Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1897-10-08
Ideal Ranch Life in Western Texas.

TENDER 0, gives the following account of the
great ranch in that State owned by Mr..
Richard Selman, formerly of this county
During the past few years San Saba coun-
ty has come to the front in a most credita
BILE manner as an agricultural and stock
| raising country.
Our county seat, too, the little town of
San Saba, is rapidly gaining quite reputa
ton as a summer resort and each year
host of new faces return with the preceding
summers visitors always to leave thorough
| ly enthused with the heathful climate, beau
tiful scenery and hospitabe, social inhabi
| tants.
This summer the increase in visitors was
most noticeable, and it IS OF the means Of
entertaining them that we wish especially
to speak, as it is most typical Of our life.
J 1t is custom here to spend two weeks or
more OF each summer ca nping and the APP
proved place for this outing is eighteen miles
| up the San Saba river, where the scenery
defes description in its rugged beauty.
On one side of the river the bank rises
steep and rock crowned, with cedar and
pine trees, cacti and prickly pear, which
| gives wild aspect to the place, while on
the opposite side the slope is gentle and the
trees differ noticeaby, being pecan, elm and
| water oak.
| 1t is on this slope that we pitch our tents
under shelter of the huge trees and at easy
access to the springs that are so numerous
and deliciously cold.
| One could not imagine a more ideal loca-
ton for camp-the picturesqueness o. the
place is irresistible, the bunting and fishing
fascinating and the spot is the setting OF so
many thrilling Indian legends that one could
scarcely fail to be interested or impressed
with the reality OF the days of the redskins.
1t is only hundred yards or so above the
camp grounds that we propose building our
| great dam that is to supply the water to
| irrigate 10000 acres of our valley and make
San Saba county the garden spot OF the
| west.
While in camp it is the custom during the
day to explore the interesting points around
US, old caves, Indian graves, places of his
torc fame, etc.
One lavorite pilgrimage is to a place we
call the Swallows nest" huge, rugged
cliff towering abruptly against the sky and
constituting the home of thousands Of these
chattering little birds.
| But II is at night, when the moon swings
high above the giant trees, that the spirit ol
romance enters our camp and lures our
young people to the great fiat rocks around
which the river ever laughs and sings. Here
with guitars and sweet songs we pass our
moonlt evenings and there may be some
who when they read these lines flor many
| fair Galvestonians have contributed their
charms to the pleasures OF these camps) will
feel memory STIR IN response To this mention
OF the happy camp days.
This is one iavorite way We entertain our
summer guests, but decidedly the most de
lightiu irolic of the summer was "round
up OF one OF our largest ranches in the ad-
joining county-McCulloch.
| There is not finer piece OF property in
the west than this large ranch, and the
owner, Mr.. Dick SelIman, is we'll known,
not only as a successful ranchman, but
most gracious and charming host, and we
are greatly indebted to his happy suggestion
Of having horse party and round up OF
his pastures Tor the pleasure OF the visitors
10 our town.
This ranch is twenty six miles from the
town (San Saba) and the road is not only
exceptionally fine, having the appearance
OF having been macadamlzed, but passes
through some of the most beautiful country
in the State. Had the weather been made
to order it could not have been more glori
ousIy bright and exhiirating, the recent
rains having freshened up the atmosphere
and subdued the dust which made the drive
delightful. The party, consisting OF sixteen
enthusiastic young people and two of our
most charming married ladies ~ chaperones,
| filled two large four seated, lour hoised
hacks and at A. M. sharp we were en-
route for "Alountain Vale Ranch" and a
Jolly time. AT 1870 we had reached our
destination and were most hospitality re.
celved by our host and his assistants. Then
began a series OF novel experiences and de
lightlul surprises, to be ever retained as
among the most pleasant of memories sou
venrs.
There is undeniably something tascina-
| ting about the ranch lie out here IN Western
| Texas, and, as a matter of course, there are
few people living in the cities who realize
all that the life of cowboy" embodies.
| The wholesome freedom and spice of danger
are exhiarating and so often verges deli
ciously on the romantic. In the first place,
there Is no country, in our partial opinion,
80 beautiful and well adapted to ranch life
as San Saba and her neighboring counties,
and it is an interesting sight to those I'M
familiar with this part OF the State 10 ride
along mile upon mile OF lane with the great
pastures of rich mesquite grass stretching
on either side as far as the eye can reach,
| and the glittering tanks near which groups
OF contented looking cattle are grazing, add
ing just the effect required to make the
scene Ideally picturesque. Mr.. Sellmans
| ranch house Is truly most delightfully."-
| located one, being SO situated as u com
mand the finest views of mountain and val
| ley and overlook his irrigated garden ana
| stables of fine stock
| One could never tire of sitting on the
front porch and gazing deghtedly at the
unequaled beauty OF the mountains, yelled
in their purple mist, and the deep, dense
foliage that shades the vale. Undoubtedly
| IL was all wonderful revelation OF nature.
Our host good naturally anticipating our
slightest wish, placed the long dining table
out in the yard, under the shade OF the great
live oaks, OF which there are twenty-three
surrounding the house, and it was IN this
most beautiful banquet hall OF nature, car
peted with softest, tenterest green and shell
tered by the overlapping houghs and sky
of deepest blue, that we were RECALLED with
such appetizing and we'll served meals as
only an expert Mexican cook can produce.
Dinner over on the day of our arrival, the
entire party adjourned 10 one OF the large
pens, where four beautiful, spirited and I'M
broken young horses were rearing and
punging in terrified dismay at the high
fences and assembling crowd.
The intensity of the excitement in creased
as three cowboys entered the pen, and haV
ing selected the horse desired exhibited
some wonderfully daring leats with the las
so, and il was amid the most bTeathless sus-
pense that we watched the desperate animal
struggle against the tightening rope, until
exhausted by his frantic efforts and the
choking tightness of the cords he finally fell
PROSTATE and painting, to be quickly secured
and bridled by the alert cowboy
1t was only after blindfOldlng the excited
horse that the saddle could be placed and
secured, which done he was dragged, rear
ing and pitching to the large field where
pucky "Oroncho breaker" mounted, and,
amid cheers and shouts from the spectators,
displayed the most dauntless courage and
4, iy. gltNin
wild spirit OF the half mad animal.
Leaving this novel entertainment after
two hours of intense excitement, and fol
lowing the lead of our host, we explored his
large stables, giving vent to our irrepressl-
bic admiration Of the noble and pure blood