The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-03-15
A PLAINS INCIDENT.

Joe was not nice boy at all. There
were doubtless many excuses for r. tIlrc
perverted and distorted by the blasts OF cir
cunstance to which it had been exposed
but the actual result us represented in Joe
was neither gratifying nor edifying, save
In one quGliilCation-.Joc was an excellent
cowboy. But the vices of the young rascal
ovcrshadowcd and poisoned to n great ex
tent his attachments in even this career,
Tor SO cruel was he that no owner of horse
flesh could sec him vault into the saddle
and draw blood with a first stroke of the
spur without a thrill of sympathetic pain
and an involuntary expression of disgust.
On the other hand, when, tempted to
distant straying by the sweet upspringing
grasses of early June, the horse band scat
tered far and wide upon the boundless
prairie, and grown canny through long
experience of cruel man, made use of every
hillocll and ravinc to evado pursuit, there
was none like Joe to find and bring them
in, and, though his mount on such occa-
sions stood tottering with bloody and heav
ing tanks and rolling cyeballs that seemed
to crave mercy, II bellyful of water from
the stream hard by and q few hours crop
ping of the grass would bring him round
again, and, even if it didn't, what matter?
Then the amount of "cow sense" pos
;essed by our hero was almost startling
Riding his watch around the herd on new
N SO black Il night, he seemed the very in
carnation of prcscicnce. 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 Joes
pony's hoofs and seeing itself confronted
by the dark lad, whose eyes glittered with
cruel menace, and whose lips poured forth
fresh volley of imprecation with each
furious whirl of his lariat.
When calves were TO be branded, no pitt
full blcating softened Joe's heart nor staid
his hand CholG1 to the point of death by
the tension of his cruel moose, these tender
creatures were dragged mercilessly through
mud or dust or stones or blazing embers,
while their moaning mothers gazcd with
lolling tongues and bloodshOt eyes upon
their offspring's agonies, and Joe, sweep
ing with savage grace from his saddle bow,
scooped up handful of dirt and flung it
with derisive laughter into their poor
dumb faces. Yet no man of the whole out
fit could drag so many calves as he in a
given time to the branding fire, and time is
valued even on the plains.
Now, if Joe had come to his death by
trampling of cattle in u midnight stam-
pede or goring at the horns of maddened
COW, or if his pony, rendered desperate by
spur thrusts and powerless to shake from
its back so expert q rider, had suddenly
reared and flung itself backward, crushing
him to the ground, the end of this I'M
pleasant youth would have been i'll nowise
singular But that this dunghill weed
! CHI f,,4r
Terry might have Cloricd in was certainly
an extraordinary example of the vagarios
of destiny.
Autumn was come, and the herd of
choicest beeves was gathered. Seated tran
quill in their saddles, the owners contem-
plated with infinite satisfaction their sleek
sides and contented faces. Excitement of
any kind meant shrinkage of flesh and was
TO be strenuously avoided because of the
corresponding shrinkage in the pockets of
the two gentlemen on horseback who
looked through those living prime roasts
to n roscate perspective of n winter OF
pleasure and luxury following upon the
summer of toll and hardship There is
usually thorn to the rose somewhere.
Here there was q river to be crossed-a
river which at this season should have
been little more than "a rippling rill, but
which recent and phenomenal rains had
swollen to an alarming volume. Its turgid
waters rushed eddying by, and ever and
anon splash of startling force told OF
banks undermined and still rising tide
Scarce more than n stones throw away the
opposite bank fringed with timber and
smiling in sunlight, offered an inviting
camping ground.
The cattle, which had been purposely
flN, g.,
crossing arrived, entered willingly, bur
rowing with noses deep in tho cool flood
and swishing their tails contentedly. The
boys knew their duty and led rather thar
drove them along. All seemed going well
and heading for the farther shore, when q
big steer in the lead was suddenly seized
with panic, and, turning upon his com
panions with n frightened below, quickly
threw the whole living mass into riotou:
confusion. That portion of the herd which
had advanced farthest into the river and
was in swimming depth was swept down
by the seething tide, struggling and bel
lowing, and couple of boys spurred hotly
after to gather and bring them back.
Alas, the very thing most undesirabl,
had come to pass! The madness of fear
less resistible than that of rage, was upor
the herd In vain the shouts of encourage
ment from n score of hoarse threats; il
vain the pressing hither and thther o.
jaded ponies, now swimming in the angry
torrent, now scramblng up or down the
unstable bank. After an hour of hopeless
"milling''-the resistless revolution of &
huge milestone of living bcef-round ant
round, head to tail, packed with rib break
ing pressure one against the other after al
hour in which every possible means of ex
trication has been resorted to without
avail, the herd straightens itself out as ii
by accident and once more makes way to
ward the opposite bank.
To keep them going in the right direc
ton is now the end and aim of every mar
and boy in the outfit. That big brute who
Is always in the lead may cause trouble
again. Indeed, he is turning at this mo
ment, and joe, whose keen eye has beer
watching him, urges his pony forward IL
counterfeit, if possible, the effect of this
movement upon the cattle in his immedi