Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1903-01-24

The boys from the x Y ranch had
been busy for the falls roundup"
at Abiline for months. They were
now about ready to depart for their
winter home. The cattle had been
about herded in one bunch and were
prepared for the long drive south
ward, where the grass was green the
year round, and the winds not too
severe to bring them discomfort. The
yearlings, heifers and steers were
corraled two miles away from the
little town. At night, unless storm
seemed imminent, half of the crew
would go into the railroad station and
disport themselves by shooting out
lights, riding horses into bar-rooms
and the like. All of them ate at the
Archer restaurant, not because the
food was any better or cheaper than
served by the Palace, but because
Estelle Mcintosh, clear-eyed,
straight-limbed girl of some twenty
summers, slung the hash and shot the
beans at her sun-tanned customers
She was OF beautiful mold; her
breast moved back and forth like
the undulating waves of the sea; her
arms were round at the shoulders and
tapered down as gracefully as sculp-
tors model. Her eyes were blue, she
was wide-hipped, with complexion
like that of the underdown of a Geor-
gia peach. She could play the guitar,
do fancy work, and get along fairly
well with the third reader. She could
call COWS and ride any broncho that
ever paved the earth.
All the boys were IN love with her.
If she had any preference that could
be perceived, it was for Calico Jake,
whose tall figure was known to near
1y every head of cattle between he
Colorado and the Neuces. He could
chew tobacco like Cuban negro,
cut the pigeon-wing, ride anything
from a horned toad to a giraffe, and
he had no more compunction when it
became necessary, to kill a man than
a mustang would have for kicking at
the man who had hit him with quirt.
But Estelle, "Stell,'' as the boys called
her, made no signs that she would
be glad to jump over the broomstick
with him.
Two weeks before the contemplated
departure of the x Y outfit, nearly all
the boys were in Archer's. The Doc"
was there also. He wore a staked
and ridered shirt, tan shoes and toted
a walking stick. He had but recently
graduated from the medical school at
El Paso, and settling at Abilene,
where the men wore overalls and the
women quite content with calicoes, he
imagined himself about S430 ahead of
a National Bank. "Stell" had not
liked him from the first, and she did
not attempt to conceal her feelings.
AS the Doc started to go, he naive
ly asked:
"S'pose you are going to be the
queen of the ball up to Big Springs,
next week?
II don't know eff that's any of your
business she replied, somewhat
warmly. Course you'll be there as
king of the doodlebugs?" at which
the cowboys ha, ha, haed until the
doc" was out of hearing.
That night, while the stars looked
down upon the boys who were now
again in camp, Calico said to Buck
eye: Say, Buck, it'll be a long time
afore we get to a ball where they'll
have one of these here base Williams
or wiolins, or whatever you call 'em.
S'pose we run up to Big Springs and
shake our feet when the shin6l g
comes OFF,"
Buckeye readily consented. Then
the other boys were awakened and
told of the scheme. Lots were to be
drawn as to who should remain in
camp while the others were away.
That was satisfactory and the idea