The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-12-08
BY ALFRED HENRY LEWIS.

~
1t had been dark and overcast as te
skies; the weather. however, one found
serene and balmy enough. As i climbed
the steps after my afternoon canter. i en-
countered my Old Cattleman. He was re-
locating one of the big veranda chairs. more
to his comfort and the better to enjoy his
tobacco. The old gentleman gave me a
glance As l came up.
'Them's mighty puny spurs" he observed
with an eye OF half commiseration. half
disdain: ''them's shore reediclous. Which
they'd destroy yous standin' with a COW
pony utter. He'd fill up with contempt for
you like q water hole In April. Shore! it's
the rowels; they oughter be about the size
an shape OF a mornin' star. them rowels
had. Then a gent might hope for action.
An whyever don't you-all wear leather
Chaps that away. instead Of them jim
crow boots an trousers? They're plumb
amooUin', them garments be. No. 1 on
derstands: you don't go chargin' about in
the bresh an don't need Chaps. but still
you oughter con 'em for the looks OF the
thing. Thar's a wrong an a right way
to do; an Chaps is right. Thar's Johnny
Cook Of the Turkey Track. he's like you:
he contemns Chaps, Johnny surge. into a
wire fence one midnight. sort O. sides into
snid boundary hat away. full! surge; after
that Johnny wears Chaps. all right. Docs
It hurt him? Son. them wires t'ars enough
hide Cd Johnny from some'ers about the
hook to make q saddle cover, an he loses
blood suficient to paint a house. He comes
mighty near goin' shy a laig on the deal.
It's . lesson On Greet costumes that
Johnny don't soon forget.
mo, I never rides a hos none now.
These yere Eastern saddles amt the right
modal. Which they'se a heap too low in
the eantle an too low in the horn. An
them stirrup feathers is too short an two
lnches too far for'ard. I never does grade
ovesaigh for ridin' a boss. even at my best.
No. I don't get pitched on more's is comm
TO ne. Still. ! amt p'inted out to tender
fest - no '%cantaur'. rs Doc Poets calls 'em.
! gsts along without buckin' straps. an my
1rteSds. don't have to tie no roll Of blankets
across my saddle horn. an that's about
ahe hest I can report.
Texas Thompson most likely is the chief
equestrian Of woifville. One time Texas
snakes Q wager Of q gallon Of Ticker with
lack Moore. an son! yere's what Texas
does. ] sees him with these eyes. Texas
takss his rope an ties down q bronco; one
ths record whereof ID that it's that
toosaultuous nc one can ride him.. Most
gents would nave ducked at the name OF
this ysrs steed. the same bein' Dynamite
But Toxao makes the bet I mentions, an
lays for this onrooly cayouse with all the
coincidence Of virgin gold that away.
TEXAS ropes IN ties him down an Gin
ches The saddle onto him while he's layin'
thar. Tut kneelin' or his locoed head
Aoos1ns ths ceremony. Then Tut throws
him loose: an. when he gets up. he mach
eraIly sisss with Texas Thompson on his
hack.
'.Rtrst, that bronco stands In q daxe. an
Texas takes advantage Of his ran to lay
two silver dollaH0 on the saddle. one onder
each o6 his laigs- An fnal. you should
shoroly have beheid that bronco insert his
nose between his knees an arch himse'f
an buck! Reg'lar Worm-fence buckin' It -:
an when b. amt hititn' the ground. he's
shore ockspyin the atmosphere . lot.
IA the midst Of these yers fights, which
10 eoough 70 stim'late the Imagination OF q
,AQaeAe. Texas. as cam an onmoved ~ the
0paa8sh Peaks. rolls an lights q cigarette.
Thea 10 picks up the bride m gives that
royseeein' bronco 3s0t enough Of the Mexi-
can ~ - MI his mouth with blood an his
MIND Wleh oeubta. an stops him.. When
Tsxao OWinGs to the ground. them two Sill
yer oeslaSs comes jinglin' along; which he
holdD 'e1 to the saddle that away
~throaghout them exercises. It's them dol
lars an the cigarette that raises the Ticker
Sssuo beWeen Jack IN Texas; an, Of course.
Texoe quits winner for the nose paint"
I I'D settled BY this time into a chair
e~cuvon3ent to my reminiscent companion.
and. tslishing the restf1l ease Of the situa-
tioa enter . twenty-mile run. decided to
proleag The talk Feeling for subjects. 1
put . question concerning politics.
',C0W people," said my friend. never !
0yeyO Dol'ucs. I wouldn't give a Mexican |
sheeA which b the thing Of lowest valyoo !
I 1noWD II, except Mexicans themse'fs. for |!
the v1sWs Of any COW puncher on them
Q~uee3onD Of state. You can gamble an
nake the root the limit. them opinions
Whea yuu-an once got EN- rounded up. |
Wuu3l - shore loodicsous. not to say
footaIs.
New. Vs-a1 wolves OF wolfvills used to
let Colonel Green do our political yelpin' 1
foe -: sort o took his word for PISTON an
STOOD pat tharon. IT'S in the Red Light, the
vssy evsuiuf when Texas subdoos that
bsoaee. NJ lets the whey outen Jack Moore
20 ths extent Of said jug of Valley Tan.
that Colonel Green goes on At a round road
Gait - tAis yere very topic Of politics. an
WINES up b. telllnf 10 OF his attitood per-
sonal doorin: he Civil War an the debt
owes some Glneral named Wheeler for
saviu' his life.
"Fol'tcs.' remarks Colonel Green N that
occasion. rsdllin' his glass for the sew
efaleth dine. Jest nacherally oozes from a
editor. a. you-all who reads regularly the
Coyots b'ass witness: he's saturated with
poFnes. same n Huggins Is with whisky.
A. eor myself. aside from my vocation Of
then tripods. politics is Unborn In mo. /
SITS 'em from my grandfather. ~ tall a
aport an n high-rollin' . statesman q
ever packs . bowts or wins the bsef At q
match in ID Kaintucky. Yes. SIR
the Colonel. an thar's . psnsivs look in
his e like he's oeuntin' - that ancestors
merits IN his me1'ry. 'peftics with me that
Away b shors csnosnial'
"CouGenial. ays Dan BoGgs, an his
tones b . heap satisfactry::>'a m thar's .
VOID that's Sod enesgh for Q dog. I rsck-
oas I'm IL It down In brand It into my
buneh right ysre.'
NY grandfather goes on the Colonel.
IS . Jsckson man. from the top Of the deck
plumb down 70 the hook kyard: he's moth
~ Jackson. This yers attitood Of my
grasasirs. an him oampsd In the swarmin'
midst OF . Henry Clay country. Is frootful
Of adventures IN calls for plenty nerve.
uv& che IA 0n.r<,o ~c.. ehrop~h i