The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1913-10-17

80
RG6MEfN| pressure of Sans knees. bore
~ that wandering minstrel six
teen miles southeastwam. Nature was
in her most b%enignant mood. League
after league Of delicate, sweet flow
erets made fragrant the gently un-
dulating prairie. The east Wind tenn
pered the spring warmth; wool white
clouds flying in from the Mexican gulf
hindered the direct rays of the April
sun. Sam sang songs as he rode. I'm.
der his pony's bride he had tucked
some sprigs of chaparral to keep way
the deer flies. Thus crowned, the long
faced quadruped looked more Dan
tesque than before, and, judging by his
countenance, seemed to think Of Bea-
trice.
Straight as topography permitted
Sam rode to the sheep ranch Of old
man Ellison. A visit to a sheep ranch
seemed to him desirable Just then.
There had been too many people, too
much noise, argument, competition,
confusion, at Rancho Attic. He had
never conferred upon old man Ellison
the favor of sojourning at his ranch,
but he knew he would be welcome.
The t%roubadour Is his own passport
everywhere. The workers in the cas-
tie let down the drawbridge to him.
and the baron sets him at his left hand
at table in the banquet hall. There
ladies smile upon him and applaud his
md e<os{o- x-L:l- 49, ---,----5
bring boars' heads and flagons.
Old man Ellison welcomed the trou-
badour f1atteringly. He had often
heard praises of Sam Galloway from
other ranchmen who had been compli-
mented by his visits, but had never
aspired to such an honor for his own
humble barony. I say barony because
old man Ellison was the last Of the
barons. OF course Mr.. Bulwer-Lytton
lived too early to know him, or he
wouldn't have conferred that sobriuuet
upon Warwick. In life it is the duty
and function Of the baron to provide
work for the workers and lodging and
shelter for the troubadours.
Old man Ellison was a shrunken old
man. with a short, yellow-white beard
and a face lined and scanned by past
and zone smiles. His ranch was a lit
tie two room box house in a grove of
blackberry trees in the lonesomest part
OF the sheep country. His household
consisted of a Kiowa Indian man
cook, four hounds, a pet sheep and a
half tanned coyote chained to a fence
post. He owned 5000 sheep, which he
ran on two sections Of leased land and
many thousands Of acres neither leas-
ed nor owned. Three or four times a
year some one VIII spoke his language
would ride up to his gate and exchange
a few bald ideas with him. Those
were red letter days to old man Eli
son. Then in what illuminated, en-
bossed, and ~gorgeously decorated CAPT
tails must have been written the day
on which a t~roubadour-a %troubadour
who, according to the encyclopaedia,
should have fourished between the
eleventh and the thirteenth centuries
drew rein at the gates Of his baronial
castle!
Old nan Ellison's smiles came back
and filled his wrinkles when he saw
Sam. He hurried Il Of the house in
his shutting, limping way to greet him.
Hello, Mr.. Ellison" called Sam
cheerfully. Thought I'd drop over
and see you awhile. Notice you've had
fine rains on your range. They ought
to make good grazing for your spring
lambs"
"Well, well, well". said old man Ell
hson. I'm mighty glad to see you,
Sam. I never thought you'd take the
trouble to ride over to as out of the
way IN old ranch as this. But you're
mighty welcome. Light. I've got a
sack of new oats in the kitchen. Shall
I bring out a feed for your hoss?'
"Oats for him?' said Sam derisively.
"No, stree. He's as fat as a pig now
on grass. He don't get rode enough to
keep him in condition. I'll just turn
him in the horse pasture with a drag
rope on If you don't mind."
l am positive that never during the
eleventh and thirteenth centuries did
baron, t%roubadour and worker ANAL
gamate as tremendously as their paral-
lels did that evening at old man Eli
sons sheep ranch. The Kiowa's bis
cults were light and tasty and his cof-
fee strong. 1%neradicable hospitality
and appreciation glowed on old man
Ellison's weather tanned face. AS for
- ..- L. -~SS L. Is~--v Al.A