The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1893-12-29

capade," laughed MI. Middleton, look
ing at Della, Il shall have nc objection
to hint as a son-in-law."
He'll do it, papa" said Della.
blushing prettily.
The cowboys had struck camp and
pitched their tents at the first branding
pen.
They had eaten the first supper Phil
had cooked for them, and they had en-
joyed it. praising it in unequivocal
terms.
One of the boys had occasion to 60 to
the wagon for something after supper
and saw something white, neatly fold
ed, lying to one side. he picked it up
to see what it was and found it to be a
white shirt with a highly CLOSED front.
"A boiled Shirt" he exclaimed.
For a moment he hesitated, then he
rolled the shirt up carefully and took it
to where his companions where sitting
or lounging around their tent.
There was a whispered consultation.
Some Of you kindle a fire." said
Daley. In get the branding irons.
A couple of you fellows had better go
over to where Phil is busy and keep
him there as long as you can"
The fire was kindled. The branding
irons were put into the fire, and when
they were sufficiently heated the boys
went to work and run" every brand
they knew upon the white shirt spread
out upon the ground before them.
There were numbers and letters and
combinations of both. There were the
rail fence" the BULLS head" the
"antlers'' and the jug" There were
circles and semicircles, bars and double
bars, with all their variations, and lines
straight and crooked in every possible
position and curve.
Altogether it was an artistic piece of
work, covering every inch from hem
to neckband and outward to both ends
Of the sleeves.
The next morning when Phil got up
before daylight to prepare breakfast he
found the shirt spread out, fastened to
the hind end of the wagon.
He looked it over carefully and smiled.
Il forgot to put it back in the valise
yesterday evening"" he unused to him
self as he was hurrying with his work.
Il vas somewhat surprised when |
found it among the other clothes, but
in the hurry of packing it must have
slipped in somehow accidentally"
During the time he was cooking
breakfast he chuckled to himself fire.
quently, and once or twice laughed out
loud as he thought Of the plan he was
forming to pay the boys back in the
same coin they had given him.
From day to day pieces were cut from
the branded shirt, which Phil had left
hanging to the end of the wagon where
he had found it. The boys watched
the pieces disappear, until on the e
ing before they were ready to break up
camp and return home there was moth
ing left of it but the seams and wrist
bands.
What's become of your boiled shirt,
Phil?" one Of them asked.
Phil looked around and viewed the
remains of it.
"It looks like somebody has been eat
ing it" he said laughingly. AT any
rate, there are only the tough parts Of it
left"
That was all they could get out Of
him just then.
They returned to the ranch the next
day, and the boys, with one voice,
praised Pills cooking very highly to
Mr.. Middleton.
"Bulliest cook we ever had," cried
Daley.
And he takes a joke like a man,"
put in another.
Then they told MI. Middleton and
Della, who had just joined them, how
they had treated Phil white shirt, and
how he had apparently enjoyed the joke
as much as any of them.
Let us have a look at it" cried
Della, laughing and clapping her hands.
Phil went to the wagon and held up
before them what remained of the shirt.
"But what became of the rest of it,"
Della asked.
Il fed it to the boys" replied Phil,
laughing now. "They thought they
didn't like boiled shirt, but 1 noticed
that they devoured a good piece of it
every day. Every morning / cut off a
good slice, chopped it up fine, fried it,
Drowned it, scorched it and ground it
up and put it into everything I set be-
fore them. You have their own words
for it that they liked my cookery-boil-
ed shirt a la Phil Ames."
For a moment there were some low
ering brows. but when Daley stepped
forward and gave his hand to Phil the
clouds vanished.
Phil" he said, YOU'RE a brick!
Hope you will stay at the ranch always,
and when the day comes, durn my pic
ture if l don't wear a boiled shirt and
dance at the wedding"
Della and Phil looked at each other
and blushed, and Mr.. Middleton laugh
ed heartily.-John P. Sjolander.
Cnnry I'm Crif1oIonJ