The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-09-23
A PREACHER WHO COULD RIDE.

The presence on the streets of Anacon-
da lately of a revivalist who was styled
the Cowboy Preacher reminds me of
an incident that occurred in New Mexico
in 1885, il which Cowboy Preacher
played prominent part.
One evening the boys on the Bell
Ranch, ON coming in at night, were
agreeably surprised to learn that
preacher was stopping at the ranch
house and would probably remain for
several days, as the river was very high
and he could not continue his journey.
The preachers rig was in the corral,
and consisted of dilapidated blackboard
and lean, lank-looking horse. At sup
per the preacher told the cowboys, that
he was then making tour of the range.
The next morning the cowboys were
busy making preparations for the round
up. The corral was filled with broncos,
and the boys were busy saddling up.
The preacher watched the operation
with apparent satisfaction, and it ap-
peared to be novel sight to him; as
many of the broncos had been running
free on the range for several months and
were so wild and spirited that they had
to be roped and held while being saddled.
The range foreman asked the preacher
''if he could ride" and remarked that
:'if he could a gentle horse would be
furnished and he could go along with
the outfit and see cattle rounded up,
roped and branded"
The preacher modestly replied that
che could ride some," and Thought that
he could ride any of the ponies in the
corral"
This reply rather vexed the range
foreman, who knew that the corral con-
tanned some of the worst bucking
brOncos on the range, so he concluded
that he would put up job on the
preacher and test his riding abilities. He
ordered one of the cowboys ito saddle
Pinta for the preacher"
"Pinta" was demure-looking bronco
and appeared to have no spirit at all.
But the moment a rider was in the
saddle she became holy terror and
would buck and prance around until
she had thrown her rider. So the cow
boys were expecting to see the preacher
thrown almost as soon as he was
mounted.
Pinta was brought out, saddled and
bridled, and the preacher vaulted into
the saddle. Pinta began to buck, but,
contrary to expectations, the preacher
was not thrown. He remained firmly
seated in the saddle, and seemed as com
posed as if he was in the pulpit. Pinta
was surprised, too, as she generally
threw her rider inside of ten seconds.
She began bucking again, and while she
was doing her best, the preacher cody
put his hand in his vest pocket, drew
out cigarette, lit it, and, turning in his
saddle to the astonished cowboys, said :
Boys, thought you had some
| I'll h.
don't call this low-spirited old pony a
bucker, do you?"
The range foreman was 80 surprised at
this unlooked-for display of horseman-
| ship that he exclaimed 81 don't know
how good preacher you are, but you
are good rider. There amt two men
on the range can ride Pinta. Where did
you learn to ridep'
"Oh," said the preacher, II was a
bronco buster and range rider on the
Palo Verde ranch in the Panhandle for
six years. For the last three years
have been minister of the gospel. l
am out of practice riding now, but l
think with few days practice could
ride as well as the average cowboy.
Some of my friends call me the Cowboy
Preacher of Texas"
The preacher went with the outfit, and
in the next faw days proved that he was
at home on the range as well as in the
pulpit, and could ride, rope or brand
better than any one of them. After
coming back from the roundup the
preacher got out his horse and buck
board and continued on his missionary
journey, bearing the good will and ad-
mlration of everybody on the range. 1t
was the universal opinion of the COW
boys on the Bell ranch that, while the
church had probably gained an efficient
preacher, the range certainly had lost
the best "bronco buster" that ever
threw his leg over saddle.-AnGcondG
| (MOnt.) Standard.