Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-02-19
CHAPTER v.

uOWSE1, JOSlc, I'LL VIC ~ ACS yVu "CCP
all you please"
Two weeks notice. however, gave
scant time for preparation for the i'm
portant ceremony that Mrs. Allen
deemed necessary. During this Pc
Rod the busiest spot in Arizona was
the kitchen Of Allen Hacienda. An
immense cake. big as cheese, was
the browning effort Of Josephine. who
wept copiously ut the thought of los
ing her daughter as she measured and
mixed the ingredients A layer of
frosting an inch in thickness incrusted
this masterpiece Of the art Of pastry
making. Topping the creation were
manikins Of bride and bridegroom.
This climax Of the bridal cake had
been brought up by wagon from Tue
son with more caution than If 1t
were months cleanup Of paying
mine. Mrs. Allen permitted no one to
go near the artistic achievement. 9th
ers might look Mt 1t from afar, but at
the slightest movement to get close to
It she would push the observer back
with the warning: keep yer dirty
fingers of o. it. "Tain't common icin';
that's confectionery"
Enough chickens to feed darky
camp meeting were killed for the feast.
Fried. roasted, cold or minced as ia
males. the dishes filled ovens and ta-
bles and overlooked into the spring
house. Favorite recipes carried across
the plains by the wives Of the argo-
nauts met in rivalry with the dishes
OF the cooks Of old Mexico.
Colonel Allen wandered aimlessly
about the ranch while the prepare
lions for the feast were In progress.
The women folk drove him from one
favorite loaflng place to another. His
advice WIS scorned and his wishes
made subject for jests.
Defantly he had taken full charge
Of the liquid refreshments. A friend
IL barkeeper In Tucson. acting under
his orders, had shipped to him cases
Of champagne, barrel Of beer and a
siphon of seltzer Why the settler he
never could explain. Later the I'M
lucky bottle marred the supper and
nearly caused tragedy. A guest
picked 1t up and peered into the metal
tube to see how 1.-The burned thing"
worked.
As. he gazed and pondered. shaking
the bottle In his effort to solve the
mystery. he pressed the handle. The
stream struck him fairly between the
eyes. Shocked. surprised and half
blinded, he pulled his gun and declared
immediate war on the "sheep herder
who had put up the Job on him." AL
lens other supplies were OF the kind
taken, straight in the southwest and
downed with hasty gulp.
Driven from the house on the day Of
the wedding, Allen took refuge on the
doated dreamily on the sun drenched
air the music of guitars and mandolins
played by Mexicans. practicing for the
dance which would follow the cere-
liony.
The colonel dozed and dreamed.
Suddenly the peace of the afternoon
was shattered by the wild "yipyips" OF
a band Of cowboys riding up the trail
Revolver shots punctuated their shril
cries.
Allen bounded from his chair, shak
ing himself like q terrier. This riotous
sound was the music he longed to hear
When the staccato beats Of the pc
nIes' hoofs ceased he shouted: "Comt
On, boys. Make this your home. Every
thing goes, and the Sweetwater outh
q always welcome"
The foreman was the first to pull W
h front of the house. "Hello. Uncl
Jimr he cried.
"Hello, Sagebrush! answered th'
colonel. broad smile Illuminating hi
face. Holding his pipe in one hand. b
licked his lips at the thought Of click
srtng up" without the invention If al
excuse for his wife. Then he Joined II
10 hearty laugh with the men about tn
corral - he heard the grunts AM
stamping ~ plungint, mustang.
cow pony had entered into the spirit o
1.-THE occasion and was trying to toss hi
rider over his head.
Fresno, one of the Sweetwater'
eowpunchers, was the victim Of th
horses deviltry.
His predicament aroused wild shout
OF mirth and sallies Of the wit of til
corral.
Hunt leather, Fresno, or he'll buc
you clean over the WALL" shoute
Sagebrush.
'Grab his tail" yelled Show Low
with whoop.
"All over" was the chorus as Ere
no, with vicious jab Of his spurs ar
Jerk Of the head, brought the an
NAL into subsection.
'ACome right in, boys" called ALE
LET the greasers take the horses"
With shrill shouts, whoops and mut
laughter the guests crowded abo
the ranchman.
Each wore his holiday clothes. Ne
handkerchIefs were knotted abo
their necks. Fresno had stuck lit
American fags in the band of his hi
the crown of which he had remove
II want head room for the morni
after" he had said.
Show Lows chaps were consp
uously new, and his movements we
heralded by the cracking Of unsofte
ed leather.
Last Of the band was Parenthes
short. bowlacged. with a face tam
and scanned by exposure. The co
boys ran stifiy, toeing slightly inwal
Long hours in the saddle made the
apparently awkward and really U
graceful when on the ground.
They greeted Allen with hearty {
thuGiasm 6laDDing him on the bat