling house.</p> + +<p>Mother had become tired of the neighborhood +she lived in and wanted me to move her and her +shanty down the creek about a mile, to Mr. Cornelius's. +So hiring a yoke of oxen—although a +pair of goats would have answered the purpose—I +hauled her household goods down to the spot selected. +I then went to work tearing the shanty +down.</p> + +<p>In building it I had set eight pine posts two feet +in the ground, and then nailed the sidings, etc., to +them. There was only one room and it was eight +feet wide and fourteen long. The roof had been +made of heavy pine boards. After tearing both +ends out, I climbed onto the roof to undo that.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span></p> + +<p>I was a-straddle of the sharp roof, about midway, +axe in one hand and a large chisel in the other, +when all at once the sides began spreading out at +the top. Of course I began sinking slowly but +surely, until everything went down with a crash. +The pine posts had become rotten from the top of +the ground down; and just as soon as the roof and +I had struck bottom the sides flopped over onto us.</p> + +<p>A neighbor's little boy by the name of Benny +Williams, had been monkeying around watching me +work, and unluckily he was inside of the shanty +when the collapse came.</p> + +<p>I was sensible, but unable to move, there being so +much weight on me.</p> + +<p>Finally little Benny who was one thickness of +boards under me woke up and began squalling like +a six months old calf being put through the process +of branding.</p> + +<p>After squalling himself hoarse he began to moan +most pitiously. That was too much for me. I +could stand his bleating but his moaning for help +put new life into my lazy muscles, causing me to +exert every nerve in my body, so as to get out and +render the poor boy assistance. I had, before the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> +boy's cries disturbed me, made up my mind to lie +still and wait for something to turn up.</p> + +<p>In exerting myself I found that I could move my +body down towards my feet, an inch at a time. The +weight was all on my left shoulder. But it soon +came in contact with something else, which relieved +my bruised shoulder of most of the weight.</p> + +<p>I got out finally after a long and painful struggle; +and securing help from the Morris ranch, fished +Benny out. He had one leg broken below the +knee, besides other bruises. I was slightly disfigured, +but still in the ring.</p> + +<p>I put in the winter visiting friends, hunting, etc. +I had sold my cattle—the mavricks branded nearly +four years before—to Mr. Geo. Hamilton, at the +market price, from five to ten dollars a head, according +to quality, to be paid for when he got his +own brand put on to them. Every now and then +he would brand a few, and with the money received +for them I would buy grub and keep up my dignity.</p> + +<p>About the first of March I received a letter from +Mr. Rosencrans, one of D. T. Beals' partners, stating +that Mr. Beals had bought his cattle in middle +Texas instead of southern as he had expected, and +as he had told me in Chicago. "But," continued the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> +letter, "we have bought a herd from Charles Word +of Goliad, on the San Antonia River, to be delivered +at our Panhandle ranch and have secured you the +job of bossing it. Now should you wish to come +back and work for us, go out and report to Mr. +Word at once."</p> + +<p>The next day I kissed mother good-bye, gave +Whisky peet a hug, patted Chief—a large white +dog that I had picked up in the Indian Territory on +my way through—a few farewell pats on the head, +mounted "Gotch"—a pony I had swapped my star-spangled +winchester for—and struck out for Goliad, +ninety miles west. Leaving Whisky-peet behind +was almost as severe on me as having sixteen jaw-teeth +pulled. I left him, in Horace Yeamans' care, +so that I could come back by rail the coming fall. I +failed to come back though that fall as I expected, +therefore never got to see the faithful animal again; +he died the following spring.</p> + +<p>A three days' ride brought me to Goliad, the place +where Fannin and his brave followers met their sad +fate during the Mexican war. It was dark when I +arrived there. After putting up my horse, I learned +from the old gent Mr. Word, who was a saddler, +and whom I found at work in his shop, that his son<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span> +Charlie was out at Beeville, gathering a bunch of +cattle.</p> + +<p>Next morning I struck out for Beeville, thirty +miles west, arriving there about four o'clock in the +afternoon.</p> + +<p>About sun-down I found Charles Word, and his +crowd of muddy cow-punchers, five miles west of +town. They were almost up to their ears in mud, +(it having been raining all day,) trying to finish "road +branding" that lot of steers before dark. The corral +having no "chute" the boys had to rope and +wrestle with the wild brutes until the hot iron could +be applied to their wet and muddy sides.</p> + +<p>When I rode up to the corral, Charlie came out, +and I introduced myself. He shook my hand with +a look of astonishment on his brow, as much as to +say, I'll be——if Beals mustn't be crazy, sending +this smooth-faced kid here to take charge of a herd +for me! He finally after talking awhile told me that +I would have to work under Mr. Stephens, until we +got ready to put up the Beals herd—or at least the +one I was to accompany. He also told me to keep +the boys from knowing that I was going to boss the +next herd, as several of them were fishing for the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> +job, and might become stubborn should they know +the truth.</p> + +<p>I went on "night-guard" after supper and it continued +to rain all night, so that I failed to get any +sleep; but then I didn't mind it, as I was well +rested.</p> + +<p>The next day after going to work, was when I +caught fits though, working in a muddy pen all day. +When night came I didn't feel as much like going +on guard as I did the night before. A laughable +circumstance happened that morning after going +into the branding-pen.</p> + +<p>As the pen had no "chute" we had to rope and +tie down, while applying the brand. The men working +in pairs, one, which ever happened to get a good +chance, to catch the animal by both fore feet as he +run by which would "bump" him, that is, capsize +him. The other fellow would then be ready to +jump aboard and hold him until securely fastened. +There being only seven of us to do the roping that +morning, it of course left one man without a "pard," +and that one was me. Each one you see is always +anxious to get a good roper for a "pard," as then +everything works smoothly. Mr. Word told me to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> +sit on the fence and rest until Ike Word, an old negro +who used to belong to the Word family, and who +was the best roper in the crowd, returned from town +where he had been sent with a message.</p> + +<p>It wasn't long till old Ike galloped up, wearing a +broad grin. He was very anxious to get in the pen +and show "dem fellers de art of cotching um by +boaf front feet." But when his boss told him he +would have to take me for a "pard" his broad grin +vanished. Calling Mr. Word to one side he told +him that he didn't want that yankee for a "pard," +as he would have to do all the work, etc. He was +told to try me one round and if I didn't suit he +could take some one else. Shortly afterwards while +passing Mr. Word old Ike whispered and said: +"Dogon me if dat yankee don't surprise de natives!" +When night came, and while I was on herd, old Ike +sat around the camp fire wondering to the other +boys "whar dat yankee learned to rope so well." +You see Mr. Word had told the boys that I was +from the Panhandle, and old Ike thought the Panhandle +was way up in Yankeedom somewhere, +hence he thinking I was a yankee. A few days +after that though, I satisfied old Ike that I was a +thoroughbred.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span></p> + +<p>Mr. Word bought a bunch of ponies, new arrivals +from Mexico, and among them was a large iron-grey, +which the mexicans had pointed out as being +"Muncho Deablo." None of the boys, not even old +Ike, cared to tackle him. So one morning I caught +and saddled him. He fought like a tiger while being +saddled; and after getting it securely fastened he +threw it off and stamped it into a hundred pieces, +with his front feet, which caused me to have to buy +a new one next day. I then borrowed Mr. Stephens' +saddle, and after getting securely seated in it, raised +the blinds and gave him the full benefit of spurs and +quirt. After pitching about half a mile, me, saddle +and all went up in the air, the girths having broken. +But having the "hackimore" rope fastened to my +belt I held to him until help arrived. I then borrowed +another saddle, and this time stayed with +him. From that on, old Ike recognized me as a +genuine cow-puncher.</p> + +<p>We finally got that herd, of thirty-seven hundred +steers, ready for the trail; but the very night after +getting them counted and ready to turn over to Mr. +Stephens the next morning, they stampeded, half of +them getting away and mixing up with thousands of +other cattle.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span></p> + +<p>Mr. Stephens thought he would try a new scheme +that trip up the trail, so he bought a lot of new bulls-eye +lanterns to be used around the herd on dark, +stormy nights, so that each man could tell just where +the other was stationed by the reflection of his +light.</p> + +<p>This night in question being very dark and stormy, +Stephens thought he would christen his new lamps. +He gave me one, although I protested against such +nonsense.</p> + +<p>About ten o'clock some one suddenly flashed his +bulls-eye towards the herd, and off they went, as +though shot out of a gun.</p> + +<p>In running my horse at full speed in trying to get +to the lead, or in front of them, me, horse, bulls-eye +and all went over an old rail fence—where there +had once been a ranch—in a pile. I put the entire +blame onto the lamp, the light of which had blinded +my horse so that he didn't see the fence.</p> + +<p>I wasn't long in picking myself up and mounting +my horse who was standing close by, still trembling +from the shock he received. I left the lamp where +it lay, swearing vengeance against the use of them, +around cattle, and dashed off after the flying herd.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span></p> + +<p>When daylight came I and a fellow by the name +of Glass, found ourselves with about half of the +herd, at least ten miles from camp. The rest of the +herd was scattered all over the country, badly mixed +up with other cattle. It took us several days to get +the lost ones gathered, and the herd in shape again.</p> + +<p>After bidding Stephens and the boys who were +to accompany him, adieu, to meet again on Red +River where he was to wait for us, we pulled for +Goliad to rig up a new outfit, horses, wagon, etc.</p> + +<p>The horses, Word bought out of a mexican herd +which had just arrived from Old Mexico. He gave +eighteen dollars a head for the choice, out of several +hundred head.</p> + +<p>Being all ready to start for Kimble County, two +hundred miles northwest, where the herd was to be +gathered, Mr. Word turned the outfit over to me, +while he went around by stage.</p> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XXI" id="Chapter_XXI"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XXI.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">A TRIP WHICH TERMINATED IN THE +CAPTURE OF "BILLY THE KID."</p> + +<p>We went through San Antonio and lay there +long enough to have all of our horses shod, +as we were going into a mountainous country where +they couldn't stand it without shoes. While there +I visited the Almo building where poor Davy +Crocket and his brave companions bit the dust.</p> + +<p>We arrived at our destination, Joe Taylor's ranch, +on Paint creek a small tributary to the Llano, at +last; and it was one of the roughest, rockiest, God-forsaken +countries I ever put foot on.</p> + +<p>We finally, after three weeks hard work, got the +herd of twenty-five hundred head started towards +the north star. We were awful glad to get out of +there too, for our horses were all nearly peetered out, +and the men on the war-path, from having to work +twenty-six hours a day.</p> + +<p>At Red river we overtook Stephens and changed +herds with him, his being the ones to go to Beal's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> +ranch, while the others were for the Wyoming +market.</p> + +<p>After parting with Stephens again we turned in +a northwesterly direction and arrived at the "L. X." +ranch on the first day of July.</p> + +<p>Moore sent me right out on the Plains to hold the +herd I came up with, until fall. That just suited me +as I needed a rest.</p> + +<p>After turning the herd loose on the range about +the first of September, I was put in charge of a +branding outfit. Our work then was drifting over +the range branding calves.</p> + +<p>Late in the fall when all the branding was done, +Moore put me in charge of a scouting outfit and +sent me out on the Plains to drift around, the same +as previous winters.</p> + +<p>I hadn't been there long, though, when he sent +word for me to turn my outfit over to James +McClaughety and come in to the ranch; and to bring +three of my picked men along.</p> + +<p>On arriving at the ranch I found that he wanted +me to take an outfit and go to New Mexico after a +lot of cattle that "Billy the Kid" had stolen and run +over there.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span></p> + +<p>The cattlemen along the Canadian river had hired a +fellow by the name of Frank Stuart to keep a lookout +for stolen cattle in New Mexico; and along in the +summer he came to the Panhandle and notified the +different cattlemen who had him employed that +"Billy the Kid" and his gang were making a regular +business of stealing Panhandle cattle and selling +them to an old fellow named Pat Cohglin who had +a large ranch on Three rivers, close to Ft. Stanton.</p> + +<p>The outfits then made up a crowd between them, +and sent with Stuart, giving him orders to go right +to the Cohglin ranch and take all the cattle found +there, in their brands.</p> + +<p>But Mr. Stuart failed to go nearer than forty +miles from where the cattle were reported to be. +He claimed that Cohglin, who had a blood-thirsty +crowd around him, sent him word that if he got the +cattle he would have to take some hot lead with +them, or something to that effect. So Stuart came +back, claiming he didn't have men enough.</p> + +<p>This made Moore mad, so he concluded to rig up +an outfit of his own and send them over after the +cattle, hence he sending out after me.</p> + +<p>My outfit, after getting it rigged up, consisted of +a chuck wagon with four good mules to pull it, a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> +cook and five picked men, named as follows: James +East, Lee Hall, Lon Chambers, Cal Pope and last +but not by any means least "Big-foot Wallace." +They all, except me, had one extra good horse +apiece; I had two. Moore thought it best not to +have many horses to feed, as corn would be scarce +and high. He thought it best to buy more if we +needed them.</p> + +<p>On starting, Moore gave me these orders: "Stay +over there until you get those cattle or bust the +"L. X." company. I will keep you supplied in +money just as long as they have got a nickel left, +that I can get hold of. And when you get the +cattle if you think you can succeed in capturing +"Billy the Kid" do so. You can hire all the men +you need; but don't undertake his capture until you +have first secured the cattle."</p> + +<p>At Tascosa we met Stuart who had succeeded in +raising a little crowd to join us. Mr. McCarty, +boss of the "L. I. T." ranch had furnished five men, +a cook and chuck wagon; and Torry, whose ranch +was further up the river, a wagon and two men, +while a man by the name of Johnson furnished a +man and wagon. The "L. I. T." outfit was in charge +of a fellow by the name of "Bob" Roberson, whose<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> +orders were to get the stolen cattle before trying to +capture the Kid, but in the meantime, to be governed +by Stuart's orders. This placed "Bob" in bad +shape, as you will see later.</p> + +<p>Stuart, after we all got strung out, took the "buck-board" +on the mail line, and went on ahead to Las +Vegas to put in a week or so with his solid girl.</p> + +<p>On arriving at San Lorenzo, New Mexico, I +mounted a buck-board and struck out ahead, to Las +Vegas, to buy a lot of corn, grub, ammunition, etc., +to be delivered at Anton Chico, twenty-five miles +south of "Vegas," by the time the crowd got there, +so as not to cause any delay. "Bob" Roberson also +gave me money to buy a lot of stuff for his outfit.</p> + +<p>Arriving in Vegas, during a severe snow storm, +I found there wasn't fifty bushels of corn in town, +the snow storm having delayed the freight trains. +One merchant had just got a bill of several car loads +which he expected to arrive any minute. So I concluded +I would wait—and help Stuart hold the town +down.</p> + +<p>I wrote a letter to Anton Chico, telling the boys +to lay there and take it easy, as I might be detained +several days waiting for corn.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span></p> + +<p>Every morning I would go to the grain merchant, +and receive this reply: "Am looking for it every +minute; t'will certainly be here by night."</p> + +<p>Not being acquainted in town, time passed off +very slowly, so I finally got to "bucking" at my old +favorite game—monte. I won for a while, but finally +my luck took a turn and I lost nearly every dollar +I had in my possession, most of which belonged to +my employers. The one hundred dollars that "Bob" +Roberson gave to buy stuff for his outfit, also went.</p> + +<p>While standing over the exciting game, after my +pile had dwindled down to an even seventy dollars, +I put just half of it, thirty-five dollars, on the +Queen, or "horse," as it is called, being the picture +of a woman on horseback, and made a vow, if I +lost that bet that I never would as long as I lived, +"buck" at monte again. I lost, and my vow has +been sacredly kept.</p> + +<p>The corn finally arrived, but having no money, +I had to run my face by giving an order on the +"L. X." company, payable on demand. The other +stuff, ammunition, etc., also things "Bob" had sent +for, I had to buy in the same manner. Of course +I hated to give orders so soon after leaving the +ranch with a pocketfull of money, but then that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> +was the best I could do under existing circumstances.</p> + +<p>After getting the goods started for Anton Chico, +Stuart and I hired a rig and followed.</p> + +<p>Arriving in "Chico" we found Barney Mason, (an +ex-chum of the "Kid's," but now a deputy sheriff +under Pat Garrett) there, with a message from Garrett +telling Stuart to meet him in Vegas at a certain +date, on important business. So Stuart struck right +back to Vegas, accompanied by Mason, as the date +fixed was only a few days off.</p> + +<p>I found the boys all well and having a fat time. +The only thing that bothered me they had run in +debt head over heels on the strength of me having +lots of money. The merchants expected their pay +according to contract, immediately after my arrival. +I had to satisfy them with orders on the "L. X." +firm.</p> + +<p>The boys had lots of news to relate, things that +had happened after I left: One of "Bob's" men +had had a shooting scrape with some mexicans; and +"Billy the Kid" and his crowd had been in town, +they having come in afoot, and went out well +mounted. He and his five men having hoofed it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> +through deep snow from the Greathouse ranch, over +a hundred miles southwest of there.</p> + +<p>After getting everything in shape we pulled out +for White Oaks, one hundred and fifty miles southwest.</p> + +<p>The second night out we camped at the Lewelling +Wells, where bright and early next morning Stuart +overtook us; accompanied by Pat Garrett and Barney +Mason. They came with a scheme all cut and +dried, by which they could get the big reward +offered for the "Kid." Garrett knew the Kid and +his few remaining followers had been to Chico and +left for Fort Sumner a few days before; and that +they were wore out from having been chased all +over the country by a gang of ninety men from +White Oaks and vicinity. Now was his time to +strike, if he could just get Stuart to go in cahoots +with him. That was soon accomplished; a promise +of half of the reward, I suppose, done the work. +Hence he sending for Stuart to come and see him +in "Vegas" on important business.</p> + +<p>After eating breakfast Stuart broke the ice by +telling a lie. He knew our orders were strictly to +get the cattle first, and then if we could assist in +the capture of the "Kid" to do so. Therefore he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span> +branched out thus: "Well boys, we have got a job +on our hands: 'Kid' is on his way to Old Mexico +with a bunch of Panhandle cattle; and we want +every man in the outfit, except just enough to accompany +the wagons to White Oaks, to go with Garrett +and I to overtake them."</p> + +<p>"How can that be," someone asked "when Kid +and his men just left Anton Chico a few days ago?"</p> + +<p>"Don't know," was the quick answer, unless some +of his outfit had the cattle under herd somewhere +down the river waiting for him. If you doubt my +word about it, just ask Mr. Garrett, there.</p> + +<p>Of course we all did doubt his word, and were +well satisfied that it was a put up job, to gain the +reward.</p> + +<p>"Bob" Roberson and I went to one side and +talked the matter over, while Stuart and his little +party remained at camp wondering whether their +little scheme would have strength to hold out, on +its weak legs or not.</p> + +<p>"Bob" was in favor, after we had talked the thing +over, of going right back and telling Stuart in plain +English that he lied. But I wouldn't agree to that +for fear it might accidently be true. I thought it +strange that Garrett, who had the reputation of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span> +being a model of a man, would sit by with his +mouth shut and listen to such a falsehood. Of course +Garrett couldn't be blamed very much for he, being +Sheriff, was interested in the "Kid's" capture, no +matter what became of the cattle we had come after.</p> + +<p>"Bob" and I finally concluded, for fear the statement +might be true, to let them have a few men, +but not enough to completely cripple us so that we +couldn't go on after the cattle should we think it +best, after getting to White Oaks.</p> + +<p>I let them take three out of my crowd: "Jim" +East, "Lon" Chambers and "Lee" Hall. While +"Bob" gave up two, "Tom" Emory and Louis Bozman. +Stuart wasn't satisfied, he wanted more. But +not being successful in getting his whole wants +supplied, they all rode off down the Pecos valley.</p> + +<p>Shortly after they left we pulled out on the White +Oaks road. That night it began to snow, and kept +it up for several days until the whole ground was +covered to the depth of from two to three feet; so +that it was slow work getting our wagons along +through it.</p> + +<p>A few days afterwards we came to the Greathouse +ranch, or at least to the hot ashes where it +once stood, where "Kid" and six of his daring followers<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span> +were surrounded by ninety men one whole +night and day. It was as follows:</p> + +<p>A squad of men left White Oaks to hunt the +"Kid" who was lurking in the neighborhood. They +suddenly came upon him and Bill Willson cooking +their breakfasts, one morning.</p> + +<p>On discovering their enemies they both, after +firing a shot apiece, sped through the mountains +like deer, leaving their horses, saddles, coats and +breakfast behind.</p> + +<p>One of the shots fired at the White Oaks party +took effect in the brain of a good horse that a young +man by the name of Johnny Hudgens was riding, +while the other, went through a hat, on the head of +a young man.</p> + +<p>After following the trail through the deep snow +awhile, and after satisfying themselves that the two +young outlaws couldn't hide their tracks, the party +struck back to White Oaks after something to eat, +and more men.</p> + +<p>When they returned, that same evening, there +was ninety men in the crowd. They got on the +trail and followed it, until shortly after dark, when +it brought them to within a few hundred yards of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span> +the Greathouse ranch, on the "Vegas" and White +Oaks road.</p> + +<p>To satisfy themselves that the game was bagged, +they circled around the ranch to see that no trails +were leading out from it.</p> + +<p>They then stationed themselves in a circle around +the house and, dismounting, began to make breast-works +out of pine logs—the ranch being in the +midst of a large pine grove.</p> + +<p>When day-light came Greathouse sent a negro, +who was stopping with him, out after the horses +which had been hobbled the night before.</p> + +<p>Mr. "Nig" hadn't gone but a few hundred yards +when he was captured by the White Oaks boys.</p> + +<p>After learning from him that the "Kid" and five +of his men were in the house they sent him back +with a note to the "Kid," telling him if he and his +party would come out with their hands up they +would be treated as prisoners of war; if not they +would have to stand the consequences, etc.</p> + +<p>In a few minutes the negro returned with a note +from the "Kid," stating: "You fellers go to h—l!" +or something to that effect.</p> + +<p>A consultation was then held, and finally decided +to give the boys one more chance for their lives,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> +before storming the house. So they sent Mr. Coon +back with another note stating, that that would be +their last chance, etc.</p> + +<p>In a short while a new messenger came forward. +It was "Jim" Greathouse, proprietor of the ranch. +He stated that the "Kid" desired to have a talk with +their leader. On asking him what assurance he +could give that their leader wouldn't be harmed, he +replied, "myself." He told them that they could +hold him a prisoner, and if anything happened to +Carlyle, he was willing to stand the consequences.</p> + +<p>So Mr. "Jim" Carlyle, he being the leader, +marched forward—never more to return—to have +a talk with the "Kid".</p> + +<p>Arriving in the house where there was also a +saloon, kept there to accommodate the thirsty traveler, +he was made to go up to the bar and drink +"health to Billy the Kid." This of course went +against the grain with "Jim," but then what else +could he do now, being at their mercy?</p> + +<p>Finally the Kid spied one of the gloves he had +left behind in his retreat the day before, sticking +out of "Jim's" coat pocket.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span></p> + +<p>This revived the hardships he and Billy Willson +were compelled to endure, nearly all day the day +before, traveling through snow up to their knees. +So pulling the glove out of "Jim's" pocket and holding +it up at arms length, he asked: "Jim, was you +with that mob yesterday who caused me such a +tramp through the snow?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," was the answer.</p> + +<p>"Well then, come up and take your last drink on +this earth, for I am going to blow your light out."</p> + +<p>"Jim" of course didn't relish the half pint of rotgut +that he was forced to drink at the point of a +colts "45."</p> + +<p>After drinking a full glass himself the "Kid" +threw his pistol down in "Jim's" face, full cocked, +telling him at the same time to say his prayers while +he slowly counted "three."</p> + +<p>The "one, two, three!" was uttered, and then a +pistol shot rang out upon the still air, re-echoing +from the mountain sides, in every direction.</p> + +<p>The bullet had struck its mark, a tin can hanging +on the wall a few inches above "Jim's" head.</p> + +<p>"Well, Jim," was the first words that broke the +death-like silence within, "you are worth several +dead men yet, ain't you?" Said "Kid" grabbing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> +"Jim's" trembling hand and leading him up to the +bar, over which Billy Willson handed the fiery bug-juice.</p> + +<p>"You didn't think I would be brute enough to +shoot you in <i>such</i> a cowardly manner, did you, Jim?" +continued the "Kid" setting his empty glass down +on the counter.</p> + +<p>The shot from within had excited the crowd outside +almost to fever heat; they thinking that it meant +their leaders' death. One fellow during the exciting +moment scribbled off a note which read thus: "If +Carlyle ain't out here in ten minutes by the watch, +your friend Greathouse will be a corpse," and sent it +to the "Kid" by the negro, who had returned after +delivering the last message which brought Greathouse +out.</p> + +<p>The note was read in the presence of Carlyle, so +that he heard every word it contained.</p> + +<p>"Kid" then answered it by stating: "Carlyle is +safe, but we can't give him up just yet. Now remember, +if we hear a shot from the outside we will +take it for granted that you have carried out your +threats by killing Greathouse, and will have to pay +you back by killing our prisoner," etc.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Jim" knew the substance of the note and trembled +in his boots at the thoughts of an accident shot +being fired by his party. He was satisfied that his +men wouldn't do as they threatened in the note +after hearing, from the negro's own lips, that he +was still alive. It was the <i>accident</i> shot that disturbed +his mind.</p> + +<p>The negro hadn't more than got behind the breastworks +with the note when a man, stationed behind +another breastwork, who knew nothing of the threat +having been made, fired a shot at the house "just +for fun."</p> + +<p>Carlyle, on hearing the shot, made a leap at the +only glass window in the house, taking sash and all +with him. But before striking the ground several +bullets from the "Kids" well aimed "45" had pierced +his body. He crawled a few yards and then fell +over dead, in plain view of his eighty odd companions.</p> + +<p>"Kid" claimed afterwards that he was sorry for having +had to kill "Jim." Their intentions were to hold +him prisoner until dark, when they would tie him +down, so he couldn't give the alarm, and then make +their escape.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span></p> + +<p>From that on, the mad crowd outside kept up a +continued firing at the log house until dark. But +doing no damage, as the boys had breast-works +built of sacks of flour, boxes, bedding, etc.</p> + +<p>Jim Greathouse during the excitement gave his +guards the slip and pulled for "tall timber" up in the +mountains where it was almost impossible for a +mounted man to follow. I have often afterwards +heard Greathouse laugh over the matter and tell +how he "just hit the high places," and beat Goldsmith +Maid's fastest time, for the first half mile.</p> + +<p>About ten o'clock that night the White Oaker's +began to get tired and hungry, so concluded they +would go back to town, forty miles, fill up, get a +fresh mount and return by daylight, without the +"Kid" and his men knowing anything of it. They +stole off very slyly, without making any noise, and +when they got about a mile, put their horses down +to their best licks.</p> + +<p>About midnight the little party inside made a +bold break for liberty. They headed north-east, +with cocked winchesters, determined on fighting +their way out. But they were happily disappointed.</p> + +<p>A ten-mile tramp through snow brought them to +the Spencer ranch, which was kept by a kind old<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> +man by the name of Spencer, who lived there all +alone, and was trying to establish a shorter route +from "Vegas" to the "Oaks" by turning the road by +his place, where there was a fine spring of water, a +luxury the Greathouse ranch lacked, they having to +haul water a distance of several miles from up in +the rough mountains.</p> + +<p>Just as day was breaking the crowd returned from +the "Oaks," and finding their game had fled they +set fire to the house and struck out on the newly +made foot prints.</p> + +<p>Arriving at the Spencer ranch they learned, from +the old gentleman, that the "Kid" and his little party +of five had been gone about two hours, and that +they had eaten breakfast with him.</p> + +<p>After continuing on the trail about an hour longer, +until it brought them to a rough strip of country where +they would be compelled to take it afoot, they gave +up the chase, and turned back to take their spite +out on poor old Spencer for feeding the "Kid" and +his crowd.</p> + +<p>They took the poor old harmless fellow out to a +neighboring tree, after setting fire to his ranch, and +put a rope around his neck; but before they had +time to swing him up, a few of the men, who had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span> +been opposed from the start, interfered in the old +man's behalf. Thus his neck was saved, and he is +to-day a highly respected citizen in that community, +which has since that time become a rich mining +district.</p> + +<p>The "Kid" and his men made it into Anton Chico, +where, as I stated before, they stole a good horse +and saddle apiece, while the boys were there waiting +for me to arrive from "Vegas," and pulled down +the Reo Pecos.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/dec04.png" width="250" height="94" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XXII" id="Chapter_XXII"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XXII.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">BILLY THE KID'S CAPTURE</p> + + +<p>We arrived in the beautifully located town of +White Oaks on the 23d day of December, +(1880). The town, which consisted of 1000 inhabitants, +mostly American miners, was then not quite +two years old and pretty lively for its age. It contained +eight saloons; and Saturday nights when the +boys would come in from the surrounding mountains, +to spend the Sabbath, is when the little burg +would put on city airs.</p> + +<p>We rented a large log house in the lower end of +town and went to living like white folks. We had +no money, but we struck two of the merchants who +gave us an unlimited credit until we could make a +raise. Our greatest expense was feeding the horses +corn which cost five cents a pound and hay, two +cents a pound. The grub we ate wasn't very expensive +as we stole all of our meat, and shared with +our honest neighbors who thought it a great sin to +kill other people's cattle. You see "Bob" and I still<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> +clung to the old Texas style which is, never kill one +of your own beeves when you can get somebody +else's.</p> + +<p>We had concluded not to go after the stolen cattle +until the rest of the boys got there, by which +time the deep snow would be melted, maybe, so +that we could scour the White Mountains, where +the cattle were reported to be, out thoroughly.</p> + +<p>New-Year's night we had a bushel of fun making +the citizens think that "Billy the Kid" had taken +the town. Billy was in the habit of "shooting the +town up a lot" every now and then, hence, every +time a few dozen shots were fired at an unusually late +hour, they putting it down as being some of his +devilment.</p> + +<p>We first sent one of our crowd up-town to the +billiard hall, where most of the men generally congregated, +and especially "Pinto Tom," the marshal, +whose maneuvers we were anxious to learn, to watch +and see what kind of an effect our shooting had on +the people.</p> + +<p>At precisely twelve o'clock we got out with winchesters +and six-shooters, cooks and all, and turned +ourselves loose. About one hundred shots were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> +fired in quick succession. We then went up town +to note the effect.</p> + +<p>Arriving at the billiard hall we found old "Uncle +Jimmie," our man, standing in the door laughing fit +to kill himself. The hall was empty, with the exception +of a few who were still hid under tables, +chairs, etc. Most of them had gone out of the +back door, there being a rough canyon within a few +yards of it leading to the mountains, right at the +marshal's heels. It was said that "Pinto Tom" +didn't get in from the mountains for two days, and +when he did come, he swore he had been off prospecting.</p> + +<p>Shortly after New-Years some of our men arrived, +bringing the news of the "Kid's" capture, while +the rest, Jim East and Tom Emory had accompanied +Garrett and Stuart to "Vegas" with the +prisoners.</p> + +<p>Stuart sent a letter by one of the boys, stating +that he, East and Emory, would be in the "Oaks" +just as quick as they could get there, after turning +the prisoners over to the authorities in "Vegas."</p> + +<p>So, knowing that we were destined to remain +around the "Oaks" a week or two at least, we pulled +out in the mountains and camped, so as to save expenses<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> +by letting our horses eat grass instead of +hay.</p> + +<p>That night, after the boys arrived and after we +had moved camp out in the timber, while seated +around a blazing pinyon fire, Lon Chambers who +was a splendid single-handed talker, began relating +how they captured the "Kid," etc., which ran about +this way, as near as I can remember:</p> + +<div class="blockquote5"><p>"After leaving you fellers we caught——. It began +snowing that night, and kept it up for two or +three days and nights.</p> + +<p>Arriving in Ft. Sumner, Garrett got word that +the Kid and outfit would be in town that night from +Los Potales, where the 'Kid's' ranch or cave was +situated, so he secured a house near the road leading +to 'Potales,' to secret his men in. He then kept +a man out doors, on guard, watching the road.</p> + +<p>About ten o'clock that night, while we were all +inside playing a five-cent game of poker, the guard +opened the door and said, 'Garrett, here comes a +crowd down the road!' We all dashed out, winchesters +in hand, and hid behind an adobe fence, +close by, which they would be compelled to pass.</p> + +<p>The moon was shining and we could tell who it +was, or at least Garrett and Mason could; they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span> +being well acquainted with them. There was six +in the approaching crowd, and thirteen of us.</p> + +<p>When they rode up within speaking distance +Garrett yelled, 'throw up your hands!' His voice +had hardly died out when thirteen shots from our +nervously gripped winchesters were fired into their +midst.</p> + +<p>When the smoke cleared off we found that they +had all vanished, with the exception of Tom Ophalliard +who was mortally wounded, and died shortly +after. He had several bullet holes through his +body. 'These,' pointing down to his feet, 'are his +over shoes, and this' pulling off a finely finished +mexican sombraro and displaying it, "is the hat I +pulled from his head before he had quit kicking."</p> + +<p>The next morning we struck out on the trail which +led back towards Los Potales. The white snow +along the trail was red with blood, having flowed +from the wounds in Rudabaugh's horse. The poor +animal died though after carrying his heavy master +through twelve miles of deep snow.</p> + +<p>About midnight we hove in sight of a little rock +house standing on the banks of a small arroyo. The +trail led right up to the door which faced the south. +Right near the door stood four shivering horses.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span></p> + +<p>Knowing we had the little band trapped, we took +things cool until daylight, when we stationed ourselves +around the house.</p> + +<p>There being no opening in the building except +the door, Garrett and Lee Hall crawled up to the end +wall so they could watch the door from around the +corner, while the rest of us concealed ourselves +behind knolls, etc.</p> + +<p>We had left our horses behind a hill quite a distance +from the house.</p> + +<p>When it became light enough to see, Charlie +Bowdre stepped out doors to see about his horse, +but he hadn't more than hit the ground when two +bullets, fired by Garrett and Hall, who were still at +the corner not a dozen feet from the door, sent him +to his long home. He only uttered a few words, +which were: 'I wish, I wish,' before his last breath +left him.</p> + +<p>Of course that caused a stirring around inside; +they knew what it meant and began making preparations +for an escape. The 'Kid' had his pony +inside, out of the cold and the other four—Rudabaugh +having secured another one—were tied to +the door frame so that they could reach the ropes +without exposing their bodies. Now thought they if<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span> +we can pull three of the horses inside we will mount +and make a bold dash out of the door. But when +they got the first animal about half way into the +house Garrett sent a bullet through its heart. The +dead animal of course blocked the way so that they +had to give up that scheme.</p> + +<p>They then tried picking port holes through the +thick rock walls, but had to give it up also, as they +had nothing to do it with but their knives and firearms.</p> + +<p>The 'Kid' and Garrett finally opened up a conversation. +The former seemed to be in fine humor. +Every now and then he would crack some kind of +a joke and then laugh, so that every one of us could +hear him. At one time he asked in a jovial way: +'Garrett, have you got a fire out there?' 'Yes, a +good one!' was the answer. 'Can we come out and +warm if we behave ourselves?' 'Yes,' replied +Garrett, 'but come with your hands up.' 'Oh, you +go to h—l, won't you? You old long-legged s—n +of a b——h!'</p> + +<p>You see they were without fire, water or provisions, +consequently we had the advantage. We +had a good fire out behind one of the knolls and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> +would take turns about, during the day and coming +night, going to warm.</p> + +<p>They held out until next day, when they surrendered, +after being promised protection from mob +violence. Kid was the last man to come out with +his hands up. He said he would have starved to +death before surrendering if the rest had stayed +with him."</p></div> + +<p>Chambers, after finishing gave a heavy sigh and +wondered whether Garrett and Stuart would act +white and whack up the reward evenly among the +whole outfit, or not.</p> + +<p>"Bob" and I made arrangements with the boys to +loan us their part of the reward, which would +amount to considerable over a hundred dollars +apiece, until we got back to the ranch, to pay our +debts with.</p> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XXIII" id="Chapter_XXIII"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XXIII.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">A TRIP TO THE RIO GRANDE ON A MULE.</p> + +<p>About the time we were getting out of patience +waiting, the two boys, East and Emory, arrived +with the good news that Stuart would be along +in a few days, he having to remain over to get their +part of the reward, etc.</p> + +<p>Stuart arrived finally; he came in a buggy with a +gentleman from "Vegas." His orders to Roberson +and Torry's men were: "Boys, you fellows pull +right back to the ranch, as I have got some important +business to look after in 'Vegas.' We can come +back after those cattle in the spring," etc.</p> + +<p>The boys who had helped capture the "Kid" and +outfit rounded him up for their part of the reward, but +he said it was already spent. Oh no, they wasn't mad! +Some of them swore that he would be a corpse before +morning. But luckily for him he pulled for +"Vegas" that night. I am not certain whether he was +aware of his danger or not, but there is one thing +I am certain of and that is, it wouldn't have been<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> +healthy for him to remain in that locality very long. +"Bob" had even consented to the crowd hanging +him. I was the only one who protested, for the +simple reason that I do not believe in mob law. Of +course I thought it very wrong in swindling the +boys out of equal share of the reward, after they +had shared equally in the danger and hardships.</p> + +<p>"Bob" was in a bad fix, in debt, no money and +ordered home, by one whose orders his boss had +told him to obey. The question was, how to stand +his creditors off and get grub, corn, etc. enough +to last him home.</p> + +<p>I finally came to his rescue. As I intended remaining, +I went to the merchants and told them his +fix and guaranteed that he would send the money +he owed as soon as he got home, or else I would +let them take it out of my four mules and wagon, +which were worth a thousand dollars at least.</p> + +<p>They let him off; also let him have grub, corn, +etc. enough to last him home, which would take +fifteen days to make the trip.</p> + +<p>As some of my boys became homesick, on seeing +Roberson's outfit getting ready to pull back and as +I was anxious to cut down expenses, knowing that +I would have to lay there the rest of the winter,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> +waiting for money to pay up my bills before the +merchants would let me move my wagon, I let +three of them go along with "Bob." Those three +were James East, Cal. Pope and Lee Hall. "Bob" +let Tom Emory, one of his men, who was stuck on the +light mountain air of New Mexico remain with me. +This left me there with a cook and three warriors, +Emory, Chambers and "Big-foot" Wallace.</p> + +<p>Just as soon as "Bob" had pulled out, I moved +into town and rented a house, so that we could +put on style, while waiting for the money I had +written to the ranch for.</p> + +<p>The mails were so irregular, on account of the +deep snow which lay on the ground up there in the +mountains nearly all winter, that I didn't get a letter +from Moore for three weeks. In the letter were +drafts for three hundred dollars; and Moore stated +that I had done just right by not taking Stuart's +advice and coming home. He also reminded me that +I mustn't come back until I got the cattle, if it took +two years; and also that I must scour out the Sand +hills on the Plains around Las Potales, "Kid's" den, +on my return. I distributed the three hundred dollars +among my creditors and then wrote back to the +ranch for some more, as that was already gone, etc.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span></p> + +<p>We found the citizens of White Oaks to be sociable +and kind; and everything went on lovely with the +exception of a shooting scrape between a School +teacher and "Big foot."</p> + +<p>About the last of February I received another +three hundred dollars and I then struck out, accompanied +by Tom Emory, to hunt the noted Pat +Cohglin and find out if he would let us have the cattle +without bloodshed or not. As he had a slaughter +house in Fort Stanton I struck out for there first.</p> + +<p>We left the "Oaks" one morning early, Emory +mounted on his pet "Grey" and I on one of the fat +work mules and arrived in "Stanton" about sundown.</p> + +<p>We rode up to Cohglin's slaughter pen the first +thing and found a man by the name of Peppen in +charge. On examining the hides which hung on +the fence we found five bearing the "L. X." brand. +I laid them to one side and next morning brought +two men Crawford and Hurly, down from the Post +to witness the brands. I then told Mr. Peppen, or +"Old Pap" as he was called, not to butcher any +more of those cattle sold by "Billy the Kid." He +promised he wouldn't unless he got new orders +from Cohglin.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span></p> + +<p>From there we pulled for Tulerosa where Cohglin +lived. The first night out we stopped at the Mescalero +Apache Indian Agency, which is known as +South Fork. There I learned from the storekeeper +of a bunch of eight hundred cattle having passed +there in a terrible hurry, about three weeks before, +going west. He said that they were undoubtedly +stolen cattle, for they drove night and day +through the deep snow. I came to the conclusion +that maybe it was Tom Cooper, one of "Kid's" right-hand +bowers with a stolen herd of Panhandle cattle, +so made up my mind to keep on his trail.</p> + +<p>We rode into Tulerosa the next evening about +sundown. A young man from the Panhandle, by +the name of Sam Coleman, who was on his way to +Willcox, Arizona, was with us. We found the town +to be a genuine mexican "Plaza" of about one +thousand souls. We put up for the night at Cohglin's +store and learned from the clerk, Morris, that +the "King of Tulerosa," as Cohglin was called, was +down on the Rio Grande on trail of a bunch of cattle +stolen from him by Tom Cooper. I put that down +as a very thin yarn, having reasons to believe that +he and Cooper stood in with one another. I made +up my mind that it was our cattle he was trying<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> +to get away with, after hearing of us being in the +"Oaks."</p> + +<p>The clerk had told the truth though, for he was +after Cooper. The way it happened, Cohglin had +only paid Cooper and the "Kid" half down on the +last bunch of Panhandle cattle he bought from them +and Cooper hearing of "Kid's" capture and of us +being in the "Oaks" on our way after the cattle, +came onto Cohglin for the rest of the money so he +could leave the country. On being refused he got his +crowd together and stole three hundred head of the +latter's best cattle and pulled for Arizona with them.</p> + +<p>After supper Emory and Coleman went to bed +while I struck out to a mexican dance, at the outskirts +of town, to keep my ears open for news +connected with Panhandle cattle, etc.</p> + +<p>There being plenty of wine, or "mescal," on the +ground the "Greasers" began feeling pretty good +about midnight. Of course I had to join in their +sports, so as to keep on the good side of them. +There was only one American in the crowd, besides +myself.</p> + +<p>I became pretty intimate with one old fellow of +whom I made scores of inquiries in regard to Mr. +Cohglin and the herd—the one I heard about at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span> +South Fork—that had passed there a few weeks +before.</p> + +<p>He knew nothing of the herd, no further than +having seen it, but he pointed out a long-haired +"Greaser," who was three sheets in the wind and +swinging his pistol around on his fore-finger, who +could tell me all about it, as he had piloted it through +San Augustine Pass.</p> + +<p>I learned that the herd was owned by Charlie +Slaughter and that their destination was the Heeley +River, near Tombstone, Arizona.</p> + +<p>Marking out a lot of brands which I had never +heard of on a piece of paper, I asked the long-haired +fellow if he noticed any of them on the cattle. He +did not. So I then marked off a lot of Panhandle +brands. He picked out several, the "L X." among +them, this time, that he remembered of seeing in +the herd. This satisfied me that the herd would +bear inspection.</p> + +<p>The next morning I told Emory what the old +mexican had said and that my intentions were to kill +two birds with one stone; find Cohglin and then +follow the herd.</p> + +<p>This didn't impress Emory very favorably. He +advised me to return and get the wagon and outfit.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> +I couldn't see the point, for we would lose at least +a week by the operation. He took the back track +while I continued single handed, accompanied by +Sam Coleman, whose route was the same as mine +until arriving on the Rio Grande, where he would +change his course to southward.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/dec08.png" width="250" height="64" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XXIV" id="Chapter_XXIV"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XXIV.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">WAYLAID BY UNKNOWN PARTIES.</p> + +<p>After leaving Tulerosa our route lay across a +young desert, called the "White Sands," a distance +of sixty miles. That night Sam and I camped +at a lonely spot called "White Water," where there +wasn't a stick of wood in sight. We had to make +a fire out of a bush called the "oil weed" to keep +warm by.</p> + +<p>The next night we put up with an old man by the +name of Shedd, who kept a ranch on the east side +of Osscuro mountains, near San Augustine Pass.</p> + +<p>On arriving in the Pass next morning, on our +way to Las Cruces, we could see the whole Rio +Grande valley, dotted with green fields, for at least +a hundred miles up and down. And by looking +over our shoulder, in the direction we had come, +we could see the white looking plain or desert, which +extends for two hundred miles north and south. It +was indeed a beautiful sight, to one who had just +come from a snowy country, and we were loath to +leave the spot.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span></p> + +<p>Arriving in Las Cruces, (City of the Crosses) on +the Rio Grande, twenty-five miles from Shedd's +where we had left that morning, I went to making +inquiries about Mr. Pat Cohglin's whereabouts. I +found out by the Postmaster, Cunnifee, who was an +intimate friend of his that he was in El Paso, +Texas, fifty miles below, and would be up to "Cruces" +the next day.</p> + +<p>That night Sam and I proceeded to take in the +town, which was booming, on account of the A. T. +and S. F. R. R. being only forty miles above, and +on its way down the river to El Paso.</p> + +<p>The next morning Sam bid me adieu and struck +out on his journey for Willcox, Arizona, about two +hundred miles distant.</p> + +<p>That evening Mr. Cohglin, whom I found to be a +large, portly looking half-breed Irishman, drove up +to Mr. Cunnifee's store in a buggy drawn by a fine +pair of black horses.</p> + +<p>I introduced myself as having been sent from the +Panhandle after the cattle he had purchased from +the "Kid." He at first said I couldn't have them, +but finally changed his tone, when I told him that I +had a crowd at White Oaks, and that my instructions<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span> +were to take them by force if I couldn't secure +them in any other way.</p> + +<p>He then began giving me "taffy," as I learned +afterwards. He promised faithfully that, as he +didn't like to have his whole herd, which was scattered +through the whole White Mountain district, +disturbed at that season of the year, if I would wait +until the first of April, at which time the new grass +would be up, he would help me round-up every hoof +of Panhandle cattle on his range. I agreed to do +so providing he would promise not to have any more +of them butchered at "Stanton."</p> + +<p>The old fellow was worried considerably about +the three hundred head of cattle Cooper had stolen +from him. He told me about having followed him +with a crowd of mexicans into the Black Range, +near the Arizona line, where he succeeded in getting +back a few of the broken-down ones.</p> + +<p>There being a fellow by the name of "Hurricane +Bill," of Ft. Griffin, Texas notoriety, in town, direct +from Tombstone, Arizona, I concluded to lay over +a few days and "play in" with him and his gang of +four or five, in hopes of learning something about +Slaughter and his herd, the one I was on trail of.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span></p> + +<p>I went under an assumed name and told them that +I was on the "dodge" for a crime committed in +Southern Texas.</p> + +<p>I found out all about their future plans from one +of the gang, by the name of Johnson, who seemed +to be more talkative than the rest. He said they +were waiting for the railroad to get to El Paso; +and then they were going into the butchering business +on a large scale. He wanted me to join them; +and said the danger wouldn't be very great, as they +intended stealing the cattle mostly from ignorant +mexicans.</p> + +<p>One morning while Johnson and I were eating +breakfast at a restaurant a man sat down at the +same table and, recognizing me, said: "Hello," calling +me by name; "where did you come from?" He +then continued; although I winked at him several +times to keep still, "So you fellows succeeded in +capturing Billy the Kid, did you?" etc.</p> + +<p>Johnson gave a savage glance at me as much as +to say: d——m you, you have been trying to work +us, have you? I kept my hand near old colts "45" +for I expected, from his nervous actions, for him to +make a break of some kind. He finally got up and +walked out without saying a word. This man who<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span> +had so suddenly bursted our friendship was a friend +of Frank Stuart's and had met me in Las Vegas, +with his chum, Stuart.</p> + +<p>I concluded it wouldn't be healthy for me to remain +there till after dark, nor to undertake the trip +to Tombstone, for I had manifested such an interest +in the Slaughter herd, etc., that they might follow +me up, on hearing that I had left town. So I +wrote a letter to Mr. Moore, telling him of the whole +circumstances, and asking him if I had better take +my men and follow the herd to the jumping-off place +or not? I then struck back to White Oaks over the +same route I had come.</p> + +<p>That night I stopped at Shedd's ranch; and so +did Cohglin, he being on his way back to Tulerosa.</p> + +<p>The next day I rode the entire sixty miles, across +the "white sands," and landed in Tulerosa about a +half hour behind Cohglin and his fast steppers. I +was tired though, and swore off ever riding another +mule on a long trip. I had figured on being in +mountains all the time, where I would have lots of +climbing to do, is why I rode the mule instead of a +horse.</p> + +<p>The next morning I made up my mind that I +would take a new route to the "Oaks" by going<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span> +around the mountains through Mr. Cohglin's range +which was on Three Rivers, twenty odd miles north. +So before starting I inquired of Cohglin's clerk as +to the best route, etc.</p> + +<p>I stopped at the Cohglin ranch that night and was +treated like a white head by Mr. Nesbeth and wife +who took care of the ranch, that is, done the cooking, +gardening, milking, etc. The herders, or cowboys, +were all mexicans, with the exception of Bill +Gentry, the boss, who was away at the time.</p> + +<p>While getting ready to start for White Oaks next +morning one of the eight or ten, mexicans, who +were sitting on the fence sunning themselves, came +to me, and told me of a near cut to the "Oaks," by +taking an old Indian trail over the White Mountains, +and advised me to take that route as I could save +at least twenty miles, it being forty around by the +road.</p> + +<p>Mr. Nesbeth spoke up and said it would be better +for me to travel on the road, even if it was further, +as I might experience some difficulty in finding the +old Indian trail, etc.</p> + +<p>The "Greaser" then offered me his service, saying +that he would go and put me on the trail so that +it would be impossible for me to miss my way. I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span> +agreed, so he mounted a pony and we rode east up +a rough canyon.</p> + +<p>A ride of about five miles brought us to the +almost obliterated trail. It lead up an awful brushy +and rocky canyon towards the snowy crags of the +White Mountain range.</p> + +<p>About an hour after bidding the "Greaser" adieu, +I came to where the trail made a short curve to the +left, but I could tell from the lay of the ground that, +by keeping straight ahead, I would strike it again. +So I left it, and luckily for me that I did, for there +was some one laying for me not far from there.</p> + +<p>I hadn't gone but a rod or two when bang! bang! +bang! went three shots in quick succession, not over +fifty yards to the left; and at the same time my +mule gave a lunge forward, on the ice-covered +stones, and fell broad-side, throwing me over a precipice +about eight feet to the bottom. My winchester +and pistol both were hanging to the saddle-horn, +but I managed to grab and pull the latter out +of the scabbard as I went off, and took it with me.</p> + +<p>The first thing I done on striking bottom was to +hunt a hole. I found a nice little nook between two +boulders and lay there with cocked pistol, expecting +every second to see three Indians or "Greasers"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span> +peep over the ledge on the hunt for a dead "Gringo"—as +the mexicans call an American.</p> + +<p>After waiting a few minutes I became impatient +and crawled on top of a small knoll and, on looking +in the direction the shooting had come from, I got +a faint glimpse of what I took to be two half-stooped +human forms retreating, through the pinyon brush, +at a lively gait. Suffice it to say I found my mule +standing in a grove of trees, with his front feet fastened +in the bridle-reins, about two hundred yards +from where he fell. And between his forelegs, on +the ground was a small pool of sparkling red blood, +which had dripped from a slight bullet wound in his +breast.</p> + +<p>On examination I found that one bullet had cut +a groove in the hind tree of my saddle, and another +had plowed through a pair of blankets tied behind +the saddle. I arrived in the Oaks, on my almost +broken-down mule about dark that night, after an +absence of nearly two weeks.</p> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XXV" id="Chapter_XXV"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XXV.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">LOST ON THE STAKED PLAINS.</p> + +<p>About a week after my return to White Oaks, I +received a letter from Mr. Moore stating that +I need not go to Arizona to look after the Slaughter +herd as he had hired a United States Deputy Marshal +by the name of John W. Poe, now Sheriff of +Lincoln County, New Mexico, to go around by rail +and tend to the matter. But when Poe arrived there +the herd had been sold and driven to Old Mexico, +so that we never knew whether there were any Panhandle +cattle in it or not, except what I learned +from the mexican, which appeared to me very good +evidence, that there were.</p> + +<p>On the tenth day of March, while taking it easy +waiting for the first of April to arrive so that we +could round up the Cohglin range according to +agreement, I received a confidential letter from Mr. +Geo. Nesbeth of the Cohglin ranch, giving me a +broad hint that Mr. Cohglin was getting rid of our<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span> +cattle as fast as possible, before the first of April +should arrive.</p> + +<p>The letter arrived in the evening and next morning +I took "Big foot" along and struck out for +"Stanton"—after giving Chambers and Emory orders +to load up the wagon with grub and corn, and +follow.</p> + +<p>"Big-foot" and I arrived in the Post about three +o'clock in the afternoon and went through the Cohglin +slaughter pens, finding several freshly butchered +"L. X." hides, which went to show that I had been +duped, and that the hint from Nesbeth was true. +We then rode down the "Bonetta" River nine miles +to Lincoln, to go through the hides there and to +look for a herd we expected the old fellow had hidden +out somewhere along the river.</p> + +<p>We stopped in "Stanton" that night and next +morning struck out on the White Oaks road to meet +the wagon and turn it towards Three Rivers.</p> + +<p>We met the outfit at the mouth of Nogal canyon +and camped for dinner.</p> + +<p>It was sixty miles around by the road to Cohglin's +ranch, the route the wagon would have to go and +about twenty-five or thirty on a straight line over +the White Mountains.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span></p> + +<p>After dinner "Big-foot" and I struck out over the +mountains, while Emory and Chambers went around +by the road to pilot the cook, etc.</p> + +<p>About twelve o'clock that night, after a very hard +ride over one of the roughest strips of snow covered +countries a man ever saw, we arrived at the +Cohglin ranch.</p> + +<p>We found the corral full of cattle, but, being very +dark, couldn't tell whose they were.</p> + +<p>Mr. and Mrs. Nesbeth got up out of bed and gave +us a cold supper; and he also gave us a few pointers +in regard to his employer's doings, etc. He informed +me that Bill Gentry, the boss, had just +began, that day, gathering the remaining Panhandle +cattle, that might still be left on the range, to take +to the "Stanton" slaughter pens. Hence those +cattle in the corral.</p> + +<p>After breakfast Gentry and his seven "Greasers" +turned the herd out of the corral with the intention +of keeping right on with his work. There was +only five head of "L. X.'s," all large steers, in the +bunch and I told Gentry that I would have to take +charge of those and also gather up the rest that +were on his range. He couldn't agree to that, he +said, for his orders from Cohglin were, not to give<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span> +up any of the Panhandle cattle, etc. I told him +that I didn't care what his orders were, as I was +bound to have the cattle.</p> + +<p>Just about the time we were arguing the case the +rest of my outfit hove in sight; they had been traveling +all night.</p> + +<p>After camping the wagon we all went out to the +herd, which the mexicans were guarding and proceeded +to cutting our five head out. Gentry tried to +get me to wait until he could send for Cohglin, he +having already dispatched a mexican to Tulerosa +after him, but I wouldn't reason the matter at all, +as I was mad about the way I had been served.</p> + +<p>We went right to work after cutting out the five +head, rounding up the whole range in search of +more, but after three days hard work we only succeeded +in finding three head more. But we left +there with nine head, the ninth one being one of +Cohglin's own steers which we butchered in the +Oaks on our arrival back there, for the benefit of +our many friends whom had been depending on us +all winter for their fresh beef. Thus I had the satisfaction +of getting even with the old fellow to the +extent of one steer and a fat hog which we had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span> +butchered and stowed away in the wagon the night +before leaving.</p> + +<p>The mexican that Gentry sent to Tulerosa with +the dispatch had to go on down to Las Cruces, on +the Rio Grande, Cohglin having started down there +the day before; hence we not having the old fellow +to contend with.</p> + +<p>After looking over the "Carezo" range, which +was owned by Catron and Waltz and several small +mexican ranges, we pulled into White Oaks with +lots of experience but very few cattle.</p> + +<p>On arriving in the "Oaks" I wrote to Mr. Moore +telling him all about the way in which Cohglin +had taken advantage of me, etc. Also advised +him to have the old fellow prosecuted as I had +sufficient evidence to send him to the "Pen," etc.</p> + +<p>Mr. Moore on getting my letter, sent John Poe, +the United States Deputy Marshal that he had +sent to Tombstone, Arizona, over to have Cohglin +arrested and put through the mill.</p> + +<p>On leaving the "Oaks" for good, I bought a +wagon load of corn, chuck, etc. for which I gave +orders on the "L. X." company, not having any +money left. The merchants had by this time, become<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span> +acquainted with me, so that my name to an +order was just the same as cash to them.</p> + +<p>From the "Oaks" I pulled due east, around the +"Capitan" mountains to Roswell on the Pecos River. +I overhauled scores of little mexican ranches scattered +through the mountains on my route, but failed +to find any of our stock. At Roswell though we +found two large steers which swelled our little herd +to ten head.</p> + +<p>From Roswell we went to John Chisholm's ranch +on the head of South Spring River; and got there +just in time as he was rigging up his outfit for spring +work. They were going to start down the Reo +Pecos to the Texas line, next day, to begin work +and I concluded we had better work with them, in +search of Panhandle cattle which might have drifted +across the Plains.</p> + +<p>I took my outfit back to Roswell, five miles, +where I made arrangements with Capt. J. C. Lea, +who kept a store, to board one of my men whom I +wanted to leave there to take care of the ten head of +steers until my return, not caring to drive them two +hundred miles down the river and then back again.</p> + +<p>Not having grub enough to last on the trip I +bought a supply from the accommodating Capt. Lea,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span> +who took my note for pay. He also sold me two +horses on the same terms.</p> + +<p>We were absent two weeks on this trip, but +failed to find any of our cattle. We came back +with the satisfaction though of knowing that there +wasn't any in that part of the world.</p> + +<p>On our arrival back to Roswell we learned of the +"Kid's" escape from Lincoln after having killed his +two guards. That night Lon Chambers wore a +different hat; he had swapped his star-spangled +mexican sombraro off to one of Chisholm's men. +This hat had been presented to Tom O'Phalliard by +the "Kid," hence Chambers not wanting it in his +possession for fear he might run across the "Kid." +Chambers of course denied the above, saying that +he never thought of such a thing, but traded it off +just because it, being so heavy, made his head ache. +But that was too thin we thought under the circumstances. +Any of us would have done the same +though, no doubt, knowing that the "Kid" had +sworn vengeance against all of O'Phalliard's "murderers" +as he termed them.</p> + +<p>We found Emory and the ten steers doing finely. +Tom hated to see us back for he was having such +a soft time. All he had to do was turn the steers<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span> +out of the corral, mornings, and then round-up and +pen them at night again.</p> + +<p>After drawing on the whole-souled Capt. Lea +again for more grub, etc., we pulled up the Reo +Pecos—looking through all the cattle on our route—to +Ft. Sumner, a distance of one hundred miles.</p> + +<p>We laid over in Sumner two days and went to +a mexican fandango both nights, at the Maxwell +mansion in which the "Kid" was killed shortly afterwards. +The "Kid" was in the building while the +dance was going on but we didn't know it at the +time. The way I found it out, I had escorted a +young woman, after the dance, one night, to her +room, which was in the same building as the dance, +and she bid me good night without asking me in. +I thought it strange but never said anything. That +fall when I came back there she explained matters, +by saying that the "Kid" was in her room at the +time, reading. I had noticed that she stood outside +of the door until I had turned the corner out of +sight. She also explained that: The "Kid" had +the door locked and she had to give a private rap to +get him to open it.</p> + +<p>From Ft. Sumner we pulled due east on the Los +Potales road, on our way to scour out the "Sand<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span> +Hills" according to Moore's instruction in one of +his letters to me at White Oaks. Before leaving the +Post, the last settlement or store that we would come +to before reaching the Canadian River, I sold one +of the horses bought from Capt. Lea, for thirty-five +dollars and laid in a small supply of grub with the +money. Not being acquainted there my credit +wasn't good, hence having to sell the horse.</p> + +<p>Two days out from Ft. Sumner we came to the +little rock house, at Stinking Springs, where the +"Kid" and his companions held out so long without +fire, food or water. Chambers and Emory of course +had to explain and point out every place of interest, +to "Big-foot Wallace," the mexican cook, Frank, or +Francisco, and myself.</p> + +<p>The second day after leaving Stinking Springs, +we came to the "Kid's" noted "Castle" at Los Potales, +on the western edge of the great "Llano +Estacado."</p> + +<p>Los Potales is a large alkali Lake, the water of +which is unfit for man or beast. But on the north +side of the lake is two nice, cool springs which gurgle +forth from a bed of rock, near the foot of +"Kid's" Castle—a small cave in the cliff. In front +of the cave is a stone corral about fifty feet square;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span> +and above the cave on the level plain is several +hitching posts. Outside of those things mentioned +there is nothing but a level prairie just as far as the +eye can reach.</p> + +<p>We found about one hundred head of cattle, +mostly from the Canadian River, but a few from as +far north as Denver Col., at "Potales," which improved +the appearance of our little herd considerably.</p> + +<p>From there we went to the Coyote lake, twelve +miles further east, where we found about fifty head +more cattle, a mixed lot like the first. They were +almost as wild as deer.</p> + +<p>We then pulled into the Sand Hills, which extend +over a scope of country from ten to fifty miles wide, +and two hundred long—that is, two hundred miles +north and south.</p> + +<p>After about ten days hard work we came out onto +the Plains again, our herd having increased to about +twenty-five hundred head. We were undoubtedly +a worn out crowd—horses and all. To do that +amount of work we should have had at least five +more men, and three or four more horses apiece. +We only had one horse apiece, besides one extra, +and the four work mules, which we had to press<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span> +into double duty by using them to guard the cattle +at night.</p> + +<p>The next day about noon, after getting out of the +Sand Hills, we came to a buffalo-hunter's camp on +the head of Yellow-house canyon, a tributary to the +Brazos River. There was one man in camp, the +other one being away on a hunt. Our cattle being +nearly dead for water, there being none there, with +the exception of a small spring, just large enough +to allow one animal to drink at a time, I asked the +hunter to give me directions to the nearest water +from there, on our route.</p> + +<p>Pointing to a cluster of sand hills about fifteen +miles to the east, he said: "You will find Running +Water, the head of Canyon Blanco, just eight miles +east of those sand hills." As we learned, after it +was too late, he should have said; eight miles <i>north</i> +of the sand hills, instead of <i>east</i>. We were all +acquainted with the country from Running Water +north, but had never been south of it; hence us +having to depend on the "locoed" buffalo-hunter's +directions.</p> + +<p>We camped for the night within a few miles of +the sand hills. The cattle were restless all night,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span> +on account of being thirsty, which caused us all to +lose sleep and rest.</p> + +<p>The next morning, after eating a hasty breakfast, +we let the moaning herd string out towards the big +red sun which was just making its appearance.</p> + +<p>Giving the boys orders to keep headed east, and +telling the cook to follow behind the herd with his +wagon, I struck out ahead on my tired and weak +pony, Croppy, to find the water, which was "so +near, and yet so far."</p> + +<p>I rode about fifteen miles, and still no water. I +then dismounted to wait for the herd to come in +sight, but changed my notion and galloped on five +miles further, thinking maybe the hunter might have +meant eighteen miles instead of eight. The five +miles was reached and still nothing but a dry, level +plain, with no indications of water ahead, as far as +I could see.</p> + +<p>Thinking maybe I had bore too far to the south, I +then rode five or six miles to the north, but with +the same result. I then, after letting Croppy blow +awhile started back towards the herd at a slow gait.</p> + +<p>Finally a cloud of dust appeared, and shortly +after, the herd hove in sight. The poor cattle were +coming in a trot, their tongues hanging out a foot.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span></p> + +<p>The way the boys cursed and abused that poor +old hunter, at a distance, was a sin, after I had told +them of our luck. Chambers wanted to go right +back and eat the poor "locoed" human up alive without +salt or pepper. But I pacified him by saying that +maybe he had made a mistake of a few miles, meant +eighty instead of eight. At any rate we continued +right on, east.</p> + +<p>About noon our ten-gallon keg run dry, and then +we began to feel ticklish, scared, or whatever you +wish to call it. But about three o'clock, we spied +a bunch of mustangs off to the right, about five +miles, and on galloping over to where they had been, +before seeing me, I found a small pool of muddy +rain water, which they had been wallowing in.</p> + +<p>After letting Croppy fill up, and eating a drink of +the muddy stuff myself, I struck back to let the other +boys come on and fill up; also sent the cook to fill +the keg, and to water his mules, I kept the herd, +they being anxious to travel in search of water, +pointed east, by myself, while the rest of the boys +were absent.</p> + +<p>We traveled till midnight and then pitched camp +to get something to eat. After getting supper +cooked, it was almost an impossibility to find time<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span> +to eat it, as the herd kept milling and trotting around +like so many crazy animals.</p> + +<p>We remained there all night, and next morning +used the last drop of water to make coffee. We +found the keg, after draining it, to be about half +full of solid mud.</p> + +<p>I concluded that we had gone far enough east, so, +that morning changed our course to north.</p> + +<p>About eleven o'clock, while the hot June sun was +coming down with vengeance, we struck a large +lake about a mile wide. If ever a crowd was happy +it was us. The poor cattle drank till some of them +fell down and was unable to move.</p> + +<p>We laid there resting up until the next day after +dinner. Our grub had given out by this time, therefore +we had nothing to eat but coffee and beef +"straight."</p> + +<p>When we left the lake our course was due north.</p> + +<p>About noon the next day we came to the head of +Canyon Blanco, twelve miles below Running Water, +consequently we turned west, and traveled twelve +miles up the dry canyon before pitching camp.</p> + +<p>From there we turned due north again and traveled +two days before striking any more water.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span></p> + +<p>On arriving at Terra Blanco, fifty miles south of +the Canadian river we struck Mr. Summerfield, and +his outfit, from whom we borrowed grub enough to +last us home. There were also two "L. X." boys +in the Summerfield camp, and they, having five good +horses apiece, divided with us. Our ponies were +just about completely peetered out.</p> + +<p>We landed at the "L. X." ranch on the 22nd day +of June, with the herd of twenty-five hundred head +of cattle, after having been absent just seven months, +to a day.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/dec08.png" width="250" height="64" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[255]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XXVI" id="Chapter_XXVI"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XXVI.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">A TRIP DOWN THE REO PECOS.</p> + +<p>On my return I found that the "L. X." ranch had +changed bosses. Moore had quit and bought +a ranch of his own, while John Hollicott, one of the +old hands had been put in his place. Hence in the +future I had to be governed by Mr. Hollicott's +orders—that is while working around the ranch. +One of the firm, Erskine Clement, had charge of +outside matters, now, since Moore had left.</p> + +<p>I put in the summer running a branding outfit, +loafing around Tascosa, working up a cattle stealing +case, etc., until the middle of October, when +Clement received a letter from John Poe, who was +prosecuting Cohglin, stating for Chambers and I to +come over to Lincoln as witnesses in the Cohglin +case. The time set for us to be there, was on the +7th day of November, therefore we had no time to +lose, it being five hundred miles over there, by the +shortest route.</p> + +<p>Hollicott and Clement talked the matter over and +concluded that I had better not come back until the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[256]</a></span> +next spring—"just put in the winter drifting over the +country, wherever you can do the most good," was +my orders.</p> + +<p>Chambers and I struck out from Tascosa on +the 22nd of October. He had only one horse, +while I had two of the best animals on the ranch, +Croppy and Buckshot.</p> + +<p>We traveled up the river to Liberty, New Mexico, +and from there cut across the Staked Plains to Ft. +Sumner, on the Reo Pecos.</p> + +<p>The distance from "Sumner" to the "Oaks" +was about one hundred miles on a bee line across +the country, while it was one hundred and fifty +around by the road. We chose the former route, +although we were told that there wasn't any +water until reaching the Capitan mountains within +thirty miles of the "Oaks." We both wished though, +that we had followed the road, for, our progress being +very slow on account of the loose dirt which +would give away under a horse, allowing him to +sink almost to his knees, we came very near perishing +from thirst; and so did our poor horses.</p> + +<p>We landed in White Oaks about noon of the +fourth day out from Ft. Sumner; and had been on +the road twelve days from Tascosa. We were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[257]</a></span> +welcomed back to the "Oaks" by all of our old +acquaintances, especially those whom we had +furnished with stolen beef all winter.</p> + +<p>As we had five days to loaf in, before court set +in, we went to work prospecting for gold, every +body in the town being at fever heat over recent +rich strikes.</p> + +<p>The first day was spent in climbing to the top of +Baxter mountain, where most of the rich mines +were located, and back. The only thing we found +of interest was a lot of genuine oyster shells imbedded +in a large rock on the extreme top of the +mountain. Of course this brought up a discussion +as to how they came there. Chambers contended +that they grew there during the flood, and I argued +that they were there before God made the earth. +We both finally got mad, each one, over the other's +weak argument, and began to slide down hill towards +town, which looked something like a checkerboard +from where we were.</p> + +<p>The next day we tied the pick and shovel behind +our saddles and struck out on horseback to prospect +in the valleys. At last we struck it, a fine gold +bearing lead. It cropped out of the ground about<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[258]</a></span> +a foot. I told Chambers to go to work and dig the +prospect-hole, while I wrote out the location notices.</p> + +<p>Finally an old miner by the name of Stone came +to us. I was sitting under the shade of a pinyon +tree writing, while Chambers was sweating like a +"Nigger at election." "What are you fellows trying +to do?" spoke up Mr. Stone, after grinning a few +moments. We told him. He then said: "Why +neither one of you fellows has got as much sense +as a last year's bird's nest; that's nothing but a very +common ledge of rock." We took him at his word +and went back to town.</p> + +<p>That night Mr. Stone gave us one of his mines, +if we would sink a twenty foot shaft on it. We +done so; that is, Chambers did, while I carried +water, and rode into town every day at noon to +bring him out his dinner.</p> + +<p>Finally our time was out and we had to pull for +Lincoln, a distance of thirty-five miles. Poe had +written to me to come in after night, and on the sly, +as he wanted to make Cohglin believe that we +wouldn't be there to appear against him, so he +would let his trial come off, instead of taking a +change of venue. I left Croppy in a feed stable to +be taken care of until my return.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[259]</a></span></p> + +<p>Arriving in Lincoln, Poe sent us down the Reo +Bonetta, twelve miles, to stop with a Mr. Cline, +with whom he had made arrangements, until sent +for.</p> + +<p>Mr. Cline was a Dutchman who had married a +mexican wife and had a house full of little half-breeds +around him.</p> + +<p>Time passed off very slowly to Chambers and I, +although our host tried to amuse us by telling his +hairbreadth escapes from wild indians and grizzly-bears.</p> + +<p>We were indeed glad when Mr. Poe rode up, after +we had been at the Cline ranch twelve days, and +told us that we were free. Cohglin had "smelled a +mice" and taken a change of venue to Mesilla, in +Dona Anna County.</p> + +<p>Before leaving Lincoln I had to sign a five hundred +dollar bond for my appearance in Mesilla, as a +witness against Cohglin, on the first Monday in +April, 1882, which was the following spring. Mr. +Chambers being sworn and not knowing anything +of importance, was allowed to return home. We +both received ninety dollars apiece, for mileage and +witness fees.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[260]</a></span></p> + +<p>Returning to White Oaks, Chambers remained +there a week, making love to his mexican widow, +and then struck for the "L. X." ranch, by way of +Anton Chico, and down the Canadian River. The +route he and I had come was too far between ranches +for him, traveling alone.</p> + +<p>I remained in the "Oaks" about a week after my +"pard" had left, waiting for some more money +which I had written for.</p> + +<p>From the "Oaks" I went to Roswell on the Reo +Pecos, a distance of one hundred and twenty-five +miles, by the route I took. There I struck company, +a jovial old soul by the name of "Ash" Upson, +who was just starting to the Texas Pacific Railroad, +two hundred miles down the river, to meet Pat. +Garrett, who had written to come there after him, +in a buggy. Ash was making his home at Garrett's +ranch, a few miles from Roswell.</p> + +<p>We laid over Christmas day at the mouth of Seven +Rivers and helped kind Mrs. Jones, one of Mr. +Upson's old-time friends, get away with a nice turkey +dinner.</p> + +<p>While sitting around our camp-fire at nights "Old" +Ash would amuse me by relating circumstances connected +with the "bloody Lincoln County war." He<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[261]</a></span> +also gave me a full sketch of "Billy the Kid's" life, +a subject which I am going to devote the next chapter +to, as I imagine it will be interesting reading to +some.</p> + +<p>We arrived at Pecos Station, on the T. P. R. R., +one afternoon about three o'clock. And it being a +terribly lonesome place, we, after leaving our horses +and things in care of an old wolf hunter who promised +to see that the horses were well fed, boarded +the west bound passenger train for Toyah, a distance +of twenty-two miles.</p> + +<p>We put up at the Alverado House, in Toyah. It +was kept by a man named Newell, who had a pretty +little fifteen-year old daughter, whose sparkling eyes +were too much for me; to use a western phrase, +she broke me all up on the first round.</p> + +<p>After supper Ash went out to take in the town, +while I remained in the office exchanging glances +with Miss Bulah.</p> + +<p>It was New Year's eve and Mr. and Mrs. Newell +were making preparations for a ball to be given +New Year's night.</p> + +<p>Toyah was then one of those terrible wicked infant +towns, it being only a few months old and contained +over a dozen saloons and gambling halls.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[262]</a></span></p> + +<p>About midnight Ash got through taking in the +town and came back to the hotel. He was three +sheets in the wind, but swore he hadn't drank anything +but "Tom and Jerry."</p> + +<p>The next morning the town was full of railroaders, +they having come in to spend New Years. A grand +shooting match for turkeys was advertised to come +off at ten o'clock, and everybody, railroaders and all, +were cleaning up their pistols, when Ash and I got +up, we having slept till about nine o'clock.</p> + +<p>Miss Bulah made a remark, in my presence, that +she wished someone would win a fat turkey and +give it to her. Now was my time to make a "mash," +so I assured her that I would bring in a dozen or +two and lay them at her feet.</p> + +<p>When the shooting commenced I was on hand +and secured the ticket which was marked number +eleven. The tickets were sold at twenty-five cents +apiece, and if you killed the bird, you were entitled +to a free shot until you missed.</p> + +<p>Mr. Miller, the Justice, was running the business +for what money there was in it. He had sent to +Dallas, six hundred miles east, after the turkeys, +which had cost him three dollars apiece. Hence<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[263]</a></span> +he had to regulate the distance and everything so +that there would be considerable missing done.</p> + +<p>Everything being ready, he placed the turkey in +an iron box, with nothing but its head visible and +then set the box thirty-five yards from the line. The +shooting to be done with pistols "off hand."</p> + +<p>Ten shots were fired and still Mr. turkey was +casting shy glances towards the large crowd of +several hundred men. Mr. Miller wore a pleasant +smile, when he shouted number eleven.</p> + +<p>I stepped forward trembling like an aspen leaf, +for fear I would miss and thereby fail to win Miss +Bulah's admiration. I was afraid, should the bullet +miss its mark, that the few dozen birds would be +all killed before my time would come around again, +there being so many men waiting for a shot. At +last I cut loose and off went the turkey's head, also +Mr. Miller's happy smile. You see he lacked "two +bits" of getting cost for the bird.</p> + +<p>Another one was put up, and off went his head. +This was too much for Mr. Miller, two birds already +gone and only two dollars and "six bits" in the pot. +He finally after humming and hawing awhile, said:</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen, I don't like to weaken this early in +the game, but you all know I have got a large<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[264]</a></span> +family to support and consequently I will have to +rule this young man out of the ring. He's too slick +with a pistol to have around a game of this kind +anyway."</p> + +<p>I hated to quit of course, but it was best, for I +might have missed the very next time, and as it was +Bulah would think that I would have carried out my +promise if I had been allowed to keep on.</p> + +<p>After that, during my stay on the T. P. R. R., I +was called the "Turkey shooter." Often while +riding near the railroad track, maybe four or five +hundred miles from Toyah, some one would hail +me from a passing train by that name; and whenever +I would ride into a town there was sure to be +some fellow on hand to point me out. They all +knew me so well by my horse, Croppy, he being +milk white and both ears being off close up to his +head. He was indeed a notable animal, as well as +a long, keen, good one.</p> + +<p>That night nearly everybody got drunk, old Ash +excepted of course, as he was already full. The +ball was a grand success. The dancers on the womens' +side, were all married ladies, with the exception +of Miss Bulah and a Miss Lee; and those on +the opposite side were a terribly mixed mob, but<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[265]</a></span> +mostly gamblers, horse thieves and cow boys. The +railroaders didn't take any stock in the ball. Maybe +it was because there were so many on the floor +wearing six-shooters and bowie knives around their +waists.</p> + +<p>It was indeed a grand sight next morning looking +at black eyes and swollen heads. Every Chinaman, +there being a dozen or two living in town, skipped +for parts unknown that night. There was too many +loose bullets flying through the air to suit them; and +it is said that the "Pig-tails" have shunned Toyah +ever since that New Year's night.</p> + +<p>A few days after New Years a telegram came to +Ash, from Garrett who had arrived at Pecos Station +stating: "Come on the first train as I am in a hurry +to get home." Ash got me to answer it as he, having +drank too much Tom and Jerry, was unable to +walk to the Telegraph office. I sent the following +message: "Can't leave here; owe every man in +town."</p> + +<p>In a few minutes another one came, an answer to +the one just sent, stating: "If you don't come down +on the morning train I will strike out and leave +you."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[266]</a></span></p> + +<p>This one raised Ash's spunk, so he told me to +write down just what he told me, and then give it +to the operator. I done as requested, which ran +thus: "Go to, hic, h—l, d—— you!"</p> + +<p>The next evening, Garrett arrived on the west +bound passenger, and next morning, after paying +a lot of saloon bills, etc., took old Ash back with +him.</p> + +<p>I had, the day after New Year's, went down to +the Pecos and brought my ponies up to Toyah, +therefore I took a little spin out into the country to +pass off the time, every now and then, or at least +to look through a few herds of cattle in that vicinity.</p> + +<p>After spending about two weeks around Toyah, +I struck out for Colorado City, two hundred miles +east. Of course I hated to part with Miss Bulah; +and so did Mr. Newell hate to part with me, for he +was losing a good cash boarder.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[267]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/gs03.png" width="300" height="536" alt=""BILLY THE KID."" title="" /> +</div> +<p class="center caption">"BILLY THE KID."</p> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[269]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XXVII" id="Chapter_XXVII"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XXVII.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">A TRUE SKETCH OF "BILLY THE KID'S" LIFE.</p> + +<p>The cut on opposite page was taken from a photograph +and represents the "Kid" as he appeared +before the artist after having just returned from a +long, tiresome raid; and the following sketch of his +short but eventful life was gleaned from himself, +Ash Upson and others. The circumstance connected +with his death I got from the lips of John +W. Poe, who was with Garrett when he fired the +fatal shot.</p> + +<p>Billy Bonney, alias the "Kid" was born in New +York City, November the 23rd, 1859; and at the +age of ten he, in company with his mother and step-father, +Antrim, landed in the Territory of New +Mexico.</p> + +<p>Mr. Antrim, shortly after his arrival in the Territory, +opened up a restaurant in Santa Fe, the +Capitol, and one of his boarders was the jovial old<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[270]</a></span> +Ash Upson, my informant, who was then interested +in a newspaper at that place.</p> + +<p>Often when Ash was too busily engaged about +his office to go to dinner, Mrs. Antrim would send +it by her little merry-eyed boy, Billy, who was the +pride of her life.</p> + +<p>Finally Ash sold out and moved to Silver City, +which was then booming on account of its rich +mines. And it wasn't long until Mr. Antrim followed +and opened up another eating house there, +with Ash as a boarder again. Thus it will be seen +that my informant was just the same as one of the +family for quite a while.</p> + +<p>The "Kid's" first man, as told to me by himself, +was a negro soldier in Ft. Union, whom he shot in +self-defence.</p> + +<p>His next killing was a young blacksmith in Silver +City whom he killed in a personal encounter, but not +according to law, hence it was this scrape that first +caused him to become an outcast; driven from pillar +to post, out of reach of a kind mother's influence.</p> + +<p>It was a cold stormy night when he, after kissing +his mother's pale cheeks for the last time on this +earth, rode out into the darkness, headed west<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[271]</a></span> +for the wilds of Arizona, where he soon became an +adept at cards and horse stealing.</p> + +<p>He finally landed in the City of Chihuahua, Old +Mexico, with a pocket full of Arizona gold. Here +he led a gay life until one night when a bullet from +his trusty revolver sent a rich mexican monte-dealer +to his long and happy home.</p> + +<p>The next we hear of him is in the friendly land +of Texas, where he remained in retirement until the +spring of 1876, when he drifted across the lonely +Gandalupe mountains into Lincoln County, New +Mexico, then the outlaw's Paradise.</p> + +<p>At Lincoln, the county seat, he hired out as a +cow boy to a young Englishman by the name of +Tunstall.</p> + +<p>In the spring of '78 Mr. Tunstall was killed by a +mob, headed by a fellow named Morton, from the +Reo Pecos.</p> + +<p>The "Kid" hearing of his employer's foul murder, +rode into Lincoln from the Tunstall ranch to learn +the full particulars concerning the killing. He and +the young Englishman were warm friends and before +leaving the ranch he swore vengeance against every +one of the murderers.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[272]</a></span></p> + +<p>Arriving in the mexican Plaza of Lincoln the +"Kid" learned that Morton and crowd had pulled +back to the Reo Pecos. So he joined a crowd +composed of the following named parties: R. M. +Bruer, J. G. Skurlock, Charlie Bowder, Henry +Brown, Frank McNab, Fred Wayt, Sam Smith, +Jim French, McClosky and Johnny Middleton, and +started in pursuit. This was just the beginning of +the "bloody Lincoln County war" which you have +all read so much about. But it is said that the +"Kid" killed every man connected with the murder +of his friend before the war ended.</p> + +<p>Billy was caught in a great many close places +during the six month's bloody encounter, but always +managed to escape, as though possessed of a charmed +life. There is one of his hair-breadth escapes +I wish to relate, just to show how cool he was in +time of danger.</p> + +<p>He and about a dozen of his men were housed +up at lawyer McSween's in Lincoln, when thirty-five +of the Seven River "warriors" and two companies +of United States Soldiers under command of Col. +Dudly of the Ninth Cavalry, surrounded and set +the large two-story building on fire, determined to +capture or kill the young outlaw.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[273]</a></span></p> + +<p>The house was burning on the south side from +whence the wind came, and as the fire advanced +the little crowd would move further north, into an +adjoining room. There was a fine piano in the parlor, +the property of Mrs. McSween, who was absent, +and on this the "Kid" played during the whole time, +"just to amuse the crowd outside" he said.</p> + +<p>Finally everything was wrapped in flames but the +little kitchen which stood adjoining the main building +on the north, but still the coarse music continued +to sail forth out onto the night air.</p> + +<p>At last the blaze began to stick its firey tongues +into the kitchen. Then the music ceased, and +the little band, headed by the "Kid" made a bold +dash for liberty, amidst the thick shower of hot +lead. The balance can be described best by quoting +a negro soldier's words, he being nearest the +kitchen door when the dash was made: "I jes' tell +you white folkses dis nigger was for getting away +from dah, kase dat Billy-goat was shooten wid a +gun and two six-pistols all bofe at de same time."</p> + +<p>The "Kid" and Tom O'Phalliard were the only +ones who came out of this scrape unhurt. Mr. +McSween, owner of the burned building was among +the killed. He had nine bullets in his body.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[274]</a></span></p> + +<p>Late that fall when the war had ended, "Kid" and +the remainder of his little gang stole a bunch of +horses from the Seven River warriors, whom they +had just got through fighting with and drove them +across the Plains to the Texas Panhandle, at Tascosa +on the Canadian, where they were soon disposed +of at good figures.</p> + +<p>After lying around the little town of Tascosa for +nearly a month, squandering their surplus wealth on +poor whisky and mexican woman, they, with the exception +of Fred Wayt and Henry Brown who struck +east for the Chickisaw nation where the former's +mother and two half-breed sisters lived, pulled back +to Lincoln County, New Mexico, to continue their +lawlessness.</p> + +<p>From that time on, the "Kid" made a specialty of +stealing cattle and horses, although he would kill +a man now and then, for what he supposed to be a +just cause. Let it be said right here that the "Kid" +was not the cruel hearted wretch that he was pictured +out to be in the scores of yellow-back novels, +written about him. He was an outlaw and maybe +a very wicked youth, but then he had some good +qualities which, now that he is no more, he should +be credited with. It has been said and written that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[275]</a></span> +he would just as soon shoot an innocent child as a +mule-eared rabbit. Now this is all wrong, for he +was noted as being kind to the weak and helpless; +there is one case in particular which I can prove:</p> + +<p>A man, now a highly respected citizen of White +Oaks, was lying at the point of death in Ft. Sumner, +without friends or money, and a stranger, when the +"Kid," who had just come into town from one of his +raids, went to his rescue, on hearing of his helpless +condition; the sick man had been placed in an old +out-house on a pile of sheep skins. The "Kid" hired +a team and hauled him to Las Vegas, a distance of +over a hundred miles, himself, where he could receive +care and medical aid. He also paid the doctor +and board bills for a month, besides putting a few +dollars in money in the sick man's hand as he bid +him good bye.</p> + +<p>This circumstance was told to me by the sick man +himself, who at the time was hale and hearty, on +hearing of the "Kid's" death. While relating it the +tears chased one another down his manly cheeks, +to the end, at which time he pulled out a large red +handkerchief and wiped them away.</p> + +<p>After the "Kid's" capture at Stinking Springs, he +was lodged in jail at Santa Fe, and the following<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[276]</a></span> +spring taken to Mesilla, county seat of Dona Ana +county, and tried before Judge Bristol for the murder +of Sheriff Brady, during the Lincoln county +war.</p> + +<p>He was sentenced to be taken to Lincoln, and +hung on the 13th day of May. On the 21st day of +April he was turned over to Pat. Garrett, who, being +sheriff, was to see that the law was carried out.</p> + +<p>There being no jail in Lincoln, Garrett used his +office, which was up-stairs in the two-story court +house, to guard the prisoner in. Robert Ollinger +and J. W. Bell, two men who should have been +hung before William Bonney was born—judging +from reliable reports, were secured to do the +guarding.</p> + +<p>The morning of April, 28th, Garrett was making +preparations to go to White Oaks, when he told +the guards to be very watchful as the prisoner, not +having but a few more days to live, might make a +desperate effort to escape.</p> + +<p>Ollinger who hated the "Kid," they having fought +against one another in the Lincoln County war, +spoke up and said: "Don't worry Pat, we'll watch +him like a goat." So saying he unlocked the armory,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[277]</a></span> +a small closet in the wall, and getting out his +double-barrel shot gun, put eighteen buck-shot in +each barrel. Then setting it back, remarked, at +the same time glancing over in the opposite corner +at the "Kid" who was sitting on a stool, shackled and +hand-cuffed: "I bet the man that gets them will +feel it!" The "Kid" gave one of his hopeful smiles +and said: "You might be the one to get them +yourself."</p> + +<p>After Garrett left, the two guards had five more +prisoners to look after. But they were allowed to +wear their pistols, for fear of being mobbed by a +crowd of Tulerosa mexicans who had chased them +into Lincoln. They had given themselves up to +Garrett more for protection than anything else. +They had killed four Tulerosa mexicans, in a hand +to hand fight, the day before, hence the mob being +after them. One of those prisoners was a young +Texan by the name of Chas. Wall, who had received +two almost fatal bullet wounds in the fracas of the +day before. It was from this young man, Mr. Wall, +whom I became personally acquainted with afterwards, +that I received my information from, in regard +to the "Kid's" escape, etc.</p> + +<p>About five o'clock, that evening, Ollinger took<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[278]</a></span> +the armed prisoners across the street, to the hotel, +to supper, leaving Bell to guard the "Kid."</p> + +<p>According to what the "Kid" told after his escape, +Bell became interested in a newspaper, and while +thus engaged, he slipped one of his hand-cuffs, which +he could have done long before if the right chance +had been presented, and made a leap towards his +guard, using the hand-cuff as a weapon.</p> + +<p>Bell almost fainted on looking up from his paper. +He broke for the door after receiving a stunning +lick over the head with the hand-cuff. But the +"Kid" was right at his heels; and when he got to +the door and started down stairs the "Kid" reached +forward and jerked the frightened man's pistol which +still hung at his side, he having never made an effort +to pull it. Bell fell dead out in the back yard, near +the foot of the stairs, with a bullet hole through his +body.</p> + +<p>"Kid" then hobbled, or jumped, his legs being +still shackled, to the armory and kicking the door +open secured Ollinger's shot-gun, which contained +the eighteen buck-shot in each barrel. Then springing +to an open window, in an adjoining room, under +which the other guard would have to come to get<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[279]</a></span> +up stairs, he waited patiently for his "meat," as he +termed it.</p> + +<p>He hadn't waited long though when Ollinger, +who had started on hearing the shooting, came +trotting under the window. "Kid" called in a pleasant +voice: "Hello, Bob!" Robert looked up, but just +in time to receive eighteen buck-shot in his breast. +The "Kid" then walked out onto the balcony, fronting +on Main street, and emptied the other barrel into +the dead body of Ollinger. Then breaking the gun +in two over the balcony railing he threw the pieces +at the corpse, saying: "Take that you s—— of a +b——h! You will never follow me with that gun +again!"</p> + +<p>This proceeding was witnessed by nearly a hundred +citizens, nearly all of whom sympathized with +the "Kid," although they didn't approve of his law-breaking. +There was a few of his bitter enemies +in town, though, but they soon hunted their holes, +each one trying to pull the hole in after him, so as +to be hid from the outside world.</p> + +<p>After being supplied from the armory with a good +winchester, two colts "45" pistols and four belts of +cartridges, he ordered a file thrown up to him, which +was done without ceremony; he also ordered the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[280]</a></span> +deputy County Clerk's pony and saddle brought out +into the street, which was also done in double quick +time.</p> + +<p>The shackles being filed in two he danced around +on the balcony quite a while, as though he was the +happiest mortal on earth.</p> + +<p>As he went to mount, the firey pony, which was +being held out in the street, and which had once +belonged to him, broke loose and ran back to the +stable. But he was soon brought back, and this +time held until the "Kid" was securely seated in the +saddle.</p> + +<p>After bidding everybody in sight adieu he rode +slowly towards the setting sun, the winchester still +gripped in his right hand. But when he arrived at +the end of Main street he pulled off his hat, and +waving it over his head, yelled at the top of his +voice: "Three cheers for Billy the Kid!" Then +putting spurs to the pony he dashed out of sight.</p> + +<p>After traveling about four miles west he turned +north-east, across the Capitan mountains, towards +Ft. Sumner.</p> + +<p>About the first of July, Garrett, who hadn't hunted +much for the "Kid" since his escape, received a letter<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[281]</a></span> +from a Mr. Brazil, who lived near Ft. Sumner, informing +him of the "Kid's" presence in that vicinity.</p> + +<p>Garrett after answering the letter, asking Mr. +Brazil to meet him at a certain spot on a certain +night, secured the services of John W. Poe, one of +the whitest and bravest men in the Territory, and +taking his Deputy, "Kip" McKinnie along, struck +out for "Sumner" to capture the Kid if possible.</p> + +<p>The little party of three arrived at the mouth of +Tayban Arroyo, on the Reo Pecos, where Garrett +had written Brazil to meet him, about dark on the +night of July 13th. They waited there all night +and Mr. Brazil failed to show up.</p> + +<p>Mr. Poe being a stranger in that country, and not +known in the Post, Garrett sent him to the town, a +distance of five miles, to try and learn, by keeping +his ears open and mouth shut, of the "Kid's" whereabouts, +while he and "Kip" would meet him at +"Sunny-side" a ranch seven miles above "Sumner."</p> + +<p>About sundown Poe met his two companions, at +Sunny-side, but was no wiser than when he had left +them. Garrett then concluded that they would all +ride into the town and if Peet Maxwell was at home +he could maybe get some information from him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[282]</a></span></p> + +<p>Arriving in an old orchard back of the Maxwell +mansion about ten o'clock that night, they tied +their horses and crawled around to the front of the +building.</p> + +<p>There was a long porch on the south side of the +house and about midway was Peet's room, the door +of which opened onto the porch. Garrett knew +where the room was, and there they headed for.</p> + +<p>On arriving in the front yard opposite the door +of Peet's room, which was wide open, the night +being very hot, Garrett told his companions to lie +flat down in the grass while he slipped into the +room.</p> + +<p>He found Peet asleep, but awakened him. He +then laid down by the side of Peet, and they began +talking.</p> + +<p>Back of the Maxwell house was an adobe cabin +in which lived an old mexican Peon. The mexican +had gone to bed, and by a greasy looking table sat +the "Kid," who had just come in from the hills. He +had pulled off his boots to rest his tired feet, and +was glancing over a newspaper.</p> + +<p>Throwing down the paper he told the Peon to get +up and cook him some supper, as he was very hungry. +Being told that there was no meat in the house he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[283]</a></span> +picked up a butcher-knife which was lying on the +table, and said: "I will go and get Peet to rustle me a +piece." He started without either hat or boots.</p> + +<p>While walking along on the porch, butcher-knife +in hand, he discovered the two men out in the grass, +and, drawing his pistol, asked in mexican: Quien +es? Quien es? (Who's there? Who's there?) +Not getting an answer, the boys thinking he was +one of the Peons, he backed into the door of Peet's +room, and then turning towards the bed, which was +to the left of the door, he asked: "Peet, who is +that out there?" Not receiving an answer again, +and being suspicious of some one being in bed with +Peet, he began backing towards the opposite side +of the room, at the same time asking: "Who in +the h—l is in here? Who in the h—l is in here?"</p> + +<p>Peet whispered to Garrett: "That's him Pat." +And by that time the "Kid" had backed until the +light shone full upon him, through one of the south +windows, giving Garrett a good chance to make a +center shot.</p> + +<p>Bang! Bang! went Garrett's pistol. The first +bullet took effect in the "Kid's" heart, while the next +one struck the ceiling.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[284]</a></span></p> + +<p>The remains of what was once a fond mother's +darling were buried next day in the old dilapidated +Military Cemetery, without a murmer, except from +one, a pretty young half-breed mexican damsel, +whose tears, no doubt, has dampened the lonely +grave more than once.</p> + +<p>Thus ended the life of William H. Bonney, one +of the coolest-headed, and most daring young outlaws +that ever lived. He had dwelt upon this +earth just 21 years, seven months and 21 days.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/dec04.png" width="250" height="94" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[285]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XXVIII" id="Chapter_XXVIII"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XXVIII.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">WRESTLING WITH A DOSE OF SMALL +POX ON THE LLANO ESTICADO.</p> + +<p>After leaving Toyah I followed the railroad east +cross the Reo Pecos, out onto the Llano Esticado +and through the sixty mile stretch of Sand +Hills.</p> + +<p>At Sand Hill Station, about midway through the +sand hills, I left the railroad and branched off in a +north-easterly direction in search of buffalo-hunter's +camps. Knowing buffalo were getting scarce, and +having heard of a great many hunters being in the +vicinity of Ceader Lake, I thought it a good idea +to go out there and see what kind of game they +were killing. Being nearly south of the Canadian +River country, I thought maybe they were killing +cattle which had drifted down in there during the +winters. But I was mistaken. I found their camps +black with genuine buffalo hides. There being no +ranches in that wild scope of country the buffalo,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[286]</a></span> +what few there were left, had nearly all congregated +in there.</p> + +<p>I played a single-handed game of freeze-out the +first two nights after leaving the railroad, for there +came a terrible snow storm, which covered up the +buffalo-chips, there being no wood in that whole +country, so that I couldn't make a fire to warm by.</p> + +<p>After striking the first buffalo-camp, then I was +all right, for I could get directions how to find the +next one, etc.</p> + +<p>I finally, by circling around to the east, and then +south, struck the railroad again, and landed in the +town of Big Springs; where I was mistaken for a +horse-thief, whom I answered the description of, +and told to "skip" by one of my friends, a stranger +who recognized me as the turkey shooter from +Toyah. I didn't skip; and the thing was finally +straightened up to their entire satisfaction.</p> + +<p>I was out of money by this time, but found a +draft in the express office awaiting me. Not having +any particular use for the draft I swapped it off +for a hundred dollars in money, to the express +manager.</p> + +<p>After looking through a few herds around the +Springs I pulled north-east for the head of Colorado<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[287]</a></span> +River, to take a look over the Lum Slaughter range, +which extended from the head of Colorado River +down to Colorado City on the railroad, a distance +of about sixty miles. I went to all the sign camps, +and also the head-quarter ranch, but didn't let my +business, residence or name be known, which caused +the boys to believe I was "on the dodge."</p> + +<p>I rode into the lively little town of Colorado City +one afternoon about four o'clock, and imagine my +surprise at meeting Miss Bulah Newell on her way +home from school. She and Mrs. Newell had left +Toyah shortly after I did. They had left Mr. +Newell at home to run the Hotel. And Mrs. Newell +had accompanied Bulah to Colorado City, the nearest +place where there was a school, so as to keep "the +wild rattled-brain girl," as she called her, under her +wing. They had rented a little cottage and were +keeping house.</p> + +<p>I ran out of money shortly after striking Colorado +City, my expenses being high, having to pay three +dollars a day to keep my two horses at a feed stable, +and one dollar and a half per day for my own board, +lodging, etc., but found a good friend, Mr. Snyder, +a merchant, who let me have all I wanted on my +good looks until I could write to the ranch for some.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[288]</a></span></p> + +<p>While waiting for an answer to my letter I would +put in my spare time taking little spins out into +the country, looking through herds of cattle, etc. +The longest trip I made was three days, down on the +Concho River, and that was just two days and a half +longer than I cared to be away from Miss Bulah.</p> + +<p>The mail finally brought two hundred dollars +worth of "L. X." drafts, wrapped up in a letter from +Mr. Erskine Clement, reminding me of the fact that +his company wasn't a First National Bank. This +of course was a hint for me to be more economical.</p> + +<p>Having to be in Mesilla, New Mexico, a distance +of five hundred and fifty miles, by the last of March, +and wanting to look over some small cattle ranges +on the route, I struck out. I hated to leave Colorado +City on account of Bulah, but was anxious to +leave on account of the small-pox beginning to +spread there.</p> + +<p>A forty-mile ride brought me to Big Springs, +where I lay two days with a burning fever. The +morning of the third day I pulled out, across the +Staked Plains for the Reo Pecos, still feeling sick.</p> + +<p>That night I stopped at one of the section houses, +which were located every ten miles along the railroad. +And the next morning after riding about five<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[289]</a></span> +miles I became so sick that I had to dismount and +lie down in the grass. After groaning and tumbling +around about two hours I fell asleep.</p> + +<p>About sundown an east bound freight train came +along, which scared my ponies and awakened me. +I felt terribly; my lips were parched, my bones +ached and my tongue felt as though it was swollen +out of shape. I started to lie down again, after the +noise from the passing train had died out, but there +being an ugly looking black cloud in the north, +which indicated a norther, I concluded to brace up +and ride to the next section house, a distance of +about five miles.</p> + +<p>Arriving there, just as a cold norther was springing +up, and riding up to the fence I called: "Hello!" +in a feeble voice. A gentleman came out, and on +informing him that I was sick, he told me to go in +the house, that he would unsaddle and take care of +my horses.</p> + +<p>I walked into a large room where a nice blazing +fire greeted my eyes. There was a lady sitting by +the fire sewing. On looking up at me, as I stepped +into the door, she gave a scream, which brought her +husband in on the double quick. "Small-pox, small-pox," +was all she could say. The gentleman looked<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[290]</a></span> +at me and asked: "Are you from Colorado City?" +"Yes," was my answer. "Well, you have got it, and +I am sorry we can't keep you here to-night. I hate +to turn a sick man out such a night as this, but I +have got a wife and three little children here whose +lives are at stake."</p> + +<p>I had never thought of small-pox since leaving +Colorado City, until the good lady put me in mind +of it.</p> + +<p>Oh, how my heart did ache at the thoughts of +that dreadful disease, and having to go out into the +cold night air. It was pitch dark and beginning to +sleet when I mounted and struck out, west, aiming +to go on to the next section house, ten miles, and +try my luck there.</p> + +<p>About half an hour after the light over my shoulder +had disappeared I began to grow weaker, so +much so that I could hardly sit on my saddle. +So finally, dismounting, I unsaddled and staking the +two hungry ponies out to a telegraph pole, rolled +myself up in my blankets, my saddle for a pillow, +and went to sleep.</p> + +<p>I awakened just as day was breaking. The +ground was covered with snow, and I was almost +frozen. I felt as though I had been sent for and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[291]</a></span> +couldn't go. My mouth, I could tell by feeling it, +was covered with sores, in fact it was one solid scab, +and so were my shoulders and back. Strange to +say there wasn't a sore on any other part of my +body. Those sores on my mouth was what attracted +the lady's attention the evening before, although +they had just began to show themselves then.</p> + +<p>With great difficulty I saddled up and continued +on towards the section house. This time I made +up my mind not to let the folks know where I was +from, and if they had cheek enough to ask I intended +to say Ft. Concho. To avoid the sores on +my mouth being seen I tied a silk handkerchief +around it. And should they ask any questions about +that, I intended telling them I had some fever blisters +on my mouth, etc.</p> + +<p>I found only one man, the cook, at the Section +house this time, the section hands having gone to +work. I was treated like a white head by the cook, +who no doubt took me for a desperado or horse-thief, +by my looks. He thought no doubt the +handkerchief was tied over my face to keep from +being recognized.</p> + +<p>I informed him that I was feeling bad and would +like to lie down a few moments, etc. He led the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[292]</a></span> +way up stairs where the section hands slept and +told me to occupy any of the dirty looking beds +there. I laid down and told him to bring me up a +cup of coffee. He brought up a good breakfast +and after he left I undone the handkerchief and +tried to eat, but couldn't, on account of my tongue +being so badly swollen.</p> + +<p>I found a looking glass in the room and took a +squint at myself, and must say that I was indeed a +frightful looking aspect, my face from nose to chin +being a solid scab and terribly swollen. No wonder +I frightened the lady so badly, I thought.</p> + +<p>After drinking the hot cup of coffee I went down +stairs, gave the cook a silver dollar for his kindness +and pulled out. I was very anxious to get to a +doctor, and Toyah was the nearest place to find one +unless I turned back to Colorado City, which I +hated to do on account of having to attend court in +Mesilla, soon.</p> + +<p>I arrived in Toyah about noon of the sixth day +out from Big Springs. I headed straight for the +Alverado House and who do you suppose was +standing in the door when I rode up? Miss Bulah. +The small pox had scared her and her mother away +from Colorado City. The first thing she said was:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[293]</a></span> +"Hello, what's the matter with your face?" "Nothing +but fever blisters." was my answer.</p> + +<p>I didn't dismount, for fear of giving the pretty +little miss the small pox, but rode a few blocks to +Doctor Roberson's office, telling her that I was going +after some fever medicine and would be back in +a few minutes, etc.</p> + +<p>The Doctor informed me that the danger was all +over with, and that, if I hadn't been made of good +stuff, I would have surely died, being exposed to +bad weather, etc. He gave me some salve to dry +up the sores, that being all there was to do at that +stage of the disease, he said, and advised me to +leave town, for said he: "If the citizens discover +that you have had the small pox, they will have you +taken to the pest house, where there are already +three occupants, although the danger of it being +catching from you is past." I assured him that I +would fix it so they wouldn't find it out.</p> + +<p>On arriving back to the Alverado House, my face +still tied up, I hired a boy to take care of my ponies +and then telling Miss Bulah that I wanted a room +to myself, I went to bed.</p> + +<p>Bulah would bring my meals into the room and +sometimes sit down to wait until I got through<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[294]</a></span> +eating, but I would never commence until she left. +I would generally let her stay until she got ready +to go, telling her that I wasn't hungry just then, but +would try and eat it after awhile, etc. She would +finally get tired and go, then I would lock the +door and undo the handkerchief from my face. I +kept this up a week, before eating my meals at the +table with the rest of the boarders.</p> + +<p>I finally struck out for El Paso, two hundred +miles over a dry, waterless plain, and another hundred +up the Rio Grande valley, making three +hundred miles in all.</p> + +<p>I hove in sight of the Rio Grande River one +morning, but never got there until sundown.</p> + +<p>When I arrived within a few miles of the river +I noticed a covered wagon and what I supposed to +be a camp, down the valley, about three miles out +of my way. I finally concluded to turn off and go +and stop with whoever they were for the night.</p> + +<p>I found it to be a mexican camp, an old man, +two boys and a grown girl. They had come from +Larado and were on their way to El Paso. They +gave me a hearty welcome.</p> + +<p>Next morning about daylight I got up and went +out to change Croppy, he having been staked and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[295]</a></span> +Buckshot hobbled the evening before, in a fresh +place, but lo, and behold! there was nothing there +but the stake.</p> + +<p>I circled around and found both of the ponies +tracks leading towards the river, a few hundred +yards west, I followed, and found they had crossed +over. After standing on the bank a few seconds, +dreading to get wet, I went over too. The water +was only about waist deep.</p> + +<p>Near the water's edge on the other side I found +some mocassin tracks in the soft sand. I could see +through the whole thing then, from indications, etc: +two footmen, who wore mocassins, had stolen my +horses and pulled into Old Mexico for safety. Where +the tracks were visible in the sand, there was no +doubt, they had dismounted and taken a farewell +drink, or maybe filled a canteen, before leaving +the river.</p> + +<p>After following the trail, there being just the +tracks of two horses, a few hundred yards out from +the river I turned and went back to camp, to try +and hire the old mexican's horse to follow them on.</p> + +<p>The old fellow only had one pony, his team being +oxen and I had to talk like a Dutch uncle to get it, +as he argued that I was liable to get killed and he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[296]</a></span> +lose the pony by the operation. I finally though +put up the price of the horse as security and promised +the old fellow ten dollars a day for the use of +him, when I returned. This seemed to give satisfaction, +even with the two boys who would have to +hoof it after the oxen every morning, in case the +pony never returned.</p> + +<p>Just about sundown as I turned a sharp curve, +near the top of the long chain of high mountains +which run parallel with the river, I came in sight of +both of my ponies staked to a pinyon tree, grazing.</p> + +<p>I immediately rode out of sight, dismounted, tied +my tired pony to a tree and crawled to the top of a +knoll, where I could see the surrounding country +for half a mile around. But I couldn't see a living +thing except the two horses, and the one I had just +left.</p> + +<p>Finally, bang! went a shot, which sounded to be +at least half a mile away, on the opposite side of +the mountains.</p> + +<p>Thinks I now there's either a ranch over there +and the two thieves have walked to it, to keep from +being seen with the horses, or else they have gone +out hunting to kill something for supper. At any +rate I took advantage of their absence and stole my<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[297]</a></span> +ponies back. Near where they were tied was a +small spring of cool water; the first water I had +seen since leaving the river.</p> + +<p>After taking a hasty drink myself, and letting the +pony I was on, fill up, the other two not being dry, +I took a straight shoot down grade, for the "eastern +shores of the Rio Grande," a distance of about +thirty-five miles. It was then nearly dark.</p> + +<p>I arrived in camp next morning just as the big +yellow sun was peeping over the top of the Sierra +Blanco mountains; and the old mexican, who was +awaiting my return, was glad to see me back.</p> + +<p>That night I stopped with an old fat fellow by the +name of Chas. Willson, in the little town of Camp +Rice, and the next night I put up in the beautiful +town of San Elizario, which is situated in the centre +of the garden spot of the whole Rio Grande valley.</p> + +<p>The next morning I crossed the river into Old +Mexico and took a three day's hunt through the +mountains in search of a herd which had come from +the north, and had crossed the river at San Elizario +about a week before. I found it, but was unacquainted +with any of the brands that the cattle wore. +The herd had been stolen though, I think, from the +way the men acted.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[298]</a></span></p> + +<p>I finally landed in El Paso and found a letter in +the Post Office from John Poe, written at Lincoln, +New Mexico, advising me not to go to Mesilla until +the day that Court set, as Cohglin, who was out on +bond, was there and might have my light blown +out, I being one of the main witnesses against him. +Also, it had been reported that he had said he would +give five thousand dollars to get me out of the way. +He furthermore advised me in the letter to take +the train from El Paso, as the old fellow might have +some mexicans watching along the road for me.</p> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[299]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XXIX" id="Chapter_XXIX"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XXIX.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">IN LOVE WITH A MEXICAN GIRL.</p> + +<p>I found El Paso, to be a red-hot town of about +three thousand inhabitants. There were also +about that number of people in Paso Del Norte, +across the river in Old Mexico. I spent several +days in each place.</p> + +<p>I finally, after leaving my ponies in good hands, +boarded one of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa +Fe trains for Las Cruces, two and a half miles from +Mesilla, the county seat.</p> + +<p>There being better accommodations, in the way +of Hotels, in "Cruces," nearly every one who was +attending court would stop there and ride to the +county seat in one of the "hacks" which made +hourly trips between the two places. Consequently +I put up at the Montezuma House, in Las Cruces.</p> + +<p>There were several Lincoln County boys there +when I arrived. Poe and Garrett came down next +day. Mr. and Mrs. Nesbeth also came as witnesses +against Cohglin. Mrs. Nesbeth had heard Mr. +Cohglin make the contract with, "Billy the Kid," to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[300]</a></span> +buy all the stolen cattle he would bring to his ranch. +But the good lady didn't live long afterwards, for +she, her husband, a stranger, who was going from +"Cruces" to Tulerosa with them, and a little girl +whom they had adopted were all murdered by unknown +parties. Cohglin was accused of having the +crime committed, but after fighting the case through +the courts, he finally came clear.</p> + +<p>A few days after my arrival in Las Cruces I went +back to El Paso after my ponies. I ate dinner +there and rode into Las Cruces about sundown. A +pretty quick fifty-five mile ride, considering part of +it being over a rough mountain road. The cause of +my hurry was, we couldn't tell what minute the +Cohglin case would be called up for trial.</p> + +<p>I had a little love scrape while loafing in Las +Cruces. I don't mention it because my love scrapes +were so scarce, but because it was with a Mexican +girl, and under curious circumstances, that is, the +circumstances were curious from the fact that we +became personally acquainted and never spoke to +one another, except by signs, and through letters.</p> + +<p>Her name was Magdalena Ochoa, niece to the +rich Bankers Ochoa's in El Paso, Tucson, Arizona, +and Chihuahua, Old Mexico, and she was sweet sixteen.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[301]</a></span> +She lived with her grandmother, whose +residence was right straight across the street from +the Montezuma Hotel, and who wouldn't let a young +man, unless he was a Peon, come inside of her +house. And she wouldn't let Magdalena go out of +her sight, for fear she would let some of the young +"Gringoes" make love to her.</p> + +<p>I first saw her one Sunday morning when she +and her grandmother were going to church. I +was standing out in front of the Hotel hugging an +awning post, and wishing that I had something +more human-like to hug, when they passed within +a few feet of me. The girl looked up, our eyes +met, and such a pair of eyes I had never seen. +They sparkled like diamonds, and were imbedded +in as pretty a face as was ever moulded. Her form +was perfection itself; she had only one drawback +that I didn't like and that was her grandmother. I +immediately unwound my arms from around the +post and started to church too.</p> + +<p>The church house was a very large building, and +the altar was in one end. The couple I was following +walked up near the altar and took a seat on the +right hand side—on the dirt floor, there being no +such thing as seats in the building—which was reserved<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[302]</a></span> +for ladies, while the left hand side, of the +narrow passage way, was for the men. I squatted +myself down opposite the two, and every now and +then the pretty little miss would cast sparks from +her coal black eyes over towards me which would +chill my very soul with delight.</p> + +<p>When church was over I followed, to find out +where she lived. I was exceedingly happy when I +found she was a near neighbor to me, being only a +few steps across the street.</p> + +<p>I spent the rest of that day setting out under the +awning in front of the Hotel, straining my eyes in +hopes of getting a glimpse of her beautiful form +through the large bay window which opened out +from the nicely furnished parlor onto the street. +But not a glimpse did I get. I retired that night +with the vision of a lovely sunburnt angel floating +before my eyes.</p> + +<p>The next morning I went to Mesilla and answered +to my name when it was called, by the Judge, and +then told Poe that I had some very important business +to attend to in "Cruces" and for him, in case +the Cohglin case was called, to hire a man at my +expense and send him after me.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[303]</a></span></p> + +<p>On arriving back to the Hotel I took a seat in an +old arm-chair under the awning. I was all alone, +nearly every one being in Mesilla.</p> + +<p>Finally Magdalena brought her sewing and sat +down among the flowers in the bay window. It was +indeed a lovely picture, and would have been a case +of "love among the roses" if it hadn't been for her +old grandparent, who every now and then appeared +in the parlor.</p> + +<p>At last I, having a good chance, no one being in +sight but her and I, threw a kiss, to see how I stood +in her estimation. She immediately darted out of +sight, but soon re-appeared and peeping around a +cluster of roses, returned the compliment. She +then left the room and I never seen her again till +after dinner.</p> + +<p>I then started into the Hotel, but was detained by +a voice calling, through the closed blinds of a window +near by: "Me ketch you! Me ketch you!" +Come to find out it was the proprietor's wife, Mrs. +Duper, an old mexican lady, who had been watching +our maneuvers. She then opened the blinds +and asked me in broken English, what I was trying +to do?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[304]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Oh, nothing, much, just trying to catch on, is +all;" was my answer.</p> + +<p>The old lady then broke out in one of her jovial +fits and said: "You ketch on? Me bet you ten +tousand dollars you no ketch him!" She then went +on and told me how closely the old lady "Grandma +Ochoa" watched her young niece. In fact, she gave +me the girl's history from the time of her birth: Her +father and mother were both dead and she, being +the only child, was worth over a million dollars, all +in her own name. This of course was good news +to me, as it gave my love a solid foundation, and +spread a kind of gold-like lining over the young +lady's beauty.</p> + +<p>Finally, after court had been in session two weeks +the Cohglin case was called up. His lawyers were +Col. Rynerson and Thornton, while the Territory +was represented by Newcomb, District Attorney, +and A. J. Fountain whose services Poe had secured.</p> + +<p>Mr. Cohglin began to grow restless, for the "Pen" +stared him in the face. There were eight indictments +against him, but the worst one was where he +had butchered the cattle after being notified by me +not to.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">[305]</a></span></p> + +<p>His only hopes now was to "sugar" the prosecuting +Attorney, and that no doubt was easily done, +or at least it would have looked easy to a man up a +tree. You see Cohglin was worth at least a hundred +thousand dollars, and therefore could well +afford to do a little sugaring, especially to keep out +of the Penitentiary. At any rate whether the Attorney +was bought off or not, the trial was put off, +on account of illness on said Attorney's part, until +the last days of court.</p> + +<p>When the case came up again Mr. Prosecuting +Attorney was confined to his room on account of +a severe attack of cramp-colic. Judge Bristol was +mad, and so was Poe. They could see through the +whole thing now.</p> + +<p>That night Cohglin made a proposition that he +would plead guilty to buying stolen cattle knowing +they were stolen, if the one case in which he had +killed cattle after being notified not to, would be +dismissed, or thrown entirely out of court.</p> + +<p>It was finally decided to do that, as then he could +be sued for damages, so the next day he plead +guilty to the above charge, and was fined one hundred +and fifty dollars besides costs.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">[306]</a></span></p> + +<p>Fountain, our lawyer then entered suit against +him for ten thousand dollars damage.</p> + +<p>I was then relieved. My mileage and witness +fees amounted to something over a hundred dollars, +this time. Of course that was appreciated as it was +my own, over and above my wages. It came handy +too as I was almost broke and needed it to take me +home. I had spent all of my own money, besides +nearly one hundred and fifty dollars borrowed from +Poe.</p> + +<p>It was the first day of May, I think, when I +mounted Croppy in front of the Hotel, threw a farewell +kiss at Miss Magdalena, who was standing in +the bay-window, and started east, in company with +Chas. Wall—the young man I mentioned as being +a prisoner in Lincoln at the time of "Kid's" escape. +I hated to part with the pleasant smiles of my little +mexican sweetheart, but then it had to be done. I +still hold a rose and a bundle of beautifully written +letters to remember her by.</p> + +<p>We stopped at San Augustine the first night out +from "Cruces," and from there we struck south-east +across the white sands for the mouth of Dog canyon—the +noted rendezvous of old Victoria and his +band of blood-thirsty Apache's.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">[307]</a></span></p> + +<p>I had heard so much about this beautiful Dog +canyon that I concluded to see it before going home, +so that if it proved to be as represented I could +secure it for a cattle ranch.</p> + +<p>It was a ticklish job going there by ourselves, as +a telegram was received in Las Cruces, the morning +we left, that a band of Apache's had crossed +the Rio Grande at Colorow, killing three men there, +and were headed toward Dog canyon. But I had +faith in Croppy and Buckshot, they being well rested +and hog fat, carrying us out of danger should we +come in contact with them.</p> + +<p>We arrived at the noted canyon after being away +from water nearly two days. It was a lovely place, +at the foot of Gandalupe mountains.</p> + +<p>After leaving there we went through the following +towns: La Luz, Tulerosa, South Fork and Ft. +Stanton.</p> + +<p>At the last named place Charlie Wall left me, and +I continued on alone.</p> + +<p>I remained in White Oaks a few days, looking +over my town property, I having bought some lots +and built cabins thereon, and examining the 'Old +Panhandle Tiger' gold mine, the one Stone, Chambers +and I owned. I had some of the rock assayed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">[308]</a></span> +and it run twelve dollars in gold to the ton, besides +a few ounces in silver and about two million dollars +worth of hopes.</p> + +<p>From White Oaks I went through Anton Chico, +San Lorenzo, Liberty and Tascosa, and arrived at +the "L. X." ranch after an absence of nearly eight +months, and about a three thousand mile ride.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/dec04.png" width="250" height="94" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr class="r15" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">[309]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XXX" id="Chapter_XXX"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XXX.</span></h2> + +<p class="center extraspacebot">A SUDDEN LEAP FROM COW BOY TO MERCHANT.</p> + +<p>About the first of July, shortly after my return, +Hollicott sent me to Kansas with a herd of +eight hundred fat steers. My outfit consisted of a +cook, chuck wagon, five riders, and six horses to +the rider.</p> + +<p>We arrived in Caldwell, Kansas, near the northern +line of the Indian Territory, about September +the first.</p> + +<p>After putting the cattle aboard of the cars, and +giving them a send-off towards Chicago, we all +proceeded to take in the "Queen City of the Border," +as Caldwell is called. I immediately fell in love +with the town, also with a couple of young ladies, +and therefore concluded to locate. I bought some +lots and contracted a house built, with a view of +going after mother.</p> + +<p>I then struck out with my outfit to attend the fall +round-ups in the vicinity of Camp Supply, Indian<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">[310]</a></span> +Territory. Returning to Caldwell the latter part of +November, I boarded a train for Southern Texas, +after mother, by way of Saint Louis to visit my +sister whom I hadn't seen for thirteen long years.</p> + +<p>I arrived in Saint Louis one evening—just in time +to let an old flop-eared Jew take me in to the extent +of a hundred dollars for a lot of snide jewelry and +a Jim-Crow suit of clothes.</p> + +<p>Not caring to hunt sister until morning I went to +the Planter's House to put up for the night, and to +note the change of twelve years.</p> + +<p>After taking a bath and getting into my new rigging, +I took a straight shoot for the office to make +inquiries about the old boys. I found a long-legged +youth behind the counter who, on asking how many +of the old hands of twelve years ago were still +there, pointed out Jimmy Byron, the kid I had the +fight with, behind the cigar and news stand, across +the hall. He was very busy at the time dishing out +cigars, etc. to the scores of old fat roosters and lean +dudes who were hurrying out after having eaten +their supper.</p> + +<p>The rush was finally over and then I made myself +known. He was terribly glad, as well as surprised +to see me. We had parted as enemies but now met<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">[311]</a></span> +as friends. He informed me that there wasn't but +three, besides himself, of the old outfit left, and +those were the old steward, who was now proprietor, +"Old" Mike, who was still acting as night watchman, +and Cunningham, the fellow who had slapped me +and who was still clerk. The latter gentleman I +didn't get to shake hands with as he failed to put +in an appearance during my stay.</p> + +<p>The next morning I struck out to hunt sister. I +was armed with an old letter which gave the address, +therefore had no trouble in finding her.</p> + +<p>She was alone with her three pretty little girls, +her husband having gone up town to his place of +business—a drug store—when I found her.</p> + +<p>The first thing she asked after kissing me, was, +where I got my new suit?</p> + +<p>Of course I had to acknowledge that I bought +them from a Jew on Fourth street.</p> + +<p>She then became frantic and wanted to know +why in the world I didn't go to Humphry's and get +them?</p> + +<p>"Who in the dickens is Humphry?" I asked.</p> + +<p>"Why, I thought everybody knew Mr. Humphry," +she continued.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">[312]</a></span></p> + +<p>She took me up town to this great establishment +of Humphry's that evening and there I learnt how +badly I had been bitten by the Jew.</p> + +<p>I remained in the city about a week and my +brother-in-law spent most of his time showing me +the sights.</p> + +<p>Before taking the train for Texas I bought mother +a trunk full of clothes, knowing that she would be +in need of them after having "roughed it" for +nearly eight years.</p> + +<p>I stopped in Houston one day looking for Aunt +Mary, but learnt finally that she had moved to +the country.</p> + +<p>I then took in Galveston and spent two days visiting +Uncle Nick and Aunt Julia. From there I went +to Indianola on a Morgan Steamship and became +sea sick; Oh, Lord! I concluded I would prefer the +hurricane deck of a Spanish pony to that of a ship, +every time.</p> + +<p>In the town of Indianola I met a lot of my old +Peninsula playmates, who were there from Matagorda, +in their sail boats, with freight.</p> + +<p>There being no boats down from Tresspalacious, +I left my trunk to be shipped up the first chance and +went to Matagorda with the two Williams' boys,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">[313]</a></span> +Johnny and Jimmy. Nearly all the Peninsula folks +lived in the vicinity of Matagorda now since the +great storm of 1875, washed everything they had +out into the Gulf, besides drowning about half of +their number. Hence me going to Matagorda to +visit them.</p> + +<p>There were three Tresspalacious boys in Matagorda, +and one of them, Jim Keller, loaned me +his horse and saddle to ride home on.</p> + +<p>Mother was happy when I told her to get ready +and go to Kansas with me. There was only one +thing she hated to leave behind, and that was her +wood pile. She had spent the past two years lugging +wood from along the creek and piling it up +against her old shanty for "old age," she said. I +suppose her idea in piling it against the house, on +all sides, was to keep it from blowing over, should +some kind of an animal accidently blow its breath +against it.</p> + +<p>After spending about a week, visiting friends and +waiting for my trunk to arrive from Indianola, I +struck out with mother for the enterprising State of +Kansas.</p> + +<p>I hired a neighbor, Mr. Cornelious, to take us to +the Railroad, fifty miles north. He hauled us in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">[314]</a></span> +an old go cart—one that had been sent from Germany +in 1712—drawn by two brindle oxen.</p> + +<p>We arrived in Caldwell a few days before Christmas +and after getting mother established in her +new house, I went to work for the "L. X." company +again.</p> + +<p>I had secured a winter's job from Mr. Beals before +leaving therefore it was all ready for me to take +charge of on my return. The job was feeding and +taking care of about two hundred head of horses, +at the company's ranch on the Territory line, near +Caldwell.</p> + +<p>Having lots of fat ponies to ride, I used to take +a dash up town nearly every night to see how +mother was getting along and to see my sweethearts. +Thus the winter passed off pleasantly.</p> + +<p>About the first of March I received orders from +Mr. Beals, who was then at his home in Boston, +Mass. to get everything in shape to start for the +Panhandle at a moment's notice.</p> + +<p>That very night, after those orders were received, +I fell head over heels in love with a pretty little +fifteen-year old, black-eyed miss, whom I accidently +met. It was a genuine case of love at first sight. +I wanted her, and wanted her badly, therefore I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">[315]</a></span> +went to work with a brave heart and my face lined +with brass. It required lots of brass too, as I had +to do considerable figuring with the old gent, she +being his only daughter.</p> + +<p>Just three days after meeting we were engaged +and at the end of the next three days we were +made one. And three days later I was on my way +to the Panhandle with an outfit of twenty-five men, +one hundred horses and six wagons.</p> + +<p>An eighteen day's drive, southwest, brought us +to the "L. X." ranch. After laying there about a +week, resting up, Hollicott sent me and my outfit +south to attend the round ups in the Red River +country.</p> + +<p>We arrived back at the ranch about July the first, +with three thousand head of "L. X." cattle which +had drifted south during the past winter.</p> + +<p>As I was anxious to get back to Kansas to see +my wife and mother, Hollicott immediately gathered +eight hundred fat shipping steers and started me.</p> + +<p>I arrived in Caldwell September the first, and +after shipping the herd, Mr. Beals ordered me to +take the outfit back to the Panhandle and get another +drove. This of course didn't suit, as I had +only been at home a few days. But then what could<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">[316]</a></span> +I do? I hated to give up a good job, with no prospects +of making a living by remaining in town.</p> + +<p>I finally concluded to obey orders, so started +the men and horses up the Territory line, while I +and Sprague went to town with the wagon to +load it with chuck. Mr. Beals had taken the train +the day before to be absent quite a while. After +getting the wagon loaded and ready to start, I +suddenly swore off cow-punching and turned everything +over to Mr. Sprague, who bossed the outfit +back to the Panhandle.</p> + +<p>The next day I rented a vacant room on Main +street and, rolling up my sleeves and putting on a +pair of suspenders, the first I had ever worn, started +out as a merchant—on a six-bit scale. Thus one +cow-puncher takes a sensible tumble and drops out +of the ranks.</p> + +<p>Now, dear reader in bidding you adieu, will say: +should you not be pleased with the substance of this +<i>book</i>, I've got nothing to say in defence, as I gave +you the best I had in my little shop, but before you +criticise it from a literary standpoint, bear in mind +that the writer had fits until he was ten years of +age, and hasn't fully recovered from the effects.</p> + +<p class="center extraspace3top">FINIS.</p> + +<hr class="r65" /> + +<p class="center bolded extraspacebot">Transcriber Notes</p> + +<p>Minor obvious spelling and punctuation errors have been corrected.</p> + +<p>Words with various spellings interchangeably used in +the book have been retained as written.</p> + +<ul> +<li>Whisky-peet, Whisky peet, Whiskey-peet, and Whisky-peat</li> +<li>sunup; sun-up</li> +<li>breastworks; breast-works</li> +<li>may be; may-be</li> +<li>daylight; day-light</li> +<li>hairbreadth; hair-breadth</li> +<li>headquarter; head-quarter</li> +<li>storekeeper; store-keeper</li> +<li>sundown; sun-down</li> +<li>southeast; south-east</li> +<li>upstairs; up-stairs</li> +<li>daylight; day-light</li> +</ul> + +<p>page 292: made up my mind not to let the folk's know where ... +author perhaps intended folks? left as written.</p> + +<p>page 271, 307 the spelling Gandalupe mountains is used in this +book twice and is found in a few other sources at the time. Although +spelled Guadalupe mountains in most other sources, it is left as +written: Gandalupe mountains.</p> + +<hr class="r65" /> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Texas Cow Boy, by Chas. A. Siringo + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A TEXAS COW BOY *** + +***** This file should be named 38309-h.htm or 38309-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/3/0/38309/ + +Produced by Dianna Adair, Suzanne Shell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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