The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-07-11
AMATEUR COWBOY WAS STUNG.
Had Good Time Until He Found He
Was Up Against the Real Thing.

Ernest L. Lucas came to the south
west from New York several months
ago to be a cowboy long enough to
recuperate. After visit to Texas he
located in Usage county, Oklahoma,
chiefly because he had an acquaint-
ance there and because it is in the
cattle grazing section.
The real, old-fashioned cowboy has
disappeared from Oklahoma, but Lu-
cas- didn't know it and he had pro-
vided himself with all the conven-
tional cowboy paraphernalia, includ-
ing jingling spurs. He engaged on a
cattle grazing ranch near Pawhuska,
and the next day after his arrival he
put on his cowboy outfit and rode
over the ranch.
Cattle from Texas are brought in
to Usage county to be grazed before
they are marketed, but very few cow
boys are required to herd them. They
are turned into big pastures inclosed
by barbed wire fences. The men
drive them out to the grass in the
morning and bring them home at
night. This was the work that fell
to Lucas. Wearing a broad brim-
med sombrero and with a revolver
dangling in his belt, he looked the
part all right, and in the course of
a few weeks became a fairly good
rider.
Being with the cattle so much and
with the other cattlemen, Lucas alb
sorbed cowboy stories as a sponge
takes up water, and before many
weeks he became saturated with
them and acted more and more like
cowboy.
Occasionally the men en- the ranch
went to PaWhuSka, the nearest town,
and took few drinks. Lucas went
along with them and experienced all
their joys and sorrows, including the
drinks in the "bootlegger" saloons.
One of the residents of the town is
Pete Jenkins, who used to be a real
cowboy, but is now the half owner
of a livery stable. He is small of
stature and bow-legged and his ap-
pearance is not imposing.
Lucas and the other men from the
ranch were in one of the "bootleg-
ger" places when Jenkins came in.
Lucas had just called for round of
drinks and he invited Jenkins to join
them. Jenkins politely declined. He
knew the other boys and winked at
them. Lucas insisted, and when the
stranger again declined he drew his
big revolver and ordered him up to
the bar.
Little Jenkins's eyes grew large
and round and he took the drink
without further protest. Then Lu-
cas- ordered him to dance, and after
a few bullets had whizzed close to
his feet Jenkins obllgingly complied.
Lucas had fun with him for nearly
half an hour, and then permitted him
to depart.
jenkins went back to the livery
stable and, raising the lid of box
in the corner, took out his old cowboy
clothes and hat, shook the oats out
of them and put them on. Then he
got out the revolvers he had carried
when he rode the Oklahoma and Tex
as ranges and oiled them and hung
them in his belt, and also put on the
old spurs. He was transformed from
livery stable keeper into the cow
boy he had been years ago. He went
over to the "bootlegger's" and found
Lucas and his friends still there.
Lucas recognized him, and his as
tonishment was great, for he realized
now that he was face to face with a
real cowboy. Jenkins ordered the
drinks and they all lined up. Then he
ordered Lucas to get down on his
hands and knees. Lucas complied,
and Jenkins sat on his back and
spurred him. He rode Lucas around
the room, down the dust-covered
stairway and out into the street. AS
Lucas galloped down the street on
all fours Jenkins took out his re-
volvers and for a few seconds there
was a stream of fire from their muz-
zles. A crowd gathered to witness
the disgrace of Lucas, and the other
men from the ranch laughed up
roariously.
Jenkins finally dismounted and
went back to the livery barn and
changed his clothes. But Lucas
couldn't face those who had witness
ed his downfall, and he never went
back to the ranch, but took a train
boo1, to Nou- Work -Ok1a hOma CitV