Evening star., 1925-07-26

the binding storm) you was running
good chances of getting lost unless you
run acrost some landmark what told
of your whereabouts.
X X
lnNE day when we hear of a dance
- what was going to be pulled off al
the crossing we figger there could be
no better time for it to happen; sc
saddling up our private ponies us two
boys and the cook set out for the
crossing 40 miles away.
We covered that 40 miles and got
to the other end in plenty time for the
big midnight feed. We had our ears
all wrapped up to keep 'em from freez
ing off, but, along with the coyotes
bowling to the moon, we could heal
old Darb a-see- saving bn his fiddle
and somebody else calling the dahce
half a mile before we reached the
house.
We just enters the house as we
hear q tag" dance announced and by
the time our chaps, spurs, and extra
clothes are took off it's half over. but
not too late to tag a couple or hom
bres. take their ladies, and dance
some till we got tagged ourselves
When the dance was through the
blood was beginning to circulate some
and by the time we shook hands all
around we was more than ready tc
help keep things cheerful.
Half the crowd was cow-punchers
from everywhere, few cowmen with
their families, from the Oldest down
to the weaner (what was left in the
bedroom but made itself heard now
and AGAIN., then a few boys from town
what sleighed over and brought few
girls along.
There was about six men to each
lady. and it was always wonder
to me how the supposed to be weaker
sex could tire the men even at that,
but they did, and the fatter they was
the longer they stayed.
The big feed at midnight and
specially that coffee was life saver
to most of us what come in late;
and when the fiddler resumed his
playing there was no quitting till
daybreak The ladies all disappeared
then, and US boys would take the
floor and go on with the stag dance;
If "fire-water" was around that stag
dance was apt to be kind OF rough
and end up in wrestling matches.
The bunch all heads for the cor
rails and a wall-eyed rangy bronc is
led out, saddled, straddled, and with
the bawling of that bronc bucking
away with a whooping rider tanning
him, the crowd hollering stay with
him, cowboy or the like, the sun is
coming up. the ladies are waking,
and the end of the doings have come.
Breakfast is spread and all hands,
after partaking of the bait, are talk
ing of hitting the trail. Ponies are
caught, harnessed or saddled. and
with a lot of howdedo the crowd is
leaving for their home grounds.
h ie,t cd q trn
through the corral gate and bucks
right through the calf pen, same as 1t
wasn't there, near hooking on the
corner of the stable as he goes by;
but a mile further on he cools down
some and the boys catch up with me.
We're riding along a ways when
Dan remarks, II feel something in
the air." A light breeze had sprung
up from the west, and come to think
about it. it felt a whole lot as If a
chinook was headed our way, and as
we ride on that breeze keeps a-getting
warmer and stronger. The deep
snow was already beginning to show
the effects and sagging as the warm
wind ct it's way through.
THE next day as I ride out of
camp the chinook is blowing for
sure, and when 1 strikes the first
bunch of cattle found them to be as
| was afraid / would. They'd been
strong and rustling fine a few days
before; they'd been on their feet
steady through the cold weather. not
hankering to lay down in the snow,
and the exercise kept the blood cir
culating; but the chinook had took the
snow off a few spots on the ridges
and at them spots is where l finds
most of the stock laying down and
all the life out of EN-.
They was hardened to the cold and
the sudden warmth left EN- so weak
that only half of 'em can get up as
l rides in on 'em. l spends a couple
of hours helping the weakest ones
by failing em up" and steadying
'em some afterwards 50 they can navi-
gate. I'm working hard cause 1
know that when the chinook quits
blowing and 1t gets cold again them
cattle what are down now will get stiff
and cramped. the blood'll quit circu-
lating, and the critters legs will De