The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-04-30


| their wa So....n mist. Now and
then one u ta...i;iIs would break away
from the aeIt. and dash off, closely fol-
lowed by Il cowboy lasso in hand, and ere
the creature WAS secured and dragged
back, painting, TO the herd. an exciting
race was often witnessed.
AS they neSred the corral the cowboys
fell to the rear, and squirting the animals
| forward with 'quirts' or long lashed
whips they were driven into vast pen, Y
shaped, the entrance being the mouth of
the Y. This in turn opened to another
large pen, square, and at the further side
of the square were ranged six small pens.
Once secured in the square pen it was no
difficult matter to drive the cattle into the
smaller pens and thence up chute to the
cars. Right in among the trampling hoofs
and tossing horns the horses were spurred,
apd the cruel, cutting whips were laid on
right and left, driving the beasts into the
small Enclosures, where on high platforms
stood other cowboys with long handled
| prods, which they used effectively when
ever a particularly unruly beast declined
to go up the chute. 1t was a novel and
exciting scene to my unwesternized eyes,
and even Shaw admitted that it was quite
a sight"
After the arduous task of loading the
cattle was done the cowboys vaulted into
their saddles and disappeared in the direc-
ton of the saloons.
''There'll be the deuce to pay by night"
announced Maxwell oracularly They kept
clear Of the station during the day, but
when l went over to the evening train the
| place swarmed with them. They were
rather frisky and made number of jokes
at my expense, but offered no demonstra-
| ton, thinking dou btless, that a slight boy
of my years wasn't worth soaring. Shaw
had declined to accompany us that even
! ing, and whether it was Miss Mollie's
smiles that held him captive or sneaking
fear of the boisterous crowd, l could not
| determine l should have explained that
this was Shaw's first venture into the re-
mote west; consequently he, like myself
had never braved the cowboy in his lair.
The night train came laundering in on
time There's new conductor on" said
Maxwell in my ear. THE boys have
winded it and there'll be music"
Sure enough. Scarcely had the conduct
or entered the Office for ORD $ when
ping" sounded a gun and OF went the
light. What followed beat bedlam let
loose. Pop! Pop Popr' went the guns,
and in the interval we could hear the con-
ductor's bowls for mercy. AS soon as pos
sible Maxwell struck light, and at the
sight of that pallid trembling wretch
shout went up. dig out" was the order,
and he dug, but before he reached the
door Ping went a gun, and a neatly
aimed bullet clipped piece off his boot
heel. 'Pop!' and the other heel was
winged. The train pulled out in short Or
der.
l found next morning that the shots
fired in the dark were blanks" but how
was the conductor to know that?
In the course of time l became accus-
toned to the antics of these knights of the
saddle-the only testimonial of regard
which received from them being bullet
hole through the crown of my Derby. l
was glad to get off with that, and in defer
ence to their well known prejudice l speed
lily exchanged the Derby for an orthodox
sombrerO. | daily became more and more
interested in Miss Mollie, and we got on
capitally together SO long as l refrained
from sentiment, but any exhibition of ten
derness on my part always resulted in
snubs or, worse yet, in open encouragement
of my rival, as mentally styled Shaw.
This was very distracting when fellow
WdS DtSiHuiDS W nave SeTlOuS UDOuSHUS Oh
settling in life, and devote my efforts to it
as | would, | saw no way of securing the
owner of the black eyes for the party of
the second part" In the forlorn hope of
engaging her fathers influence l took
Brant into my confidence. might have
spared myself the trouble.
He was a stout, comfortable sort of a
man, with the air of one who had been
Str,1a oil Il oil to ho
most casual observer that Miss Mollie was
the apple of his eye and that her word was
law. We had merry times at the old no
tel, for there was quite a party of young
people when the settlement rallied, so we
had dances, impromtu concerts, candy
pulls, and more frequently than anything
else horseback excursions.
A favorite rendezvous was the "Arm-
chair" a huge rock within easy walking
distance of the hotel, and whenever we pic
nicked at that place Miss Molle was won't
to enthrone herself in the chair, and none
disputed her possession, for she queened it
over US all right royalty. l found still
another source of amusement. Small
game was abundant, and | developed a Xix
ing for sport, although my success at that |
pastime was but Indifferent.
Our affair" at this period was in most |
critical condition. Shaw and l being neck |
and neck, with the odds a little in Shaw's |
favor Mollies spirits went up as mine |
went down, and in a moment of inspiration |
she suggested that we Guido all our pre-
vlous efforts and have grand ball. The /
suggestion was received with enthusiasm, |
and preparations were at once commenced. !
The nearest town OF any size. Glendive, /
was ranSacked for gay bunting, flags, etc, |
and when the bare walls of the big dining |
room bloSsomed out the place wore a festive /.
appearance quite foreign to its usual aspect. /
The day before the ball word was received !
that the largest consignment of cattle yet |
shipped was on the way and would doubt
less reach us by morning. There was seri- !
Gus talk of postponing the ball, but the |
majority overruled the suggestion and the /
work went merrily on.
In the morning the place was astir, and /
all through the day punches of cattle I
were driven in until a thousand of them /
were lowing in the sidetracked stock cars /
1t was a big days work, but we hustled it |
through, for tight behind this consignment |
marched another, and we were obliged TO |
keep things cleared up. The ball was
therefore delayed until late in the evening t
The myriad lanterns secured to illuminate !
the scene had long been lighted when at /
length we struggled in. Brant. with much /
scraping and hourishing of the bow, was
tuning up" when a knock sounded at the /
door and Shaw was informed that he was
wanted at the station.
He bent down toward pouting Mollie
and whispered something that might have
been excuses, but which did not dispel the
frown upon her brow. l at once regained
my good humor. ! had found. 10 nv great