New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-07
HIS FIRST CASE OF TOOTHACHE.
HOW A COWBOY GOT TO DENVER.

LEAVING A CATTLE CAMP TO FACE DENTIST
Charlie" Metcalf is an oldtime cowboy. One would
not know II now 10 look at him. for he Kicked OF his
spurs and discarded hts sombrero years ago NOT
would any one know that he had been theatrical
manager. a school teacher, steamship purser and
private secretary but he has gone through all these
experiences and many more. His first venture was
cattle raising. He had Just been graduated from
college when he went West to become cattle hng'
As he himself tells the story there many crcum-
stances which cOnspred to prevent his becoming much
OF king In the first place he put all his money
he had into tho business. Accordingly whom some
cattle thieves swoOped down upon his camp ono night
and stampcded with the whole herd tho young cattle
raiser found himself the position whore thore was
not only no power behind the Kings throne. but no
throne In the language OF the plains. he found him.
self after that reduced from the position OF cattle
owner TO a COW puncher" In the course OF the
next four years he sed to branch out again,
buying hundred head. The following winter
was something like a prolonged and wicked blizzard,
and when spring came Colonel Ketcaf (he was called
colonel on the plains because he had tried to get
admitted 10 West Point, and although he failed dis
mally he always boosted that he passed his physical
examination with credit found himself the owner OF
Just Ave bony dred-up head OF cattle. lie could
not sell them, for no one would buy them, so he
turned them loose on the plains and again took to
the saddle at $50 month, -four. spurs and laria'
thrown in. This in the spring Of 1881
The Colonel" whatever hs faninGs at cattle
raising, tolls a good story He fell 10 talking with
friend the other day about tho toothaohe. and he
told the story Of the first and only Of toohscho
no ever had After briefly sketching BIS two failures
at raising cattle he described the winter that followed
his return to "cow punching"
HAKD TIMES IN CAMP.
The winter he said. :" was not less severe than
that of the year before and when June Of 1882 finally
came around were a sorry looking lot. Every
herder had begun the season with FIVE bronchoS.
BrOnchos are tough. but that winter settled them,
and 1t would have settled u.s. too IL VIC hadn't had
plenty Of blankets l never saw anything liko the
way It ralned that spring. Our clothes. tents and
blankets got so soaked that for weeks we had not
had dry rag I began 10 get pretty sick OF
being a cowboy, and what made my complaint worse
the fact that the CIR! 10 whom wai engaged wa
visiting relatives IN Denver bad not seen her for
three years and although my employer had promised
me a week off whom good weather came. there seemed
to be no chance of going Denver for long time,
for We were in terrible Ok. Our temporary camp
was at the Old Battle Ground. on Big Sandy Creek,
where the Indian cmAssacree every one calls
Il there was committed IN go. by the LIST Colorado
Cavalry, under Colonel ChlvingtOa. II was about
all we could do 70 hang on 10 tho ground to keep
from slipping down the side Of the gully. The cattle
stainpedng every day, and We had 70 work all
the time To make matters worse. there waren't
half enough broDchos to 60 around and we had to DO
on our feet good deal Of the time. hard trial for
cowboy.
a@S %S to some SSad aa
and for three days suffered untold agony when any
eat ,S and tbs men began to oc Alarmed about me
At the end Of the three days began to weaken. !
give up the tOothache. finally decided to take
Whisky Hank the cook, into my confidence and |
made a clean breast OF the whole thing 10 him.
After that he brought my meals when the men were
all on punching the cattle. which every day were
week when the head man came TO me and said see
here C9lOnS you 60 70 Peny G ara get ,1at To- roEa
desert the camp at such time. bu he insisted and
finally started
OFF FOR THE oITY OF DENVER.
MY employer was at River Bend, the home :.ach,
near the Kansas Pacific, and started for Kit Carson
the nearest railway station. twenty miles awiy. In
great Cleo had been in q town, big little, for
over year, and when struck Denver the place was
not big enough to hold got there IL the morning
and straight b. the st. James Hotel After feast
Ing breakfast lighted cigar and stood on tho front
steps while Just what civilized people looked
like l was just going down 10 the street to hurry
around 10 Herman.avc. on Capitol Hill, when came
face to face with my employer. For instant
wished that back at the Old Battle Ground chas
ing cattle over the slippery ground / whipped out
u 'Toothache-terrible1 ! murmurod.
'Toothache. Ell he said, looking at mo keenly.
IL hadn't the courage 20 say word and followed
him meekly around 10 the once Of dentist. | sat
down In the chair In state Of utter collapse, pointed
out a back tooth and grOaned pull It, The dentist
had hard work 10 get that tooth out for II was one OF
tho best teeth that man ever had. hah 10 pay
81 for operation, too and when the tooth was out
and the dentist had sOothed my wounded Jaw my en-
nioy ar took me down 10 the station and saw mo OF
on the next train Kit Carson bound for the camp
/ never dared TO tell any Of the boys how got beaten
at INV pame Even tho cook never learned the truth.
s-------s--,--
nwn n1YLLIzIT IN CONFLICT.