The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-12-04
A WOMAN'S COWBOY.
How He Was Tanned by Little Girl
Named Bessie,

Named bessie
Last evening l was taking care Of my
little nephews, Harry and Jack, while
their papa and mamma went to con-
cert l was by the table sewing and they
were on the floor playing with the dog
and making pictures Of their sliced an
imals All at once Jack spoke to me
so suddenly that | jumped: Say,
auntic did you ever see a coWboy?'
I told him "Ycs," and that down in
New Hampshire we had a great many.
"A real live cowboy! Oh,Auntie, tell
us about one" And Harry's eyes grew
large Jack took his usual seat in my
lap and Harry stood on the back rounds
of my chair and amused himself bypull-
ing my scolding locks.
| began: "Well, boys, when l was q
little girl / knew nice little cowboy.
He had brown, curly hair and pretty
blue eyes
"Like me?' interrupted Jack.
YES" | answered, "ncw | come to
think Of it he looked very much as you
do. But his name was John and he
used to wear ragged straw hat and
90 barefooted when he was a cowboy.
He drove three red COWS to pasture
and"
"Oh! that isn't the kind OF cowboy we
mean" broke in Harry. 1--WE want
one like this" and he opened book of
Western adventure and pointed to a
picture of man who was all reyolvers
and fierce black mustache.
told my nephews that l had never
seen cowboy like that; mine were all
happy little rogues not in their teens.
who whistled yankee Doodle" played
stick-knife, went to school and struggled
with long division.
Jack and Harry were disappointed,
aud were glad to have the door open
and see Uncle John come in. He was
the giyer of the cowboy book, and after
they had laughingly and with great
scOrn told of "Aunte's COWBOY" he
took a small nephew on each knee and
kept them awake long after their bed.
time with such stories as would have
frightened me had not guessed by the
twinkle Of Uncle Johns eyes that they
and were made out of whole cloth. -
But after Harry and Jack were safely
tucked in bed and as | braided my hail
for the night | thought of the children,
disappointment at my kind of cowboy,
then it came to me that | once had tbs
privilege (?) of seeing a real cowboy
and am not ashamed TO say that a
first sight | felt none of the bravery
that Jack does when he reads of them
1 suppose he would say: "Causevou'r,
a woman, Auntie. All women are trai(
but we men never are"
This is the way it was: About tive
years ago, ], with party of friend
was on the way TO California. The trail
was within few miles of the Indian
Territory whose inhabitants were thel
and are now in an uncivilized condition
| heard two men little way in front o
me talking. One said: Things are il
a ruther wild way down in H Jus
now, 'aint they?' and the other replied
wall, dunno, they might be wuss
The other day thar were about twent
OF the fellars in my store an they go
to talking about politics an when felix
talk politics they are might apt TO b
personal.
"Wall-some 'cr the fellars got lii
tie mad, an before | knew it they ha
out their pistols an was a pivoting ther
at each other. But they got over i
an I've seen things just as bad in Lar
ton, whar l first settled, an now tina
are four stores an three church-house
But | come from down East an we'y
ruther quiet lot, down thar"
But before these men finished talkin
the car door opened and in walked
man-tall and broad shouldered, b,
Just intoxicated enough to feel "talke
talkee, Mclean man." To his suit
blue flannel was added yellow leath,
belt in which was stuck a sharp, DANCE
Gus looking knife and a large revolve
Under the broad-brimmed hat was
good enough featured face; but instes
Of the black hair and mustache of Il
traditional wild Westerner, | saw ha
vi a fiery shade and tlll eide ghiskeI