Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1879-10-08
Under the Moose.
A Herdsmans Life Saved BY his wife's
Letters from Home.
(f'rrn the Denver News.

In "a recent cas-. ~ the KrforderS
Court, Attorney j. W. Donovan
told the following story. 1t balls
from Texas:
On hot day in July, 1850, a
hcrdsnan was moving his cattle to
new ranch further north, near
Helena. Tex, and passing down
the banks Of a stream his herti bc'
came mixed with other cattle that
were graziug in the valley and
some of them failed To be Separa.
ted. The next day about noon
band of about Il dozen mounted
Texan rangers overlook the herds
man aud demanded their cattle,
which ihcN said were stolen.
1t WAS before the day OF law ana
court houses in Texas, and one had
! better kill five men than steal u
mule worth -, aud the hcrdsman
knew it. He Tried to explain, bnt
I they told him to cut II short. lie
offered to turn over al the cattle
/ not his own, hut they laughed at
/ the proposition. aud hintcd that
/ they usually cOniiscafcd the whole
/ herd and left the tibet hanging ON
tree rs warning to others IN
/ like cases.
/ The poor fellow WAS completely
overcome. They consulted apart
for u few moments and then told
him il he had any explanation tn
make or business 10 do they would
allow him ten minutes TO do SO aud
defend himself.
He TUNED To the rongl faces and
commcnced GLOW many of You
have wives" Two or three nod
died.. elbow many OF yoH have
childrrnr They nodded again.
"Thrn know who ] am talking
To and you'll hear me-" and he
continued: IL never stole any eat
tie; have LIVED III these parts over
three years. came from New
Hampshire: failed in the tall ut
-, during the panic: have been
/ saving: | have no home here: my
+ family remain East, for go from
7
are rough and | am II hardlo"king
customrr: but this is Il hard coun.
| try: DAYS seem like months To me,
and months like Years: married
men, NOu know that but for til"
/ letters from hOme-(herr he pulled
out Il handful of we'll worn enNcl-
opcs and letters from his wife,
should get discouraged. | have
paid par: of my debts. Here are
the receipts" aud he untol'lcd the
letters of acknowledgement. 81
expected to sell ont and go home
in November Here is the tesla
mcnt my good old mother gave me;
here is my little girls picture" and
he kissed it tcndrrly and continued:
"Now. men, il Nou have decided To
kill me for what am innocent OF
send these home, aud send rs much
rs NoH can FROM the cattle When
I'm dead. Can't Nou Send half the
value! My family Will need it,"
"lluld ON, now; stop night thar
said u rough stranger. Nov,
sly, boys" hr continued. Il SAY,
let him 20. Give us Your hand,
old boy; that picture aud them let.
tens did the business. You can 20
tree, buf you're lucky. mind Nc."
We'll Ito more than that. said Il
man with q big heart, in Texan
garb, and wearing the customary
brace OF pistols in his belt; "lct''
huy his cattle here and let him 60.
They did, and when the money
WAS paid over and the man about
Ia start he waS too weak to stand
The long strain at hopes and fears
being away from home under sucl
Try ing circumstances, the Sudden
dcllvcIducc from death. had com
hiucd Ia render him as hrlplt~S II,
II child. lie sank t. the ground
completely overcome. An hour
later. however. he LETT on horse
back for the nearest staging route
aud as they shnui; hauds aud bad,
hun good bye. they looked the hap
pirSt band OF men | ever saw.