Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-08-31
CATTLE IN A STAMPEDE.
WHAT ~ MEANS TO HAVE A Heeo
Rum AWAY ON THE PRAlRles

| "Fellers, they air goin' to run TONIGHT ~
! Old joe, the speaker turned in his saddle
and began to scan the horizon. As he
caught sight of a cloud no larger than your
| hand that was Just beginning to show it.
self away to the northwest, he repeated the
prophecy, and added, An | don't think
We'll have any kick a-comin' about the
| dust termorrer either"
The time was in the seventies, the H.
cslity, No Mans Land, and we were on the
old Dodge trail, with 1850 beeves, bound
for Ogalalla. The herd had been mt mn
some seeks before on the Brazos At Red
river crossing We had picked I'D a buncb
that had been lost out of a previous drove
belonging to the same company. These
steers were placed in our herd against the
advice of old Joe. "They air ole STAN
peders, and they'll Spite the whole herd
Let them wait for one of them dogie outfits
behind u.s.
st supper thai evening but little was
said; even the cocks yarns, told in his,in-
imitH5le style, fell fiat. Every few minutes
our foreman would cast uneasy glances at
the great black clouds that were SLOWLY
rising IN the northwest Instead of picket
ing the horses, as was the custom, the ami
mails were saddled and tied to the wa,.or,
or TO bushes close by.
The first guard had hardly more than
taken charge when the rest of the outfit
prepared TO roll in. The cook, after tying
lantern to the tongue, climbed in the
wagon, Tied the sheet down and thanked
the Lord that he vas a cook. The wranc ler
found place Undar the coupling pole that
suited his complexion, while the riders I'M
strapped their liJtle hot roll" on the
ground and piled in without removing even
boots and spurs.
OMNIBUS SIGNS.
For some reason was restless and nm
able to sleep. All the slumber produinp
receipts were tried in vain | Law on my
back and watched the clouds obscure star
after star, until the whole heavens were
hid. ! counted the number of rounds the
guards were making, and then fell to
watching the lightning and trying to Judge
how far it was off 0y seeing how many
could count before | heard the thunder
that followed every fash
After while, growing weary of this. |
turned toward the lire. BY it sat one of
the guards slipping strong coffee between
whiffs at his cigaret te. The rattle of the
Chains on his spurs and bit as his horse
logged along told the whereabouts of an
other, while the wild Spanish song that
foated from the far side of the bed ground
indicated that Little Jack" in thought
Mt least, was with his black eyed sweet
heart on the distant Rio Grande.
closed my eyes for a few minutes, and
TThe1 looked again the guard had left
the fire Little Jacks song was finished.
and the only song rom the bed ground
was the deep breath hing OF some animal
that had just lain down. The thunder
had ceased for few minutes and the boot
OF an owlIn the cottonwood made the dask-
ness still darker and I he night more dreary.
As dozed of Old .Toe's words kept ring
ing ia my head: There amt no danger es-
long es any of 'em air up an a,grazinb but
when they air all down. and it's that quiet
you kin hear your own heart beat, then
yau wanter git ready ter ride"
was still semi-cor scious when heard
roar Ike mighty tornado and sprang
up as some one shouted
They are gone, fellows! They are gomez
IL less than a minute every man was in |
the saddle and rushing after the fleeing |
herd. No need TO ask which way; the |
trained night horses know their duty, and |
are straining every nerve The lightning's |
play is grand; electricity is everywhere; !
flames dance along the name, a ball of fire |
CLEANS on each ear tip, By the flashes the |
riders locate the lay of the land il front
HEADING THEM BACK
Soon we begin passing the drags. No |
need to look after them; they'll follow. |
and the real work is or ahead. Far away |
iufront, above the roar of cattle and thund- |
er, the guards can BE- heard singing and |
shouting to the madCened herd As we |
dash on the sounds appear to be coming |
more and more from The left. the leaders |
are beng pressed und ard soon by n |
flash we see them coming; T. ;ht in front |
of the craze! animals, lDokin- like a ghost |
in his long white slicler, hl, fiery little |
night horse lunginG aud fighting for his |
head, rode Little Jack, sing *, calling and |
swearing 10y turns
By concerted action, in which good |
luck, stout lungs and heavy guirts all play |
important parts the herd is thrown to-
gether and the milling begins Around |
and around they go, each animal with its
head over the rump of tie Que just in front |
-no beginning, no end, Just solid mass,
staring, moaning, as only stampeded cattle
can. Balls of fire leap from horn to horn
The cowboys are seated on their horses
still Us statues, all forming a picture that
can't be duplicated Tie order is passed |
along to Give more roonr' the riders fall |
back, the 'mill' ceases, and soon is heard |
a series of coughs: Jess clearin' their pipes
for another DASH" some one says.
Nov the rain begins, lrst slow, then in
creasing till finally it is coming in a driving
sheet. With the first drops the cattle turn
and begin drifting with The storm, all the
riders getting in front and endeavoring to
hold them Back.
IF we kin only hold 'eIn till their hides
get wet blieve we've got 'em," Old Joe
says
But it wasn't TO be. Something gives
them q scare and away they gol No sooner
are the leaders checked than others turn
leaders, and the whole herd goes thunder
ing after them. Another mill is formed
and the same performance gone over again.
So the night wears away. The runs
grow shorter; occasionally an animal be-
gins to eat. The rain is over, though the
clouds estin hang heavy. The lightning
has ceased, and the riders sie stilband mo-
tionless; unable to see even, the heads of |
the horses they ride. Water stands every
where AID Ia tie l.s.cri., arrazis,rr |