East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1916-09-22

As though this sport did not give
thrills enough, the great spectacle Of
each day eliminates in that final
wind up Of the wild hDi race,
when twenty snorting, plunging out
laws which have never before had
men on their backs are lassoed each
by rider and his helper. In
struggling, fighting squealing kick
ing turmoil of hoofs, heads, arms,
legs, and ropes, each must be brougnl
In front Of the grandstand. Now be-
gins the saddling; meanwhile the
fence between track and arena is
shattered into kindlings in this whirl-
wind of dust and splinters, At last
all are blindfolded, saddled, and held
to Il given signal, whereupon each
man mounts his steed-or tries to
and in this hell-let-loose cyclone OF
centaurs, dust and fence rails, each
endeavors first to ride and then to
guide his animal around the track to
the pole For a full half-hour the
whole audience stands mentally and
physically on tiptoe before this stu
pendous climax. Then, as the last
centaur disappears, the vast crowd
breaks loose and the great arena lit
orally vibrates with a cioudburst of
pent-up energy.
As the dust settles, some linger to
look over the now peaceful scene,
over which a lowering sun sheds its
orange-red and on your memory al
red-letter day is painted you depart
in the cleaning with that quick shift
and anticipation Of other things to-
come So, after the long shadows
change the golden valley to night you
wander under the clustered lights Of
Main street, where the crowds surge
in that orderly, happy, holiday spirit
for which the Roundup stands. AS
you walk the streets you rub elbows
with many an old Indian fighter.
You can turn aside to the cowboy the
ater. dancing or shooting gallery, but
you will turn into that Pendletonian
institution of human ingenuity, Hap
py Canyon" which means a spot right
in the heart of Pendleton where every
one can complete a day of frontier
fun. Out in the arena you have seen
the riproaring life of the range in its
fullness and at its best, but in Happy
Canyon" you see drawn more vividly
than any pen or brush can depict the
life of the frontier town.
For the time being you are in a lit
tie frontier world of fifty years ago.
You look out from the bleachers on
its Main street" backed by the sa-
loon, Chinese laundry, millinery shop,
few smaller shacKs and the hotel
all bedecked with signs as witty as
they are crude. The hotel is an act
ual replica of one OF Pendletons
early pioneer hostelries.
Every phase of the town of the
days of Kit Carson, Buffalo Bill,
Peg Leg Smith. and old Hank"
Caplinger, and others is shown. In it
men of the cow-camp and from
many of the hidden-away Oregon
towns play their part in such u nat
ural way that you in the bleachers
forget You are sitting on the soft side
of a board. Here ranger. Indian
fighter, cowboy. and sheriff are off
duty, but hotel proprietor. barkeeper
and John Chinaman are decidedly on.
1t is drama in which many of these
players are in reality the characters
they portray. I
Not even a rehearsal is held. The
boys" are simply told what is ex-
pected of them and when they are to
do it, "Whoopee! Wow! Wow
emanates from the open space-yes,
and from the bleachers, too and with
rattling fusilade or gun-play the
show is on. You see bad men and
vigilantes come riding into town; the
oar-room has its shooting scrape and
cowboy and cowgirl racefully reel
through their dances on horseback
and take part in ranch and town
games of various kinds, but realism
reaches its climax wnen furious
l0nghorn Texas steer is turned loose
in the town street. The caste" scat
tcIs in all directions--all but four
well-known cowboys. These on foot
and arr1eo with only small red cloths
but willing to take chances, put on
a bull-fjght which for daring is wor-
thy Of Spain's most intrepid toreadors.
The hleachers now find no fault with
| the heav! screen wire fencing which
separates them from the arena.
Later the public have the coveted
opportunity to pour through the gaps
of this same wire fence and stroll
through Happy Canyon" You may
enter its shacks and stores-yes, and
saloons, too, if you are content with
soft drinks. In fact, YOU may buy
anything under the sun with Happy
| Canyons" "ten-buCk" notes, which it
Is absolutely necessary to provide
yourself with before entering, at the
rate of ten cents per" of Uncle
J Sans legal tender. One may enter
the front door Of "Stagger Inn" and
stagger out the back door, but stag
ger in a right and decorous way if
J YOU expect to get by the sheriff and
his deputies into the great dance tent
with its superb floor. where any one
may come and dance to the splendid
Roundup band So the life of
Happy Canyon" is brimful to over
flowing with excitement and the at
mosphere Of the old frontier days.
A mile away, under the hush of
blue night which pervades ev"rvth'nr.