The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1918-08-03
ACCORDING TO THE CODE
...... OF THE WESTERN PLAINS

taken sick during the iall drive with
Grippe. They telephoned for Doc
Brinker but he could not come as he
had a baby matinee on hand over the
Ledge, SO he suggested that they send
for Bert Carleton at Bar G. Bert you
know had been a doctor in New York
City. He rode over to see the young
lady and that call was the beginning
of friendship of enduring quality.
After the Round Up and things be-
gan to settle for the winter feeding
there was a lot Of social doings
amongst the young folks. Most of
the married men went to town for the
winter or got positions in the larger
cities. Pretty near every night while
the weather was good there was
something doing at one place or an
other. 1t began soon to dawn on the
minds of the eager cowboys that
Howard Russell at Larson's was get
ting the inside trail to the affections
of Maize Matzell. She certeinly
danced more with him than any body
else and they usually rode home to-
gether.. He was one of those flattery
city chaps and just naturally out
danced any of the punchers. Dinky
Jacks told Bert on the way home from
the party at SINNERS Ranch.
"Ain't it so Bert. tina wimmen Xix
tina city men. We poor guys just
meanin' we'll amt got no show at all.
How is it Bert you don't go after tina
gal? You knoe how AN kan outtalk
that Teller any old time.'
DANDY girl Dinky." Bert replied
but you see dark eyed man is
not attracted to a brown eyed girl
like Maize"
This wos too much for Dinky, who
probably never gave the subject Of
eyes any particular thought. He sub
sided instantly.
Howard would go over to Crescent
City and get beastly drunk and raise
particular devil with the dancing girls
and lushers around the filthy drink
ing places of the border town. There
was positive County Ordinance that
no liquor could be sold to cowboys or
ranchmen to take out of town. While
the boys from Bar. G. would certainly
slip over an occasional drink they all
had a holy horror Of Mother Jerry
finding it out. She had a cute little
way of coming over to the bunk
house as we rode in and making a
big fuss over her boys and kissing us.
So if we did sneak a drink or two
while in Crescent we spent untold
sums for chewing gum, cloves, Sen
Sen and once when Larry took big
hooker he had to eat a raw onion be-
fore we were sure his breath was
right and safe. Skates McQuillan
hoisted in a few one afternoon be-
cause of the cold. Mother smelled
it and asked him to come over to the
house she wanted to see him right
away. H told Bert that night the
way she cried over him, mothered
him and said she loved all us boys so,
he swore by all the seven sins of
Satan that he would freeze his ding
busted giZzard solid before he would
ever come home with another shot of
poison under his belt. Any one Of the
riders on Bar. G. would have tackled
wild cat bare handed and some of
the oldtimers had notches on their
quicker than chain lightning. Fight
for just nothing at all. They would
argue until daylight about the weight
of steer or length of trail but if
Mother Jerry or one of the girls asked
them to do anything they just did it
and did it quick. You would as soon
talk back to Mother Jerry as defy the
old man. We did as he told us to
because we had to and we did as she
asked us to because we wanted to. If
all women knew men as Mother Jerry
knows them the divorce courts would
go out of business. Ma knows what
a fellow wants. He wants loving and
lots Of it too. She rules Pa the same
way. He thinks he's Boss but he
amt at all. She can kiss him into
anything and he knows that too.
When we punchers want concessions
we go to Ma and If she thinks it is
all right then we go to Pa Jerry and
ask him in front of her and il he
says no, we make believe we are sat-
isfied. The next day or two we get
it, see; Ma has that way of hers The
reason tell you all this is because
Ma Jerry was the only one in the
Valley who did not care a rap for
Howard Russell or old man Russell's
money. When she got the chance at
the Church Social at Bakers. Grove
she told that young gent some pretty
pointed things about liquor and rules
of life also if she had her way he
would be ridden on a rail out Of the
Valley. He steered clear OF Ma after
that evening.
Bert took Maize home one night
and told her she was making big
mistake in catering to Howard, She
laughed lightly as they rode along
and told him she guessed she was old
enough to know where her heart was
leading her and that if Howard was