The Wahpeton times., 1888-06-21
I Tender i Tom 7 and tie Cow.
a, boys.
The american Rural Home hy Edwin H.

The American Rural Home by Edwin II.
Trafton.
"Reckon we'll have to take Tom out
sniping to.night-looks as though the
wind was about the right way" said
one of the cowboys after supper.
The other cowboys winked at each
other through. the clouds OF smoke
they were blowing, and said sit was a
CO."
"snipins?" said Tom Wilson, "1
didn't know there were any snipe
about here"
Tom was sturdy boy Of fifteen.
His home was in Chicago, and
he was now on a summer va
cation visit to his fathers cattle
ranch in the Sweetwater Valley of
Wyoming. His father was coming out
shortly cn his annual trip to inspect
his property, and he had sent Tom
ahead in care of the superintendent.
1t was all new and enjoyable to Tom,
who had only been there two days,
and he now had q chance to ride and
shoot to his hearts content. He was
little disappointed at the non.ap.
pearance of the Indians he had so
confidently expected to see in great
numbers. So far the only Indian he
had seen since leaving home was in
front of a Cheyenne cigar store, where
he was a permanent fixture. He was
also surprised that the only signs of
Buffalo he had been able to discover
was in the shape of robes in a Chey-
enne curiosity shop.
Prairie dogs and jack rabbits hehad
seen in plenty, sage hens by the hum
dred; with punches of antelope and
black-tailed deer just out OF rifle range.
They had told him, too. that there
were elk and bear in the range OF
mountains close by, to be had for the
trouble OF going after them. But this
was the first he had heard of snipe.
He thought them rather small pota-
toes, too, when bigger game was so
thick all about, and he said so.
''That's all you know about it,
young feller," said Black Hills
Sandy the one who had proposed the
sniping expedition.
"Some likes a wrestle with grizzly,
and some thinks there's more fun in
loading Injuns up with lead, but ii
you want sport that is sport, and no
discount at wholesale, you just want
to go along with IL snipins outfit"
Ofcourse Tom wanted "sport that
was SPORT" That was what he was
there for. And he thought it was very
kind that the gang of q dozen or fif-
teen ';cow-pnnchers," after having
been on horseback since before day
light looking after the cattle, should
be so ready to 60 on hunting eXpe-
dition just to amuse him. Tom was
polite as well as appreclative, and he
afraid they were too tired.
At this the men laughed uproarious-
ly.
'Tamt no trouble at all, Tom, for
us to amuse q kid that's up-and.up
and wants to learn the country" said
Sandy. "It's just pleasure for us,
you can bet"
And then the men laughed again.
There was evidently something
which Tom did not understand. So
he asked for particulars, and why it
was they should 60 sniping at night
instead OF in the day time.
"Well, you see," said Sandy, sssnipe
is like moths-they go for a light at
night. But amt going to spoil all
the beauty of the thingfor you by tell
ing too much. 1t must be seen to
be appreciated.
"How many snipe did you ever get
in q single night?" asked Tom.
II couldn't rightly say-we never
count 'em, eh, boys?"
And the "boys" tried to keep their
faces straight while they "allowed
they never heard OF no tally in snip
ing outfit"
Tom was now sure that they were
keeping something back, and he called
to mind what Spencer, the superin-
tendent, had said to him as they rode
out from Rollins to the ranch to-
gether.
"Keep your eyes peeled, Tom."
Spencer had said. "The cowboys are
a pretty tough lot. l don't mean
they are downright bad-1don'tt think
I've got IL crooked one in the outfit
but they are full of mischief,
and will try to play all sorts of rough
jokes on you. They don't mind TAX
ing crack at an antelope or a big.
horn, and they are death on rattle.
snakes; but OF all the game in the
world they take the most solid com
fort with a tenderfoot. just remenl-
Der that you are a tenderfoot, and
you will be their game till they find
that they can't scare you or plague
you, and then they'll quit and be the
best fellows it heworld. Don't be a
baby or coward-you needn't be
afraid they'll do you any real harm
and after you've got their respect
the cowboys are a good crowd to tie
to-"
Tom was not a baby or a coward,
and didn't finch at the idea OF their
putting him to the test. But he did
feel some natural curiosity as to what
form this test would take. Now he
had half an idea that this sniping ex-