The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-05-19
A TRANSFERS STORY.

On q ranch near San Antonio lives
Thomas Cullen, veteran of the
Texas revolution. He is indeed the
veteran of three wars, having fought
under Hotston atSan Jancinto, Tay-
lor at Buena Vista, and Albert Sid
ney Johnston at Shiloh.
1t is the old mans creates delight
to recall the memories of his adven-
turous past, and he will spin yarns
OF the olden time by the hour to any
one who will do him the grace to
listen. Among the rest he tells
tale of the early days of Corpus
Christi.
81 was teamster them days." he
says, land hauled goods for Col. H.
L. Kinney. There warn'tno blamed
railroads runnin' all over the coun-
try then, and man that owned
good wagon and team was sure OF a
livin'. Lord! / mind we'll how Texas
looked them days! The peraries
stretchin' ont on every side as far as
the eye could reach, just covered
with wild flowers of all kinds and
color, and dotted all over with cat
tie, and maybe a long train of white
topped wagons movin' along the
road. Some folks thinks it looks a
sight prittier now, all fenced in and
planted, but ant one of 'em.
There warn't no way Of carryin'
goods then, except haulin' and every
settlement of the coast had to
depend on teams for everything in
the way of dry goods and groceries.
And, l can tell you, when the team
sters held the road everybody, stage
drivers and all, had to turn out and
give 'em room.
"Well, as l was say in 1 teamed
for Col. Kinney, who was the first
man that settled Corpus Christi and
held the place in spite of Injuns and
Mexicans till a sort of town grew
up around him. He had a lot of
wagons haulin' goods all through
the country, and tell you for a fact,
most OF the goods we hauled was
struggled across the Rio Grande.
Lord! how them greasers did cheat
their, government, to be sure! Fine
lace mantjllys, Mexican blankets,
saddles and brides, all shiny with
silver work, besides great droves of
cattle and mustangs, al! slipped over
the river right under the noses of the
comisiones who, for the most part,
was said not to keep their eyes skin
ned too clean. Then they'd take
back gouds tor out side, and not a
cent of duty paid either way.
''kinney's Ranch, as Corpus was
called in them days, was the head
quarters ofthis trade, and what with
teams haulin' goods from the river
and teams startin' Off with goods
through the country, crowds of
greasers and gringos laughin',
talkin' drinkin', and shootin' them
was lively times, l tell you, at Kin.
ney's ranch.
Especially when the teams got
back from trip with the goods all
safely delivered and the teamster got
paid off. Dollars was plentiful then,
and the way we made them spin was
acaution. Galnblin' was the, favor
ite way of chuckin' 'em about. The
greasers played monte, of course,
but the games with the gringos was
draw-poker and seven-up.
II wasn't 20 years old then, a slim
young slip Of Teller, with nary a
sign If this here hyar brush of a
beard, and skin as fair and smooth
as q girls. But I soon got tanned
sihside and out. I'd have been done
brown enough to eat and been eat
up alive if it hadn't been for some fel-
lers from the states that took fan
cy to me and sorter stood 'twixt me
and harm. They were older'n me
and knew the ropes a sight better'n
did.
"Well, as I was sayin', when we
warn't teamin' we were gamblin'
most of the time, and rough as the
crowd was will say for 'em that in
general they played on the squar.
Fact is, I've noticed when guns are
pulled on such shortnotice folks gen
orally mind their eye and are mighty
cautious how they step. Anyhow,
them that lost. lost by wait Of luck
or skill, not by cheatin'; and we'd
rather, any Of us, been stood up agin
a tree and riddlcd with bullets tnan
caught in any tricks.
Zone night was havin' a tremen-
dous run OF luck and the other tel-