, 1897-09-27

Wy hCao LUIS 81 anu luy
leg, too. If l can get started once, I'll
know enough to keep a-g0in g, but how
10 decide I'll leave it to chance"
He placed his broad hat on the end
OF hts quirt held upright, balanced it
carefully, and gave it a Twill.
Now, IL that side with the bullet
hole stops toward the south, I'll crawl
toward home, and if it turns to the
mountains. l will hunt the water-holes.
Hold on! stopping the revolving hat
and closing his eyes, he said in a very
low voice: oh, Lord, l don't know
as one cow-puncher is much object to
you, you got SO many, hut l never did
much dirt. only to Billy. and he was so
mean himself, it served him right. II
!! you will help me out of this scrape and
make the hat stop at the right place,
I'll never forget it. Amen"
Very earnestly then ne balanced the
hat and set it turning. After several
revolutions 1t came to a stop, with the
hole toward the mountains.
The water-holes ii is, .hen," said he,
and carefully noting the direction indi-
Gated: that's rather more to the left
than would choose. but If you say so,
it goes"
Without delay, but without haste, he
made his preparations for a great eff
fort. Before deciding on a course, he
had whimpered a little; the shock and
pain had unnerved him. There was now
no more of that. He had a purpose. and
meant to execute it. With bandages
made from portions OF his clothing, he
bound up the leg to give it some sup
port. He set his teeth down hard in a
strip OF leather u from his shoe, then
fixing his eyes upon a landmark in the
distance, which should remain in view
as he moved over the plain, he pulled
his freight
1t would fatigue you to follow this
mans trail as foot by foot and hour af-
ter hour he painfully progressed toward
the Observation-Disclosures with thirst,
beset by doubt whether he should not
find them dry. Upon the desert a man,
for lack OF water. may perish in a few
hours. In the cattle country they can
do and live and suffer for days with
out it. This man did. He was only a
common acknowledgements man. If
he did not get through, another would
take his saddle and his bunk. To the
company it mattered not at all whether
the name on the payroll was John Doe
OR Richard Doe. He had lived meanly;
not always temporarily. Blu he had a
trait common to cowboys. a splendid
American grit, and he got through. On
the third day he dragged himself to the
first OF the water-holes. It contained
q small amount OF brackish and muddy
water. Beside it grew a stunted will
low bush. Beneath the bush lay a sleep
ing CALI. Here were all the elements
necessary to insure his safety. To work
1t out was a matter OF de;ail.
The mar does not remember whether
he first shot the calf or first sIaked his
thirst. nor when the idea occurred to
him OF the perambulatory splints. But
by the time he had eaten his second
meal Of yeal-which followed very close
ly on the frst-his plan was complete.
He thinks he devoted about "a hours to
refreshments. During that time he kept
the leg in wet 'bandages, greatly reduc-
ing the swelling.
1t was a work OF time to cut down
the low-branched willow with his jack
knife and to fashion a a n from the
stontest portion. From smaller branches
he made a number Of sp.ints. and these
he bound about the broken leg by raw
hide thongs cut from the calfskin and
we'll soaked in the pool. The contrac.
ton OF the rawhide in drying made a
very strong and rigid support, EXTEND
ing from the foot to the knee, and upon
this. with the help OF the cane, he would
walk. 1t was not springing, 1t was slow
and painful motion, but by contrast with
the three miles achieved in three days
| III III IL huSC II SCSLlcu 'UUlu Idp>
id and easy. He covered the distance
to the ranch in one day and night, COM
ing in just when the foreman was call
ing, Roll out"
The first thing he asked, after the
boys had put him in bed and cut off the
rawhide. was for somebody to shave
him.
He had a hard enough time for sew
eral weeks, but the doctor did not am
putate the leg as he at first threatened
to do. We never convinced this saw
bones, though we showed him the raw
hide splint, Of the fact that the mar
walked II miles on a broken leg.
"Humbug," said he. mo such case
on record. The thing Is preposterous."
-Argonaut.
Newly made widow-"Ah! no one can
take Johns place. loved him from
the bottom Of my heart" Friend
Cbrightly)-''But you know what they
say-there is always room at the top"
Puck.
Dat,v Republican Soc DOR month.