Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-08-03
THE COWBOYS REVENGE.
Bsssping Beauties Kissed on a Fast wese-
ern RailrOnl Train

fA's Heoueies missed on a Fast West
ern Railroad Train.
Talking about the unusual. the aston.
ishlng, fact discounting fiction and all
that" said Ben Ward, of Portland. at the
BALDWIN, Il have heard of few stranger
Things than something l witnessed on
BOARD fast Northern Pacific train one
night in December 1884
i had been to New York and was COM
ing west, via st. Paul. In the ST. Paul
depot, while we were waiting for the max
ing up of the Northern Pacific train,
bound out to Puget sound, noticed two
young cowboys. They were good looking,
wore broad brimmed white hats with
leather bands and were otherwise got up
as 1ront1ersmen, being very picturesque in
appearance. Nevertheless they were SEN
sible. nice fellows, as afterward found
Aboard the same cars in which I and
the cowboys happened to take passage was
an elderly lady and several daughters, two
OF them being young women. For a couple
of days we bowled across the Dakota prai-
rles, into the Bad Lands and finally into
the Gallatin valley. Myself and the cow
boys had become pretty well acquainted,
the days and nights were lovely and things
were about as serene and satisfactory as
they we'll could be.
"One day suggested a game of cards to
while away the time. One of the cowboys
and suggested that ask the two girls if
they would join us. He said he could
fight the Sioux or Crows, or rope the wild
est of wild steers, but when it came to
talking to women it wasn't his best hold.
l hadn't talked to them hitherto, but at
his suggestion l concluded to ask them,
and finally did so, politely as 1 could
the young cowboy happening to stand near
at the time.
"'No, SIR said the elder of the girls
spitefully; we can't play cards and we
don't want to learn
There was no occasion for such re-
mark. l simply ignored it, turned and
walked away. But the cowboy took it as
a rather personal affront because of his
rough clothing. All the rest of the night
and the next day he said nothing in refer
ence TO it, but the iron had entered his
soul. About 10 o'clock the next evening
we noticed both girls asleep ahead of us in
the car. One cowboy remarked to the
other what a joke it would be for each to
kiss one of them as he got off the train a
little later at Billings, the place nearest
their ranch.
zone dare led to another, and finally,
oddly enough. it was agreed they would do
it. 1t was just midnight when the train
reached Billings. l walked ahead accord
ing to a prearranged plan and opened wide
the door and returned to my seat. Each
cowboy then advanced with his vaiise and
bundles in his hand, and having previous
ly selected his girl impressed upon her lips
a fervent kiss, shot out of the door and
was off like flash. You better believe
there was commotion.
"All the passengers were bursting with
laughter. One of the girls dreamily awoke
realizing that she had felt n mustache on
her lips and at length sang out, Who the
dickens was that man that kissed me?'
The other girl also realized that she had
been kissed. Nobody told them who it
was, however. They went to Spokane
Falls, and for aught l know are living
there yet.
''As for the cowboys, l was in Montana
not long ago and took pains to inquire
about them. They are both very pros
porous and one is owner of several thou
sand cattle on The Rosebud, near Billings.
His name is Lee. Thousands of people in
Montana will know him when this story
is mentioned. He will not deny the story
either. San Francisco Examiner.