Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1886-03-12
Ahout Eann.

W. G. MusgroYe, publisher of the
Lexington No. Intelligencer was here
few weeks since, looking at the coun-
try, and i'll his paper of last week, he
gives description of his trip and the
country be saw. Writing of his trip
from Coldwater, he says: I'VE left
COldwater Tuesday morning, I'D, re-
turning to the Lodge by somewhat diff
ferant road. The stage consisted of
heavy spring wagon, with spring seats,
all covered with canvas. The first
team was lazy, and the driver worked
his passage by vigorously plying his
whip and doing some swearing that al
most took ones breath. At the end of
twenty miles we got new team, and it
wanted to run all the time, and did run
nerly all the way. Our driver was a
handsome young man named c. b.
Armstrong, but for the past thirteen
years has sailed under the nickname of
Keno" He came from Illinois, and
has been driving a stage for twelve
years. He began in Eastern Kansas
and Texas, but the railroads have driv-
en- him west, and will soon wipe out his
occupation. ''Keno" is a jolly fellow,
an expert driver, something of poet,
and somewhat of an artist. He makes
sketches of landscapes and animals, and
writes in verse what he has to say. He
is gallant to women, never forgets a
face, never refuses a drink, as lie says.
''fOr fear he will get in the habit of do
ing So" His hands are small, and as
soft and white as a woman's. His
broad brimmed, white, soft hat is
weighted down with leather band, and
in addition has heavy rubber string
that fits beneath the bulge in the back
of his head. This is to prevent the
wind from blowing the hat away. He
can put on his hat in one motion, and
the rubber string will be in it's place. A
teDderfoot would take at least half a
minute to arrange the string. When
we got fresh team, that required no
whipping, "Keno" occupied his time in
telling stories and in singing. His
songs were so totally different from the
heightened music to which we had been
accustomed, that we jotted down verse
or two for the edifcation of our readers.
The following needs no introduction:
We crack our whips and roll away
With our load of human freight,
And il we have no bad luck to-day
well never roll in late.
For silk Is plenty, and mules are cheap
And the company is rich,
And II don't skin them mules this week
1Ou may call me a son OF a-gun.
Chorus:-
We viii pray to the powers above
And wen all keep the golden rule,
But wed rather be at home with the girl we
Than monkeying with the mule.
When morning dawns we mount our boy
And gather our whips and reins,
And dash them through without changing trut
Der the bleak and stormy plains.
Inc cowboy loves the whiz of bis rope
When he's branding cattle on the plains
And the driver leves the crack of his whip.
And the jingle Of the Concord chains.
He sang the song with a relish, and
gave special emphasis to the blankety
blank parts. The song contained about
ten verses, each one worse than the one
preceding. Another song was given to
the tune of The Old Oaken Bucket. -
1t runs after the following style:
How dear to my heart are the days of my
staging,
Where incidents happened I'll never forget
some horses were hnping while others were
And every id one of them Iathered with
sweat;
Ny back almost broken with riding on Con-
cords.
Over bitches and stones that were worn with
old age;
/ But the worst OF all torrents I had with the
bronchos,
And broken down horses i drove on the
stage
| The wind-broken horses, the iron-shod horses.
The broken-down horses droveon the stage.
At . hin or a mud-hoie the horses were baIlry.
The drivers we're swearing and cracking their
Some passengers restless, while others were
walking.
And swearing because they had paid for
round trips.
1 Twas amusing TO look on their different faces
Some smiling. while others were frownine
with rage,
As they tossed 70 and fro on those old thorough.
braces
Drawn by the four horses we drove on the
| stage.
The wind-0rOken horses. the bonespavined
| horses,
he Did baby horses we drove on the stage