Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1891-04-03
ACROSS THE GREAT DIVIDE.


The morning air IS sharp ana 1feSh;
the yellow flame OF the painted Quak-
ing aspen tremble and flares against
the dark background of the silver
blue spruce and tall golden rods blaze
unconsumcd, like Moses bush, among
the gray bunch grasses and nodding
wild oats. Only one more day of
mountain pine and spruce, of rocky
trails and side-hill riding, of exasperat-
ing lodging with some Geet-iooted
steer through post-oak thickets, and
wen be on the plains with level land
and a short drive to the nearest rail-
read shipping station. Then the
'trail7 OF this lot of beeyes will be
finished, and the men paid and dis
banded
So we lay our little plans for the
| future and are happy this bright Octo-
Der night around the pitch-pine fire in
the Conelos Mountains. At midnight
the third guard are wakcned, bring in
their pickotod horses, saddle, mount,
and then the sound of their tinkling
spurs grows fainter ana fainter as they
ride or to the herd. 1t is a glorious
night, the full moon and clear frosty
airmakc new world from the one we
saw to-day, and a beautiful world
it is.
Back and forth and around the
sleeping pilgrims 60 the guard, singing
TO the uneasy ones quaint oldlullabics,
some learned in their childhood days,
some picked up, some, like Topsy,
with no parentage. Two o'clock and
''alls we'll" Half-past and the boys
are counting the minutes before call
ing the cocktail guard that relieves
them, when black shadow slips from
the nearest clump of spruccs and
sinks softly toward a "long yearling"
peacefully dreaming of the ecstatic
chase he led the COW poles yesterday.
A shout from one Of the guard brings
every wild steer in the lot to his feet.
The slyer-tip bear, for such is our
shadowy visitant, halts for a moment
and then, with an eXasperated growl,
jumps for the yearling he had hoped
to catch mapping That imp of
satan promptly charges for tho centre
of the herd, now believing with fear,
and the mischief is done. One shiyer
pul2ates through the great huddled
mass, then they arc tearing down the
coulec as scared cattle only can fly,
towards the narrowing break thatleads
to the still narrower canyon below.
Just in front Of them are racing the
three cowboys, with slack rein and
active heel. It's alife-and-death race,
and the sharp spurs and riders voices
urge the tough little ponies to their
utmost. IF they can only keep the
lead until the level plains at the
mouth Of the canyon are reached the
herd can be milled and the stampede
stopped. They sweep through the
break and into the canyon, where the
rock walls tower 500 feel ocer lead.
the trail is rocky under foot, pitfalls
lie in wait to catch the ponies flying
feet, but the pace must not be slack
cned. The canyon awakens and roars
and protests with all the power of its
echong lungs; the Clashing horns and
clattering hoofs answer with increased
yigor Woe and swift death are the
lot Of anything living that falls under
this laundering mass. A steer
stumbles, the next one crowds him
4 down, and, in shorter time than it
takes him to fail. the breath is trampl-
ed from his body by Il hundred ham
merng hoofs, while a thousand more
pclt him into a shapeleSs mass of hair
and blood. "Only half a mile more,
boys, and we're all right" shouts Tom
EYartson; and even as he speaks bis
pony trips and horse and rider are
buried under the sea Of maddened
beasts.
As Bill SteWert mechanically draws
rein and slackens his pony, the fore
most steer butts it to it's knees, and
they, too, are lost to sight. So the
race goes On, on, onl The remaining
guard, with hat off and coat thrown
back, is still at the head Of the herd
with lips close drawn and the expect
ancy Of swift death on his face The
keen night air is none too cool for his
heated blood and he welcomes the life
it gives his pony. A short half mile
and as the canyon debohches on to the
falda and comparatively level grounC
} the cowboy swings his horse to one
side allows the leading steer to- come
alongside. Just as the leader comes
abreast, his leyeled pistol sends ;
belching stream of fire scarce three
inches in front of the wild eyes
With sudden snort and spring thai
animal swerves to one side; Quicl
as lightning the pistol is there agar
and the flashing fire compels him t
make Il wide circle and finally turn
back into the tail Of the herd thaf
is just emerging from the canyon.
Close on his his heels are the rest O
the herd, Growing, bewildered anC
.