Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1891-07-18
AUNT MACS" FUNERAL.
THE COWBOYS GENUINE GRIEF
AND oELlcAcY OF FEELING.

I A wild wesierner Has . Heart Well
as Others OF Mere Civilized surround.
ingp-she,lsiing Tears With q Cemrads
IN Tronbl-.
Much has been written regarding COW
bov life on the plains, and much OF that
writing has been 80 lnagnifled that the
unsophisticated are led 10 believe that
the cowboy Il yerftable terror. whose
glory lies in riotous conduct and termi'
Mating the existence of fellow beings.
Such belief Is exceedingly erroneous, for,
aside from many other noble traits, the
cowboy has heart as sympathetic rs a
female. This was demonstrated just the
other day, when Long Tom Letter and
his gang were herding cattle about thirty
miles to the north of this little place, In
the region of the Musselshell river, writes
a correspondent from Livingstone. Nj. I.
Letter Is New Yorker, and came to the
northwest some years ago with his wife
and mother. Every COW puncher ON the
plains knew AUNT Mag, as Long Toms
mother was familiarly known. She al
ways had kind word for them, and her
devout Christianity had won respect from
every one who had ever struck Long
Toms ranch. Letters lengthy form had
given him the sohriquet Of Long Tom,
and he had worked his way up from a
common herdcr to captain Of n gang
AUNT MACS DEAD"
One day lac was in the vicinity of Mus
scishcll with heavy herd bound for
Billings. Night was drawing near, and
the boys had Just got themselves ready
TO ride down the cattle and go into camp
Away % the west appeared "A hur5c head
ing for the herd. Although not more
than fairly outlined as a horse Luag Tom
knew the animal. an extra he had at the
ranch.
''Some ones comm on. Dick" he said
"thercs sumthia' wrong tn home"
The horse drew nearer, and the rider
was recognized as Letters wife. Bare
headed she galluped upand almost gaHped
for breath us she said, Mothers dead!
Long Toms eyes fell, and as hts hand
threw his horses name under the bride
rein he called to lIis men that ''Shnrty
Morton will take my place" and heading
for homc, his wife and himself were oil
at a gallop.
After the cattle had been ridden down
for the night Morton. who had bccn as
signed Ia take charge of the gang, called
the men together. Morton comes from
some place in Ohio near Hudson. in the
Western reserve. and H. college grad
uatc. The roaming life of the cowbo}
fascinated him. and hes discarded hi
diploma for lgrilt.
''Bnys. he said we've got to do some
thing. Here's Tom out here away from
civilization. with his mother dead. and
Aunt Mag was noble woman" Hi
emotion choled back anything further
he desired 10 say.
"Fellers." it was Jersey Bills" voice
"a
niclinamc1. ''Shurly's right. We've got
TO hey decent buryin' for Aunt Mag.
Some of us kin light out fer Billings an
Kit coffin, an well try ali Tx things
sum way"
NIGHT RIDE WITH A COFFIN.
The suggestion met with favor, but
Billings, the nearest point where coffin
was ubtaindblc. was over twenty miles
10 the southeast. IL was agreed to send
there for coffin. Aud al o'clock that
night Jersey Bill was tightening up
1 the girth on hispony
I'm take Joe Kelly's pony with me to
carry the coffin, and'll be back by sun
up"
As he swung into the saddle his com.
/ panions crowded around and pressed
money into his hands.
Get the best. Bill: Aunt Mays worth
it, was the parting Ammunition from hi,
companions. All night that little crowd
of cowboys sat around the fire and reluc
family took their turn at picket duty
around the herd, rs all were anxious &c
offer suggestions for Aunt Mays funeral
Dawn was just breaking when Jersey
Bill showed up with neat, cloth GOV,
cred coffin, which was taken to Letter,
ranch mt once. Long Tom was stunned
as he was just preparing to start on ;
mission similar 10 that of Jersey Bill
The remains of Aunt Mag were tenderl,
placed in the coffin by Mrs. Letter anC
her husband.
That afternoon burial took place
such burial as seldom occurs Willing
hands had dug grave ON knoll nortl
of Letters cabin. The pastor, pal
bearers and mourners were cowboys
and the sympathy there manifested cam,
from deep down i'm the heart. Prior {,
depositing the coiiined form of all tina
was mortal of Aunt Mag in the grave
Morton made brief remarks, eulogiZinI
the good deeds Of the deceased. Ever,
head in the group that stood around tn
grave was uncovered and the lashes o
every eve glistcned with moisture. Drop
of liquid crystal rolled down Jersey Bill
checks Us he stopped over to aid in dc
posting the coffin III the grave. Al
though devoid of the pomp an,
formality Of "A funeral in the midst q
civilization, no mere sincere. sorrowin
, mourners ever gathered around bic
than the crowd of cowboys that lai
Aunt Mag to rest. Chicago Herald.