CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1907-04-11


in voice heard half way to the pulpit,
"if he's Christian, sab, Just leave me
branded as sinnah.
Ignorant ruffians! barren ranges!
starving cattle!'-talks as crazy as
locoed Mexican and lies like half
breed: wish had my lariat we would
rope him from the pulpit and fire him
back to the States in a cattle car;
that's what we would. say; we'll brand
him yet tonight, IL he don't swallow his
cud mighty sudden. that's what we
will. sah."
whort sat like he was frozen, his
face white. Claud, still and gloomy.
looked like a storm cloud just before
the chain lightning turns loose; Boot
Jack Bethel had lost his usual smile.
and all the while Reynolds hand was
playing queer like, round his hip
pocket in a way that made me uneasy.
II was the night our Surrup outht
lost it's best man. Not but what We
had plenty OF good men at the ranch,
but none like Dudley. Who he was
or when he was branded, we never
knew, but he was sure a queer one,
and Judging from his looks, should say
he had pedigree worth framing. He
smoked but little, drank less, and the
few times he swore it was with a
grace and eloquence that was surely
fetching. Stayed by the ranch Ike a
young heifer around her first calf.
IN mt IA
the few letters he received. from some
law firm back in New York, usually
contained checks, and handsome ones.
too. for we boys often cashed them for
him when we went to town. II he
ever had any father. mother or friends
he never mentioned them to us. But
everybody about the ranch liked him.
for he was kind as lady and fearless
as a bull terrier-and how he could
sing.
Often, on the night herd. when the
cattle got to milling. his voice would
creep out, still and soft like, in a way
that would make a nightingale hunt
the willows. Never sang our cowboy
chants. without words or meaning, but
always some swell church music or
popular opera One piece in particu-
lar he used to sing, when It seemed
like the very bronchoes wanted to get
on their knees and weep.
We were in town, waiting for our
cattle train. at the time the big revival
meetings were going on. Some tender
foot Gospel Foreman was running the
outfit and rounding up n big bunch.
We boys slid in quietly and took a
back seat. Just in time 10 hear him
shoot II into deliquent church MEM
bers: and he sure did handle them
rough. but they all sat still and took
II. like bunch of easternbred Jersey
helfers. and never offered 10 stampede.
When he ran out of bad language he
stopped moment to catch his breath.
and cast his eye over the big audience
for new victims: and he must have
sighted our outfit, for his next round
was fired direct at "rufiiians
OF the hills who herd starving cattle
over barren wastes OF hill and valley,
and profane the name OF God" was
one of the wild compliments he paid
us ! reckon he expected us 10 take
It all just as the common herd had, but
he missed his throw that time, sure,
and II looked for time as II the whole
Strrup outfit was going to speak in
meeting at once and give testimony the
Gospel Guy hadn't counted on; but
Dudley leaned forward In his seat,
shaking his finger at us like We were
bunch of kindergarten kids Keep
cool. boys" he whispered; for Gods
sale hold in Just little longer. give
the damnable outlaw all the rope he
wants: when he has taken all the slack
we win pull together and rope him to
the snubbing post so tight he can't
move hoof When he finishes this
TRADE he will ask us all to come for
ward and be saved. then we @Ill all
go, all OF us, mind you; just follow