Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1900-08-24
MORE OF ROOSEVELT
A. T. Packard, Formerly of the Bad
Lands Cowboy Recollects Some
on Theodore Roosevelt.
"reminiscences Of the Wild and Woody
Times in the Bad Lands Metropolis
in Early Days.
How Roosevelt Broke q Broucho and
Dealt With Gang of Bad
Men.

Dealt With Gang of Bad
Men.
Chicago Record: A. T. Packard,
now of Chicago, was editor of the Bad
Lands Cowboy when Roosevelt was
ranching up on the Little Missouri, and
has many pleasant recollections of
those days. Said he: "You cannot
pay higher compliment to Theodore
Roosevelt than to say that he won the
friendship of every cowboy in the Bad
Lands. There isn't on earth a more
independent, self-thinking lot of men
than these same cow-punchers. They
have the faculty of shucking man out
of his crust and looking his real char
acter squarely in the face. If they
like him it is pretty safe guess that
the man will pass muster anywhere
for his sterling worth, and it is just as
safe for anyone who differs from such
a conclusion about Roosevelt to keep
his opinion to himself in the Bad
Lands. The cowboy is perfectly will
ing at all times to back up in any way
his friendship for Roosevelt. l Won
der what would have happened to Alt
geld if he had delivered his Toledo
speech at a Bad Lands roundup?
Roosevelt had just established his
Chimney Butte ranch and was driving
in some cattle when l landed at Me-
dora, so that l was cotemporary with
him. His name was little too much
for the average cowboy, and at first he
was generally known as Roosenfelder.
That he was destined to popularity
was shown bE an almost immediate
change to nicknames, chief of which
were "Old Four Eyes," because he
wore spectatcles with enormous
glasses, and Skin TOOTH" which has
been sufficiently explained by the car
toonist.
Nothing amused the cowboys more
than Roosevelt's choice of words
and manner of speech. He was the
purist in language, and at first was
unable to tackle the cow-punchers'
slang. While driving his first bunch
of cattle to his Chimney Butte ranch a
number of them started up a coulee.
An experienced foreman would have
shouted: Get git on you there and
head them steers, or Hit the hign
places and turn EN- Roosevelt's or
der, while equally sharp, nearly par
alyzed the flying cow-puncher. 1t has
been treasured and told and retold
wherever two or more cow-punchers
have gathered together. Standing in
his stirrups, he opened his steel-trap
mouth and yelled: Hasten quickly
forward yonder.' The wonder was it
didn't stampede the herd.
I'm the Chimney Butte herd" con-
tinued Mr.. Packard, was a broncho
named Devil. When you find horse
in the west with such name you can
be sure he has earned it. Devil had.
One after another the cowboys had
tried their best to stay with the leath-
err on him, and none had succeeded,
even with the aid Of life-preserver'
and hobbled stirrups. He had been
given up as Spoiled horse; especially
after he had acquired the playful habit
of trying to bite and jump on the rider
after he had thrown him.
Roosevelt decided to ride Devil and
tame him for saddle horse. 1t took
three men to rope him and tie him
down while the blind and saddle were
being put on, and he was then led to
the edge of the Little Missouri and
headed for quicksand. Roosevelt
mounted, jerked off the blind, and then
began what was called at the time the
gaul durndest panoramer the Bad
Lands has ever saw The first jump
LOOK Devil into the middle of the
quicksand, and Macmonnies' fountain
became squirt gun in comparison
Sand, water, Roosevelt and Devil
seemed merged into solid body. Fin
ally there was separation and Roose.
velt 'ascended to take a look at wy.
oming, as Bill Jones facetiously re.
marked. The next day and the next
and the next there was the same pan.
oramer,' but finally came day when
Roosevelt stayed with the leather and
brought Devil, thoroughly tanned, back
to the ranch. 1t may not sound like
much in the telling, but man who
can tame horse with DEVILS reputa.
ton can divide the last chew of to.