The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1907-01-03


posed, saying: Get on the roam, hustle
back to the wagon, and tell Tom Afford
the foreman-that Billy Harris is in
charge here. That'll settle the NATTER /,
"Before darkness had cast itself over
the horizon twenty-four punchers, in
the other additions to round
cattle and ponies-were
on the opposite side of the Big Knife
River, a stones throw from the shack.
You know what the Big Knife is like
during the dry season. Just peace
full, law-abiding creek, which may be
crossed most any where. Near the
shack was ford; that evening the boys
whom | knew came over and we sat
talking about past times. Finally
Afford wants me to join the push.
Sirs, came near cutting out and eav-
in Dawes dOgies to shift for them
selves. just couldn't resist the temp
tation, and l said to Tom: Il know
it'll be treatin' Dave small, but he'll
be here in a day Or two and I'll quit
and join you at the Forks We were
still talking when the door opened and
in came Dave and Slim Burrows.
Not Senator Burrows?' inquired 3
Adams.
Exactly! Dave had brought Slim
out to keep me company, and later to
help drive the herd to the home ranch.
There's where the Senator got his start.
l soon convinced Dave that my sum-
mer herdin' was done as / intended,
now, to join the M. L. outfit. Dave
Was some mad, but characteristic Of
human nature, SO let him rage.
"That night it began to rain. It
rained so hard that the M. L. boys de-
eided to remain. in. camp the following
day. Well, sirs, it kept raining for
two days and nights. The banks of
the river were OverfoWed and water
was everywhere. We couldn't do moth
in but remain there for a few days.
Sunday came around and Slim thrOwed
stone across the river, to it there was
a note fastened, inviting the boys to
partake of the MONDAY meal with
Dave and Slim. Well. ten or twelve of
as were standing there looking at the
Big Knife rage and foam. Some of US
had passed up and down the old Texas
trail, swum Platte, Colorado, and other
rivers along the way, drivin' thousands
of dogies before us, and we knew what
it meant to try to cross the foaming
river. Dave had ought'er known bet
tern to toss such challenge to lot
of reckless young fellers, but do what
we would six or seven declared their
intention to take dinner with Dave.
"While they were gone to get ponies
. said to Afford: Tom, don't want
to perform the functions of a preacher.
. or pallbearer, so you had better stop
: those kids. They can't get horse
: thru that river
I "Com looked at me, smiled, and said:
+ Billy, there was day some ten years
q ago when l begged and pleaded with
q you-trying to get you not to try
swimming horse thru the North
- Platte when it was on similar ram
: page. You said that the reason you
left chicken-hearted community was
!. because you wanted to do just as you
= pleased; and that you didn't want no
:, human bein' to tell you what to do. or
what not to do. We let you ramble,
= gettin' ropes ready to pull you out in
: case it was necessary. If we hadn't
- done so where'd you be now? All we
= can do is to have ropes ready to pull
: : them out if they 60 down.
!. "Well, we got six or seven lariats
= = and waited. Pretty soon those young
:. = fellers came gallopin' their ponies
= straight into the jaws of death
Jimmy was ahead of the rest, mounted
80 on the roam. He rode as lightly as ,
~ feather. He was singing an old song
w. which went something like this:
9, ."I've viewed the prairies where many wer
ofl I've crossed the Rockies where many brav
!. man fell, g
H. I've romed the great Southwest where tn
u Apaches dwell,
,c- And now I'll swim the foaming waves or rot
to "The roam spurred on, plunged int
ur the seething waters and was carries
de down the stream as chip would hay
ire been. The other riders checked thei
steeda to watch Jimmy. We on foo
er-' Continued on page three.)
"a