The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1890-05-31

The fFagedI That Came OF Full Hand.
Yes. said the old cattleman. as he
took OH his sombrero and gazed medi-
tatively at the rattlesnake band which
enyironed the crown. @eow-punehers
are mighty queer people. They need
watchin' an herdin' nearly as much as
cattle. | knowed one by the name of
Stevenson down ON the Turkey Track
ranch, in Texas, as merited a heap of
lookin' after. This yere Stevenson
wasn't exactly onery, but bein' natur-
ally restless and peevish with dispo-
sitiOn to be emphatic whenever he was
tillin' of himself up, keeping your eye
on him was a good safe play. lie was
public spirited, too his way, an some
times took lots of pains to please peo-
pie.
j minds once when We was bringin'
up a beef herd from the Panhandle
country. We was up agin the south
bank of the Arkansaw tryin' to throw
the herd across. There was a bridge,
but we allowed it was plenty weak, so
Nge was maxim the herd wade. Steve
was posted at the entrance of the
bridge TO turn back any loose cattle
that might take a notion to try an
cross that away. Thar he was, ASSET
tin' on his bronco an both mighty
rear asleep. Some women people
towerists, reekon-as was camped in
town. came over on the bridge to see
the fun. They were lined out close
out to Steve an leanin' of their
young Eastern chins on the top rail
a-lookin' down.
"'I don't regard this much says one
young woman, "there amt no thrill
into it. Why ever don't they do some
thing excitin'?
"Steve sees the young woman is dis
pleased an as he coldn't tigger nothin'
else out quick to entertain her he
gives a whoop, bangs his six shooter Off
into the scenery, digs his spurs into
the boss an hops over the side Of the
bridge into the shallow water below.
The jump was somo twenty feet and
busted the pouy's legs like toothpicks
besides breaking Steve's collar bone
an dispersin' of his features around
mighty free an frightful on account of
his sorter lightin on his face.
swell, we shot the pony, an Steve
rode in the grub wagon four or five
days recooperatu' of himself. 1t was
just the mercy of hell he din't break
his neck.
"'Whatever did you jump off lor?' |
asked Steve when he was comm round.
"Well, to amoose that she short
horn as was cussin' us says Steve. Il
want allowing for her TO go back to
the States malignin' of us COW men as
low sperited none.'
"Steve got himself killed a year af-
ter, an struck out on the big trial
where hoof prints all p'ints one way.
lie was over on Upper Red Riyer a
gamblin' around with the cowboys
when he got erased.
"Steve never oughtor gambled none,
He was good cowboy-splendid
roundup hand--an could do his days
work with rope or iron in brandin'
pen with anybody; but comm right
to cases he didn't know any more bout
playin' poker than about preachin'
Actually, he'd bet two pair like there
was no record Of their bein' beat
This yere, Of course, led to frequent
poverty, but 1t didn't seem to teach
Steve nuthin'.
"On the occasion Of his demise ont
of the boys got hold of a tray full
Steve bein' possessed of a club flush
queen al the head. That settled 1t. Ii
two minutes he didn't have even hi
blankets left.
"After he went broke Steve histct
IN a drink or two of nose paint an
soured whole lot, an just as tht
tray full boy gets into his saddle, aim
in to go out to his camp, he come
along up an halls him.
"Do you know, says Steve, might,
gloomy, I've been trying TO schoo
myself to bear it, but can't, an In
therefore here to say as how you stol
that PAIR of kings as you made on
your full hand an completed my ruin
This bein' troo, I'm just going to draw
ON YOU for that brick-a.brack | los
an looks to see you honor the dral
unmurmuringly.
"'Oh, you do, do you ? says the ira
full boy, mighty scornful. Wei
you're a heap TO sanguine. You ju:
send the draft through the clearin
house an watch 1t get thrown out
whole lot. Doyou suppose gives u
the froots of tray full-as hard
hand to hold as that Is? Well,
guess not; not this round up, son.
"fDon't get fippant about this yer
robbery says Steve. It's enuf to b
plundefed without bein' pestered wit
ill-timed gaiety Now what | say
this: Ioither gets my stuff back, righ
here now, or our succeedin' converse
tion will occur in The smoke an there
upon Steve pulls his pistol and take
hold of the tray full boys hoss by th
birdie.
"'If anything makes me more wear
than another says the tray full boz
its gun play, an to avoid such exhl
bition | freely returns your plunde
but you and | don't play cards n
more.'
$50 the boy gets down off his hos
an Steve thinkin' the debate is closed
puts up his gun again. But he was
heap too hopeful for the next secon,
bing goes the tray full boys six shoot
or, and the bullet ketches Steve in tn
neck. 1t bothered his breathin' to sucl
a limit that in two minutes he qui
tryin' all together an that afternoon
we had u hasty, but mighty successful
funeral with his remainder.
"1 don't reckon says Gene Wat
kins who was range boss, qhere's M