Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-07-23
THE CULINARY ART IN TIE TEXAS
pRAIRIES

The following graphic account of the straits to
which the Texan Rangers IRE sometimes reduced
for cooking materials addresses itself to the char
| ity that boevo;h all thngs"-neverheless many
things have had their day as sooth, which are not
quite as credible as this There is no compulsion
intended upon the credit of any body, though the
story, all must almit, is easier of deglutition than
the meat was when roasted.
MATAmonAs, June 49, 1876
Race nags may be found among the Texas Vol
uutcers, yet the funniest fellow Of all is happy
go-lucky chap named Bill Dean, one of Cheval-
liers spy company, and said to be one of the best
"seven-up' players in all Texas. While at Corpus
Christi lot OF us sitting out in the stoop of
the Kinney House, early one morning, when along
came Bill Dean He did not know single soul
in the crowd, although he knew we were all bound
for the Rio Grande; yet the fact that the regular
| formalitles OF an introduction had not been gone
through with, did not prevent him stopping short in
his walk and accosng us. His speech, or har-
angue, or whatever it may be termed, will lose
much in the telling, yet will endeavor to put it
upon paper in as good shape as possible.
"Oh, yes" said he, with knowing leer of the
eye, ooh, yes; all goin' down among the robbers
on the Rio Gronde, are you? Fine times you'll
have, over the left. Eve been there, myself and
done what good many of you won't do come
back: but if didn't see material h-ll-in August
at that am teapot. Lived eight days on one
poor hawk and three blackberfies-- couldn't kill
prairie rat on the whole route to save US from star
vation. The ninth day come, and we struck
small streak of good luck-a horse gave out and
broke down, plumb out in the centre of an open
prairie-not stick in sight big enough to tickle
rattlesnake with, let alone killing him. Just had
time to save the critter by shootn' HIM, and that
was all, for in three minutes longer he'd have died
a material death. 1t didn't take us long to butcher
HIM, nor long to cut off some chunks of meat and
stick 'en on our romrods; but the cookin was an
other matter. piled up heap of prairie grass,
for it was high and dry, and sot il on fire. but it
flashed up like pow der and went out as quick
But"
"But," put in one of his hearers, show did YOU
cook your horse meal after that? y
"How ?"
ayes, how ?"
"Why, the fire caught the high grass close by,
and the wind carried the flames streakng across
the prairie. followed up the fire, holding my
chunk of meat directly the hottest part of the
blaze, and the way went it was caution to any
thing short Of locomotive don's. Once in a while
little furry Of wind would come along, and the
fire would get few yards the start but I'd brush
upon her. lap her with my chunk, and then we'd
have it again, nip and tuck. You never seed such
tight race-it was beautiful"
Every, we've no doubt" calculated one of the
listeners, interrupting the mad wag just in season
to give him little breath; shut did you cook your
meat in the end 2"
"Not bad didn't. chased that id fire a
mile and a half, the olmghtest hard race you ever
heerd tell on, and never gave it up until run right
plump into wet marsh: there the fire and chunk
Of horse meat came out even-a dead heat espe-
caly the meat"
." But wasn't it cooked? p put in another Of the
listeners
Cooked! o!-just crusted over little. You
don't cook broken down horse meat very easily, no
how; but when it comes to chasing up a prairie
fire with chunk of it, l don't know which is the
toughest, the meat or the job You'd have laughed
to split yourself to have seen me in that race-to
see the fire leave me at times, and then to me
a brushin' up on her again, humpn' and movin'
myself as though was runnin' again some of
those big ten mile hour Gilderseeves in the old
States. But am a gon' over to Jack Haynes to
get cocktail and some breaklast-lll see you all
down on the Rio Grande."
And so saying, Bill Dean stalked off, | saw the
chap this morning in front of Mexican fonda, try
ing to talk Spanish with GreaSer, and endeavor-
ing TO convince him that he was odd robber"
Such is one of Bill Deans stores--if | could only
make it effective on paper as he did in the tell
ing, it would draw laugh from those fond of the
ludicrous.-.N o. Picdyune.