Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-02-09
A PLAINS INCIDENT.

perverted and distorted by the blasts Of cir
cumstancc TO which it had been exposed,
but the actual result as represented In loo
was neither gratifying nor ediiying syo
in one quallflcaton-Joc was an excellent
cowboy. But the vices of the young rascal
overshadowed and poisoned to great cx-
tent his attachments In cyun this career,
for 80 cruel was he that no owner Of horse
flesh could see him vault into the saddle
and draw blood with n FIRST stroke of The
spur without thrill Of sympathetic pain
and an Involuntary expression OF disgust
On the other hand, when, tempted TO
distant straying by the sweet upsprnging
grasses Of early June, the horse hand sent
tered far and wide upon the boundless
prairie, and, grown canny through long
experience Of cruel man, made use OF every
hillock and rnvine to evade pursuit, there
was none like Joe to find and bring them
in, and, though his mount on such occa-
elons stood tottcring with bloody and heav
ing TANKS and rolling cychalls that seemed
to crave mercy, u - Of water from
the stream hard by and few hours crop
ping of the grass would bring him round
again, and, even II 1t didn't, whit mattcry
"Only $50 worth of horsolosh," said Joe.
Then the amount of ''cow sense pos
scssed by our hero was almost startling.
Riding his watch around the herd ON new
er so blnck % night he seemed the very in
carnntion Of prescicuce. No fat bullock
could rise from its lair In the bunch grass
and steal away from Its comrades, doomed
to slaughter in the distant stockyards,
without hearing the rapid chatter Of .Toc's
pony's hoofs and seeing itself confronted
by the dark Ind, whose eyes glittcrcd with
cruel menace, and whose lips pourcd forth
fresh volley of imprecation with each
furious whirl OF his lariat
When calves were to be branded, no pitt
full bleating softened Jocs heart nor staid
his hand. Chokcd TO the point of death by
the tension of his cruel moose, these tender
creatures were dragged mercilessly through
mud or dust o. stones or blazing cnbcrs,
while their moaning mothers gA2cd with
lolling tongues and bloodshot eyes upon
their ofsprings agonies, and Joe, sweep.
ing with savage grace from his saddle bow,
scoopod upa handful Of dirt and flung it
with derisiyr laughter into their poor
dumb faces Yet no man of the whole out
fit could drag So many calves as he In
given tiInc to tho branding fire, and time IL
valued even on the plains,
Now, If Joe had come to his death by
traupling of cattle in midnight STAN
pedo or gorlng at the horns OF II maddened
cpN, VT II nm pony TtnNtftu desperate ny
spur thrusts and poworless TO shnke from
its back so expert n rider, had suddenly
reared and flung itself backward, crushing
him to the ground, the end of this un.
pleasant youth would havo been in now,sa
singular. But that this hill weed
should experience II fate such as Nelson or
Terry might have gluried in was certainly
an extraordinary example Of the vagaries
of destiny.
Autumn was come, and the herd OF
choicest beeyes was gathered. Seated tran
quill in their saddles, the owners contcm.
plated with infinite satisfaction their sleek
sides and contentcd faces Excitement OF
any kind meant shrinkage of flesh and was
TO be strcnuously avoided because OF the
corresponding shrtnkagc In the pockets OF
the two gentlemen on horseback who
looked through those living prime roasts
to II roscate perspective of winter OF
pleasure and luxury following upon the
summer of toll and hardship. There is
usually thorn 10 the rose somewhere
Here there was n river to DO crossed--a
river which at this season should have
been little more than n rippling rill but
which recent md phenomenal rains had
swollen to an alarming volume. Its tnrgld
waters rushed eddying by, and ever and
anon splash of startling force told OF
banks undermined and a still rising tide.
Scarce more than stones throw awny tho
opposite bank, frlnged with timber and
smiling in sunlight, offered an inviting
camping ground.
The cattle, which Ind been purposely
kept from the water until tho moment for
crossing arrived, entered willingly, bur.
rowing with noses deep in tho cool flood
and swishing their tails contentedly. Tho
boys knew their duty and led rather thnn
drove them along. All seemed going well
and heading for the farther shore, when a
big steer in the lead was suddenly seized
with panic, and, turning upon his com.
panions with frightened below, quickly
threw the whole living mnss into riutuus
confusion. That portion of the herd which
had advanced farthest into the river and
was in swimming depth was swept down
by the soothing tide struggling and bel.
lowing, and couple of boys spurred hotly
after to gather and bring thcm back.
Alas, the very thing most undesirable
had come TO passl The madness uf fear
less rcsistiblc than that OF rage, was upon
the herd. In vain the shouts of encourage.
ment from u score OF hoarsc threats; in
vain the pressing hither and ;hithcr OF
Jaded ponies, now swimming in the angry
torrent, now scrnmbling up or down the
unstable bank. After an hour of hopeless
milling resistless revolution of a
huge milestone of living bccf-round and
round, head to tail, packed with rib break
ing pressure ono against the other, after an
hour in which every possible means of ok
trication has been rosorted Ia without
avail, the herd st1ghtens itself out as il
by accident and once more makes way to-
ward the opposite hank.
To keep them going in the right dircc-
ton is now the end and aim of every nun
and boy in the outfit. That big brute who
Is always in the lead mny cause trouble
again. Indeed, he is turning at this mo-
ment, and Joe, whose keen eve has been
watching him, urges his pony forward 10
countcract, if possible, the effect Of this
movement upon the cattle in his immcli-
ate ncighborhood. Minglng with tho
rush and roar of the angry torrent, .Ioe's
curses are visible rather than audible.
His pony swims deep, and the boy is awash
to the waist Suddenly the big steer comes
laundering by, with following Of terror
stricken comradcS Joe, in the insanity of
ilnpotcnt fury, ondcayors 10 intercept and
turn them back. Cursing, spurring 10 his
death maybo--hc cares not Down goes
the pony under the swimming charge OF
steers. Up he comes after they have swept
by, but with an empty saddle
Joe was never seen again, Strange as 1t
may seem, even his body was never recoy.
cred This is an absolute fact. But, whilo