The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-05-16
Kentucky Ned.
IorlglnaLl

W Ucu 1 WcnI OUT WEST 10 SIenu u
summer on my fathers ranch ] was
at an uge to regret that | should miss
the attentions Of the young men of the
social world to which | belonged.
was told that | would meet no men
except cowboys. whom knew to he n
wild. disslpated. shooting aud general
ly disreputabe set. In truth, did not
wish to go, but | 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 eXlIilnrntiOn
from the life that | had not expect
ed. Every morning after breakfast
mounted horse that had been provid.
cd for me and, with father for an at.
tcndant, gallopcd 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 he 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 he under the protec.
tion of the cowboys. But ! 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 good
Kentucky family He had had nn en-
counter with some one In that state
and had left 1t between midnight and
morning. He had driven. stage. served
as n 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 apprised him of the
fact. Then father wanted to know
how found 1t ont.
There was more that father would
have liked to know. Kentucky Ned
had fallen heels over head In love with
mo or hn hn hn ln \
was too far beyond his reach. Nor did
| offer him the least encouragement
He simply saw and was conquered
without word or a look from me.
How did know this? 1t was MS plain
to me as the sun in heaven.
The day came when ! 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 | 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 blurf. Now. had learned
enough about cattle TO know that when
herd gets going 1t cant stop. Those
in the rear keep crowdlng those ahead,
and 1t doesn't matter If the advance
ones come to preclpice high as Mag.
ara-they will be forced over None
can stop unless 1t be those In the rear
We saw 500 or GOO cattle going like
mad for the bluff, and 1t did not seem
that any of them would be left alive.
Then we saw cowboy-I recognized
him for Kentucky Ned, though father
didn't-spur his mustang from beside
the herd, make q 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, relned 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 n cigarette on the
| pommel of his saddle, lighted 1t and
puffed as coolly as II he were IN per
| feet safety.
Father and | watched him so terror
| stricken that we couldn't either of us
| speak. Suddenly ! saw the cattle ID
the lead try to stop. They were forced
| on, however. but when those directly
! I'm their rear came TO the place where
the first had reduced their pace they
tried 10 stop too Pretty soon most ol
the cattle had succeeded In stopping
and were all licking the grass Ther
those which had been pushed In the
advance stopped. turned and Wen
| back. The herd was saved.
That night father sent for Kentucky
Ned to thank him for saving thousands
Of dollars in cattle. Father asked hin
how he did 1t, what made the hero
turn. "Oh. that was simple" said th,
cowboy. "a bag of salt had been sen
out for the cattle When ! saw then
heading for the blur rode across
their front with the bag and scattered
the salt before them. Every one o
them shifted 1t and was bound to stoI
for It,"
thanked Kentucky Ned, too. ant
when did so gave him my hand.
II II