Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-11-09
THEPREACHER COULD RIDE.
and He Surprised the Boys on the Bel
Ranch.


Ranch.
The presence on the streets of
Anaconda lately OF a revivalist, who
was styled the Cowboy Preacher"
reminds me of a incident that oc-
Cured in New Mexico IN 1885, in
which a cowboy preacher" played
prominent part.
One evening the boys on the Bell
ranch, on coming in at night, were
agreeablv surprised to learn that
preacher was stopping at the ranch
house and would probably remain for
, ;everal days, as the river was very
high and he could not continue his
journey
The preachers rig was in the corral
and consisted of a dilapidated buck
board and lean, lank-looking horse.
At supper the preacher told the cow
boys that he was a travelling mission
ary, and devoted his time to preach
ing the Gospel to cattlemen and cow
boys, and was then making a tour Of
the range.
The next morning the cowboys were
busy making preparations for the
roundup The corral was filed with
broncos, and the boys were busy sad
ding up. The preacher watched the
operation with apparent satisfaction,
| and it appeared to be novel sight to
him; as many of the bToncos 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 re-
marked that ''if he could a gentle
horse would be furnished and he could
| 60 along with the outfit and see cattle
rounded up, roped, and branded"
| The preacher modeStly replied that
"he could ride some," and Thought
that he could ride any of the ponies
iu the corral"
This reply rather vexed the range
| foreman, who knew that the corral
contained 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 "tc
saddle Pinta for the preacher"
| I'd was d
bronco, and appeared to have no spirit
at all. But the moment a rider wa:
in the saddle she became a holy
terror, and would buck and prauce
around until she had thrown hel
rider. So the cowboys were expect
ing to see the preacher thrown almost
as soon as he was mounted.
| Pinta was brought out, saddled anL
bridled, and the preacher vaultet
into the saddle. Pinta began u
buck, but, contrary TO expectations
the preacher was not thrown. He
remained firmly seated in the saddle
and seemed as composed as if he wa.
in the pulpit. Pinta was surprised
too, as she generally threw her ride
inside of ten seconds. She begaI
buckIng again and while she was do
ing her best the preacher coolly pu
his hand in his vest pocket, drew ou
a cigarette, lit it, and, turning in tn,
saddle to the astonished cowboys, said
"Boys, l thought you had som,
spirited broncos on this range. Yol
don't call this lOw-spirited old pony :
bucker, do yOu?"
The range foreman was so surprised
at this unlooked-for display of horse
manship that he exclaimed: Il don
know how good a preacher you are
but you are id good rider. Their
amt two men on the range that Cal
ride Pinta Where did you learn I,
ride?"
''O," said the preacher, II was
! hrNnan hnc rilnr
Palo Verde ranch in the Panhandl
for six years. For the last thre,
years / have been a minister of tn,
gospel am out Of practice Tidin!
now, but l think within a few days
practice could ride as well as tn
average cowboy. Some of my friend
call me the Cowboy Preacher 0
Texas. ,"
The preacher went with the outfit
and in the next few days proved tina
he was at home on the range as wei
as in the pulpit, and coulC ride, rope
or brand better than anY of them
After coming back from the roundup
the preacher got out his horse an
buck board and continued on hi
missionary journey, bearing the goo,
will and admiration of everybody OIL
the range. 1t was the universe
Opionion of the cowboys on the Be-
ranch that, while the church hat
probably gained an efficient preacher
the range certainly had lost the beS
"bronco buster" that ever threy
his leg over a saddle. -Anacond
Standard.