The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-01-27
A PLAINS INCIDENT.

we're doubtless many excuses for nature
perverted and distorted by the blasts of cir
cumstance to which it had been exposed,
but the actual result as represented in Joe
was neither gratifying nor edifying, save
in one qunttfication-Joe was an excellent
cowboy. But the vices of the young rascal
overshadowed and poisoned to great ex-
tent his attachments in even this career,
for so cruel was he that no owner of horse
flesh could see him vault into the saddle
and draw blood with 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
hillock and ravine to evade 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 eyeballs that seemed
to crave mercy, bellyful of water from
the stream hard by and a few hours crop
ping of the grass would bring him round
again, and, even if it didn't, what matter?
"Only $50 worth of horsehesh, " said joe
Then the amount of "cow sense pos
sessed by our hero was almost startling
Riding his watch around the herd on new
so black a night, he seemed the very in
oarnation of precedence. No fat bullock
could rise from its lair in the bunch grass
and steal away from its comrades, doomed
to slaughter in the distant stockyarsls
without hearing the rapid chatter of Joe's
pony's hoofs and seeing itself confronted
by the dark lad, whose eyes glittered with
cruel menace, and whose lips poured forth
a fresh Yolley of imprecation with each
furious whirl of his lariat.
When calves were to be branded, no pitt
fr11h laafiTacy cnffannI TOn-c hfaar. or,
his hand. Choked 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 gazed with
Iolling tongues and bloodshot eyes upon
their ofspring's agonies, and Joe, sweep
ing with savage grace from his saddle bow
scooped up a handful of dirt and flung it
with derisive laughter into their poor
dumb faces. Yet no man Of the whole out
fit could drag 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 a midnight STAN
pede or goring at the horns of a maddened
COW, or if his pony, rendered desperate by
spur thrusts and powerless TO shake from
its back SO expert rider, had suddenly
reared and flung itself backward, crushing
him to the ground, the end of this I'M
y
singular. But that this dunghill weed
should experience a fate such as Nelson or
Terry might have gloried in was certainly
an extraordinary example of the vagaries
of destiny.
Autumn was come, and the herd of
choicest beeves was gathered. Seated tran
quill in their saddles, the owners conten-
plated with infinite satisfaction their sleek
sides and contented faces. Excitement of
any kind meant shrinkage of flesh and was
to be stren9ously avoided because of the
corresponding shrinkage in the pockets of
the two gentlemen on horseback who
looked through those living prime roasts
to a roseate perspective of q winter of
pleasure and luxury following upon the
summer of toll and hardship. There is
usually a thorn to the rose somewhere.
Here there was a river to be crossed-a
river which at this season should have
been little more than a ripping rill, but
which recent and phenomenal rains had
swollen to an alarming volume. Its turgid
waters rushed eddying by, and ever and
anon a splash of startling force told of
banks undermined and still rising tide.
Scarce more than stone S throw away the
opposite bank, fringed with timber and
smiling in sunlight, offered an inviting
camping ground.
The cattle which had been pHrposely
kept from the water until the moment for
crossing arrived, entered willingly, bur-
rowing with noses deep in the cool food
and swishing their tails contentedly. The
boys knew their duty and led rather than
drove them along. All seemed going well
and heading for the farther shore, when
big steer in the lead was suddenly seized
with panic, and, turning upon his COM
panions with frightened below, quickly
threw the whole living mass into riotous
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 a couple of boys spurred hotly
after to gather and bring them back.
Alas, the very thing most undesirable
had come to passi The madness of fear,
less resistible than that of rage, was upon
the herd. In vain the shouts of encourage
mcnt from score of hOarse throats; in
vain the pressing hither and thither of
jaded ponies, now swimming in the angry
torrent, now scrambling up or down the
unstable bank. After an hour of hopeless
'milling'-the resistless revolution of a
huge milestone of living beef-round and
round, head to tail, packed with rib break
ing pressure one against the other, after
hour in which every possible means of ex-
trication has been resorted to without
avail, the herd straightens itself out as if
by accident and once moro makes way to-
ward the opposite bank.
To keep them going in the right direc-
ton Is now the end and aim of every man
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 been
watching him. urges his pony forward to
counteract, if possible, the effect of this
movement upon the cattle in his immedi-
ate neighborhood Mingling with the
rush and roar of the angry torrent, Joe's
curses are visible rather than audible.
His pony swiIns deep, and the boy is awash
to the waist Suddenly the big steer comes
houndering by, with following of terror
stricken comrades Joe, in the insanity of
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