Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-10-05
Tr,A,ng with Cowboys.
LBooneranr.l


Ben. Carter had "heaps Of fun, as ne
expressed it, at Rock Creek, west of
Laramie, the other day. Ben is typi-
cal western cOwbOy-a whole-souled,
daredevil puncher of steers; a fellow
who will divide his last dollar with a
friend, or ride anything that has not
more than four legs and wears a saddle.
Ben has one weak point, however, q
fondness for the sulphuric acid annihi-
lator which Wyoming barkeepers retail
as whiskey, and when he Is "full' he is
windy and ready for any harmless mis-
chief.
On the day referred to Ben was at
Rock Creek loading stock. A dozen or
more of his brother cowboys were in
town, and after the arduous duties Incl
dent to crowding twenty more steers
into car than the builders intended,
were over, the boys began to "booze up"
and by the time it got dark enough to
light the lamps, the saloon-keeper found
that he hadn't any that were fit to do
duty as illuminators-the boys had shot
them to pieces. Every time lamp
would fall the marksman who assisted
at the post mortem of said lamp, would
cheerfully waltz to the bar and pay for
it and then try again. The lamp mark.
ct was active for few minutes, but the
supply was limited. Ben hadn't taken
hand in the shooting match as yet,
but had made 1t point to drink with
the successful marksmen, so that strict
ly speaking he wasn't sober. Finally,
he awoke to action.
Seizing revolver from a companion
and drawing his own, he sprang to the
center of the room and delivered him
self of a speech, He told the boys that
they ought to be ashamed of themselves.
He was perfect lady himself, and 1t
shocked him to witness such disgrace
ful proceedings. lie had been appoint
ed as deputy sheriff on his last visit to
Laramie, and had decided to arrest every
mothers son of them. The boys pro-
tested against such strange procedure
but Ben flourished his guns, told them
he had the whole United States at his
back, and imperiously ordered them in
to an empty warehouse near, the door
of which stood open. The novelty of
the thing somewhat muddled the boys,
and without word they filed into the
temporary prison and Ben closed tho
door. He then rustled around and found
several log chains, with which he Sc
curely fastened them, and, with the dig
nifty Of high private In a state militia
corps, mounted guard on the outside.
The boys ventilated their prison cell as
well as they could with what ammuni-
ton they had, and then dropped off to
sleep. In the morning Ben released
them, after exacting a solemn promise
to behave themselves like gentlemen.
The boys walked over to the hotel as
meek as lambs. While eating their
breakfast they noticed that an unusual
amount of hilarity seemed to.prevail In
the dining room. The head and only
waiter laughed boisterously while serv.
ing the soup, the cook poked his head
through the doorway leading to the
kitchen, and drew it back again quick
ly, and series of Comanche war whoops
that were positively painful to their lis
tening ears, gradually subsiding into q
low, mellow laugh which made the
plates on the table fairly jingle. Sounds
of mirth also fioated in from the Office,
until finally one of the boys went out
to inquire the cause. He came back
presently and the most ignorant Judge
of the emotions as shown by the human
features could have told that he was
maddernawethen. He consulted a mo-
ment with his companions, and then
called the waiter and ordered box Of
"forty-fours." These were served cold
and the command loaded their weapons
and marched down to the saloon where
they found Ben Carter. The spokes-
man, Broncho Bill, then and there told
Ben that he was no gentleman. He had
taken advantage of his friends, and
made them the laughing stock Oh the
community. He had pretended that he
. was an authorized deputy sheriff, when
the fact was he had no more claim to
, the title Of deputy sheriff than Ben But
tier had to the spoons history says he
hypothecated. Believing that he repre-
sented the majesty of the law, they had
. given him the respect he deserved. He
had iusulted them by putting them in
the "jug" over night, and they could
. only wipe ont that insult by creating q
: vacancy in the atmosphere thereabouts
= Of about the size Of his body. He must
: go, and go quick.
Ben is brave enough, but after he had
: looked over the crowd, and saw that
each man had his hand on his persuad-
: er, he concluded that perhaps Broncho
! Bill was right. He got, and when he
{ had put several hundred yards of sage
brush and sand between himself and the
5 station, the boys having no further ass
for ''forty-fours,n emptied their revol
, vers. From the agile manner in which
: Ben was dancing around as he passed
g swiftly over the brow of the hill towars
Laramie, and the amount of dust risin,
; in little clouds all around him. it is be
e lieyed the boys carelessly pointed thei
t weapons his way while taking the load
n out.