The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1921-03-03
WHEN BILL BACKSLID
FOR 4 MINUTE
Cowboys Religion Could Not
Stand Against Stale .
Turkey Eggs.

Among the cowboys who rang,
from Pendleton to Cheyenne was OF
whose baptismai name was Villa
Patrick Hogan. but on account Of 1
adventure he had with . prairie RI
tier, which, according to William ar
his contemporaries, would have result
ed in his premature demise II it HI
not been for the prompt administri
ton Of snakcbite remedy in copiou
quantities, he was generally know
on the range as "Rattlesnake Bill"
II the modern descriptive adjee
tive, "hard-boiled," had been invente
ut that time, it would have fitte
Rationale Bill'' to q dot. When h
was "lit up" as the slangful phras
had it, he was something OF hol.
terror, and even when he was sobe,
was not particularly averse to trou
BILE, either with gun or fist or quirt
although is should be said TO his cred
It that he never craved the reputation
Of being q "gunman." His natura
inclination, after the manner Of his
race, was to settle arguments with
the two hands furnished by nature
and If he had to live in the land and
time Of his forebears he would have
been leader with the blackthorn and
engaged joyously in breaking the
heads Of his opponents. 1t must be
confessed here that religion did not
have much Of foothold on the range.
A preacher was apt to be looked upon
by the herders as rather an effeminate
individual, who might do all right 10
talk to women's aid societies, but who
lacked the'virility admired by the men
who rode through the silent watches
Of the night, or breakneck speed
through the storm with the stamped
ed herd, risking death every moment.
1t was, therefore, an amazing thing
when "Rattlesnake Bill happened to
come under the spell Of the travelling
evangelist and became an humble sup
plant at the mercy seat.
And it should be said for Bill that
he took his religion seriously, He
felt that he ought to do something to
make up for the years he had wasted
IN the service Of satan while ambling
lown the broad road which led to de-
struction.
1t occurred to him that he might
and should become a living example
# the power Of grace and show to the
cowboys that he could
the long suffering pa
hence of the Nazarene.
The other herders were therefore
surprised when they
earned that "Rattlesnake Bill" had
lot only got religion, but that on a
ertain evening he proposed to make
! talk to his unregenerate fellow COW
,unchers and show them that he had
o completely changed that they could
.eap upon him any indignity without
ausing anger or resentment on his
art. The herders discussed the mat
err among themselves with varying
pinions. Some Of them said that |
hey beloved Bill was really in earn
st while others contended that he |
must have been eating loco and had
ats in his garnet as a result. It
1as generally conceded, however, that |
would be a good idea to go and hear
that Bill had to say and likewise to
i've him a tryout.
So it happened that there was
ather large and i,teres,ed crowd
resent on the evening when the new
onvert proposed to give an exhibit
ion of the genuiheness of his con-
ersion.
His opening statement was some
hat crude but easily understood. In
INSTANCE he said: "You range rid
RS and mule SINNERS hev knowed me
Or several years. You all know that
never took any stock in no kind of
sligion and if there was any kind
I general orneryness that | hain't
ldulged in can't call it to mind, and
t that amt no worse than a lot of
on geexers. What I'm amin at is
, show you birds that man who is
converted can stand the
AFT ard not let his temper rise.
low propose to demonstrate to you
eusses that you can
cap any sort of insults and abuse
n me and won't resent it Go to it."
They took him at his word. Some
them, indeed, had come prepared
, make it interesting for Bill if he
aally meant it. Arkansas Pete"
he had suffered at the hands Of
Bill' in a fistic argu-
tent, saw an opportunity to play even
nd landed kick on Bills person
rat almost made his teeth rattle.
or an instant there was dangerous
Spression on Bills countenance, but
e made no attempt to resent the in