Pocahontas star herald., 1915-02-19
Just A CHICKENFOOT
tcopyriEht)
BY IDA SPEED.


Southwest which that tenderest Of
tenderfoots. Chick Saunders. struck.
Farther West is the land of the
outlaw and desperado: back East com.
mercialism makes 'em eat folks alive
and up on the North plains the cold
grips a mans soul and makes him
kinder brutal
But We take things easy here and
jog along. everybody friendly amonRst
theirselves. savin' All the joshin' and
raw remarks for The tellok from back
East that busts In on our peace and
goo<xill.
Chick Saunders blowed into Floret.
"a on n westbound passenger one
bleak November day, which hayin'
only fifteen cents In his pocket he
couldn't have rode but FIVE miles fur.
ther anyhow.
As that would have SET him down
IN the middle OF the prairie, he alIghts
at Floretta. which is only redeemed
from bein' in said middle by a half.
dozen cottages. a general store and
post ofice, twostory frame hotel, a
lumber yard minus the lumber, and
Just ssch a school buildln' as you'd
have "a come 10 Texas 10 see.
All this was south OF the railroad
track
On the roof Of big barn a quarter
Of mile north, painted In bold let.
ters, Chick saw Bar c Ranch" and
he hotfooted Il thereto, inquired timid.
like n old man Cranch was in, got
the laugh from q bunch OF COWBOYS
that was standin' around the door, Il
beln' chuck time. then walked in and
got n Job.
That job was TO cut wood. Old man
Crozier. the owner. had just looked
out the window and observed that
here was winter comm on, a regular
blizzard OF a norther BLOWN and no
wood cut.
Chick was the man OF the hour
The boys name on the pay. roll was
set down as Willie Saunders, but
we're too uncertain out here about
whether a fellow gives his right name
or not. TO put ourselves out to call him
by II, so him bein such a rank chick.
enfoot. We Just christen him Chick
from the start. .r
He'd crawl on any horse you told
him TO. but he'd almost be whimperin'
from fear.
We thought he'd leave when he
went down some day 10 git drink on
the train. as quick as he got paid OF;
but no. he was here TO stay II II killed
every animal in the pasture. includin'
OF hisself.
Every spare minute he had. he
hung around the Hotel Dalhart. for
little Elsie Delhart and her mother
showed him all the humane treatment
he found. and Il turned out he told
them about his folks and read letters
TO 'em thar he got from home and
let hisself be known to them in a
way us fellows knew nothing Of
And Elsiel You put a wild rose
amongst a bouquet OF American Beau.
ties in some hothouse. and ! guess II
wouldn't be noticed much; but out
here on these wind-swept plains we
amt spectin' TO see even a wild one.
and they look awful good to us.
And. by the way. the thorns wasn't
missin' neither. Elsie was the pride
Of this country, but she wouldn't
stand for no foolishness on OF US COW.
punchers II she was the queen there.
OF.
She was o. Of those outdoor girls,
though she helped her ma faithful
around the house and kitchen.
In summer she wore them sailor
collar. polka-dotted affairs that look
so we'll where they roll back from a
soft, girlish throat. And any time Of
year there was a golden curl or two
that bobbed around her face. and the
eyes that kinder peeped out at you
from beneath the long lashes made
you want to dig your spurs in the
bronze you was ridin' and wish TO
the kingdom come he'd pitch and run
no you could show how good you could
ride. We all felt that away. but she
was Mexico Charles girl.
At least he said so. and folks didn't
dispute Mexico's word, him bein' Of a
different temperament from US other
buttons. and his word bein' about all
the law there was around Foretts
way. . f,
After eight months Chick begun to
look different. He got him full
cow-puncher outfit. swell California
saddle. a Navajo OF gorgeous reds and
green's. big rattlin' squire, and 30 foot
OF rope.
He had to accumulate them things
as he go. hold Of money, and this
was slo1 at first. But after he got
to gamblin' II was the rest OF us that
couldn't lay up a cent.
II seemed like he Just couldn't lose,
whether he was shootin' craps or
matchin' money, playin' cards or Just
plain bettin' on how much steer
would weigh.
This was powerful aggravatin' to
Mexico. and he made us assist fire.
quent in standin' Chick on his head
to see If his hoodoo wouldn't fall out