The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-07-25
THE PRIDE OF A PRAIRIE GIRL.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
nv MARY x. MAvLE.

a smothering cloud Of dust.
Riding beside the "bunch," on
wiry little buckskin cow-pony, gal
loped girl of fifteen, in a short
cloth skirt, high leather shoes, and
q loose flannel blouse. Her short,
wavy brown hair blew loose and free
beneath the shadow of a broad
brimmed felt hat.
She sang as she rode in and out
along the wavering, snorting line,
cracking her long whip and shouting,
Hi! Hoy! Whoop-la!" as she
drove straying steer or wandering
calf back into the ranks.
Before the cattle, and upon the
other side, rode cowboy in his wide
sombrero and leather Chaps and
behind the bunch a woman rode
slowly, her tall, straight figure Sc
verely outlined by black dress, and
her face shaded by a broad-leafed
Mexican straw hat.
1t was past noon, sultry and still,
and the cattle plodded quietly along
the road with dropping heads.
Ride up a little, Billy" called
the girl, in high, clear voice, "and
let's get out of this dustl They'll go
quietly enough now, and mother is
behind to drive"
Touching her pony with the quirt,
she galloped on to the head of the
column, and fell in beside the cow
boy, who, with one leg over the horn
OF his saddle and his hat on his knee,
was pacing along before the herd,
singing Justify.
Hot, isn't 1t, Billy?"
You bet 1t is! I'll be glad when
we git to some shade; and" looking
back at the animals that plodded
wearily behind him, them pore crit
ters will. too. They amt had no
water sence yist'day, and l reckon
them steers is plumb dry"
II reckon they are, poor things.
1t seems kind O. cruel to drive 'em
on day like this, but this bunch had
to be got back to the ranch. 1t
won't be long now before we get to
the river. There's the bluffs over
yonder."
They both gazed ahead to where a
high bluff loomed up before them, Its
red sides broken with outcropping
rocks, and variegated with green
patches of weeds and clumps OF stunt
ed timber.
AS they approached 1t, the level
prairie road wound close in along the
edge of the bluff, while the land at
the other side of the road gradually
dwindled away until there was only
the width of narrow wagon road
between the high walls that rose up
above their heads and the steep bank
that fell sharply away into the river
twenty feet below.
The shade thrown by the high bank
was grateful after the ride along the
broilfng road, and the cattle threw
up their heads and sniffed noisily,
while the cow-ponies fell In side by
side, and the girl lifted her hat from
her damp hair with blissful sigh.
isn't 1t cool and lovely here?"
she murmured. gazing up at the steep
blum and out over the shining river.
Il wish this trail went all the way
home"
The cowboy. who had been looking
back over his shoulder uneasiIy,
turned In his saddle, and said,
bluntly:
Well, don't. Not by jugful."
why not? Don't you think this
is a pretty road?"
Hmm, wal. it's pretty enough, l
guess, but 1t amt any good to drive
bunch Of thirsty cattle over, I'll tell
you that"
Both riders turned in their saddles
and looked back.
on, they're all right, Billy" said
tne girl, easily. "See, they're coming
along as peaceably as can be-"
Behind them the cattle ambIed
along quietly. and through the stiII
suitry air the voice of the woman
came to them in the soothing, Groom
ing, long-drawn "Yo-hee, yo-hee. yo-
o-ho-heel" which the cattle love.
Billy 1erked his thumb over his
shoulder
Yer mother knows what the dan
ger Is" he said. quietly. .'Harken
at nerf She's a-singing to 'em back
there for to keep 'em quiet an
steady" a.
The girl turned her head. and a
soft brightness shone in her widn
frank gray eyes. "Yes, she knows
mother does" she said, softly. "sbe
knows most everything. poor
mother!"
The cowboy glanced at the sun
Drowned face and wistful eyes. and
hastily changed the subject.
You shore can ride some. Miss
Jess,' he said, irrelevantly. ~ seen
you yist'day over to the round-un
How come a leetle gal like YOU to
know so much about ridin' an cattle
an sich like?"
Mother taught me-" answered tbe
girl, simply. When -after-fathe,
died there wasn't any man or bo,
ABOUT the ranch to do things for us
ana so mother and had to do ali tbs
work ourselves. learned to ride
tnen' SOS to be mothers boy"
Ihe cowboy looked at her dumblv
wniie a gentle light dawned In hi.
hard. keen eyes, and slight iiuaf
crept up through the brown Of hi,
lean cheeks.
Well, mothers got a first-rat,
KIND OF boy. all right" he said
presently: and then. as II fearine tha
he had alraod,y a.t1 49,. - ~----