Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-03-09
CHAPTER WI.
MY Arrival at the Ranch.

Wy riffNai 81 NH~ ''e'N''
With a whoop, the blackboard pulled
up in front Of the ranch house where
my brother Jack stood to receive me.
With a mighty shout of welcome, he
drew me into his arms and told me
the ranch was mine and To do with II
as | willed. Chip helped 10 take IN
my baggage. And then the other boys
came up sheenishly. trying % max Il
appear that they Mad not seen me be-
fore NJ all, but were beholding me for
the first time. They were SO seif-con-
scious. however. that the humor OF II
got the best OF me and | laughed-but
laughed in my sleeve. as IL were.
and they never knew That | had sensed
the trick they had so unsuccessfully
tried TO play to frighten me-by max
ing me think that. in the first hour OF
my introduction 10 the West country,
the hanging committee had secured a
victim.
Jack introduced all these boys
Shorty and Slim and Weary and all the
rest OF them. And then came Patsy,
his hands all white with -four. and a
dirty apron aud a face that made him
look more nj for GOA heaving than
for preparing food TIC for human con-
sumption.
Patsy" | said. you shall be my
first victim. I'm going TO reform YOU"
Patsy made an effort 70 wipe his
hands in order 10 take my proAerot
hand. but | seized his hand. our aud
all. That az once made a friend Of
Patsy for DR.. Della Whitmore.
And then. I'm sure II was IN order
to get the boys hep" 10 me that CHIP
now displayed with pride the coyote
and told how | had shot II.
Jimmy Christmas." cried Weary.
What do you think Of a city skirt put
ting one over like that the first crack
out OF the box"
And the other boys looked me over
with admiration and fricniliuess The
"old maid" was now hep SO far as
the boys were concerned.
The next day. ! turned my attention.
as promised. 70 Patsy. ! ven 70 HIM
in his kitchen and inspected il. Oh al
the pigsties that kitchen was the
worst. There were probably hundreds
OF empty cans-empty tins that had
contained tomatoes and corn and al,
the canned goods that flesh is heir 10
on a remote ranch IN Montana. Aud
the pots and pans looked as though
they never had beer WASHED since first
bought; and the floor had not been
scrubbed In 40 years.
you must clean up this kitchen.
Patsy" l said. Until you clean IL up.
Ill not eat a thing. So unless you
want a starving old maid on your
hands. get busy. get busy. Besides,
after you've cleaned up. Ill help you
I'll show you how TO make certain
dishes that will tickle the palate OF my
brother and the boys and make them
your friend till death do you part"
The result OF this p~alaver was that
Patsy set To work in dead earnest 10
clean that kitchen. OF all the clean
ing tasks YOU ever saw performed with
alacrity and th~oroughRess. that was
the most successful. GU through the
door Patsy swept the tin cans-hun-
dreds OF them and out 20 the TOUR
winds Patsy sent the debris Of the
kitchen flying, And then down upon
his knees he went 10 work at scrub
hing the ioor with soft soap. And my
Brother Jack happened in. and went
%sprawling and cunning on the soft soap.
And Patsy said i served the Aoss
right. as the BOSS had no business In
t%errupting a cook when he was clean
ing his kitchen for the first titlo ia
four whole years for the sake "a tie
~doggonedest finest old maid that ever
camped on a ranch in the northwest OF
these United States.
A few days later there appeared,