The Irish standard., 1890-07-12
BEATING A STAMPEDE.
Merry Exploit of a Cowboy on
the Western Plains.

Five thousand head of Texas cattle
Just think of it! A little sea Of long,
branching horns and thin, nervous
faces. A roar goes up now and then
from some homesick animal, and here
and there two engage in hooking con.
test, tearing at one another's sides as II
to inflict deadly injuries.
But all the time the great living mass
is moving northward with an irregular
motion, while score of wide-hatted
herders, mounted on wiry, excitable
broncho ponies, hang on the tanks and
sides.
1t is the annual cattle drive.
A barren path, from forty rods to a
quarter-mile wide, stretching over hill
and dale, across prairies and through
the underground of the river bottoms.
extending nearly six hundred miles
from the plains OF Texas to the foot
hills of the Rockies, in Wyoming Ter
ritory, with scarcely blade of grass
along it's entire length-that lis the
famous cathedral of the West.
It is the track over which hundreds Of
thousands of cattle are driven annually
to and from the feeding-grounds of the
North and those of the South.
It also serves as the road from the
ranges to the railway stations, when
the marketable stock is to be shipped
to an eastern destination.
1t was such an object that induced
the drive from the Harlan ranch, in
September, 1887. The cattle we're to be
olo M Of 5Cn HifvY
Kansas, and shipped to Chicago's great
packing houses.
The herd moved slowly, and it was
not difficult for the campers wagon, Or
prairie schooner, that was accompany
ing it, to keep close to the cattle.
The driver of the wagon was "a
mover He had been trying for few
months to make a living in Texas, but
had not succeeded, and was going north
to spend the winter with his ''wife's
folks"
BY accident he had overtaken the
herd, and was following it for the sake
of the chats he held daily with the
score of cowboys who rode like s}1ir-
mishers upon the edges of the army of
cattle.
1t was in the midst of the Indian
Territory that there took place an in
cident which gave never-to-be-for-
gotten thrill to every man in the COM
pany.
'sWell, stranger, are you thinking OF
Joining the army for good?" asked one
of the cowboys, riding beside the emil
grants wagon the day after it joined the
herd.
tsWe-uns is goin' ter Nerbrasky," was
the surly reply.
':We're goin' to see gran'pa an
gran 'm;a," piped CHEEKY voice.
And the haxen head of six-year-old
peeped out from the canvas cover.
ooh! you are! Well, little ono,
wLere'd you come from?" laughed the
cowboy,
ooh! just in here! I'm papa's little
girl, you know" the child replied.
It was the beginning of a friendship
between the prattling little Julia and
rough, reckless Mack.
The herdor had been for years an ex-
lie from the society OF children, and
this fresh, sweet bit of humanity was
like an angel from Heaven in his eyes.
He WAS her constant companion In
every moment that he could snatch
from his duties, and often she rode with
him around the herd, perched in front
OF his great leathern saddle on the
Wiry bronoho's back.
So it was with considerable pleasure
that both Julia and her friend learned
that stop would be made for day
when about halfway through the Ter
ritory to allow the cattle to rest. When
the place was reached the usual proceed
inRs took place.
The cowboys spread out their circle
until tho herd covered IN area OF two or
three square miles, then began riding
around the animals, keeping their
ponies constantly walking and romain-
ing at equal distances from one another.
In this way, and this way only, could SO
few guards restrain the vast numbers OF
stock.
The emigrant stopped, too, veil
pleased to have resting spell.
s'Looks some Like a Storm said Mack,
as he rode up to the wagon. .'The cat
tie seem uneasy Then, as he looked
around for his pet, he added, where's
Julie?''
Don't know said the father, dejestr
eddy. ssGuess she must be some'ers
about. She was around here awhile ago.
They looked in the wagon and be-
meath it. She was not to be found. The
father and mother became alarmed, and
searched with their eyes the prairie,
spread out like great grassy sea, in the
vain effort 10 find the missing child.
Mack rode away to the herder's camp,
thinking she might have wandered s'e
there. While he was peering among the
low tents and the other pharap hernalia
of the outfit : low rumble was borne to
his ears It was the sound Of distant
thunder. s2 55s. .s1 'ss*f
Whether Il was the noise itself, Or
some elsotrio force il the 9 tr q %
q