The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-11-30
Riliea BY . Musssns.

1t was clear moonlight night when, at
ter hard days ''drive," and the herd ol
wild horses had been!penned. that the COW.
boys stripped their tired ponies of saddles
and brides, and staked them out to Craze
on the thick mesqult grass which frlnged
the bank Of the San bernardo.
After this duty had been attended to,
the cooking utensils we're brought forth,
and soon the coffee pot was singing mu.
steal little song, and II leg Of fresh cali
ribs spluttering before the FIRE. The re.
past, though rough, was made ENJOYABLE
by an appetite which only violent exerclse
and pore air can give, and after the boys
had eaten until 1t became necessary to un-
bnckle their slx-shooter belts, blankets
were spread under the breaches Of q gigun
tic live oak which seemed to stand guard
over tho broad expanee of prairie, and
they settled down for quiet smoke,
Il tell you what, boys" said Ned Cur
tis, who was one OF the hardest riders and
best poker players west OF tho Brazos as
ne lit cigarette, eve are going to handle
some pretty rough mustangs Tomorrow,
and II any Of you fellows want to show
your fancy riding you had better be fixing
your flank girts and rolls, because there
are some unbranded four years old in that
bunch, who are going to make you hum
like a churn- dasher, snd you'll have to
fork 'em deep to stay In the saddle. There
Is one in the pen that is perfect picture
of the mustang mare that sent Bill Hall to
| the angels"
"Wasn't he some galoot from the old
States 7" inquired one Of the boys, turning
over on his blanket
"Yes," replied Ned, che was a long
tow-headed Chap, greener than an August
persimmon, with legs on him shaped like
pair of hames." It.|' 1I -
"How did he happen to get killed, Ned.
Dlu inc mare hirt him little too strongi"
"Yes, that was tho way of it.. You see.
he had just come from Gregory. and had
| never been on the back of wild horse be.
fore in his life. but he was srunky with
all OF that, and WASH Rcarcd of ANYTHING.
One day while driving out in Nueces
county, we made round up' all of the
horses in the range, and after Cutting OUT
oil that were In the diamond p brand the
boys began throwing snme down and rid.
ing EN-, just to see the wild devils buck" "
"Well, Bill Hall took darn fool notion
to ride one himself and he picked ont a
little Roman nosed mustang mare. pure
Spanish, and wilder than a cavote, and cot
some OF the boys to help him throw her
down, because he didn't know any more
about handling lariat than he did about
running prayer meeting. D..
When the saddle had been strapped on
her and Bill forked it, she was turned
loose, and the crowd stood back to see the
1un. We'll, air, that plug raised her head.
looked back, beloved couple of times,
and then she lit into the prettiest bucklng
ever looked at. ''Stick to her Bill,"i
yelled, but the only thing he could say
was, whoa Stop her boys, darn her OLD
Whil" hn bod hia knees pripped to her
sides like wise, and h. E-,e' - al. ill.,
brush heap, the mustang stretched her
self out like a step. ladder, put her head
between her front legs, and then bringing
herself together like rat-trap, she slam
med Bill Hall against the ground harder
than / ever heard fellow hit before.
When we picked him up one ear was
3ammed around to the back of his neck,
and, from the look On his face, we koew
that he wasn't long for this world. Hc
fingered for day or two, aud we did all
we could to ease his pain, but one morn
ing he motioned for us to come to MIN,
and as kneled beside his couch and took
his hand in mine he said: "Boys, I'm
going to pass in my checks, but I amt
going to shlver about 1t, even If do die
away out on prairie, with no one but a
few friends around mo. I'll have a big
broad bed to rest in, and If some day you
ride by my grave won't you get down ana
think Of me awhile2 ?"
swell. sir; the boys-the ornary cusses,
were crying like women, and felt terribly
shaken myself, but we all promised that
n,A I,1 4
little. and In faint voice SAID: Ned, l
want you to write to my mother and tell
her that wasn't very dutiful son, but
loved her just the same. +" .'''' -.
"Ned," lie mittered 80 faint I could
hardly hear him, ''don't tell NV folks when
you write that was slid into Heaven by a
id mustang" and with that his head
fell back, his grasp on my hand relaxed,
and Bill Hall was on this earth no more.
and when thought how his mother would
gricve 1t made mo feel weak in the knees.
We buried him, and Jack Jones, who
| is something Of scholar because he had
O chance to 60 to school down in Bay Prai-
rle, wrote on the head-board of the grave
WILLIAM HALL .
~ got a fall;
Killed Dead as Slug
ny AeAas rug,
BORN IN GROR8Y.
"It always makes me feel bed when
think OF that poor fellow, and how to-day
he sleeps on the bank Of the Santa Ger
trudes with nothing but live oak to mark
his last resting place in the bosom Of tho
| prairie. Do any Of you fellows want lit
tie oraw poker to-night3 2" ..a.
Several did, and mid the shuffling Of a
greasy pack, Bin'Hail was soon forgotten.
| a. as Where the Smash Was.
| Reporter--"I wish to ascertain some of
the particulars about Tho recent accident
on your road"
| Observation-Disclosures road7"
Rcp.-"Why your road7"