The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-01-22

slllrtlng dense thickets of pricllly mes
quite and pressing innumerable giant
stands of Spanish dagSers, that stand
out on the plains like ohelsks, We APP
preached Uncle Dams headquarters.
We were halted about AN hour by sun
by a lone horseman, who with stirrups
Tapping like wings on either side of his
putting bronco and sombrero rim lying
fiat back upon the crown from the We
locity of the pace, pulled UP short in
front of us and with great show of eX-
citement Informed Uncle Dan that the
bunch of cattle that had been cut out
OF his herd a week ago and driven off
by one of his trusted hands had been
found by one of the scouts sent out in
pursuit, and that cattle and cattle thief
were now approaching on the way back
to the ranch.
The boys thought they better bring
the pirate to headquarters explained
the horseman 'so'ze you could have q
look at him before we presented him
with a crown.
"uncle Dan and rode beside the
horseunan a short distance and came
upon a most remarkable scene. A cou-
pie of cowboys were driving about one
hundred head of stock. and in the rear
were about dozen cow punchers Of the
typical kind, surrounding a woebegone
and mournful individual, who not only
was mounted upon sorry nag, but had
a lariat thrown loosely over his neck,
the other end held by a dozen stout
hands. The individual thus towed
along was oozing perspiration from ev-
cry pore He was hatless, His shirt
was torn almost from his back and
with his hands tied behind him he had
no use for bride reins
'"This man, Ed Simmons has
worked for me over ten years. related
Uncle Dan'l, as we rode up to the cow
boys, and I never knew him to do any
thing wrong before. I knew his people
down in east Texas, and l have known
this fellow since he was a lad. I would
hate to see him strung UP, but the boys
don't stand any foollshness, and If they
have got the right man even my au-
thority couldn't prevent them from ex-
-ecuting the law imposed on the most
serious crime known in the cattle coun-
try
when we reached the prisoner and
the guard, Uncle Dan, having already
identified his stolen stock by the brand
and other peculiar features, said.
"Ed, / never thought you would do
anything like this
ED only smiled sickly.
" DON'T you know the boys are going
to string you up?' asked the boss.
81 s'pose So was the grinning re-
sponse The poor fellow was SO scared
and overawed he didn't have sense
enough left to look serious He never
originally enjoyed much sense.
Uncle Dan talked to the guards a
while, and then in matter-of-f act-way
said:
Well, take him off somewhere, I
don't want to see 1t dome for Uncle
Dan was a tenderhearted man.
wasn't anxious to see the fun, either,
and rode on with the boss in the rear of
the bunch of stock.
That fellow says he is the. other
Ed remarked one of the COW punchers
that remained to drivestiIe cattle.
WHAT exclaimed the boss.
:" He says he's the other Ed
Uncle Dan pulled up short Then in
a moment he sent spurs into his pony
and flew across the sand regardless of
the trail, l in his wake. In a. few min
utes we reached the spot where the
lynching party had stopped in the bed
Of an arroya, where a cottonwood tree
cast a shadow.
Hold up, there! Hold up!' shouted
the old man as he got within calling
/ distance.
1.-THE ly1efers desisted at the word of
command and stood motionIess until
we came up We were none too soon.
The halter had already been thrown
over stout limb, and the wretch was
about to engage in the final prayer that
is allowed even by the exeeutioners of
Judge Lynch's statutes.
Jumping from his pony, Uncle Dan
hurried up to the kneeling fellow.
Shaking him by the shoulder, he ex-
claimed:
G do you say you are the other Ed p
Eyes, sir
1.-THE, why in the world didn't you
say so while ago? Stand UP till I get
a look at YOU
1.-THE frightened fellow stood up, grin
ming and wiping his hand over his eye.
"'By gosh, he's right! 1t is the other
Ed. Turn him loose, boys, Well, well.
The old man was SO excited he didn't
know what to do, and only by a variety
of well-tllrned profanity could he re
lieve himself He could only stare and
stammer out questions. At last he got
sufficient of the alleged thief's story to
explain everything, added to what he
already knew.
Riding homeward he explained
things to me. 1t seems Uncle Dan was