The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-20
BILL WICK, FROM NEW YORK.
written for the State Journai.l

written for the State Journal
d yer see. that smoke up yondegr. Ger tn
top q IN trees, my frie emf -,
THAT'S tn Ihree-X ranch q turner's > In
largest on Mulberry Bend.
Used t be known fer its punchers, most
reckless o. all tn rangers,
Prided themselves on their DARN. fer fear
an they were like strangers
But they never were thoroughly tested
until once. a young sit city chap, -.
cowboy land o. tn map.
Mr.. william Reginald Chadwick was tn
name that he bore at nome,
when he cnme to tn west alone.
TIL Reggy was dropped at Chicago. tn
Chad went off at St. Joe,
IN Dyes he met on his journey would
ave it plain BILL yer know.
So, when he landed one evenin'. frum tn
"a, stage at Mulberry Fork. o.,
Bill was tn name he was known by Bill
Wick, tn man frum New York.
He cume t tn short grass country, frum
New York an college an All.
ner, frum winter ter fall.
TIL fellows jined in his welcum' by ridin'
straight at i'm pell meli,
F1r1n their guns I'M a vnii~- s1Jh a pause
now an then fer yell
He wasn't 50 awfully frightened. he
reached fer his hip an unslung
A black Iookin' box called a, camera that
tn fellows thought was a gun
O. tn. kind made by or Gatlin' or sumo
q tn new tangled sort.
snakes! YOU should ave seen EN-
cavortl
They. ,spurred, hollered an struggled as
A., they tried t sit out @ sight. -.
never a thought O fight.
An Bill, he list pulled tn trigger. but
thar wasn't no smoke or report;
He sIung tn box back on his shoulder as
if he were used to tn sport.
They beat him a THROWN tn 1asso an
cuttin out steers frum tn herd,
But he'd play EN- poker till sun up, said
twas tn game he preferred.
They. could beat him a swearin' an shoot
In. IN an, rIdin, pitchin' broncho-
a bicycle had EN- all bested but he'd
ride IT, III ave yer to Know
An rustic their very. best pony in racin'
straightaway track.
An when it cume to a foot race all they
ever would see was his back.
In tn fall we shipped to tn market
train load O special fed steers,
Who cared fer IT, SICK on on tR n1 Reers
When we arruv in Chicago, Bill said that
his OF college team
Would play a match on a. gridiron,-wen.
byes, Ill tell yer I'm green
Fer never saw such a mix-up an I'll
take my chanst in a fight,
Or all alone in a blizzard way out o. tn
prairie at night
Foot ball -wuz what he called it. but it
looked ter me like fight
Ter see those. fellows a slnggin' an a
buttin with all their might.
A couple q legs wus busted an few
were killed outright,
An then they asked Bill to jine 'em SO
they could keep up with tn fight.
They give him a suit that was padded. an
harnessed his shins an his face
An then he went into tn nill1n' an set
EN- q terrible pace.
Some times a runnin' like fury a fellow
would grab him. they'd fan,
An then thar'd be tWenty-one on him all
hghtin' ter get at tn ball.
He played it clear to TIL finish an came
out with a badly bent arm
A shoulder all busted and shattered Il
wouldn't a been him fer a farm.
Why, tn .Three-x ranch o Turner's, in
tn widest days it has known,
Id call a haven O. refuge an I'd rather
be thar I'll own
Than to take. a course at a college an
run tn chances O death
Fdghtin like that with weepins, fer
shorely I'd draw my last breath.
When we took tn train that evenin', to
journey back to tn Fork,
Wick, tn man frum New York.
-PEIIt. EASTMAN.