Gunnison news-champion., 1916-08-18

the door Of The chamber OF represent1-
tives at frequent times for many days
could be found the breezy. robust form
OF Senator Kinney and be heard his
clarion voice recifing the past deeds Of
Lucien Briscoe In connection with the
handiwork Of his grandson. Senator
Mullens' work was more subdued In
sight and sound. bot directed along
identical lines.
Then as the day for the introduction
OF the bill for appropriation draws nigh
up from the San Saba country rides
Lonny Briscoe and q loyal lobby Of
cowpunchers. broncho back. to boost
the cause Of art and giorify the name
Of friendship. for Lonny b one OF
them. a knight Of stirrup and chapar-
reras. as handy with the lariat and .4S
n he b with brush and palette.
On . March afternoon the lobby
dashed. with . who0p. Into town. The
cowpunchers had adjusted their garb
suitably from that prescribed for the
range to the more conventional require
ments Of town. They had conceded
their leather chaparreras and transfer
red their six shooters and belts from
their persons to the horns Of their sad.
dles. Among them rode Lonny. a youth
o. tweuty-three. brown. solemn faced.
ingenious. bowiegged. reticent. be
striding Hot Tama:es. the most saga
cious cow pony west Of the Mississip-
pi Senator Mullens had informed him
Of the bright prospects Of the situa-
ton: had even mentioned-so great was
his confidence In the capable Kinney
the price that the state would. In all
likelihood. pay. II seemed to Lonny
that fame and fortune were In his
hands. Certainly a spark OF the d.
vine fire was In the little brown CEN
taur's breast, for he was counting the
$1,000 rs but q means to future devel-
opment OF his talent. Some day he
would paint a picture even greater
than this-one. say. II feet by 20. full
Of scope and atmosphere and action.
During the three days that yet inter-
vened before the coming Of the date
fixed for the Introduction OF the bill
the centnur lobby did valiant service.
Coatless. spurred. weather tanned. full
OF enthusiasm expressed In bizarre
terms they loafed In front Of the paint
ing with tireless zeal. Reasoning not
unshrewdly. they estimated that their
comments upon It's fidelity to nature
would be received rs expert evidence.
Loudly they praised the skill Of the
painter whenever there were ears near
to which such evidence might be profit
ably addressed. Lem Perry. the lead
er Of the claque. had somewhat set
speech. being uninvendve In the con.
struction Of new phrases.
Look at the two-year-old now" he
would say. waving Q cinnamon brown
hand toward the salient point OF the
picture. "why. dang my hide. the
critters alive. can Jest hear him.
lumpety-lump.' a-cuttin' away from
the herd. pretendin' he's skeered. He's
mean scamp. that there steer. Look
at his eyes a-wallin' and his tail a-wav-
In. Hes true and nhtral to life. Hes
Jest hankerin' fur COW pony to round
him up and send him scootin' back to
the bunch. Dang my hide! Jest look
at that tail Of his'n a-wavin'. Never
knowed steer to wave his tail any
other way. dang my hide ef did,
Jud Shelby. while admitting the ex-
cellence OF the steer. resolutely con.
fined himself to open admiration Of
the landscape. to the end that the en-
tire picture received its need Of praise.
THAT piece Of range" he declared.
rs dead ringer for Dead Hoss valley.
Same grass. same lay Of the land. same
old Whipperwill creek skallyhootin' In
and out OF them motts Of timber. Them
buxzards on the left Il circlin' round
over Sam Kildrake's old paint boss
that killed hisseif over drinkin' on a
hot day. You can't see the boss for
that mott Of ellums ON the creek. but
he's thar. Anybody that was goin' to
look for Dead Hoss valley aud come
across this picture. why. he'd Jest light
on'n bis broncho and hunt q place to
camp:
Skinny Rogers. welded to comedy.
conceived complimentary little piece
OF scting that never failed to make an
impression. Edging quite near to the
picture. he would suddenly at favora.
BILE moments emit Q piercing and
awful "Yi-yir' leap high and away.
coming down with q great stamp Of
heels and whirring Of rowels upon the
stone naeged door.
"Jeeming Christopherr'-Sc ran bis
iines-"thought that RATHER was a GIN
u-ine one. Ding baste my skin II
didn't! Seemed to me heard him rat
tie. Look at the blamed unconverted
insect a-layin' under that pear: Little
more and somebody would a. been
snake bit"
With these artful lodges, contributed
BY Lonny's faithful coterie. with the
sonorous Kinney perpetually sounding
the pictures merits and with the SOL
vent prestige Of the pioneer Briscoe
covering 1t rike precious varnish, 1t
seemed that the San Saba country