Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-06-13
The VANGUARD
A TALE OF THE OLD FRONTIER
BY Edgar Beecher Bronson
Author oil Blooded"
Territory"
Copyright A. York City
A TALE OF THE OLD FRONTIER
BY Edgar Beecher Bronson

mia still remained the chief business
of her native sons. At no period OF
the later development of ranching
either in Texas or the northwest could
either section. Justly boast bronco
busters or experts with the RATA any
thing like the equal of the California
Mexican vaqueros
The vast central plain Of the state
the intermCuntain region lying be-
tween the Sierra Nevadas and the
Coast Range, that since has become
the granary Of the west coast, was
then a boundless field of wild oats up
on which ranged and fattened un.
counted thousands of wild cattle and
horses. Prior to the discovery of gold
at Suffers mill, no market existed
except for the hides of slaughtered
cattle, whose meat was left to rot up
on the ranges.
Thus neither cattle nor horses were
often worked Grounded up and
handled) as they were, later, after
both came into strong demand at good
prices. Therefore, they remained as
wild and ignorant of restraint as the
grizzlies and mountain lion that
preyed upon their young.
1t naturally followed that, for such
little handling as they did have, the
very exigcncies of the situation pro-
duced 2 class CT daring, clever horse
men never eXcelled in the worlds
history, habited always in the now
well.known gorgeous trappings of the
Mexican cowboy.
And then their saddles! If any in
animate handiwork Of man ever
owned the dignity and grace, any OF
it, that in creatures animate we recog-
nize rs marking a thoroughbred an
cestry, product of generations OF
careful selective breeding. it is the
characteristic California saddle.
No saddle ever made has equaled
it, either in beauty or for the sate
handling of the most massive bull
that ranged the foothills behind Visa
liza. The neck Of its horn, or pommel,
was as thin and gracefully curved as
the neck Of a Derby winner; its tall
cantle rising high and comfortable as
these the Cid and his panoplied
knights jousted in. The great leather
stirrup housings protected the feet
from thorns and storms, and weighted
the stirrup for easy recovery when
lost by the rider in his mad combats
with the wild ones: the sturdy shout
ders, broad-spreading beneath it's
neck easily bore the stress OF the
mightiest tugs; the smooth-sipplng
cinch enabled the easy Tightening OF
ones saddle upon his mount. even
when going at top speed. Such were
some of the more notable qualities OF
the king of all saddles!
And then. again, their riatas, their
forty to sixty foot lariats, plated
of rawhide, dressed until soft as
glove, slender, light of weight, and yet
thewed as if with steel. This rope
made weapon so deadly in the hands
of well-mounted expert in it's use
that he feared the attack of no beast
and of no man armed otherwise than
with guns. ... ....... 49,,
All, but it was a rare lot of horse.
men that life Bred Wonderful, in
deed. were the Journeys when the
ranches from Don Juan Fosters sun
kissed Santa Margarita, nesting
among the elephants near the Pacific
surges that in elder days We're ever
adding their deep bass notes to the
solemn chorus of San Juan Capis-
trano's mission bells, from Santa Mar
garita up north to the highest cloud
shrouded ranch hidden among the
oaks and pines of the foothills, poured
their silver and gold buttoned and
braided champions into one plaza or
another-that of Los Angeles, Freno-
Visalia, or of far northern Talama-
there to match their craft and skill
against all corners.
So repeat, it means lot when |
say that my new mates, Peach and
Cox, were eminently the best all-round
vaqueros I have ever seen. Indeed,
in all my long experience with. them,
no wild cayuse or heavy half breed
did we get hold Of that either could
not easily. master. And, what was
most unusual, even with the best rid
ers, was that they were as ready to
climb a bronco bareback as saddled,
and, once fairly on one, never did
either get thrown And that is about
the last test of any mans horseman-
ship.
Peach was 2 man of massive, pow
erful build, broad Of shoulder, thick
of chest, and heavy Of thigh and BIZ
ceps; of medium height, fair haired,
blue eyes always alight and alert for
chance of any sort of devilment; a
far more than average clever boxer,
an all-rourd athlete who seldom
touched stirrup to mount a horse;
an amiable daredevil when sober, a
brute as dangerous to friend as to
enemy when drunk.
George Cox, while a swarthy wisp
of man, more slender than an
Apa che runner, 1.-THE almost to ema'
citation, just a gaunt frame Of bone
and seasoned sinew, with the sort OF
narrow set black eyes that always be-
gin to CLINT red fires the moment any
thing, no matter how trivial, draws
their attention-eyes ever on guard
against 2 possible turn OF the sinlp'
lest situation into the worstz-was. an
infinitely more deadly dangerous man
than Peach. In spite of that, he was
q. far more generous, kind, and reli'
able mate than his partner, even in
his cups. Slower than Peach to find
cause of quarrel, once reused he was
chain lighting III action and utterly
relentless.