The record-union., 1895-03-23
THE OCTO-ARROYO RODEO.
[ Written for the RECoRD-UNIoN by Kittie
Sprague HulSel

Written for the RECoRD-UNIoN by Kittie
Sprague Hulse.
group of graceful cottonwoods be-
side spring of water such as might have
bubbled from the earth in Eden; to the
left a circular corral. some fifty yards in
diameter, surrounded by juniper posts
set so close together you could scarcely
place the thickness of your hand be-
tween, and bound together with thongs
of rawhide; to the right tiny stream
flows through narrow canyon for, per-
haps, the distance of mile, to lake
that is the paradise of hunters. From
the rimrock on the west narrow trails
lead down to the waters edge-trails that
show the heart-shaped prints of tiny
cloven hoofs that make a hunters heart
throb faster.
Raise your loaded Winchester and
press the trigger; you are halt deafened
by the clamor of the wild fowl as they
rise affrighted from the water.
Myriads of white wings flash like sill
YER in the sunlight as their owners circle
overhead, wheeling, posing, describing
great circles in the air, till, their frig ht
over, they settle down once more upon
the water.
A freshly-killed calf is suspended from
the limp of one of the cottonwoods and
our red-faced Dutch cook is baking bread
in Dutch oven.
| On rocks, on saddles, on fallen trees,
on the bare ground sit or lie the yaqueros
"a motley crowd.
There, full length on the bare ground,
are two figures whose coarse, straight
black hair bespeaks their aboriginal
descent; here lively little Frenchman
! chatters to a sturdy English comrade
here is "Nigger Pete" playing seven
up' with the son of General in Wash
lngton; here, with his chin in his hands,
sits man who, am told, was class
mate OF Edward BelIamy's, and who had
| prepared the manuscript Of a work very
similar to Looking Backward" when
the latter was published; and here, seated
on log with his back against a tree
Spanish Charley draws sweet strains
from his precious guitar.
Such was the camp at the OctoArroyo
| as Spanish Charley called it. though the
vaqueros commonly alluded TO it as
"Eight-M Creek" one evening in the
| fall of lSS-.
Everyone was good d-natured, and iests
| and stories flowed INCREASINGLY from the
lips OF the sun Drowned assem- blage
Merriest laugh of all, widest story told
| WlttleSt repartee, were those OF a blonde
and beardless boy who sat- needle in
hand, busily engaged IN putting a buck
skin patch on the seat of the overaIls
| which he had doIfed without a single
"By your leave" or Beg pardon, boys"
as the Englishman would have said.
A canvas sheet did duty for a table and
| the tender beef was eaten from tin plates
while tin cups held the black coffee.
Alter supper the story telling was con-
! tnued. Loud bursts of laughter started
/ flNrt
| the fresh meat, and ever and anon a
black bottle made the rounds of the
group and was raised to beardless as
well as bearded lips with Here's luck,
boys"
Come" said my chum, red-haired
Irishman, without suspicion of brogue,
| and with the biggest heart that ever beat
in mortal bosom, let's have a look at
| the lake by moonlight"
We followed the winding canyon for a
time in silence. Then Connor halted. and
pointing to giant juniper far above us,
| he said
II had an adventure up there once that
gives me chilly sensation every time
think OF it. You remember Cate Daniel?
thatie' we boys called him. Several of
US were at work over at the I F.. and
we got tired OF beef, so one evening Cate
and took our Winchesters and headed
for the lake, loaded for venison.
| 1--WE lay down under that big Juniper
l showed you, some distance from the
trail, and waited for the deer. We had
| been there perhaps an hour. [ was
| lying on my back, my hands under nv
head, my gun by my side, and Cate was
watching tor our intended victims, when
he spoke to me quietly but in a tone that
seemed to freeze my blood: Don't
move-a-muscle, Denny, Or you are q
dead man.
There are good many rattlesnakes
around here-used to be more than there
are now-and as Cate finished speaking
felt one of the nasty brutes commence
taking a moonlight stroll over me lust
across my stomach. L lay still; not a
muscle moved. but, by Jove, it took all
MY nerves to keep from jumping up and
letting off an Indian warwhoop. His
snakeship crawled leisurely over my
body. and l tell you it was great relief
when l felt his rdttles slide Oft my left
side. Still L had to be quiet till he had
gone some eight or ten feet farther
Cate did the beast up with rock, He
| killed a fat buck that night, but nv
hands shook so | could hardly hold nv
rifle, and as for shooting l couldn't have
sighted on an elephant, let alone measly Y
| little deer"
We reached the lake, and over the mar
row beach we walked. The lake Law
| calm and motionless before US, and mill
ions OF stars in the heavens were re-
| Elected in it az If in mirror
over on the sand, a few rods away, face
downward, mOtionlesS, lay the figure of
the blonde boy in the patched overalls.
Connor uttered a warning "Sh!'' Step
ping into small and Ieaky skiff. we
pulled off from the shore. Then in the
lovely September night, as we glided
over the placid surface of Lake Marion.
he told me the lads story.
"His father, as you know, owns most
of the cattle we are rounding up. He is
a well-to-dO o rancher, and wanted Burt to
tit himself for doctor or LAWYER or
something of that sort, but the lad liked
outdoor air too well.
He was always happy when he was in
the saddle; loved to chase the widest cat
tie over rocks and through sagebrush
where there is always danger of losing g.
horse or breaking ones neck by means
of those confounded badger holes.
However, he's alucky youngster. and
has never had an accident yet. His
father cOntrived to get him through a
year at a business college, and they said
he learned like blazes too, and was q
general favorite. but he came home lust
the same, old Burt.
About this time a new family moved
into town. The father was lawyer. and
not at all full as to pocket. Mean, the
Oldest daughter, was positively the hand
soonest woman | ever saw. 1t was ONLY
a short time till l coulG see that Burt had
lost his heart. They were the finest
looking couple | ever saw, and when
they used to waltz together | never
wanted to watch anyone else. Burt was