San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1881-10-13
StOckmen's Jokes.
Texas Live Stock Journal.

Texas Live Stock Journal.
Cattle men are proverbial for the well
concocted jokes and tricks they play on
tho "tender-foots." The following is
the latest:
Mr.. Locke, credulous, close tender.
foot" has been holding cattle in the
Territory, and has been very anxious
to sell his herd Of beef, consisting Of
about $50 head, especially since the
rapid decline, and has been the subject
of no little annoyance to the traders
here. Mr.. Ed. Hewins, u large dealer,
arrived here from Kansas City and re.
ported the market off" This made
t. nder.foot more anxious to sell, and,
after figuring over all the goods boxes
and waste paper in the neighborhood Of
the Leland Hotel, he made desperate
attack on Hewins to sell him his cattle.
Ed. bought them at s23 per head. The
boys saw good opening for joke, too
rich to let pass, and in few minutes o
practical joke was set on feot, Lem
Hunter was to buy the cattle from
Hewins, and while Hewins and tender
foot were talking, Lem stepped up to
them with his telegram and remarked:
Ed, I understand you have bought
Locke's cattle"
"Yes sir, I have"
swell, wanted those cattle myself.
What will buy them?"
"Twenty.six dollars per head will buy
the cattle.
Gall right, they are mine.".
Presently Joe Murray camc along
making inquiry Of Hewins about the
cattle. Hewins told him he had just
sold the cattle to Hunter, and to talk to
him. The same cattle changed hands
again at $27 per head. By this time
tender-foot began to grow very white
and pale and to shake like an aspen
leaf. To add to his distress the boys
began to whisper around that cattle had
gone up in the Eastern markets rs cents
per hundred. This was more than
Locke could stand. He hurried off in
the most excited manner and hunted up
Hewins, who was at the Leland writing.
Locke tapped him on the shoulder,
while great drops Of perspiration were
pouring down his temples. and said:
ED. this is more than can bear"
Ed. looked up and asked, whats
more than you can stand?"
"Why, 81 800 is too mach for me to
lose in few minutes, I will have to
back out"
Hewins gave him no satisfaction, but
said he would see him later. Locke
struck bee line to get legal counsel.
The lawyer saw he was in bad fix and
did all he could to quiet his nerves but
his case was bad one. From the law
yer's office he rushed out and found
Hewins Oh the street. Ed. would make
no concessions. In fact, could not, as
he had sold them.
BY this time all the stockmen in
town had gathered around to witness
the fun.
Locke stood as pale as death,
trembling and shaking, apparently OBJ
livious Of the crowd around; Hewins
was pressing upon him the Importance
of standing to his contracts. Finally
Locke left the crowd and wandered
around like one bereft of reason, until
his friends became very solicitous con-
corning him, and thought it best to re-
veal the facts to him, as reason might
become dethroned, and he would have
to be carried to the lunatic asylum
raving maniac. DR.. Noble was appoint
ed to reveal the facts to him. and told
him that it was a job the boys we're
,,r&4;,cr ~, IN him A. f,cf bo oo,,11
not believe it. It had made such an
impression on his mind that it was hard
to convince him it was a job. But when
once convinced, of course he had to set
up the drinks for the crowd. This, of
course, went hard with him, but it was
such a relief to know that it was only
joke. He is considered out of danger;
but it is thought he will not go into the
cattle business again-not here, at