Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-12-08
#istellaaeuus 8eadiag.
COWBOY HAD DARING.
Received the Fire Of the Enemy and
Then Went Into Action.

| received eho FlTo OF Suo 6uSWy auo
Thsn Went Into Action.
Texas cowboy days have always pos
sessed a charm for both old and young,
Their fascination will go down the
years, and possibly be part Of the
great future literature. The pen that
can vitalize them and make them throb
with all the humor and pathos or traS-
edy that belongs to them has never
been touched. Both their beauty and
grossness have been given to the world
through sketches and pictures. They
have been written about again and
again, but the compositions have been
ephemeral. The book that interested
yesterday was forgotten the day after
for one equally short-lived. Bret Harte
colonized the wild and woody west In
the brain Of every man that reads.
The mind that will do the same for the
cowboy days of the Lone Star State Is
lacking 80 Tar.
Mr.. Albert P. Spalding Of Finlay,
Dicks & Co., tells thrilling and inter-
esting story Of Texas cowboy life. He
lived with the cowboys, men who could
throw the lariat from running horse
over the horns Of fleeting steer, or
take x-shooter and hit half dollar
tossed in the air.
1.-The story I am about to relate II
more forcibly impressed upon my menu
ory than anything connected with my
life,". Mr.. Spalding said to Picayune
reporter, land have no doubt but that
you and everyone will agree with me
when you have heard 1t. For down.
right nerve and unfinching courage 1t
cannot be surpassed by. the hero OF q
cheap melodrama.
ITO make 1t plain, we had better
start at the beginning. In 1879, at
Kimball, Tex, farmer named Lacy
Robinson, had difficulty with three
cowboys about horses. The settlement
stipulated by the cowboys did not suit
Robinson. A warm discussion followed
without any agreement having been
reached. After making some remark
to himself Robinson walked away. A
short while afterward he returned with
three of his brothers and three friends.
One of them was a minister. It is said
he came for peace, though he and his
whole party were heavily armed.
I'm company with several others
was standing on the side Of the Brazos
river from which Robinson and his
brothers and friends had just left to
cross over to the opposite bank. Rob-
inson did not have to look far to find
the cowboys. AS fate would have It
they were waiting to take the same
ferry that had brought him and bis
party over. T. a@
Zone Of the cowboys lay on the grass,
with his horse grazing within reach.
The other two stood leaning against
their ponies.
There was g. picturesQueness about
this that I shall never forget and the
scenes which followed impressed all OF
the participants on my mind as actors
in fearful tragedy. It would be hard
for a romancer to arrange an unreality
like the actual occurrence am speak
ing of. 1t possessed every feature OF
play ON the stage. The dialogue
and action Of dramatic art were not
missing. Even the scenery was there
It was just a short while before q sum-
mer twilight, and the wide, prairie
seemed to roll away to kiss the sun
good might. The fading light touched
everything within sight with loveliness.
I'VE could see Robinson and his
crowd as they left the ferry and walked
to where the cowboys were. Some
words ensued. but not many, for IN the
twinkling OF an eye the smoke reports
of a carbine and eight six-shooters
were on the air. Every bullet was sent
at living object.
1.-The cowboy who lay on the grass
never started once during all the firing.
He sat absolutely unmoved, as notion
less as stone. This was daring such as
IL have never even heard Of. He must
have heard the lead sizzing past him.
for the horse that grased at his feet
was shot to death.
1.-THE animal was the only member
of the cowboy party that was hurt,
while but one farmer, Lacy Robinson.
was left. He had discharged every
chamber in his pistol. The cowboys
had also emptied their revolvers. This
seemed to end the bloody duel. Robin
son hurried away, leaving his dead and
dying comrades on the ground. Jump
ing into the ferry Zone Of those draw
ferries) he began to pull himself to the
opposite bank.
Slowly and without sign Of excite
ment the cowboy whose horse had been
killed, arose from the ground. Going
to where a dead farmer lay, one VINO
had been killed before he could use
his revolver, which was still grasped
in his hand, he picked up the pistol.
After examining the gun closely, ne
walked to the bank Of the stream.
Robinson had pulled himself about
twenty-five yards Of the width Of it by
this time. With untrembling hand the
cowboy began to fire at the fleeing far
mer. There were six bullets in the pis-
tol, and each one took effect. We
could see Robinson jump as they struck
him. He WINGED every time, but pulled
the ferry until he fell. AS coolly as
If nothing had happened, the cowboy
turned away and placed the pistol In
the hand Of the dead farmer to whom
it had belonged.
1.-The ferry not only took over the