The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-07-15
COULD THROW A LASSO.

A very thick set, compactly built
man, who wore glasses and had a sort
of ruminant smile on his broad, heal
thy looking countenance, was swinging
along a street in the northwest sec
ton a few afternoons ago, apparently
taking his time and observing things
as he went along, says the Washing
ton Star. On the good sized lawn of
one of the residences he was passing
there was a flock of a a dozen young
boys in knickerbockers, playing Wild
West. They were screening and boot
ing fit to wake the dead, for they were
evenly divided. three of them being
bold, bad scouts, M the other three
being Indians with an especial mission
for yelling. They were having plenty
of fun with a couple of lariats, without
being able to exhibit any skill what
sOever in the manipulation of the same.
One of the scouts would throw the lar
lat Intellectually at an Indian five or six
times, with no more result than that
of scraping the Indians nose with the
rope. Then the scouts would walk up
bravely to the Indian, place the loop
of the lariat around the latter's neck
and drag him a few feet in bowling
triumph.
The thick set, smiling mar stopped,
leaned up against a tree netting and
watched this sport amusedly. 1t could
be seen from the expression of his face
that he liked boys. He studied their
play for a few minutes, and then start
ed to walk on. He hadn't taken more
than two steps before the singing of a
thrown rope around his ears Informed
him that one of the lads was endeav-
oring to lasso him. OF course the lad
didn't succeed in doing this, but the
thick set, smiling man turned around
good humoredly.
bad throw, my boy" said he. "Now,
if I were a fleet maverick I'd be a good
hundred yards away by this time. You
boys haven't just got the hang of rop-
ing yet. Let me show you"
The boys, highly pleased at getting
a grown, good looking and good ma
tured man involved in their play, stud
led the thick set man with interest. He
stepped out onto the lawn, took one of
the lariats out of the hands Of he will
ling lad and said:
"This isn't such a good lassO as 1t
might be, for it's not heavy enough, but
maybe it'll do"
Then he gathered the lariat up into
a coil CAREFUL, swung it about his head
a few times in a realistic manner that
made the boys stare, n in the twink
ing VI oil eye d lllIle CIdp VIII SIoOo
abOut twenty feet away near the steps
of the house, had his arms pinioned to
his side by the loop of the lariat.
"Cracky!' exclaimed the boys in a
chorus. "I'll bet he's with Buffalo Bills
show, all right. Aren't you, mister?"
mo, I'm not with any show just
now" said the thick set man pleas
antly. II expect to be with a very big
show indeed, though, a little later on.
But Nv often seen men throw the lar
lat. It's all a knack. Any one of you
boys can learn how to do it if you
practice it carefully"
Then the good natured man stepped
from the lawn onto the sidewalk. AS
he was resuming his stroll a young
man passed him, and, touching his hat,
said:
Good afternoon to you, Colonel
Roosevelt"
Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt cOurte-
ously acknowledged the salutation n
passed on, still wearing la ruminant
smile Of his.