The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-25


speech sounded 50 sharply incongruons,
coming from q woml who, with the
proper costuming. would have made quite
an ideal ballroom ohaperon that could
have laughed.
She brought out "a rope, made he- roose,
aud laid it over the pony's head as he came
racing round, at the first threw, bridledand
saddled him, and suggested calmly that Ia
better try him.
But hen pitch, won't he" said |. "Do
you think eau stay on hlmP
10, yes; he'll pitch a little, but you can
rids him; ain's you been using Shore mans
pintoi She's meansr than jim, here. just
lay the quirt on him when he pitches, and
let him run-he's the fastest and best-gaited
thing in the lot--and he'll be all right"
l was 80 battered by the implied compli-
ment coming from this grim visaged wo~
man, that | would not have hesitated under
its stimulus 10 climb upon freshly roped
zebra at her suggestion; 30 we made the
attempt, she holding him while / tried
vainly to get my foot into the stirrup and
jump on. It was failure, and looked
around, saying something about Mr..
Pardee." She gave me a keen look and an
austere smile, jerked the cavorting pony
down with her left hand, held out her right
for me TO mount from. Up went, aud out
we flew through the gate.
Obedient to her instructions, used the
quirt vigorously, and he never uitched but
once. We got back In about fifteen min
utes, he very civil and little blown,
with my eyes full of tears from the sharp
winds. q heart swelling with pride in my
own horsemanship and great respect for
the old lady's judgment The pony became
mine
So much was my fancy caught and held
by the womans face and character that
inquired concerning her and found hers TO
be "a very interesting story.
She and her husband came to West
Texas nearly forty years ago. and went to
cattle ranching among the coyotes, pan
theirs, buffaloes and Apaches. And they
were an ideal pair for the business. He was
about 80 at that time, a long, thin, awk-
ward man, all bone aud sinew, who could
be out on the ranch day and night for a
week without seeming to get any bonner or
more silent than his won't
He was not given TO much talk, always q
quiet peaceable man, but when he was in>
terfered with or bis rights iufringed upon,
knowing no argument but his long brown
rifle.
She was tall, strong, big-boned woman,
a typical pioneer Texas matron, afraid OF
nothing and able to do as much and as hard
work as her husband. She had no nerv es
and simply didn't know the sensation OF
fear as we understand 1t.
When her husband was away she rode the
range, bought, sold, bargained and attended
| to all the business generally. You may
think this "riding the range" a rather pict-
uresque proceeding, which consists in get
ting on good pony and riding over fine
rancho to look at the cattle In point of
fact, it meant then TO be out in all weather,
| to rope and doctor, and ''rasslen with any
sick or injured cattle, the hunting and de-
stroying Of big timber wolves and panthers,
and the liability of running at any time
onto prowling Indians or cattle thieves; aud
These gentry would ufways- -uuitc'~ us~-iieve
meet "Old Pardn and his ready rifle as en-
counter his intrepid spouse.
This Is one Of the many stories told me
illustrative of her unhinching GOODNESS and
courage:
One day, when she was alone at the rancho
| house, a half dozen Indians came in sud-
denly and asked for something TO eat.
| After she had fed them, they walked out
toward the corral where the cow-ponies
were, and announced that they we're going
to have some horses. She stood in the
door, rifle, in hand, and ordered them not to
| go near the corral, or lay a hand on the
gate. They were strangers in these parts !"
and one fellow, seeing her only squaw, and
alone, walked insolently toward the corral,
without even taking the trouble TO unsling
the gun from his back. She dropped him
in his tracks. and stood covering the others
with her rifle, telling them not to raise a
hand to their guns, but TO get out at once.
They contemplated the fine and workman
| like shot, then looked Mt the steady muzzle
and the cold, gray eyes; and it is a real fact,
as dozens OF people hereabout will tell you,
| they got.
Such woman was the ideal helpmate for
| a pioneer rancheman. But she was not con-
tent to be helpmate. She was willing
| they should be partners, but she must be
Ilss. -.
toned, her decision law or there was
| trouble.
Old Pard chafed silently for more thar
twenty years at this state Of affairs, and
| length his smoldering resentment of tn
vice-reRal position vouchsafed him at HON
| burst forth.
| IL was upon his return from the f.
round-ups. where his solid sense and Ike
| Judgment we're much priced. that he pr
sumed to discuss, not criticize or object 4
but merely discuss some extensive sales 81
| had made, when she cut him short angrily
and fiared up into rage. She was violetH
| OF tongue, apt In the art Of recrimination
and fluent In the use of feminine weapons a.
she was proficient with the rife, and if Pard
did not learn all about himself it was be-
cause he neglected the opportunities thrust
upon him.
The contrast between the atmosphere he
| always brearhed elsewhere and this sort of
thing was too much for him.
He heard her out. Then he got up and
| said:
''rm pretty good fellow on everybody's
rancho but my own. Here Pm a--cbump.
| What cay don't go; but / will. You can
keep the cattle that's left-there's more
than half-and the rancho, and I'll take
what money there Is and cut for Cali
| fornia."
He went over to the little safe where the
money and papsrs were kept, knelt down,
and was engaged in counting out his por-
| ton, when he felt light touch on the back
| os his head Turning, he looked into the
| barrel of his wife's rifle.
"Put IL back, y she said.
The angry woman was all gone, and she
was her usual self once more, man, and
more than a man.
1t was amazing. 1t was incredible. Ger
tainly no man could have made him do iE.
He would have had the whole top of his
head blown off sooner. But he slowly
showed the money back, and shut the safe
door.
1t was a sort Of armed truce after that,
and in less than a year there was a separa-
tion-a divorce The rancho and cattle
were sold, and the money divided between
them, dollar for dollar.
They were now about so and IS respective
ly. She had no chick nor child of her own,
and no disposition to invest in another bus
band. She took her $4,000 and bought
,0zfwv in.