The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1903-11-28
THAT cowsoY BREAKFAST.


10 call tnat nrSI feature OF president
Roosevelt's Colorado experience which !
will make his great western tour mem
orable-the unique entertainment that
furnished Mr.. Roosevelt the right kind
Of Western welcome and gave Hugo,
Col, a permanent place on the map
was the cowboy breakfast served to
the national chief early on the morn
Ing of May 4, says the Denver Post
The cook who cooked the breakfast
and who glories in this exalted bit OF
cookery, Is now In Denver. This Is
Jack" Keppel. the whole-souled cow
man who deserted his herds and rode
many long miles in order to be on hand
and officials at Hugo.
at was very proud" said quiet Mr..
Keppel-and. by the way, nobody can
describe the great event and the causes
leading up to 1t, as he can-"quite
proud when the Lincoln County Cattle
Growers Association selected me to
take charge OF the cooking Of the cow
boy breakfast which we had deter
mined to serve to President Roosevelt
THE Holt Live Stock. Company's
chuck wagon was driven down to HUI
go for my use and 1t was well sup
piled, as 1t was ready to start next
day on its regular roundup route.
"As my assistant for the great en-
terprise l had that veteran Of the
range, John Heyman. as good a camp
man as ever drew breath, 30 long Sc
he was awake, and. thus fixed up.
felt fully equal to the great undertak-
ing ahead Of me.
ION Friday preceding the eventful
Monday, May 4. when the President
was to come through, 1 went down to
Hugo from my ranch at Arroyo. to get
everything shipshape and In order. On
that evening we swung the pot rack
and cleared a space about the rear
end of the chuck wagon and on Sat
urday we unpacked the provisions and
laid In butter and such things as had
been overlooked.
'sOn Sunday, just to get my hand in
and have things in working order.
cooked a big dinner for $50 natives
and a couple of dozen 'rawhides' from
Denver. l hadn't done any cooking
for Ave years, and 1 was little shaky
about the Job 1 had ahead of me, but
the way those people ate and ate and
came back for more convinced me that
John and l could do the big stunt as
we'll as anybody.
ION Sunday night about $50
closed off the feeding and left nothing
| IN but the beans, which cooked over
roaring fire till II o'clock. While the
b>qns were cooking a number of old
timers gathered around the camp fire
and snapped lies and sung songs and
kept me company. 1t was fine night
and they were all sorry when II
O'Clock came and 1 took off the beans
and drove them all away. And hated
to do 1t, too, but it was late enough
and had important work ahead Of me
for the morning.
II rolled out my bedding right
alongside the camp fire and turned in
to h>y blankets little before 1 o'clock
could hear the others celebrating up
town and l wished l could be witt
them, but knew that would never dc
for ma.
"a few hours later 1 was woolinl
John Heyman TO get him awake ant
beating around with a club to = FIND
daylight In the dark. The first thing
did after making up my ire was q
put the beans back on. John and
then made twelve gallons of coffee ii
three big pots and got the Frencl
fried potatoes ready. The next thin
was to make the biscuits and put then
in the Dutch ovens ready to bake.
made eight dozen Of these and pate
them out round and smooth. It's quit
job to make good biscuits. and yol
bet l was very particular with these
wanted to have 'em just ready whe
the President came, so 1 went over t
; the depot and found out from the re-
egraph operator the exact momen
when he would arrive.
when we saw the smoke of tn
pilot train we heaped the fire on tn
tops OF the Dutch ovens. This trai
brought the Governor and Congress
man Brooks. They were too bus
getting ready to receive the Pre-:
icent to want to eat anything, an
the biscuits were not done. anyhow
When the Presidents train hove 1
sight we got pretty excited aroun
that camp fire. can tell you. l ha
picked out a big T-bone steak, th
finest one ever saw. for the Pres
dent
"As the train was slowing up noe
ded to John Heyman. my assistan
to drop. the big steak onto the he
:, surface of the oven. which was on th
rack. and heated up just right. B
this time the biscuits were done to
turn and everything was ready. l ha
heard discouraging reports to the e
\ feet that President Roosevelt woul
not be allowed time enough at Hug
for him TO get OF and eat, but knee
IL 1 could once get him in range {
that beefsteak where he could get
Whit of that steak he would have
stay and eat
"Well. have cooked many steal
g but l was certainly more proud {
I that one than of any I ever turne
out. 1t was a regular 'beaut.' an
when Teddy cut into 1t and munche
I the first mouthful and 1 saw II
tickled expression Of his face l ws
so proud-well. just had to swing n
/ hat and holler"