The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-12-28
TEXAS Rancho LIFE.
AN INTERESTING STORY OF PER-
SEC OTION AND MORDER.


Christmas on a Ranche-Some Fine
Character Drawlnz-Two Men Who
Were in Strong Contrast-The Story
of a Handsome and Unfortunate
Boy-Row He Met the King Of Ter
rors.
BUESA VENTURA ROANOKE, CROCKETT
COUNTY, TEX, Dec. 25.-I was spending
Christmas at Dos Hermanos' sheep rancho il
Southern Texas.
1t was big and beautiful rancho in O
beautiful couatry. Fine open valleys and
draws. and cosy sheltered hollows, clothed
with rich mesquite grass and the various
little weeds that the dainty and fas-
tidious sheep loves, were hanked and
buttressed by low, conicaI. or
humpy. fat-topped, Egyptian-looking hills.
The plains, too. were only a couple of miles
to the northward, and looking from them
toward these low pyramidal hills. with the
everlasting silence about, and the sunlight
lying softly over all the landscapes face,
with its broodlng lovelineSs, its majestic
serenity and repose, seemed to wear a sig
niicance, smile of inscrutable meaning,
like that of Egypt, but lacking the awe, the
dread that Egypt inspires.
The houSS-a large and comfortable one
for this almost seml-troplcal region of tents
and two or three rJomed box-houses-was
full and running over, and half dozen
young fellows we're camped in a little hol-
low close by; the weather was delightful
fairly meritlng the adjective superb, one
day followed another, warm, soft, brilliant,
the air dry. crisp and bracing, Ike the
brightest and best of October weather in
the middle states.
The boys had worked hard all day long
on Dec. %, when we arrived, rigging rings,
making lances and arranging seats for a
grand tournament on Christmas eve; every
body was tired and by mutual consent we
went 20 bed early to be ready for the next
days festivities.
When the contestants all rode I'D and
saluted, my eye was at once caught by two
figures that came from a tent a little apart
from the general camp III the draw.
One was big Saxon blonde, six feet two
or three inches III hight, with mis- fair skin
burned to uniform dark red, from which
pair Of fine, honest eyes looked out with
startling blueness. His features we're of
singularly large and regular mold, with q
throat aud Chan SO beautiful. a mouth SO
heavy yet correct, and a nose SO high be-
bucolic look, like ancient Apollos. His pro-
portions were more fine and just than you
would often see in so big man; he carried
bis head and shoulders SO magnifoently,
and his bearing in the saddle was past criti-
csm.
Beside him rode a boy who might have
been %; he was OF ordinary size, slightly but
strongly built, had pale olive face, great
black eyes and clustering, dark HAIR. II
ros fhot 60
although SO full now of life and spirit. IL
had a sugges ion of keen sensltiveness, of
hidden capacity for suffering. He was on
an uncommoAly fine and spirited black
pony, his saddle was of superb and ornate
Mex can workmanship, and a big white
sombrero, glittering with silver, shaded the
splendid eyes. While they paused IN front
of US saw him look among the spectators
as though seeking some one, then an electric
smile flashed over his face, he raised the big
hat and touched a knot of red ribbon on tue
size of it. l oked up aud saw Louise, the
pretty 7-year-old daughter of the house,
blushing and bowling, and smiled to my
self.
"Who are they7n asked Mrs. Flint, and
she replied quite as if had indicated them,
20, David and -" "Goliatb," inter
rupted.
mo, indeed; David and Jonathan. The
tall one is Paul Melton. young sheep man
over on Live Oak and the boy is his insep-
arabic, sort of protege, and partner, l
believe, in a small way.
6"Mark used to drink and gamble, think,
and you & Melton got hold of him, straight
ened m up, and has held on to him ever
since. They are always together; you never
see one without the other"
Mark-I doa't believe / ever knew his
other name-carried off the most rings, and
rode up glowing with victory to crown
Louise queen Of love and beauty.
As looked away from the pretty pict-
ure. / saw the blonde giant standing near
In studiedly unconcerned attitude, but
with an impression of affectionate pride on
his great, frank face. After this we had a
general display of horsemaaship, aud a
great deal of ylarking
There is no finer sight, to my mind, than
troop OF well mounted men; there is moth
ing arouses my enthusiasm and admiration
more than fine riding. This is trus OF a
single horseman, and the enthusiasm and
enjoyment increase in geometrical pro-
gression with the numbers of horsemen en-
gagged.
Here there were twelve or fifteen, among
the best riders have ever seen, all mounted
on fipe and well-trained horses. 1t is very
easy to talk about picking up handkerchief
and quar- ers from the ground, leaping on
and off b rise. or hanging on one side OF
him and firing from under his neck. all the
while going at full galop, but there are
not so many, even among thorough-golng
cowmen. who can perform these feats, a
is supposed However. there were several
In the party that could perform all these,
and many more to admiration; there
was no poor or even mediocre work
Young Melton's riding was some
thing magnificent. He sat like tower or
his strong iron gray and as be came sweep
ing down the track the impression of force
and power was tremendous, Overwhelming
he was like an embodied thunder Jolt
He bore down upon two fellows who were
racing, ran thu gray between them, graspec
right and left and went on with a man il
each arm, while the two horses sprang away
with empty saddles. Everybody applaudec
loudly: "Mel Is scooped the whole race
Hurrah for Meltr' "Wkat d We leave tn,
horses for, Meltf'
But the boys was a very form for tn,
eyes of young love to linger on. The spar,
young outline, the 1.-THE, springing grace
the light alertness and vigor, and fearless
nessl He seemed glowing incarnation o.
youth and love and valor Whether b,
bent forward or back, twisted sids ways Of
sat erect, he seemed just poised in the sad
die; every movement, every attitud,
charmed and satisfied the eye with its per-
fecttion of unstudied grace, like the some.
thing inefiable in the slant of a birds win z
the turn Of its glossy head or the glance O
its quick, brighs eye.
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