Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-10-25

| Wnllo ne has had to look after his ms.
~Ya's, I s'pose so. But Teller amt
q real man till he's knocked 'roun' q
bit an butted his head few times
agin' the rough corners of the world. 1t
puts boss sense in mans head quicker
an surer than any thing I know of. :"
Yes, it does give man experience
to travel, responded Molly.
ASperiencei That's the word. 1t cost
me powerful when was a young man,
butt driv some things into my head
that couldn't got thar no other way,
an they have been power of use to
me since;" and the old man
drew off his course brogans, and,
firing each one into opposite corners of
the room, spit out his huge quid of to-
bacco and "mosied off to bed"
This was the first time Molly had
ventured to discuss her lovers merits
with the old man, and she did not feel
encouraged by the result.
Early the next morning Freckled
Rube was on hand and struck" the old
man for a job. He surveyed Rub9
critically from head to heels, and fin
ally decided to hire him, for Rube
had the reputation of being a good
worker. So he made him an offer,
and, as the latter was not very particu-
lar under the circumstances as to wages,
bargain was soon struck. RUDE went
to work at once, and, as hired mans
duties were anything but few, at the
Snaggs' homestead, he was kept quite
busy. Still he found a good deal of
time to spend in Molly's society, and
he fattered himself that he was gaining
ground in the good graces of the old
man himself.
Two weeks passed before anything
of unusual moment happened. Rube
had been holding his end up with the
old man at work, and this was more
than his former hired man had been
able to do. The old man prided him
self on his skill as a horseback-rider.
He always made it point to back out
his hired man on riding fractions colt,
then he would mount and successfully
break it, and commiserate with his man
on account of his lack of skill and
nerve.
Freckled Rube knew the old mans
weakness on this point, and on this par
ticular day, when he announced that
"they would break colts this mornin',"
Rube, who was an excellent rider, de-
cided to remain in the background and
let the old man have his much-prized
pleasure of Growing over his hired man
for his want of ability as a rider.
The first colt they caught to
break was a particularly wild one.
1t had just enough broncho blood in its
veins to make it an A No. bucker. As
usual, after the colt was successfully
saddled and bridled, the old man in
vited his hired man to take front seat,
but Rube modestly declined. The old
man gave chuckle of satisfaction of
this fresh victory in prospective, and,
grasping the bridle-rein firmly in hand,
vaulted into the saddle. At least he
intended to, but he had hardly touched
it when the colt executed surprisingly
sudden side movement, with an upper
cut, and the old man lit on his head in
pile of straw some fifteen feet away.
His neck popped like pistol as he
struck and went rolling amongst the
straw.
For moment Freckled Rube feared
that the old mans neck might be
broken, but he was treasured an instant
later as Snaggs arose and started to-
ward the colt, which was standing still
a few yards away.
"By yum, that was powerful sudden!"
exclaimed the old man; "but / am on
ter him now, an I'll be watchin' the
lad" Grasping the bridle-rein again
in one hand, the old man gave a leap
and was on the colt.
For a moment there was a confused
picture of horse and man rising and
descending swiftly in the air. Then the
old man lost his grip and went flying
through space.
This time he was not so fortunate in
alighting, for his head struck broken
fence rail and deprived him of con-
sciouness. I. required several minutes
work from Rube and plentiful eupply
of water from the barn-yard well to
bring him to his senses.
How dye feel?" asked Rube with
great apparent solicitation.
Powerfully ratified! Powerfully
ratified, young man. It's the first time
oil Va Vic A4A OhOI udDD0u0u
to old man Snaggs. But told Molly
a while back, thar's nothin' like hard
knocks ter give man 'sperience, an I
reckon it's so.'
@Are you going to try him again ?"
asked Rube.
Il reckon [ am, young man, unless
you want to take the job off my hans"
well, amt much of rider, but I
kin try him, and Freckled Rube man
fully approached the colt.
The old man was on his feet in an in
slant. He was sore both bodily and
mentally, and he would have been only
too glad to see the only witness of his
own downfall served in like manner.
RUDE swung confidently into the
saddle, and he staid there. Madly the
colt kicked and bucked, reared and
pitched. but all In vain; his rider was
there to stay.
The colt, finding he could not shake
his rider of, set out in keen run to es-
cape from him, but he found this to be
q useless experiment, and In a little
while Rube rode the conquered colt
slowly back to where the old man stood
j.