The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-22

He was only a common puneher-such as
The punchers were
When lIfe was life on the prairies and peo-
When there wasn't no derned wire fences
from the Strip to the Rio Grande:
When the cutter answered an Insult ana
Only an oId-time cowboy. with ways that
would soreiy jar
On the nerves as came IN with the rail-
roads, the hester. the bum and box
He could ride q blamed streak o. lightning:
was crack-er-1ack At q dance;
He loved poker better n eatin and he'd
hog YOU II airy a chance.
He could cuss the worl' By sections. when
you had him half way mad;
He'd drink and shoot up the city. when the
whisky was extra bad.
His wealth was a horse and saddle. pair
O spurs and the clothes he wore.
An dollar or two In hts pocket. but Oft
In fact. he was Jest : cow-puncher. and
that amt no rose-water job.
il. and for short we called him cob5
and didn't live by rule.
~ the siss.ss i k a's gnu 3 mule 0's '.
divide up al, he had.
An TO help out a woman (you know IT'D
he'd shoot hisself and be glad.
He hadn't got no religion. but top o. the
There'll be heaps o. church members miss
in. but Cob you betlj he there.
This Amt no lie i'm telling. and. jest to
prove it amt.
I'll tell YOU = little story, with nary lick
1t was up at the ranch--the O.xs-this ERE
Cob fell foul o. the boss
(How 1t began forget now. but seems like
twas long o. horse)
Anyway they had a goin' and comm, too.
Till the Rodchs wa. always cranky-jest
So Cob went snd he saddled his pony. for
he seen 1t wasn't no hluh,
An came down to the lot. where the boss
was. to get him a check for his stun.
Now that day they were dom some brand
in. and the dust was hyin' about,
An Cob had to look for moment before
he could find the boss out.
round the lot like a cyclone on
An the rest of the boys all a-makin. for
An the reason why all the derned OUTFIT to
the fence had so suddenly took
Was that right in the mids, OF the lot there
Il was PAWN the ground and a-snuffn'.
IKE engine goln' up grade;
Yep. II had just taken charge O. that lot.
cir. a. II It had bought it and paid.
So Cob. catchin' on to the racket. hops
right on the fence like the rest:
For whenever steer gets to proddin' the
An he'd jest time to straddle across II, as
II It had been an ole boss.
When thro' the fence. right where he's sit
tin. creeps Cissy. the child o the
She was laughin' and holierin' Daddy"
and didn't know nothin' bout cows.
'cept them as her NANNY was miikin' and
So she seen the ole steer a-cavortin', and
fhinkin' It's lest feelin' good
Cries Daddy, o dad. loook'ee yonder." and
brute stood.
That there was the frs. as we seen Of her.
and you bet 1t made us feel queer
A kiddy OF three in the lot there, alone
with wild Texas steer!
An we hadn't no breath left to hoiler. for
the brute had his eyes on the Kid,
meania' business. II ever steer did
The boss yasps out Run" in a terror-as
well he'd ha' saved his breath.
f0 there the A a.sml i'm" and wat,n for death.
Yes. sir. jest a-smi.in' and waitsn'. and us
boys settin' round like blamed fools.
An never liftin' finger. more'n II we'd
been many mules.
In two seconds more a new angel would
have flew TO them realms o. bliss.
when We seen some enc drop from the
wind right for Cts
II was Cob. and the steer had the start.
But he knowed 1t was life or death;
An creased lightning wasn't In II with
that run Of ole Cob Seth.
For he beat the steer by yard-1ust
enough 10 save the kid,
BY THROWN hisself right between them
Yes sir that's what he did.
Threw hissse!t right in the gap there. and
when the steer made his hook.
It wasn't the little kiddy. but the puncher
1t took him clean in the side. and we seen
a trickle O. red.
An We knowed there was danger in IT by
the layin' OF Cob's head.
That. called US TO our senses, and a shot
brought down the steer.
Gould ha done tina. at the outset. IL we'd
not been crazed with fear.)
In A moment we'd picked up the kiddy: II
was only kinder scared;
Then we turned to where Cob was lynn 10
see how he had Jared:
There he lay where he had fallen. ali lin
Der and white and stiii.
With the red blood oozin'. oozin'. and our
eyes began to I'LL.
As we watched his face grow whittier. and
seen him fight for breath.
An We know'd that had but one meanln'.
and that one meansn' death.
We did all that human could do. but all
was done In vain.
For COD was booked for up yonder. cut o
the dust and the pain.
We could only stand and watch him. could
only stand and wait
For the beat of the angels white wings
and the swing OF the golden gate.
that's what the preachers say.
An Cob sure heer'd something yonder for
he smiled as ne passed away m,
breathin' o a prayer
Seemed like II wasn't Cob. boys but an
angel that lay there.
But boys, you must excuse me. I'm feel
in kinder queer;
My eyes are getsin' misty: there's Q lump
in my throat right here.
r,'s a cold I've got I reckon. Anyway.
you've herd the story.
How Cob gave his life fer the kiddy. and
went straight ND 20 glory.
III. ID. c. MacLachlan.
Panhandle, Texas.