The Ordway new era., 1922-04-14

uspd
@ when inhabitants of the plains of Eastern Colorado
ecowboy and prairie dogs
old Dice Box been banking the game and as always
" was winning All the money that came into our
got Dice Boxs old sock, as We called the
Hack pocketbook that he carried in wide buckskn belt
nnder his shirt
There were eleven in and usually about
m many more, reps we called them, with wagon
% times there would be many as 25 extra day
mas we worked along the creeks
We had received orders to ship $4,000 of steers
o were making shipments of train load about once
k Cowboys susceptible to diversion any of
vow This particular fall they all in outfit, seemed be
hassed with keen desire to shoot craps.
In the evening Old Short Chuck cook could scarcely
holm TO wash dishes which all good cowboys do
nyos were they to get their blankets rolled around
s fire. where they could roll the bones.'
There were always several games going when we
$50 in camp Remarks such 'come seven! "dice don'tl
n fail me and like expressions continually coming
from Dice Boxs All mems wages and about 80
m cent Reps gravitated into that and
o Dice Boxs sock, Just water gravates to tne
Money firmly EMBEDDED in the old sock gone from
M game forever The boys spoke of Dice Box when going
na game as weighing in and weighing out" They roughly
imated that when good game old sock gained
the rate OF about one pound Tor every hour the game
lasted
winnings took in ponies, saddles blankets and any
thing of value His War Bag" big collection of
a plugs xshooters pocket knives spurs and such like
he things he would trade back to the former
times money, but usually he would make bargains
With whereby they stood his turn night guard some
other duty that would fall to him during the trip
One trip o the railroad we had camped band of
Gyps who talked about their horse Immediately the
Boys made up purse of S400 and matched them for horse
race This was pulled the following morning. and it cost
Gpes $400 and their horse learn that boys
thoobred running horse in their caviyard along with
their saddle ponies. All money gravtated until it reached
the bottom of Dice Box's old sock.
One evening the end of the beef hunt Watson and
Blake the owners of the outfit out to camp IN
livery rig with driver looking youth they had pick
dup town. They stayed all night at the and du1:n5
the evenings conversation they told US of raid that had been
made by lone bandit gambling house down on the river
This nsa bandit had entered the place evening while 1t
was full swing closed the door, locked it then backing the
patrons against the wall had made of them hold sack,
while the others emped their vauables into it. Then taking
the sack he had backed remarkng he closed the door
on them gentlemen your first introduction to Huerfano Bill
Several weeks later he had worked the same kind OF deal IN
one the mining towns in the county to the west Look out
don get you Watson remarked to Dice Box he watched
| the play in the tent that evening.
The next morning the night hawk, we called the man
mat watched the saddle horses at night bringing IN the
es when his horse stepped in hole and fell with hl lie
got alright but by the time he had the horses IN the rope
corral he lame from sprained ankle that ne could not
walk
IF he wants go back with and get doctors treat
"en we will leave driver with you to fill his place at
son told our foreman This arrangement was adopted