New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1908-05-27
Kentucky Ned.
lOriginal.l

When l went out west to spend a |
summer on my fathers ranch was
at an age to regret that / should miss
the attentions of the young men Of the
social world to which I belonged.
was told that would meet no men
except cowboys, whom knew to be
wild, dissipated, shooting and general
" disreputable set. In truth. did not
wish to go, but l was not in good
health, and the doctor recommended
the open air of ranch life.
When got on the ranch found the
surroundings pretty much as had ex-
pected. However, / got exhilara ton
from the life that l had not expect
ed. Every morning after breakfast l
mounted horse that had been provid-
ed for me and, with father for an at
tendant, galloped over our broad acres
till noon. Then lunched and rested
till near dinner time, after which meal
was not long in seeking my couch.
The consequence of this mode of life
was remarkably beneficial, and ! gain
ed strength every day.
The cowboys were not so uninterest-
ing after all. Nothing could be more
different from the ways of the beaux,
to whom had been accustomed, and
could not but feel. Notwithstanding the
courtliness of the one compared with
the abashed manners of the other when
in my presence, that there was some
thing wanting in the first that found
in abundance in the second. For in
stance, in presence of danger would
infinitely rather be under the protec-
! ton of the cowboys But l did not feel
any interest in them.
There was one exception. He was
called Kentucky Ned. Stray bits of
gossip concerning him came to my ears.
He was sort of black sheep in a good
Kentucky family. He had had an en-
counter with some one in that state
and had left it between midnight and
morning. He had driven stage, served
as a private in the United States army
and herded sheep. Father had taken
him into his employ without knowing
anything more of his antecedents than
any Of his other cattle tenders and
didn't know the Kentuckian was gen.
tleman born till appraised him of the
fact Then father wanted to know
| how found it out.
There was more that father would
have liked to know. Kentucky Ned
had fallen heels over head in love with
me. Not that he said so; he knew
was too far beyond his reach. Nor did
/ offer him the least encouragement.
BE simply saw and was conquered
without a word or look from me.
How did know this? 1t was as plain
to me as the sun in heaven.
The day came when l in turn was
conquered. and by Kentucky Ned. not
by word, but by an act. Nor was the
act of especial benefit to me, nor did
he know that he was influencing me.
Indeed. he did not know that saw the
act which won me. .
Father and I were out on one of our
morning rides. From an eminence we
were looking at herd of cattle Some
thing had frightened them, and they
were running with their tails in the air
toward a bluff. Now, I had learned
enough about cattle to know that when
herd gets going it can't STOP Those
in the rear keep crowding those ahead,
and it doesn't matter if the advance
ones come to precipice high as Mag
ara-they will be forced over. None
can stop unless it be those in the rear.
We saw 500 or 600 cattle going like
mad for the bluff, and it did not seem
that any of them would be left alive.
Then we saw a cowboy-I recognized
him for Kentucky Ned, though father
didn't-spur his mustang from beside
the herd, make a detour and ride right
between the leaders and the bluff, cut
ting their course at right angles. Then
he cantered leisurely along the edge Of
the bluff, refined in and looked around
at the immense herd coming right to-
ward him. There seemed not one
chance in thousand for him to escape
being pushed off the edge and buried
under tons of flesh. And what did he
do? Why, he rolled cigarette on the
pommel of his saddle, lighted it and
puffed as coolly as if he We're in per-
feet safety.
Father and I watched him so terror
stricken that we couldn't either of us
speak. Suddenly l saw the cattle in
the lead try to stop. They were forced
on, however, but when those directly
in their rear came to the place where
the first had reduced their pace they
tried to stop too Pretty soon most Of
the cattle had succeeded in stopping
and were all licking the grass. Then
those which had been pushed in the
advance stopped, turned and went
back. The herd was saved.
That night father sent for Kentucky
Ned to thank him for saving thousands
of dollars in cattle. Father asked him
how he did it, what made the herd
turn. "Oh. that was SIMPLE" said the
cowboy. "a bag of salt had been sent
out for the cattle. When I saw them
heading for the bluff l rode across