The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1903-09-25

$sE$Sy the heartiest Of tones made
me see that my cousin was a favoritt
with the men grouped about the door
Jack simply nodded in return, anC
then presented me in due form. "My
tenderfoot cousin from the effete," he
said, with a flourish. l was surprised
at the grace Of the bows made me by
these roughly dressed, wild looking fell
lows. l might have been in a London
drawing room. l was put at my ease
at once by the kindness of their greet
ing, for, upon Jacks introduction, |
was admitted at once into their circle,
which to a tenderfoot was usually
closed.
What hardy looking lot they were!
Brown, spare, sinewy and hard as
nails, they appeared like soldiers back
from hard campaign: They moved
and spoke with an easy, careless air
of almost lazy Indifference, but their
eyes had trick of looking straight at
you, cool and fearless, and you felt
they were fit and ready.
That night l was initiated into the
Company of the Noble Seven-but of
the ceremony l regret to say 1 retain
but an indistinct memory; for they
drank as they rode, hard and long,
and it was only Jacks care that got
me safely home that night.
The Company of the Noble Seven
was the dominant social force in the
Swan Creek country. Indeed, it was
the only social force Swan Greek
knew. Originally consisting of seven
young fellows of the best blood of
Britain, banded together for purposes
of mutual Improvement and social en-
joyment" it Lad changed its character
during the years, but not its name.
First, its membership was extended to
include approved colonials," such as
Jack Dale and "others of kindred spir-
it," under which head, l suppose, the
two cowboys from the Ashley ranch,
Hi Kendall and Bronco Bill--no one
knew and no one asked his other
name-were admitted. Then its pur-
poses gradually limited themselves to
those of social nature, chiefly in the
line of poker playing and whisky
drinking Well born and delicately
bred in that atmosphere of culture
mingled with sturdy common sense
and a certain high chivalry which sur
rounds the stately homes of Britain,
these young lads, freed from the re-
straints of custom and surrounding,
soon shed all that was superficial in
their make up and stood forth in the
naked simplicity of their native man
hood. The west discovered and re-
vealed the man in them, sometimes to
their honor, often to their shame.
The chief of the Company was the
Hon. Fred Ashley of the Ashley ranch,
some time of Ashley Court, England-a
big good natured man with a magnifi-
cent physique, good income from
home and a beautiful wife, the Lady |
Charlotte, daughter of noble English |
family. At the Ashley ranch the tradi- |
tons of Ashley Court were preserved as |
far as possible. The Hon. Fred APP
peared at the wolf hunts in riding
breeches and top boots, with hunting
crop and English saddle, while in all
the appointments of the, house the GUS
toms of the English home were OBJ
served. 1t was characteristic, however,
Of western life that his two cowboys,
Hi Kendall and Bronco Bill, felt them
selves quite his social equals though in
the presence of his beautiful, stately
wife they confessed that they rather
Ashley was a thoroughly