Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1890-06-13
ALONG NIGHT,

From the Stock Grower.
lt,was wild and reckless set Of kids
that started cut with the I V wi.gen IN
the spring Of 80
Il wasn't the regular roundup. but only
a little preliminary work 70 get the bulk
Of THE valves branded before the general
rodeo, consequently we had ne night herd
ing 10 do, and the foreman had his hands
fsll trying to keep the youngsters pranks
within the bounds Of reason.
Making drags for any horse that show
ed the least inclination to pitch, Organiz-
ing kangaroo courts" for the slightest Of
fsnss. we're some Of their every day
amussmeAts.
Bat their pet seheDs was to get sSms
enc to telling yarn and then 60 to sleep
on him. This little psstime afforded then
more amusement than ahothing else they
cOuld think Of. They wOrked it With such
success that by the end OF the Arst week
it WAS nearly imPOsnibls to get up a sOn-
Vorsation.
One evening" A. We were hSbbling hslsss
\ stranger rode up Az asked for the privi-
legs of stopping for she night OF course
it was readily giVeu, and l saw BY the
Wiaks and mods that they we're passing to
each other and tbs kids were regarding
him as their neAt.
At supper "Turk ~ Track Tommie' waa
studiously attOnnrs, helping him to every
thing, keeping his coffee warm and dong
various little thing 70 lAgratitatO himself
lnte the strangers favor.
1t watched these proceedings with IN
oasness, for l knew there was a scheme
on loot, and did a t think frsn the gsR-
eral appearance Of our Russt that he was a
man to staAd nUsh foOlishnsGS. He wore
= patch over one eyes and had a quick,
nervous way Of licking around like one
who is loOkiag for trouble and was on the
watch TO see that no one got the drop on
him.
After supper, beyond few short an
swerS to questions pat to him by the fore
man, he had nothing to say, but sat to
one side, by his saddle, on which was his
wincheutsr. Tho Older hands seon rolled
in, lOavnEhi and the kids around the
Gre se
About this time Turkey Track Tom
mia" Nv DO was the leader Of the gang
Ieok cha rye of the circle, and by series OF
qvestioHS and oft talk, worthy of dip
lomat bee his age, got the stranger
started oh yarn.
The beBs were all attention until be got
we'll along witch his story when one by enc
they begin to doze
Turkey Track was one Of the drst 70
go, and w qSntle snore sought to convey
the lmpr yssion that hs was in the land OF
Nod.
With 4 glance the stranger took in the
situasiOnI but eontiHed on with his story,
a. if he sGll bad the most attentive of au-
diences. AgthO last kid dropped his head
he finished, picked up mis- Winchester,
and rnrarksd ss No threw q cartridge into
the barrel that "hs would kill the first
d-s kid that woke up
Yeors after met Turkey Track" aHd
thinking that tlms had smOothed his ruf-
iea sufficiently so that it would be safe to
question him on tho subject, asked him
Whether the night s0smOd very oHE?"
He twisted about, smiled tsebly and
said; Stony, since | saw you last have
sPent several winters up in Alberta and
the northwest, and you know up il that
ceuatry the suR gets ap just before and
goes down jAst after diansr, but NY long
odds tho longest night ever passed Wal
the ons on the Canadlan river when | Sal
on my saddle, pretending TO be asleep,
with that Ons-eysd aOrss thist watch
ing me