Sunday morning globe., 1901-09-01
kept HIS word.
Brave Pete Greer, Who Never
Broke His Word.
HIS TERRIBLE ULTIMATUM
And How He Himself Lost His Life on the
Hot Plains When Almost Within Reach OF
Water-Ths Tragedy Of The Great Western
Plains and tho CaIIber Of Which Tho Plains
men Are Made.

The picturesque cattlemen OF the
plains are gradually passing away.
They were a set Of men who belonged
to a phase Of American life that is
past. They were the outgrowth OF
the wild, free life of the unlimited and
unL.vided cattle ranges. former cat
tleman was telling, a few days ago,
about one Of the old-time rangers who
died recently in Western Nebraska.
This man was Pete Greer.
"He was one of the biggest men
ever knew" said the former cattleman.
"He stood six feet three inches in his
stocking feet He was straight and
broad at the shoulders, and the quality
for fear was left out of him. l re-
member an experience which he once
had in New Mexico several years ago,
that will show Pete Greer's personal
courage. He was with a party Of cow
boys who were riding southwark with
a wagon and cooking outfit, riding out
after a bunch of stray cattle The
story was told me by one Of the men in
the party, and / remember how he
swore when he told me Of the heat of
the plains. Greer was a sort Of boss
or foreman Of the party. One day it
was discovered that one of the men
was missing. he had scattered with
the others looking for the cattle and
had been away from the party a day
before his absence was discovered.
Then Greer at once gave orders that
search be made for him. When Greer
spoke no one replied. Then one man
grumbled that it woulu be no use, that
the lost man would be dead The 9TH
ers Joined the mutiny, and all of them
refused to leave the wagon. Pete
pleaded and bluffed them. The men
were obstinate. Then big Pete piled
together about the wagon all the equip
ment of their camp. Along with this
were three barrels of water which had
been carried from the last stream
passed. The heat was a torture A
man walking over the turf was follow
ed by a stream of dust. The party was
miles from water. There was no shell
ter in the empty plain around them.
when Greer had made a heap Of all
that stood between the cowboys and
death he placed under and around It
dried grass and wood. Tnen he stood
square in front Of the pile.
Now boys he said, If you don't
80 out and look for this man III set
fire to this He had his revolvers in
his hands.
"The man who told me this story
said that Pete Greer was a man who
never made empty threats. They
knew that when he said anything It
went-and they obeyed
"That day they found their missing
comrade, lying face downward on the
prairie, dead from the heat.
"And it seems a cruel thing that
the big, brave, manly Pete Greer
should himself have been found face
downward dying with the heat on his
own ranch in Nebraska only a month
ago.
"Greer's ranch was near Seneca, in
the western part Of the State. In
different parts OF his grazing land he
had windmills to provide water for his
cattle.
zone afternoon, a month ago, when
the hot spell was at his zenith, Greer
rode out on a horse over his range
to see that his windmills were in or
der. He thought nothing about the
heat. He had never been sick day in
his life and he was in his prime.
"a few hours later his horse trotted
up to the door OF the ranch house
with an empty saddle
Mrs Greer, sitting in the house
was the first to see the horse. She
walked quickly out Of doors and look
cd everywhere for her husband. 9th
ers came up. Mrs. Greer had not rid
den horse in her life. She had not
been strong and had never taken an
active part in ranch life. But she
climbed into her husbands empty sad
die, and with two or three men from
the ranch started out under the burn
ing sunshine, Mrs. Greer allowing the
horse which she rode to take its own
course. And IL was she who found her
husbands body. He was lying face
downward in the parched grass not
more than 20 feet from one Of his
Windmills. The direction OF his body
showed that he had tried to reach the
water OF the tank at the windmill but
had fallen. He was unconscious.
They picked him up, laid his body
across the saddle OF his horse and took.
him back to his ranch house. He lin
gered unconscious for three days
and died.
And when I heard how Pete Greer
died l thought OF that little event In
which he showed his courage many
years ago on the plains OF New Mexi-
CO."
Carolina Brights are absolutely pure