Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-06-13

s SIS
~ -.
"Whut Is 1t that YOU'RE trying to make,
SpidCrf"
saw that it was pair of chapparejos
shortened in the vernacular to
"chaps' that he had. They are leather
leggings such us cowboys wear. Orig
inally this pair was made and had evil
IDENTIFY been worn by rather large
man, but Spider had cut them down to
fit his own diminutive legs, and with
infinite patience he was stitching up
the side seams. I could see no reason
why cooks assistant should have SO
urgent need of pair of cowboy leg
gings that he should go to all that trou-
BILE to get them. In fact, l said as much
to Spider.
- pooo Ia SoaCc1 NC a CoOhoo dAA
my lifes" he replied. looking up at me
with an expression of intense disgust.
"Well, ain. I'm only cookeein now
SOS can save enough money fer ter
buy me an outfit-the part er the outfit
can't make, that is.
"What sort of an OUTFIT" inquired
respectfully, cautioned by the displeas-
INK ,,iI 20 GsNho< To ~ hot
you're going to bes"
"Cow puncher. Yer see ther ain
nothin else fer me-" he explained. 81
ain never had no chance ter learn.
Cowboys en- get er brand er cattle er
their own bimeby if they don't steer
themselves too hard gains the green
cloth (gamble), er don blow their
money in no ether way. Then after
that en- see what wanter do. en-
learn things. Seer
"But nobody would take you on as
cowboy, Spider" objected. "You re
not as big as an ordinary stock saddle.
You couldn' hold a steer even if you
got your rope on him. -
"Maybe couldn' hol' no steer" he
cried. highly offended. "Maybe 1
couldn' get my rope on one, neither.
JUS you look aver once"
Running to the cook wagon, Spider
produced small bundle carefully done
up in bit Of old canvas. 1t contained
a rawhide lariat Returning Spider
deftly coiled 1t In his hand and opened
the loop. Then he cast 1t and secured
my water can in manner that would
have been highly satisfactory if the wa
| ter can had been steer or even II 1t
had not upset and spilled the water
over me.
81 didn' think erbout the can comm
over on yer that way" said Spider
contritely, as with the hollow of his
hand he tried to scoop the water out Of
my canvas cot. Eyer see ther WASH
nothin else stickin up that could rope,
only yer game foot, an thought maybe
you wouldn't like that. I'll pull away
this yer fly an let the sun in. Then
'twon' be no time fore all's dry. /"
After pulling aside the canvas that
shaded me Spider sat down once more
to his sewing. while steamed In the
scorching sun.
"Well. en- throw er rope all right, .
he went on, looking at me from time
to time with professional eye appar.
emily. to see how was cooking. 81 CT
ride anything that goes on four legs, an
en- pack er mule as well as any mar
er my weight in this yer tory. But
got ter get an outfit. lain ben savir
long, an my wages ain none too big,
so / ain got much put by, an there's
a lot er things ter git. Saddle an bride
an gun an spurs an holster an belt an s
horse. got the rope, like yer saw. al
I'm maxim these yer chaps. en- make
er holster an belt that'd do fer awhile
an the bride all but the bit The gu1
an spurs can't make, ner the horse. >
For awhile Spider stitched on in 81
lence; then he looked up and said
"Meybe it's like yer say, an nobody
wouldn' take on kid like me, out6
or no. But if 1 ain got the tools
sure won get the job. SO there ain
no way outer gettin the outfit that CT
see." He paused for reply, but hi
logic was SO unanswerable that / hat
none to make and Spider went on.
"Cappy Lee, he give me these her,
Of chaps what I'm cuttin down. HI
give me my rope too. Him an Pug
Hollis was scrappin ter see which be
longed to it, an Cappy, he settled it lik'
that Pug was dead sore, but it didn
do him no good, SO now he tries ter taxi
it outer my hide every show he gets
Las night he says how cut the lacil
er his stirrup feathers, an when say
didn' he says lie an he ticks me-
ain got no use fer Pug Hollis"
To tell the truth, didn't have 'n,
use for Pug Hollis" either. He was
sullen. unpleasant sort Of person, and b.
abused mis- horses. I would have dis
charged him long before but for tn
fact that we were short handed. Hell
was scarce and getting scarcer; SO
though 1 dieliked this man, 1 had to lie
him stay.
When Spiders chaps were nearly fin
ished, he devoted every moment Of hi
leisure time to them. The whole cam
was made aware Of this fact by the un
wonted quiet Of the evenings
Ordinarily, as soon as supper wa
over and Spider had finished the dishes
one might hear the rush Of gallopinl
horse, then shouts and oaths comm,
from the owner Of that horse. followe,
by what was known as "language"-
that is, very bad language indeed
from all hands. especially the cook
This language would always take tn
form of threats and of comment OF
Spiders manners. morals or persona
appearance, and would always be of ,
most uncomplimentary nature By thes
signs l would know that Spider wa
practicinR.
.:aMlkanan. mx sidiA - 49,.