Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1892-03-23
WHERE THE COWBOY RODE.
n Dasbing. Crashing, Smoking Vision oI
Old Abilene and Its Men.

a Dashing. Crashing, Smoking Vision OF
Old Abilene and Its Men.
Thousands of cattle pass in grand re-
view before n person at the mention of
Abilene. but the wild cowboy with lar
lat, whip and pistol has driven them on
and on until they are all gone away and
only the shadows of lively past are
left in moldering bones and skulls.
In 1871 there were 600, 900 cattle in
Abilene In the old town south OF the
Union Pacific track there are few
tum ble-down buildings They are the
remains of what the cowboy and those
who had to live with him called home
old Abilene.
There is doubtless enough lead bur
led in these frame structures 10 mold
statue to the late dauntlcss cow punch.
er. who is TO be remembered always
for his enthusiastic and seldom reason
able belief i'm bad whisky and the free.
dom of the bullet
Many an old-timer. whose rest was
Frequently spoiled then has not been
able TO sleep since. There is nothing
20 alarm him now, but when he hears
the clatter OF horses hoofs he listens
for the cowboy yell. the singing of
bullet, the crash Of the glass in the win
dow pane Yet horse and rider are
peaceful enough now. The horseman
may be a farmers son. going home
from church. Once aroused from slum-
Der the old dread will not down. The
nervous. trem bling, excited man tries
TO sleep and is pursued all night by the
wicked rider he knew so well long
ago
Texas Joe goes by, ais pony running
like mad In either hand is pistol.
and the bullets whizz right and left.
No hailstones ever knocked out more
window glass. Joe Is wildly drunk
Tom smith, the city marshal, with his
double barreled shotgun ready. is after
him. Joe is caught and disarmed Big
Mike. Little Jack. Slippery Tom. or
some OF the others, are likely enough
% have enough pizen in them 20 run
amuck by the time the marshal slings
his gun TO his back and n serene ex-
preston OF peace % his face. But the
boys caught fearless Tom smith asleep
one day. They shot him FIRST. then cut
on his head with an ax.
The mayor was not pursued by candi.
dates for the Office. The friends OF
good mau for the place did not be.
siege UlH htlNVi AAi AAAE AUNfNAIA NllAtNAfs
The man needed was as hard 90 find as
are volunteers Col. Wild Bill came Zoe
time % put q limit 90 chaos
lie was cruel and wicked. but be
could shoot After be had flied a grave
yard or so just 90 show that hc knew
what he was there for, Abilene began
to lose It's charm for the gentlemen
from Texas The railroads built up 9th.
e. shipping points for cattle. There
was more fun 40 Dodge City. and after
a bit the cowboy became king there
leaving his Abilene throne 90 totter
and decay.
A city has grown since-built by
nobIer hands than THOSE OF the violent
though valiant, commanding officers OF
the prairies. The new town has all
that the knight 81 the spurs despiscd--
civilization ln the school yards there
grows the pretties blue grass in Kan
sas-prctticr than that Of Kentucky
The signs read keep or and the
scholars mind the rule The people
love these green commons. The reform
alton began with their planting Grass
is the forgiveness Of nature Grass j. |
immortal Kansas City Star