The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-06
THE COW PUyoHER,s STORY.
And tho Contemptuous Comments It Elicit
ed from the Poet.

And the Contemptuous Comments It Elicit
ed from the Poet.
when we were talking about scars tho other
day" said the returned Cow Puncher. did I
tell You about this one on my finger
Forgot that, l guess" said the Boys Own
Story Writer.
Hadn't made 1t up yet, you mean.'' sneered
the Poet. 1T ought to be a good one. He's had
Il week to work it up In"
The poet, 1t may be we'll to explain, had been
INDUCING in late suppers of LOB" and beer. a
diet which is guaranteed to produce a state of
mind favorable to poetry. Almost anything Is
favorable to poetry provided 1t Is indigestible
enough, and lob" (Which il to say lobster and
beer answer these requirements so we'll that the
poet almost invariably counts on them for q
sonnet. whereas g Welsh rabbit produces only q
q~uatrain or a rondeau. However. patrons
though they may be of modern poetry. LOB"
I and beer are pretty hard on friend ship. Things
have been said aga!ns, the society of poets and
Of pessim!sts. taken singly. When It comes to
taxing both in the same dose 1t might truly be
called allopathic. All of which Is necessary to
explain the Poets state OF mind. Tho Cow
Puncher was serenely Indifferent
No." he said rcfectively, 1t isn't much of a
story. II | really put MI mind to 1t l think |
could make up a better one: but truth is some-
thing after all. 1t happened this way. I was
III u GAVIN q
"A love letter p from the Poet.
Right you are !" said the unabashed Cow
Puncher. And 1t was a better one than you
ever wrote, too! II ! could make q collection of
the love letters which Uncle Sam brings away
from those desserts and mountains out there
I'd give you poets and novelists material that
would last you one while. and that's straight!
You don know what love is. with your Mandy
pamby feelings based on your calculations as
70 how much 1t cost for two people to live in
The Cow Puncher showed every symptom Of
being excited, but he disappointed the Poet.
The Poet rarely has great emotions himself. but
tions into which other people are betrayed in
his presence. The Cow Puncher suddenly cooled
Texas ia a great State" he remarked. and
lighted a cigarette.
was sitting there writing q letter-R love let
er1when felt something sort Of tickle my left
hand. which was resting on the table. kind of
anything abou, it. supposed It was a hy. But
and when looked in that direction. there the u" Il
YOU please. was a yintEaroon sitting there and
Well. the MeIicans call'em sure DEATH and in
about hye minutes ! was ready to believe they
turned BLACK. In a few hours my wheie arm arm
was swollen and as black as my coat-or my
'"Tdidn't know what to do for tho blamed
thing, and / was miles from everywhere and
everything, except tho vinegaroon. which had
promptly killed on principle. smoked and
walked the floor and tried TO think OF things
had read about what to do in emergencies. but
the only course OF treatment | could remember
was to roll the patient on "A barrel. That didn't
seem TO fit my case, and, besides. who would
do the rolling. anyway. The fellows had oil
gone Off to the ranch, where we occasionally
put in our sundays, and my only hope was that
instead OF waiting until night.
About tho middle OF the afternoon an old
plainsman came looping along, and ! didn't
difficulty. Those old fellows never took any
course in first aid to the Injured. but they could
Whun You've Got Any Old Thing the Matter
with YOU Re looked Mt my hand, and then he
"'Oh, yesl wen fix that all right.
He whipped out his knife and whistled hap
PLY to himself the while. First he made n
lengthwise cut where the bite was. and then he
he pulled the skin well hack, SO rs 10 leave a
good opening. and. taking mis- powder horn. he
ponred, a good charge OF gunnowder into the
scratched a match and waited for ~ to get into
q good blaze. Then he made me hold my hand
out at q good distance, touched off the gnnpow-
dressed IL, and although had TO hold my hand
up In a sling above my iIead for several days,
I'm none the worse for the experience. except
for that scar"
The Boys Own cougheh with some embarrass-
ment as the Cow Punchrr finished.
That's very interesting" he said.
Couldn't you do better than that" growled
tho Poet. AFTER a whole weeks preparation"
INC. nor after a whole year's, eithsr!' said
the Cow Puncher. Il. is over a year since 1t
"Well." observed the Poet. as our guileless
friend here remarked. II is very interesting.
Though ! think you might have done better.
The Cow Puncher seemed about to get excited,
but suddenly shrugged his shoulders.
Texas Is a great State" was all that he said.