The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-08

sun perch as big as mans hand are plcnti-
full.
A ranch on Corral Creek was headquarters
not long ago for party of tenderfoot
hunters A bowling hurricane had swept
from the north all day, and a sizzling hot
supper was found at the end Of the journey
to the ranch. A dozen cowboys sat at the
table and showed the strangers how much
strong men could eat
The angel of the ranch was Walker the
cook. He had mountains of fried spare
ribs. homemade saus3ges and sour dough
biscuits and more could be heard cooking
in the kitchen. His black coffee vas Won
derful stlmulant
Walker wore high crowned, broad
brimmed hat. high heeed boots, with bis
trousers inside. and cartwheei spurs that
ratified and iingled like a wagon train on
a rough trail when he moved across the
floor. 1t was Walkers duty TO cook all
tho grub a man could eat. and he did his
work like professional.
There is legend that every genuine cow
boy smokes cigarettes, or in some way
il a slave to the tobacco habit OF the out
III on Corral Creek only two pleaded guilty
10 this indulgence, and their dissipation
took the form of chewing plug
Unless thrown by their horses falling In
a gopher hole or struck 10y lightning such
men as those who lived on Corral Greek
ought reasonably to live till knocked in
food and breathe air that would make
stray mcrobe die Of lonesomeness-
At about 7f5 P. NJ the group in front Of
the fireplace began yawning, ana fifteen min
utes later they hit the trail for bed At
"A NJ they bounced to the floor and STAN
peded for the dining room Walker
spurs had been iinging for an hour The
first streak Of dawn found them in the sad
die, miles away The story il told OF COW
boy at this ranch who when asked bv
stranger for a description OF the ranch house
replied:
How in thunder should | know I've
worked there seven years, but never saw
the place in daylight
The sun had not peeped above the horizon
when the chicken hunters we're crouched
in big KAN corn ie Id, fanked on the west
by long sandy ridges brown with grass.
A faint metallic click click. was a warning
that preceded the coming OF something
that made every mans muscles harden
when they appeared moving swiftly upon
stifily distended wings along the line ol
a half strung box. PraT1 chickens.
Bang bang, bang and the 70 Nj field grew
sweet with the odor Of nitro p 1wder
The MIXTURE express trains that faded
into mere specks and disappeared beyond
the ridges were, unhapplly Inc -eli-ame
chickens And they took every epeckled
feather with th"m.
The owner Of the ranch. who knew how
TO shoot prairie chicken and had withheld
his fire IN compliment to Ills guests chuckled
quietly and said with an arch look
Well boys. don't swear about u; there "
he more The main thing in killing chickens
il TO p int your gun at en-,
The ranchman was good prophet
Other chickens came, one. two, three and
a dozen at n time, caCkling in Clee The
ranchman brought down big, lusty chicken
with a thud that went 10 the very marrow
Of the endefoot's bones. The delight of
Al. a al.
that the ranchman was the only man that
fired a gun.
And another thing you must remember
he said quietly is, 10 shoot when the
chickens are in sight
Better luck came later. and tho chicken
family decreased in numbers. BY O'Clock
the chickens had gone 20 the sandy ridges
for the day. to remain there ul shortly
before nightfall when they returned for
supper They are less wary at evening,
and will fy from place 20 p.ac7 ~ the fields
when shot at. ard II properly stationed.
hunters can get several shots IL the saine
covey of birds
A we'll ira ned dog is necessary in hunting
chickens successfully after they nave left
the fields TIE ranchmaa aiIne 70 have
the best all round setter in the country
as he would do anything from setting
chickens TO tackling n loafer wolf.
The dog proved his mettle before the day
Ind closed Far out on the range herd
Of cattle were grazing near small stream.
The setter was about three hundred yards
ahead and was nosing around the carcass
OF dead steer when suddenly big wolf
sprang up before him,
The two closed in a battle It could he
seen that the wolf was caught by one foot
IN big steel trap. but this did not shake
his courage The wolf made tho dog yelp
with pain. but the fight continued furi-
ously.
The hunters rode hurriedly in the hope
Of getting a shot at the wolf, but he shook
himself loose from the trap. Once free, he
fingered about five seconds to show the