The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1908-01-23
'CIOV0F Leaf" J0hlSOl'S
Grizzly,
BY HERBERT COOLIDGE

One Of the minor "cattle kings" Of
california bears the title Of Glover
leaf" Johnson The neat mark OF his
brand. the conventionalized clover
LEAF ia indelibIy scared on the tanks
Of two thousand cattle that range over
he mountains and deserts Of three
large counties.
Il Is nv good fortune to have met
Johnson and to have heard from MIN
the following story of the days when
the clover-leaf brand was young;
aThe proudest hour of my life was
when sat on horseshoe keg and
watched blacksmith as, with deft
manipulation OF FIRE and hammer and
anvil, he fashioned the original clover
leaf brand. told the smith to spare
neither time nor expense in its maxi
ing and the figure came out with thin,
even edges, and as true as a die IN
outline. Then, by indIscernible weld
ing, 1t was made the end OF a three
foot rod, the other extremity OF which
was bent to form a handhold. The
finished product was suited for long,
hard service, and, what is also OF Inn
portance, was one that would brand
cattle without mutilation and with a
minimum Of burning.
'The next day started for the high
mountains with five hundred cattle,
which was running on shares. Every
fourth calf was to be my own, and be-
fore the season was over number OF
the small fry were wearing the clover
leaf.
Duplicating the graceful imprint OF
my iron gave me such pleasurable
thrills that in the long waits between
calves, sometimes fell to decorating
the llghtning-scarred trees and fallen
logs about my camp,
"The other cow-men called my at
tention to this weakness by roughshod
and well-taken jests, and have ever
since called me Glover Leaf johnson.
AS this name was also given to dis
tinguish me from my nearest neigh
Dor whom they called Cattle THIEF
Johnson, did not in the least object
to the title.
Some Of my jocular friends de-
Clared l put several brands on each
calf, although this / denied emphati-
cally, Before returning to the foot
hills that fall, however. did go to
just such an extreme Of art for arts
sake under conditions that were
somewhat unusual.
The cattle was running were al
lowed to roam at will over the noun
tains and my principal business, after
getting them haunted, was TO keep
the salt-liclrs filled and to look out for
animals that were sick or crippled.
Late one evening found a COW and a.
steer that seemed to have been torn
by some wild animal, and with the in
tenton of treating their wounds the
next day, ! ran them into a corral
mat had been built near the huge lone
oak under which I camped.
Before dawn the following morn
ing was busy cooking breakfast
when a pitiful hawling arose from the
corral. Thinking that one Of the COW
brutes was goring the other, seized
my Granddaughter, which happened TO
DC thesonly weapon near at hand, and
rushed to the rescue.
I could not sec what was happen-
q ing inside the enclosure. as the stock
ACE was OF logs piled hve feet high;
but without hesitation I vauited, clear
ing the top log neatiy-under the cir
eumstances far too neatly, for as my
less swung downward | caught sight
Of the unofending steer covering In
me farther corner. and not fifteen feet
nom the spot where must alight tho
COW lay PROSTATE and bleeding, with
Dig grizzly walking round her
Ordinarily ! am not scatterwit,
ou' on this occasion I certainly att
tempted backward leap from foun-
oA'on Of light mountain air, and in
eonsequehce landed aat on my back,
Ni.n arms and legs sprawling.
My plight demanded action swift
eno strong, for the moment ! hit the
s10nnd The grizzly made for me with
wy such an up-and-oyer hop as a
sp'uer executes when jumping q ~.
'.1' how j eyaded his charge / could