The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-05-02
PROLONGED HIS TRIP.
BE Went for Two Days and Was
Gone Six Weeks.

'@
Gone Six Weeks.
Il have had many funny expert
ences in my life" said a well known
Washington correspondent who has
travelled all over this continent and
all the Others, to a Washington Star
reporter, but the reading of an item
an a paper here about some cowboys
brings back one that l can never for
get. l was not a newspaper man at
that time, but was a good telegraph
operator. l was in the employ Of the
Santa Fe road as an extra man.
Whenever an operator at any distant
point grew sick, or had to go away, 1
was among the men sent to take his
place. At the time 1 speak of Dodge
City, Kan, was nothing but a cattle
town; a place where the cattlemen
took cattle to load for the Chicago
and Kansas City markets.
zone day in Kansas City l re-
ceived orders to go and relieve a man
at Dodge City. l was something Of
a dresser in those days, and although
4 knew the dislike of the cowboys for
Too much swell attire, l wore a fine
silk hat on the train. There we're a
number Of cowboys aboard on their
way to Dodge City. l noticed that
they did not take kindly to that hat,
and in a short time they began to
make remarks about it. Then one
of them took it off my head and asked
that he might inspect it. They
passed it from one to another, and
when we were down near Dodge City
they told me that such a hat was not
a proper thing for a young and good
looking man. They accordingly
placed it in a window Of the car and
shot it full of holes.
81 didn't bother about that or care
much, and this seemed to please
them. Come with u.s. they said
when We got off the train at Dodge
City, and so they took me to a store
and bought me the finest regulation
western hat they could find in the
store. we are going down in the
country for a few miles, they told
me, and would like to have you 20
with us l told them l would see
about that. l reported my arrival to
the station agent, who told me that
L would not be wanted until Sunday
morning. 1t was then Friday. l
thought that if the cowboys were just
going for a short run into the cattle
country, as they had intimated, l
would go along with them. We set
out and had lots of fun. When Sat-
urday afternoon came around l be-
gan to get uneasy, and asked them
when they were going to start back.
They told me not to be worried, as
they would take me back all right. l
didn't know where l was and sol had
to 60 with them. When Sunday
passed | began to realize that l was a
sort of captive with them and that
they had played a trick on me. So
i stayed with them then just to see
the result. l had no fear because
they were a fine lot Of fellows. and
had just concluded that they were
having fun with me by getting me off
shat way. The upshot was that they
kept me with them for six weeks,
tlaying gone into Texas for a round
up Of cattle to be brought to Dodge
City for shipment. When / got back
70 Dodge City l was SO ashamed Of
the exploit that l didn't know what
to do. l told the station agent, but
NE wouldn't believe me, and told me
4 was not wanted on the road any
more. went to Kansas City and ex-
planned the situation to the general
manager, who was mighty mad at
6rst, but finally began to see the
Joke that had been played and Joined
in the laugh on me-"
A cTTpTOUs cnNTpovrpcv