The Penn's Grove record., 1893-10-20
THE PREACHER COULD RIDE.
And He Surprised he Boys on the Bel
Ranch.

And He Surprised the boys on the Bel
Ranch.
The presence on the streets OF
Anaconda lately of a r~evivalist, who
was styled the Cowboy Preacher
reminds me Of a incident that oc-
CURED in New Mexico n 1885, In
which a cowboy preacher" played a
prominent part.
One evening the boys on the Bell
ranch, on coming in at night, were
agreeablv surprised to learn that a
preacher was stopping at the ranch
house and would probably remain fol
several days, Is the river was very
high and he could not continue his
journey.
The preachers rig was in the corral
and con sisted OF a dilapidated buck
board and a lean, lank-looking horse.
At supper the preacher told the cow
boys that he was a travelling mission.
airy, 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 filled with
broncos. and the Logs were busy sad.
ding up. The preacher watched the
operation with apparent satisfaction,
and it appeared to be a novel sight t.
him; az many OF the broncos 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 'sif he could ride" and re.
marked that 'tif he o d a gentle
horse would be furnished and he could
go 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
in the corral"
This reply rather vexed the range
foreman, who knew that the corral
contained some OF the worst bucking
broncos on the range, 50 he concluded
that he would put up a job on the
preacher, and test his riding abilities.
He ordered one of the cowboys ''to
saddle Pinta for the preacher"
"Pinta was a demure-looking
bronco, and appeared to have no spirit
at all. But the moment a rider was
in the saddle she became a holy
terror, and would buck and prance
around until she had thrown her
,;dar Co tho waFa nynppt.
ing to see the preacher thrown almost
as soon as he was MOUNTED.
Pinta was brought out, saddled and
bridled, and The preacher vaulted
INTO TIE saddle. Pinta began to
luc..., but, contrary to expectations,
lie preacher was not thr wn He
remained firmly seated in the saddle
and seemed as composed rs if he was
in the pulpit. Pinta was surprised,
too, as she generally threw her rider
inside of tea seconds. She began
ouckIng again and while she was do
ng her best the preach n coolly put
his hand in his vest pocket, drew out
cigarette, lit it, and, turning in the
saddle to the astonished cowboys said:
"Boys, l thought you had some
spirited broncos on this range. You
don't call this low-spirited old pony a
bucker. do you?:'
The range foreman "a so surprised
at this unlooked-for display of horse
manship that he exclaimed: II don't
know how good a preacher you are,
but you are a id good rider. There
amt two men on the range that can
ride Pinta. Where did YOU learn to
ride?:"
So" said the preacher, II was a
bronco buster and range rider on the
Palo Verde ranch in the Panhandle
for six years. For the last three
years / have been a minister of the
gospel. l am out of practice riding
now, but / think within a few days
practice I could ride as we'll as the
average cowboy. Some of my friends
call me the Cowboy Preacher of
Texas"
The preacher went with the outfit,
and in the next few days proved that
he was at home on the range as we'll
as in the pulpit, and coulG ride, rope,
or brand better than any of them.
After coming back from the roundup
the preacher got out his horse and
blackboard and continued on his
missionary journey, bearing the good
will and admiration of everybody on
the range. 1t was the universal
opionion OF the cowboys on the Bell
ranch that, while the church had
probably gaicel Ar efficient preacher,
the range certainly had lost the best
''bronco buster" that ever threw
his leg over a saddle.