The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-08-29


vfved that morning, as an explanation
Of his strange experience.
Il suppose you're looking at that af-
fair rode in on, and wondering what
sort Of a thing il Is, where l gathered
il in. and whether ii would he any
good as a COW pony or not, - said Jack,
by way Of introduction TO his sto-
~.
'swell, boys, it's quite an experience,
and, Atkins, if you viii kindly favor
me with a braeer from that flask Of
yours to wash down bit of this Ari-
zona sand, which that develish thing
has lodged in my throat, will relate
it. By the way, you might dish up
goodly supply Of the most Wholesome
food you have, as I have been living
principally on hope for the past few
hours
..Now Pm ready. Are you? If 50,
here goes. As beginner, / will COM
mence back few years. In this end
Of the world / am known as Jack An
drews. a poor devil of COW puneher,
with about money enough each month
to carry me through one night at po-
ker, if [ don't play too much loser from
the start, and 10 buy an occasional
drink for myself and friends. BY the
way. Atkins. another drink from that
flask Of yours wouldn't be bad.
Thanks.
"But, boys, like yourselves, l wasn't
always a COW puneher. Once upon a
time wore dude clothes in New York
CITY. and. while didn't ride a thing
just like that, rode something similar
aud which answered the same purpose.
None Of you have been away from
civilized community 80 long but that
YOU can remember one of those things
they called a bicycle, although they
were not very numerous in our days.
Well, that thing there, according to
my way Of thinking, must he new
tangled bicycle.
.'As Iwas saying, / rode bicycle
over New York city streets in the days
/ when l was younger than ] am now.
Mine was what they called a fifty
eight-inch wheel; that is big wheel,
fifty-eight inches high, with the pedals
fastened % it, and small one that
Travelled along behind. In those days
the governor was broker on Wall
street, with money enough 10 buy half
of this blasted territory. Coin was
rolling into his Office vaults hand-Over-
fist, and l rolled it out again about the
same pace, until along in 1877, when il
became - scarce that the governor had
to shut up shop and 90 to farming for a
living. 1t was soon after that drifted
out west and learned 10 ride COW po-
nies in place of bicycles, an occupation
| have found it convenient TO follow
for about fourteen years now.
"When | started for the Gap day he
fore yesterday I rode what / thought
was the best little broncho mare in the
west, and guess you viii come mighty
near agreeing with Inc. Bess and /
covered the forty miles between here /
and the Gap the first day, taking il ca
~ like 50 she'd be fresh on the return
trip.
''The train from the east wasn't due /
until the next morning. / put Bess in /
the stable, then went over to Johnson's /
and bought the customary stacks of |
blues and whites. BY two O'Clock I 1
had just about enough left to pay for
refilling the pint flask / carried, 80 / 4
quit the crowd and turned in for what 4
was left of the night. The train was
some three hours late the next morn /
ing and didn't reach the Gap until af- 1
ter eleven. Ii was an hour later before
| was ready to leave, and on account of /
il being - late, had not known that 1
some OF the men were anxious for their /
money, | would have stayed over a
day. Then, too, had heard some ru-
mors Of an Indian raid and, if posi-
BILE, wanted tD get back 70 tha ranch
before they got this far south. 1t Is
needless 10 say that | succeeded only
by very close margin.
several things hindered our rapid
progress, and six O'Clock last evening
found Us only fifteen miles from the
Gap, and twenty-five from the ranch.
| hadn't seen sign of a redskin al
that time and was beginning to feel ga
sier on that point
ave hadn't gone two miles more
when poor Bess stumbled, and heard
something break a. she went down on
her knees never again TO get up. A
leg was broken, and | emptied two
barrels Of my gun into her forehead 10
put her out Of her misery. tell YOU,
boys, nothing ever hurt nae "a much a.
that did. Bess and had been COM
pani0ns for years. She had carried
me through many tight place. and
had more than once saved my life hv
outrunning the blood-thirsty Apaches
or a herd Of stampeding steers. Ii
sounds sort Of weak to say il, Isuppose.
but there in the gathering twilight,
with no friends nearer than the Gap OF
the camp here, and with probably
dozen or more foes following my trail.
l sat down beside the dead body of
Bess and shed the first tears had
known since was boy.
"But crying over dead horse flesh
wouldn't get me out of the hole was
in. All these little occurrences had
taken time, and it was quite late before
! again thought of starting for camp,
There was nothing to do but foot it,
and the sooner ! started, the sooner L
would get through.
Il hadn't been tramping fifteen
minutes when / struck AN Indian trail
running east. You can probably inn
agine better than ! can tell you how /
felt. Alone and afOOt, twenty miles
from the nearest friends and hostile
Apaehes no telling how near. You
would suppose | would naturally work
fr,,ra, al, T.,.Q...,- I