Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1896-03-20
Touching Discourse at Cow
Boys Funeral.
Virtues of a Dead Comrade
PORTRAYED IN THE VERNACULAR or
TIE ROAD--THE PREACHER
DRAWS MORAL LESSON FROM
THE OCCASION.

1t was a large crowd Of cow
boys that gathered at the Mos
quite ranch on the pccos to at
tend the funeral Of Charlie Reed
who had been killed by the falls
ing of his horse on the round up
two days before. The coffin was
placed beside the open grave be,
meath great cottonwood tree,
and standing at the head of the
corps, Pony Bill, the Cowboy
Preacher" said:
Boys, | hardly know what
kind ola talk to give you on this
sad occasion. For several years
I have worked with you on the
ranges, an have preached to you
in my awk'a ard way every time l
could round up a bunch of you
an hold you to listen to me, but
l war never afore called to talk
in the presence of death.
Day afore yesterday this poor,
dead here throWed On his saddle
an rode out with you in joyous
spirits, singin' the song O. the
ranges. Little did he then dream
he was ridin' right into the bog
of eternity! While cuttin a steer
out O. the bunch his boss struck a
prairie dog hole an fell, crusllin
poor Charlie to the groun, all
Wen you picked in up his i'm
mortal soul had crossed onto the
great ranges beyond, from which
thar are no DO back trails. Death
loves a shining mark, an it
never pitched a rope to bright
er one than this boy.
He war my friend. I've know
ed i'm ever since lie struck this
country, three years ago, an
you'll all bank high On the truth
Of the statement wen I say a
squarer boy never swung q rope.
No one ever asked a favor of
Charlie Reed 'ithout it bei1'
cheerfully granted. He never
war known to make a low down
play. He never made a backset
on duty Wen the forman ordered
a ride. True, he war wild an
reckless, but thar war no devil
brand wickedness in his makeup.
His heart war a Twin spring
from which the pure waters of
friendship and generosity to>
ward his companions O the sad
die flowed. He could laugh with
you over your joys, an cuss with
you over your sorrow. His soul
seemed to be a blazir fire O sym~
pathy, to which all who were
chilled by the blasts of trouble
could come all warm up.
He war brave as a lion, but
his heart was az tender as a
christian woman's. He would
fight like a wild steer fur him~
self or for a friend, yet a little
child could take i'm by the hand
an lead i'm out of 1nuss. He
wasn't q bad man. Did you eyer
notice OH the evenings of pay
day he never joined you i'll your
songs an stories All fun maxim
at the ranch ? He'd git::in cor
ner an sit thar ritin' page after
page, with a look on his face as
tender as ever sot on the face Of
all angel. He seemed to never
hear your hiliarity, but'd sit thar
an write, now all then wipin'
tears from his cheeks on the
back O his hand. Next 1nornin'
he'd jump boss an ride to the
post offlce-all' what d he do?
Just an even half of his month S
pay d go into a money order an
that order d be put into an EN-
velop with all the sheets o writin
he'd writ the night afore, and
then Give seed i'm do it several
times, boys), he'd kiss the letter
fondly, drap 1t into the box an
walk Out with the purtiest look
on his face I ever saw.
Who war that letter addressed
to? To his old wilder mother
back in the States. Would a
bad man act like that? I tell
you, boys, Charlie wasn't a regu-
larry branded an ear marked
church Christian, but l believe
Wen the good angels saw his
soul comm up the slope day
afore yesterday He throwed down
the bars an let the boy into the
heavenly corral with welcomin
smile. l know he did; an I tell
you right now, if found my
self tied to a church or sect that
didn't believe as white boy as
i'm d get into heaven 'ithout the
church brand, I'd take (. run on
the rope and break it an get
bunch of Christians that could
look over the corral fence 'itllo,lt
first putin on the orthodox
specs.
How my heart aches for that
poor OF mother who is, as yet,
unaware of her terrible loss. He
war her only staff to lean On, all
Won all know how nanfllllv an !