The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-03-18

the way We did so, and he slowly rode
on out of sight. After giving him, as we
thought, ample time to get out of reach,
we mounted our animals again, and con
tiuued our route, but scarcely had we trav-
elled mile when we deserted our Rio
/ Grande desperate sitting under tree at
the roadside, evidently waiting for us to
come up. Good Lord !" said | $,
wonders that road fend waiting for
us, and we've got to hear all about that
Rio Grande trip again" I'll murder
him in cold blood, first" said $, and
taking a couple of large derriEger pistols
from his saddlehags, he stuffed one in
each of his breastpockets, but in such a
way as. to leave the handles visible.
Where's your sixshooter:" said he to
me. SON the horn of my saddle" said |,
under my Mexican blanket" Take the
blanket off" said S, "and leave the
rest to me-" We had been camping out
for eight or ten days, and as neither of
us were beauties at the best, it may read
| lily be imagined that with our long boards,
slouched hats, Spanish blankets, and
smoke begrimed faces, we mi hit have
been taken for a couple of road agents
in search of a job. As we rode up our
desperate mounted his horse, and joined
us, merely observing that it was a mighty
lonesome way, and he had been waiting
for us. las 1 was telling YOU" said he,
evidently starting out on his Rio Grande
experiences again, but he got no further,
for Just then his eyes fell upon the butts of
the pistols protruding from SIS coat
pockets, and he stopped snort as if real
izing for the first time our brigandish APP
pearance. MY FRIEND" said s., with a
villanous scowl upon his face, as he awk-
wardly attempted to push one of the der
ringers out of sight, but failed to do so,
did you say that you got $4,000 for the
'cavvy yard" you sold at Waco?" sob,
no." said the fellow, casting an eye at my
six-shooter, mot cash down, you know
but-but- Just then 1 rode up alongside
of s.. and whispered some gibberish in
his ear. By this time our friend had be-
come thoroughly alarmed and 1 saw him
tickling his horses side with his spurs, land
getting a little ahead of us he suddenly
dug the rowels into his horses TANKS, and
off he went like the wind, whist s.. fol-
lowed him as fast as his little mule would
go; but it was no use, and he soon gave
up the chase, consoling himself with the
reflection that he had seen the last of our
Rio Grande desperate.
On another occasion we fell in with a
green horn" who was mounted on pref
ty fair "chunk of pOny;" but if you had
heard him expatiate upon the "pints' and
qualities of that animal, you would have
supposed that Maud S., in comparison,
was mere tackp-a "keorkle burr" scrub
of the commoneSt sort His steed could
out pace, out-trOt and Out-run any that
was ever foaled, and as for swimming,
she could swim higher and come out drier"
than any other horse in the state of Texas.
Raging torrents and angry rivers were no
impediments in the way of the fortunate
rider of that remarkable horse" YES"
said S, after he had listened sometime
in silence to this twaddle, that pony of
yours is no doubt good one, and | only
wish my friend here and myself were as
well mounted, for the chances are, we shall
have little swimming to do do at Cum
minis creek, after such rain asEfell last
night" In an hour or so we reached the
creek, and halted on the bank to recon
hotter. At the point where the road cross
ed it, there was long, wide pool which,
owing to the color of the soil or rock at
the bottom, looked as if it might be ten or
,, mounting from his mule, lust as | ey-
pected; the creek is up, and we'll have to
camp on this side until it runs down."
"Oh pshaw!" SAID our companion, that's
nothing of swim-taint fifty steps across,
and the water is as still as a mill pond
"Of course" replied S, ''its nothing
of a swim to you on your fine horse, but
don't care to try it on my little mule; |
shall wait here until morning, and then
possibly the creek may be down." "Well, "
; said our companion, II must go ahead
anyway, and if you will watch me, you will
see me make the rifle with ease and ele-
gance." So S and l took our seat on
the bank and watched his proceedings
He first pulled off his boots and tied
them securely to the horn of his saddle
Then he stripped himself and wound his
; clothes into long roll around his neck
and then, after seeing that his girth was
, properly fastened, he slowly mounted his
horse, drew up his feet, set his teeth firmly
, together, and plunged into water about {
: foot deep, which gradually grew shallower
until he landed safely on the opposite
bank. There he paused for moment
and, turning round, he looked at US with
sort of can't-do- justice-to the .subjec
expression on his face, and said: "YOI
fellows think you are id smart, now
don't your" and rode off at galIop.
reckon, though, he stopped to put on his
: clothes before he got to the next settle
ment. AS long as he was in sight s.
hummed the old Scotch ballad
Oh young Lochinvar has come out of the west,
Through all the wide border his steed was tn,
best
He swan the Elk river, where ford there was none
And when he got out he was dry as a bone.
WELL" said he, after our compadre hat
entirely disappeared from view, II reckon
we can venture to cross now" and we die
succeed in crossing that raging torrent
without loss of bag or baggage. D.
, MAX PAUL sells only for cash
A sugar, ID pounds for 81: refined lard
7lsc; prunes, lsc pickles and vinegar 300
gallon; starch, dried apples, peas, beans
hominy, grits, oatmeal, etc, all &c. Closes