The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1910-01-27

neiehborhood had his permission 10
move on. to other free grass. Perhans ,bov
looked him over a bit more carefully tbsn ana
houeed the popularity OF his nose ana his
eyes ana me handy and casual way be had OF
picking on the heads OF rattlesnah-es ana srrb
things with a six-shooter while he talked In
a heiehborhood where cattle thieves were be-
ginning to be troublesome q man like that
would be handy TO have around. They were
10 nave an example presently OF his willing.
ness and ability TO defend the rights Of owner.
ship-s small example. but convincing.
Y was no easy matter to keep a herd intact
In those days The outlaw pure and sImple
was bad enough. but TO tine newcomer with :
small bunch Of COWS" (cattle. regardless of
gender) the vast, roaming herd guarded nv a
Verltable army OF punchers. whose respect for
any law was small enough. was an evan
greater menace Mcdonald knew OF these
conditions and when, soon after his arrival
some OF his cattle strayed away he set out to
inspect the surrounding herds. After riding
some distance he came upon a large drove.
evidently on It's way to market It was about
noon and the men were "rounding-in" for din.
ner. Mcdonald started to address a herder
when the man turned abruptly and started on.
Mcdonald Immediately began looking through
the cattle, when the herder wheeled and
roughly asked him what he wanted.
j was looking for hobbled horses" was the
RNaN WY NAAAAlNUM ~ UNMEnHE MADE soma
surly comment and rode away.
Mcdonald. presently satisfied that his straw
cattle we're not with that portion Of the drove.
continued his search further along and came
up with the "chuck wagon" where dinner was
being prepared. Cow-men are hospitable and
the foreman invited him TO dismount and Join
them He did so and a little later the surly
punoher came in, giving the camp guest any.
thing but a friendly look. In the course OF
the meal the Vigitnr WAS aekad vuhn-. Ia, -.
from.
'Mineola," he said. Wood county"
The surly herder spoke up.
These id sand lappers least Texans)
are getting too thick out here"
Mcdonald set down his coffee.
The Id skunks and prairie dogs are al.
ready too thick" be said.
An instant later the puncher had ont his
pistol. but the sandIapper was still quicker.
The puncher was covered before be could
bring his weapon TO bear. Mcdonald said:
Turn IT lcosei Drop 81"
The herder still olutched the weapon which
ne was afraid to raise.
The sand lapper stepped nearer to him and
with q sudden movement raped him Emartly
on the head with the heavy barrel OF hls six.
shooter II was a thing that rs a deputy he
had done often and It was always effective.
The puncher dropped his gun. One OF hta
ENH"a8 E"N@ ~ A| MML HhM
covered and disarmed with amazing sudden.
ness. The foreman interfered now. and the
beginner OF the disturbance was led away 10
a brook to have his lead bathed and ban.
daged, whereupon the sand Iapper quietly IN.
ished his dinner. thanked his host, continued
the search for his missing stock and when he
found them set out for home. Meeting a
group OF punchers among which was his surIy
friend with a now bandaged head. he expect.
ed further trouble. Nothing happened. The
sand lapper and HIS missing COWS had the
right Of way
Commercial Venture and Adventure.
The inclination to commercial enterprise
stu survived. AT the end OF a year Mcdonald
sold his cattle and invested In the lumber
business at Wichita Falls.
There was a merchant in Baylor county,
Texas, to whom Lumberman Mcdonald sold
a good bill. on time. The account ran along
until one day the county Judge Of Baylor, one
Melvin. dropped In and stated that he had
called TO settle the amount for his nelRbbor.
he gave his own check for II and McDonald
supposed the matter had ended. A few DAYS
later the bank returned Melyin's check az
worthless. Evidently the quiet. unobtrusiye
aifo which Bill Jess had been living as a lum.
Der merchant had glvon the impression that
he was an inofensive person. who would
pocket a loss rather than make trouble. esps.
eiaily with a county judge. who added TO his
Official prestige the reputation OF being a bad