The Van Buren press., 1894-12-15
COWBOY AND CORSET.
BY CAPTAIN JACK CRAWFORD


u Jest wish you had never went "a
DALLAS l wish you'd stayed here on
the ranch en- KEEP on q bein' yer own
self, stead g driftin' off the range to
the city an q maxim a play to be a
high.tone Teddy. Y'ain't like yo' used
TO be, Cassie"
There was scowl on the cowboys
race as he stood before Cassie Denton.
the daughter Of the owner of the
Texas ranch at which he was employed.
The face Of the bright-eyed little
maiden wore q panied look as she
toyed with the buckskin wrist loon
which depended from the handle OF tho
six-shooter In his belt.
II knowed just how it would be-"
he continued. when yer pop got the
notion into his head that yo' must be
edicated an be Teddy, I tor him It's
Spite yo'. I toll him yo' never would
be the same gal no mo, that yer little
head d git turned there among the
dne stock. an yo' wouldn't have no
mo use fur graded critters sich US the
riders O the ranges.h
But Bob the girl interrupted, "I
aM not changed In my feelings toward
you. love you just as well as did
the day pop said could marry you,
and he sent me to school for TIVE Years
just to make me at te be your wife. 1t
was all for your sake, Bob, and it's real
bad Of you to act 80 after had studied
10 hard to make OF myself q lady
worthy Of such man as you. know
I'm not like I used to be. am not
rough and wild like was once, / dress
better and talk better. It's refine
ment, Bob-thnt what Miss Bentley,
the teacher, said, and she said that q
girl without refinement was just a
wart on the face Of society. That's
just what she said, Bob, in her own
words, and feel like crying at the
way you act"
I'D . whole lot rather sec you a
good, healthy wart on the face O. So
ciety, than to see yo' dab O.
bright paint on one O. its cheeks or o
string O. no count beads hangin'
about Its neck. Style is fur them that
lives In cities, Cassie, All Is Jest as
much out o place in here on the ranch
Is cheap herdin' greascr d be out O.
place In glory. I'd never believed it
Of yo', Cassie, that yo'd come back here
with your foretop curled up In bunch,
an q corset cinched FOUND yo'. l
wouldn't Iswear wouldn't No wom-
IN kin make rancher good wife that
wears = fashion pack-saddle. an
punches up her name like yours is
punched. l mout git over the curl
business In time, but amt never goin'
to have no wife that'll cinch herself up
SOS she can't breathe below"
With a scream Of laughter the girl
placed her hand over his mouth and
checked his further speech.
'Oh! Bob, Bob, you naughty boy! Is 1t
my poor little corset that has como be-
tween US TO ward of your love? Oh!
must laugh, for It's really the funniest
thing ever heard of. Why, Bob, l
could never live without corset 1t is
such a support and comfort, and You
know, you wicked boy, that my figure
10 much prettier than 1t was before l
went to Dallas. Isn't 1t. nowP'
She placed her hands against her
waist and waltsed saucily around SO
that he could inspect her neat form.
mo, tain't 'Tain't free an easy
like God intended 1t should be. II
He'd wanted yo' pinched up like y
are now, He'd a built yo' that way.
There'd be Jest MS much sense in cinch-
in up cows to make 'em look purity.
Yo'd laugh yer eyes out to see COW
o eoin' round here with corsets on an,
yo' hear me, It's Jest as ridiculous fur
a gal to do it. I'm o goin' to round up
the ranges fur o gal ats got more
savey than to wear sich monstrousi-
ties, 'relse never will double up In
matermony long ns live. Throw 'em
away, Cassie, or yo' an me won't be
nothin' much to each other no mo-"
bob, won't make fool of myself
for q little senseless whim such as
yours. I'll wear what please, and II
It don't exactly meet with your ideas
Of propriety you can 60 and round up
a girl that's willing to put up with
your nonsense"
The little girl was angry now, and
with a spiteful flirt Of her skirts she
turned from him and went into tho
house. Her anger was like passing
summer cloud. and when in few mo-
ments it had spent itself she ran to
her room, and, throwing herself On
the bed, burst into tears She knew
Bob Taylor loved her dearly, and,
rough and uneducated as he was, she
almost worshiped the handsome young
cowboy. She would gladly have con-
signed the offending article OF dress
to the waters Of the Brazos, which ran
near the house, but she could n OF for
a moment countenance such an unrea'
sonable whim on Bob's part, and with
set teeth and clinched hands she
vowed that II her lover took her to be
his wife the corset must be included
in the inventory Of her personal ef'
fects.
DAYS sped by, and Bob passed and
repassed her about the house, seem
inrly us oblivious OF her presence as II
shc were q thousand miles away. Only
once did he notice her, when, in maid
emily desperation at his coldness, she
asked:
"Ain't you never going to make up
Bob?"
mot till you skin off that internal
pack saddle" was the surly reply.
Their love had been fruitful and
never stale topic of conversation
among the pupils of Miss Bentley.
school for girls in Dallas, and in all
their confidential chats Cassie had
heard of but one effective method OF
..,,,,r n recalcitrant lover bach