The San Francisco call., 1909-04-11

Wv I was vorkin' for q big COW
outfit IN Wyoming. One day
I dragged IN a big long cared heifer
that belonged to another OUTFIT. and
says TO the boss: That ought to be
worth a tenspot for that sure is fns
critter"
Twas only 5okin' at the time. but he
thought I meant Il. for he spoke right
up and says. lengthy, I'll give you
ten for gettin' that heifer, and I'll pay
you ten more for every one you bring
In"
Lsordy, but I done q hne business
that season-made ,4oo clean money.
You see I knew just how to work It
It was In a valley about so or 40 miles
long and from seven 70 10 miles wide.
There was a creek runnin' down
through the middle OF It The creek
sort @ divided the range from north
to south The way they worked the
-Rodear" was TO begin at the south
end and work clean up to north end
OF the west side OF this creek, then
they'd cross over and work back on
the other side. Then is when I got
busy. You see I knew when they was
Eoia' to work So when figured
they Sas due I'd ride through the
csttls sAd drive a bunch through the
calves from the west side, across the
creek to the range on the east side
Then you see when the vaqueros came
along. they would bring in everything
they could seo-but they wouldn't sec
ray bunch cause they'd be on the
other side. In a few days they'd be
workin' on the east side. So would I.
but ] was jast a little ahead. I'd get
what cattle 1 wanted and drive EN-
back on the west side and leave 'em
there. These 1ellers would work the
country aad then move south and not
saow up again for maybe six months.
! Jest natchcraliy waited a little while
and then went and got my calves. Got
Il IN a banch che time-s14o. Better'n
wages. amt It?
] had pardner- They called him
Jack O. Diamonds. He was a slick
one all right He liked rustlin' hosses
better'n cattle. Seemed kind a. fond
OF en- He sure was a dandy. Had
IL different irons. He could cover up
any brand you ever saw with them
irons-some OF 'em looked like a map
OF Mexico. You see II he couldn't do
II with one iron. he would with an
other-that's why he had SO many.
And II he couldn't put his brand over
the one on toe animal he Jest natoh-
orally cut 'em out Yes, Jest took out
his pocket knife. downed the beast
and got 70 work. He would cut
brand sos you'd swear IL was burned
on. after IL healed I'd.
One time he had q horse that he
stole from a raucher. a fine horse
too. II you ever set your eyes on him
once you'd know him IL you didn't see
him for 20 years. He was a big sorrel
with black spots and patches all over
him and a big white strip in his face
kind a pintolike; weighed about 100
pounds. Well. he stole him and slapped
one OF HIS irons right on the top OF
the one already there, and turned him
out TO heal UP. He figured on breakin'
him. Later we both looked for him
and couldn't find him anywhere One
day a feller that had ranch over in
Coyote valley rides IN on the pinto
horse. And sure enough. Jacks iron
had been cut plum out
Jack looks at me and winks I says
Jack, that resembles the pinto horse
that you bought" 1 says bought you
know. OF course, he knew I knew
that he Jest took him. says Jack.
that sure is the pitcher OF your pinto"
lack says. Yes, I guess we'll have 10
buy some OF that feller's stock"
We did Took every solitary horse
he owned, even two old work horses.
I wanted to leave him the work horses
but Jack says. mo. I'm goin' to larn
him to leave other peoples property
alone
Up fn Montana, one time. was
workin' for wages for a cowman. All
the renchers that owned cattle were
havin' trouble with the sheepmen all
the time. Things got pretty hot. and
my boss says to me one day. TIL give
you an extra months pay If you'H
= get a gang of the boys together and
run these sheepmen out Of the country
VIII you give the other feIlers an
extra month's pay. too7" asked him.
He ssyA yea" se I told them all.