West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1890-01-16
TWO LESSONS.

ny 3. u, BARNES.
cit won't do to bet on another man.
game, remarked one Of the group gath
ered around the fire in Dutch Johns
grocery 81 learned that years ago. and
the fellow that cut my eye-tceth for me
was the same Alb Skinner who was elect
ed to the last Legislature from Rawhidc
County"
We sat and smoked in silence. We
were all old acquaintanccs OF the sneaker
and knew that there was story forth
coming, and IL would be rc.ated without
any urging from us.
81 met Alb first the winter I came
down from the North, " continued the
narrator, after slight pause. 'NYc were
Doth young fellows, then was visiting
at Uncle Dick Scofeld's ranch, aud Ab
was one OF the cowboys-and we two
were together a good deal, hunting and
knocking apound, and all our spare time
we put in playing cards and shaking dice.
Alb was fair player, but was fresh
from Chicago, and up TO all the dodpes
ol a professional; and gradually Ipocketed
all the loose change that he could r,ko
ana scrapc; until finally, got him down
70 bedrock, and had TO hold up until Uncle
DICK paid him his next quarters salary.
Then fully intended TO wade in and
gooble the entire hundred and fiftv. and
pull back for civilization
- II was pretty scheme, but somehow
II Jailed to work. Alb Skinner was do
ing little scheming at the same time.
and his brain was clearer than mine.
"A week before payday, he went
over to the circle bar ranch, and when
ne came back / saw that hc had been
drinking, and was as happy as a wolf m
sheep-pen; but he simmered down
again, and so things rocked on for few
days longer.
we had just moved our cattle i'm
from the upper range aud throwed em
IN on little valley west of the shanty.
where not blade OF grass had been
nipped all summer long, and there they
were feeding-foIr thousand head Of
en-; and as wild q lot rs ever waved
norm IN stampede. One day, about
noon, as Uncle Dick was coming in from
town, the whole herd lit out after him.
crippled his horse, aud nearly scared the
old man to death.
Them cattle arc terrors, he said. ne
be slid off his horse, and spread himself
out on the veranda, when Alb and were
talking TO the Deputy Sheriff, who was
Gown looking up some stolen stock-.I
thought oT Dick was a gone coon. sure
Ihey didn't like your looks said
Ab with laugh You couldn't cit 'em
20 run genuine cowboy. III bet / could
walk clean across 90 that knot Wander.
and he indicated little hill entirely be.
yond the herd walk over. understand.
moot, and alone, and never yet scratch
from horn or hoof
i would like 10 bet YOU somethino
nn that, said ! and had hardly gpokcn
inc words before Ab drew bnckskip
bag from his pocket, and shook outa pile
IF silver and gold
" The is fifty dollars, said Inc. ~
you want 60 make some money easy here's
your chance. The Sheriff will hold the
stakes
'Fifty dollars was iusC tho size of my
pile, and Ab knew it,. was positive
THAT II skinner made a break ont in that
prairie, one of them old Spanish steer.
would run him down in three minutes.
but still ] hcitatcd
Stick him, Charley. said Uncle
Dick; thc dad blamed fool Will bc
killed but that ain. your lookout. NJ
gou don't bet, will"
''I went over and handed Sheriff Smith
The money, and ae hc put it in IBIS hat
along withAb's fifty, the old man chipped
In again
Bcin as you're throwin' away vour
money Ab, why not give mc some of ID,
Thar Chat hundred and fny I was pofr.
To- pay YOU tonight suppose I nut ID ip
'ne hai with as much moro, am If YOU
get through 60 thc knot. Smith Kin ride
over an give YOU the hull wad
Good cnuf replied Ab, and in
three minutes The ShcuGs old sombrcr.
was looking like "a second edition of the
national treasury.
les understand this thing. said
smith. 'Ab lights out afoot. RIGHT now
and goes straight TO the knot. and If br
gifts thar The dust is his. IS chat riobf1
t'An' IL ho gifts tho hull side OF his
head horned of, OBJ anything like ibat
happens tcw him. hc don't git it.' said
uncle. shake hands Ab, before you uo .
You've bin % mighty good hand with tbo
cattle but I'll be pow'rful glad to assist
at your funeral
Give mc good one, old man
riuncd Ab. as ho jumped on the vc,
nnda and started for the knot
Como buck said Uncle Dick If
you'll forfeit onc-third, aud own you're
fool, we'll let you oil
But Ab went ahead as though ho bad
never heard him.
''Ihc wind was blowing straipht to
the herd, and though the nearest steer