The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-07
MAGIC IN A cow CAMP.
BANCROFT ABUSES AND MYsTIFIEs
THE BOYS on NEW MEXICAN
RANCH.

.osved Himself to be shot at by a
Cowboy with His own Revolver
and Caught the Marked Bullets.
The roundup season having been
brought to a temporary close we were
summoned back 10 the ranch for few
days 10 give the horses a little breathing
spell. The New Mexican COW ponies. al
though tough and wiry little beasts. are
apt to get run down after a few weeks
of range work. In a measure. too, these
spells Of rest are designed to rest the
men as well for life on a cattle ranch
during the busy season, is not one Of case
and comfort
II was a not day in June, and a half
dozen Of US were gathered in the shade
of a cottonwood tree. a few yards from
the Chisum ranch, on the Pecos river
engaged in mending our saddles and
cleaning spurs and belts, preparatory to
another bout with the cattle, when Bill
Hunt. who was sitting with his back
against the tree. smoking lazily, removed
the briar-root from his lips. waved the
stem in the direction of the road and
drawled:
There was a show of interest in the
announcement, for the light wagon never
came so close 10 the ranch unless there
was passenger to be dropped. Usually
Il turned off at the forks and continued
on the road to Roswell. Work was now
suspended and all hands watched the
cloud Of dust that preceded the vehicle
on its course to the ranch. Visitors were
q rarity in that section Of New Mexico,
and naturally there was great curiosity
to see who could be coming.
AS the wagon approached the group a
young man was seen on the seat with the
driver. There was an air which bespoke
the city about him and his attire was
foreign to that section of the country.
Moreover. he wore a hard" hat as der
bys were slightngly called He was
good-looking young fellow, with good
natured black eyes and a mustache that
would command attention anywhere for
its luxuriance and careful trimming. As
he passed the boys he nodded pleasantly,
and all save Holloman returned 1t. Hollo-
man was a surly sort Of a fellow, with
a deep prejudice against city people. He
held that only those ito the manner
born" should attempt TO handle cattle.
and resented the intrusion of any green
hands upon the ranch. This feeling ex-
tended to myself and he lost no oppor-
tunity to impress upon me the to him.
disparaging fact that ! came from New
York.
wonder who he is?" queried Bob VIII
liams as the wagon turned into the gate
and halted before the ranch.
'Nuther one o. them city felllers, I
suppose" sneered Holloman, looking a t
me as he spoke. The stranger had by this
time entered the ranch and was greeted
by Roberts. the manager. who, after read
ing a letter, presumably Of introduction.
shook the visitor by the hands and invited
him 10 be seated.
While we were stin discussing the
strangers Identity, VIII Chisum, son of
the boss, came out of the house and made
his way to where we were seated. Hts
names Bancroft" said Win in answer TO
he inquiries fired at him. He's travel
ing for his health and came here with a
letter of Introduction from one of our
agents in Kansas City. Reckon he'll stop
with US for a few days. Seems to be a
pretty good sort of a fellow"
There was much speculation regarding
the strangers Identity and his business.
but there seemed to be no immediate pros
pect Of having our curiosity gratiiied.
There was no chance to get a better look
at him at meal time, for we cowboys
were relegated to 'dobe house set apart
for US, the boss and his family dining in
the main ranch.
We saw nothing of the visitor tina.
night but the next morning he came to
our favorite mounts and was introduced
10 US as Mr. Bancroft, gentleman from
the states" He was a pleasant conver-
sationalist, and seemed to know more
about a ranch than the average green
horn. Picking up a lariat he coiled 1t
in true cowboy fashion and set the moose
about a post at the other end of the cor
raj This won him great favor in The
eyes of all save Holloman, who took no
pains to hide his dislike for the affable
stranger.
Bancroft seemed to notice this, and
there was a peculiar twinkle in his eyes
as he turned to the man and asked some
questions about the country. Are you
married?" he inquired abruptly changing
the conversation. There was a laugh
from all hands at the question as Hollo-
man was a notorious woman-hater He
growled out a surly negative and Ban
croft said: II supposed you were from
the fact that you carry articles like this
about you" and putting his hand into
the pocket of HOlloman's shirt drew out
a long white stocking. There was a shout
of laughter from the boys, and Hollo-
man turned red under his tanned skin,
as he protested that one of the boys must
have put IL there.
II suppose they put this there too"
smiled Bancroft, taking off Holloman's hat
and displaying nursing bottle. A baby S
cap was next taken from Holloman's boot
of the corral and over to the 'dobe dormi-
tory and was seen no more for an hour.
For the next half houE the corral seemed
10 be witchod Bancroft picked up a
piece of board and under II was a little
pie Of half dollars Reaching over the
low wall he picked a tomato from the vine,
cut It open and drew forth a gold coin. A
small stone was made to disappear from
his hand and In various ways he amused
and interested the boys. Then he went
Tor drive after promising to visit the
'dobe that evening and show them some
real tricks. There was little work done
that afternoon. the boys trying TO initiate
Bancroft in some OF the feats they had
seen and offering various explanations as
60 how they were done.
Many of them had never seen anything
OF the kind before and were inclined 20 be-
iieve the coin was really in the tomato
before 1t was opened, and some went so
far as TO cut open several OF the vegeta-
bles TO see il they were charged with
money.
from New York several Of the
Is looked TO me for an cX-
1 anaton Of the seeming miracles: but
] professed ignorance OF the whole affair
and pretended 10 be as much mystl6ed as
they.