The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-26
ABOUT A BRINDLE COW.
H0WsHE CAME NEAR ZIP
<LOSG STANDING LOVE MATCH.
Story which Tells How Useless II Wa for
tho "Old Man" to Buck Against . Boy
with Grit and = Hall storm.
Bob and May were sweetheart,.

Bob and May were sweethearts.
OF course they were; that's what they
had been learning ever since Bob, a strip-
ling Of twenty. had come out from Ten
nessee to the Texas Panhandle with
the family.
In those days May was bright-hairea
high ctftng little girl OF fourteen whom
Bob never called nor thought Of as raj.
headed
Bob was a strong. good-humored hoy
net a b't afraid Of work. and he had q
way with him that gave him command of
ntn and creatures. He rose rapidlv IN
old man Loves employ from simple COW
puncher to wagon-boss. then forema,
and when he was only twenty-five wenk
with the approval and good will Of his
employer, to take the position OF ranch
manager for a Boston company.
All the world loves a lover. Bob was
such whole-hearted one, his state ~
mind was so patent, he took such do.
light In 1t, wore his chains with such
open pride and enthusiasm, that all the
Panhandle felt with and for him.
Besides being fellow that a girl couId
daughter to spare-might have been
pleased with Bob for son-in-aw.
And old man Love was pleased enougb
with the match, and greatly given N
Dragging Of Bob as a coming adjunct
10 the Love greatness, until the tragedy
or the one-horned brindle COW. which
ore things all up generally, threatened
10 sever two loving hearts and darken
forever Bob's and Mays happy horizon.
This old cow-worth perhaps s7-bob-
bed up at one OF the round-ups sporting.
in addition to the n Of the Boston
National, which was facetiously known
as the Bean" brand, old man Loves
XXX
though very uncommon, such accidents
may occur in the haste and confusion of
branding. without necessarily implvine
dishonesty on some ones part. While
they do sometimes result In fights and
killings they are easily enough adjusted
between reasonable people. since any clev-
er cattleman can readily tell which
brand is Of the longer standing.
But any cowboy on the range would
have told you that while old man Love
was square enough himself, ne was
crazy crank about the sacredness of his
brand His long suite was TO iunp nm
was on anything that wasn't his own.
He invariably claimed an animal that
bore II in addition 10 another brand Cas
did this old cow, however plainly Il
showed as the newer Of the two, though
as matter Of fact his branding irons
were handed by just as many careless
cowboys rs any others.
II Rob had known what that aged and
damaged brindle COW was going to
cost HIM, he might perhaps have blinked
his obvious du:v. and let old man Love
have her-in the face Of right and reason.
But be v5s not the man to be backed
down by anyone. ard he dared the worst
and got IT,
He held the COW for his company, after
a fierce contest. and old man Love went
home raging. to give his distorted YER
sion Of the affair Issue orders that no
member Of his family was to speak to
or Of Bob from that time forth. and to
remark Significantly that he had far
rather see a child Of lis married to a
horse-thief than TO a person capable Of
such behavior.
Communication between the lovers had
since been managed. once or twice. by
the utmost stealth and secrecy. Having,
by this means, been assured OF his sweet
hearts steadfastness and readiness, Bob
sent her word by one OF her fathers
cowboys to ride n good morse past the
halfway branding pen, armed himself
with a license and hung around the Triple
Y ranch for week.
When May finally found the opportu-
nifty 10 slip away I'm the most careless
manner with one Of the mems sombreros
on. and in the face Of threatening weather,
she received a rapturous welcome from
the long-banished Bob and they promptly
headed their ponies for Squire Wley's,
just the other side of Roaring creek, who
was supposed to be holding himself in
readiness for their visit
What Mexican, or other paid spy, or
what unfriendly or enyious hand carried
the news to old man Love Will not be
known; but he burst into one of his
near cow camps at dinner shortly after
Bob and Mays departure, like a roaring
South African lion with mustard in his
eye
"The boys"-who knew well enough
what was afoot and what would be ask
ed Of them-dropped their tin cups and
plates. jumped on their waiting ponies
and were out Of hailing distance before
he fairly lit in their midst.
But old Hank Pearsall. the cook, was
new man, not long from southwest Texas.
neither knowing OF nor caring particu-
lary for Bob Holly and his love affairs.
SO he stood at his official post, at the tail
end Of the chuck wagon, and gave amia-
bic attention 10 the imprisoned 'haran-
que and singular antics Of this new and
entertaining employer.
Being commanded TO come along and
assist in dispensing Bob and rescuing
May. he mounted n serious appearing
but fitful tempered buckskin-colored pony,
with one white eye and much symmetry
OF bone-as much OF a character in It's
way as Hank was in his-and started.
with considerable interest and curiosity.
They rode hard and were near over
hauling the lovers within a mile Of Roar
ing creek. But while pursuer and pur-
sued pushed on at their utmost pace,
another factor was coming with hun
dred times greater speed to take hand |
I'm the game.
The dry bed Of Roaring creek was just
before them. beyond that tiny rise,
then an arroyo. and beyond that. again,
the roof OF the Justices house, just in
sight. As Bob. and May clattered over
the creek bed and scrambled up into the
rise beyond, both looked back and their
ponies stopped, tossing their heads prick
ing their ears and snorting at a curious
humming sound that suddenly seemed to
fill all the air about.
Hurry up, darling" cried Bob. throw
ing out a hand to catch Mays; ats big
storm coming from above" But before
they could descend the slope 10 cross
the dry arroyo I'm front II was running
from bank TO bank, and brimming over
with a sudden flood OF red, muddy water.
And even above the noise OF the flood
before them they heard a sound like the
angry shouting of furious multitudes.
Looking backward and up the creek