Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1910-12-22

swung the lmHsu. whleh emuHhs mn~
horn nnd 4iIftrH uff
Arnln ahr ntnslr the eaai. white the
aroused rattle inIiIpd around the sour
sides ~ the eufral III riunRinR mnsa
This thruw was fuif. the white row
came 10 Earth aealn. aud bcfure n
could rise Santa had made the iasso
fast nruund pusi of the corral With
swift aud simple knnt and had leap.
ri upon the euw again With the raw
hide hobbies.
In one minute the feet of the animal
were tied She fan swiftly 10 her fur
mace NJ the gate and brought the
branding Iron. white hot.
The below Of the outraged white
cow M the iron was applied should
have stirred the slumbering auricular
nerves aud conscicnees Of the nearby
subjects OF the Nopalito. but II did not.
And II was amid the deepest nocturnal
silence that Santa ran like n lapwlng
back to the ranch house and there fell
upon cot and sobbed- sobbed NJ
though queens had hearts as simple
ranchmen's wives have and as though
she would gladly make kings of prince
consorts should they ride back again
from over the hills aud far away.
In the morning the capable, revolv-
cred youth aud his vaqucros set forth
driving the bunch of Sussex cattle
across the prairies to the Rancho Scco
The beasts arrived at Rancho SccO
one evening at dusk and were .cceiycd
and counted by the foreman.
The next morning at 8 o'clock q
horscman lOped out of the brush to the
Nopalito ranch house. lie dlsmountcd
stiGly and strode with whizzing spurs
TO the house. Ills horse gave a great
sigh and swaycd foam streaked. with
down dropping head and CLOSED eyes.
But waste not your pity upon Bel
shazzar. the flea bitten sOrrel Today
In Nopalito horse pasture ne survives,
pampcrcd. beloved. unridden. cherish
ed record holder of long distance rides
The horScmau stumbled into the
house. Two arms fell around his neck.
and some one cried out in the voice OF
woman and queen alike, "Wcbb-oh.
Webb"
II was a skunk" said Webb YeaEcr
"IIush" said Santa. Did YOU see NJ
Il saw it," said Webb.
( What they meant God knows. and
you shall know If you rightly read the
/ primer of events.
! BE the cattle queen" said Webb.
/ land overlook II If You can. was n
| NANCY, sheep stealth coyote"
| Hush" said Santa again. laying her
| fingers upon his mouth. There's no
! queen here. DO you know who am?
am Santa Yeager, first lady of the
/ bedchamber. Come here"
| She dragged him from the gallery
| into the room TO the right There stood
cradle with an infant in it-a red,
ribald. uninteligibe. babbling, beauti.
| full infant. sputtering at life In an un-
seemly manner.
There's no queen on this ranch, Sc
said Santa again. Look at the king
He's got your eyes. Webb. Down on
/ your knees and look at his highness.'
But iingling rowels sounded on the
/ gallery. and Bud Turner stumbled
there again with the same query that
he had brought year ago.
"Mornin'. Them beeves is just turned
out on the trail Shall drive EN- to
BARRIERS Or
He saw Webb and stopped.
"Ba- -ba- bu- ba- bal .ba" shrieked the
king in his cradle. beating the air.
You hear your boss. Bud" said
Webb YeaGer with a broad grin. just
as be had said year ago
And that is all. except that when
( Old Man Quinn. owner OF the Rancho
Seco. went out to look over the herd
OF Sussex cattle that he had bought
from the Nopalito ranch he asked his
new manager:
whats the NopaIIto ranch brand.
Wilson,"
"X bar Y" said Wilson.
Il thought So" said Quinn. But
look at that white heifer there; she's got
another brand-a heart with a cross in
side of It, What brand is thatg"