The Washington times., 1903-02-22

bauchery. Not that all cowboys are
dissipated outcasts, as some picture
them Most Of them are honest, manly
fellows. but their holidays are devoid
of any refining influences. and whisky is
too free
Oakey's ranch is on Dry Greek. You
leave the main travelled road at Dry
Creek stage station and go northwest
erly about forty miles to the ranch
houNes. The nearest postofices are
Ervays and Rongis. The former is
named after it's genial proprietor, who IL
the recorder Of this mining district
CcaIlcd the RattIesnake district. The
latter was christened by inverting the
letters Of Mister Signor's" name. Sig
nor was a splendid fellow, everyone said.
but had had "a little bad luck" He had
foolishly killed man or two, and it had
cost a good deal to clear him. Ervay.
too. was popular He might have had
trouble in Texas before he came out
here, but no one knew as to that. and no
one cared. He was an honest. manly.
straightforward fellow. and just the kind
Of man for Wyoming.
Signor's were the most frequented
shear-pens of central Wyoming. They
we're very we'll arranged and stoutly
built The Sweetwater poured its truly
/ sweet water past one corner. and fur
nished splendid washing for the clip.
! All the stages stopped here; and freight
wagons over the Casper trail or the
/ RawIins road were plentiful. 1t was on
/ the main travelled road to Landers; and
since the oil excitement Landers was the
most hourishing city" of undeveloped
! Wyoming.
/ Oakley usually sheared at Rongis. For
two years Two by Four had fastened it
self to him as his slight frame became
hardened into angular bone and muscle.
His resemblance to the slender scant-
/ lings from which his title came would
net have been very marked in the eyes
Of a tenderfoot. but 1t was as complete
TO a cowboy as were the appropriate
names Of Mutton "Slapjack." Billy
! Brag." or Hips" severalIy bestowed
! upon some Of his colleagues.
! Two by Four was we'll known at Ron
/ gis. He II was who brought Ervay into
camp when that worthys leg was broken
by his broncho stepping into a badger
hole There was TO surgeon nearer than
Rawlins. and that meant weeks delay.
| So Two by Four had set the broken limb
spIintered # with barrel slaves, and
left him for the crippled boy who did
the chores at SignOr's to nurse back TO
health and strength and a shortened
limb.
It was Two by Four who received so
many letters from some girl in Boston;
and who wrote one letter every time he
came TO Signors. and always a--te-s-'
| il to Dolly Sayward" After writing
his letter Two by Four usually got
-"paralyzed." they called it at
Rongis.
It was Two by Four who drew the
rope about Bill Averill's neck. and boss
| ed the boys who hanged that rustleI
TO his cabin roof; and It was Two by
Four who had 10 be overpowered TO pre-
vent his interfering with the hanging o
"AveriITs woman" who was always
voted the biggest thieT on the range.
1t was Two by Four who nearly kill
ed the wool buyer for HOtaling & Bar
rymore. Just because he came from Bos
ton. where Two by Fours girl lived
and had said that "old man Hotalint
was crank"
Two By Four was always cranky abou
Boston. any way. Some said that their
was an unexplained murder in Boston
about which Two by -Four knew to-
much But It was too impolite, and IA
too impOIitic. 10 mention this to Twt
by Four himself
He was a rum chap" was Two b,
Four. in the eyes OF the round up Kind
hearted as a girl when sober; he hau
been seen 10 bind up the broken leg o
a jack rabbit He could quote poetry
too; and had sung song about Angel
Of Jesus" in SignOrs lodge room on
night. iii you could hear angels all owe
the room. He could get a preacher
} streak on him. at times. till he was alb
soIuteIy unbeatable But when he wa
full OF booze he was tough He go
down on his luck and began to gamble
and he never won. He always wen
broke, threatened 20 Kill himself. go
more and more besotted. was hnaIl
helped to mount his bronco. and rod