Document text
Words NDITORIAL IlL COPY
by
s, florenge A,germAllsW, F.
Range Lore and 0owboY
Reminiscences
before and After 1875
ALDS C',UNT74.
Taos 1
TOM MILLS.
Uncle Tom Hills. frontier Negro eowpuncher and horseireakeri was
torn In Alabama during slave dale, emming to Texas 1n 1862 settling
on the Sabinal River in the Patterson eettlemeat.
Uncle Tom is a voterah cow hand having telt, to ranch lit, as a
young boy. He rode wild horses, worked wild settle and cams fees to
face with panthers and lobos. There was no recompense for hours of
night herding in the rain and -sleet; it vas all in the day's work.
"Wit that vas the life I lovedc" he said, simply. ",7141 had the
choicest of ments, we perched our own °Wee, we drank from our own hats,
we broke our own horses and done our own fightiet But we had our
(tun. I can tell you"'
Torn Oills is not decrepit. -Like mot outdoor men he in hale,
)errty and active. He will eels rate hie 79th birthday Sunday, October
17,1937,
"About the first hoes I ever remembes riding after cattle was at
the Kennedy plaee on the Sabinal (Rivi16. They had a little field right
below that place and they had it planted in coon. They had out brash
and laid it down and then took other breih and stuck it dolma through
that to make a fence.- cattle gat to going in there and this here
Osorge-PeNtorson told me to get on his hoes and go down there and run,
them cattle out of the field. I started the cattle out, and one of 'em
out back and when my hose give a quick turn (to head off the cow)
Range ,Lore Tom Mils
Page
X32
roil off and the hoes left there with the saddle on. *en the hoes
left I vent the other may,but when Mr Patterson saught *im„ he didn't
say nothing mush about it.
•PA
"My first outfit to work with would tickle you. Iijust an old
saddle without any saddle *kilts. They made as some liming' out of
rawhide. When they got wet they would get loose, but when they get
dry,I souldn't,straighten out my legs.
"I always helped start' the herds for the trail but I never did go
up the trail for when the outfit started bask to the ranch, they
always wanted as bask there.
"Thing* was pretty wild and Wooly them days. I was with the
Reynolds family right otter Rmaneipation and I was in town with Dill
Reynolds one day. Bill was talkin* to Bill Crouch's sheep boss and
this sheep boss was standin* with his arm morose the neck of Reynold's
hoes. I didn't hear whet they were goyim' but directly I heard a gun
fire and looked around to ere the sheep boss fallin*. Mr Reynolds had
his foot in the stirrup to get on his hoes, but when he shot the other
MIKR, he aimed him over and looked at him then got on his hose and
rode off. They didn't de Sethi** to. 'in.
"I've seen lots of Indians but they never did boiher me. I've
heard fellers tell about fightin* Indians that I know never fought
one in their lives. I remember one foggy merninl we were to meet some
fellow that were roundial up a bunch of cattle. Pretty soon my men
a
saw this other outfit and stampeded. They thought they were Indians.
I never run bemuse I saw the men at the same time and knew they were
the bunch we were going tcp,aost. One of the fellows in the bunt* that
day when he at to the romoh, he was so seared be asked gem to let him
Page 3
go under the bed! And this same old
how be fought the Indians.
The Indians was bad all right. When they was (main' into the
country, they didn't do no damage. It was when they wont out that they
would do their devilment, They gonorally Wt out in the full of the moon
and that's when they did all their mischief.
"Vs used to hold some pretty lively Kangaroo Courts out in camp, I
know your Mole Demp Fonley„ him and Rutledge was moving 's herd once and
Mr limp he come into pan one evening and got to tollin' yarns. He was.
an awful feller to tell palls. But When he happened to think about the
Kangaroo Court that night, he knew he was in for it, so he ti;eidolExouse
ma boy?! I forgot myself!' Ox' course he was the boss and I think he got off.
They got me one time, I told Vio boys Zap Mira was.somint to take sharge.of
the outfit. They didn't like bin and began to got sore about, it se I told
Ism better end they begot* on me. They didn't tio me down, but they know
I wasn't gain' to stand after the first lick.
"They had a judge and other officers, and they got you up In court
for evtar*tuilic just to have fun. You didn't went to toll a lie at no
time or no smutty jokes, especially at dinner ties. It sure stopped this
smutty yarn talk in asap. it was a good thing.
"I never did Ifs* no profane language. or go to no. saloons and drink.
I never took „..a drink or whiskey or footed around a saloon in ay lir*.
"I Member mine a pretty woman by the nano of Miss -Annie Derry.
1q06,rierr was Liu Barry and their tether breaks his meek runnine amstsses,,
Annie 'Sorry was living down near -Trio Town. She never worked right in
an outfit butt she could catch a cow or a calf as good as any boy.
Wore is died, he used to toll
She wee as goo* a row as any of 'en and who eould ride through
the brash too* When she got *tinier 'old self,' she'd our* ketch.
I seen her on hoomes that wasa't wall broke and she rode thane old time
aid, saddles, too. I've soon iheta side saddles that had three horns
and think hor saddle did. Anyway, she had a ring fixed under those
horns on the right aid. of thasaddla and she. 'rapt her rope tiod in
that ring. We used to tie our ropes around the horn mostly, but she
tied hor rope in that ring.
"She was shoo a pretty girl. She had light hair and a fair
skin and I tell you, thera wasn't many as protty as she was. She
married a fellow by the nem of Bill Allen but they saparatad. She
was killed after that. I think she was gain" with a fellow that
killed her. She wasn't a big woman and that*, wasn't many liko Ass
Anal.. abs made a picture on them wild house and she could pure
handle 'en.
*There was a widow woman down near Ootulla that used to ride
and work stock. I don't remembor her name Just now but she had a
torrIbla lot of bosses. ,(Probably the Widow Burk.) She kept men
there to work and she were her guns Just like a man. I've mean her
many a time and I remember what big herds of horns she had.
"You see there used to be lots of .wild horses in that canary
Wow Pearsall. It was opal country down there and thump was thou-
sands of mustangs runaino over that sand. There was mustang: pens
all over that country. Tailor Burnett, a man I worked for, he found
a tine mustang he mato/ moo. Be eould shoot them mustaigs in the
nook, above the meek bone they 'called it **roast** feat and he
meant to crease that stallion and shot too low ant kill** 'in. Bo was
Range Lore Tea Rills Pao
a pretty thing mnd-Mr. ?allay sure wanted oiM6
nevi soen stallions their mane and tail would be that loss
(eighteen -or twenty'inahas) and. samettass their *anal 'dad acne
to their-Mhoulders.ent their tails would drag the ground. _ I've soma
gem milk -whit*, not a bleak hair on 'am. About the prefilast on*
aver saw was one. of these Whits ones. RA was as round.bodied am he
could be and had a small head and glass eyes; that is, Sort of blue
*yea. He was sure pretty. They caught 'in and gentled 'in and he
was already broke Chen I first saw him. But, ranmnber &Omit the
prettiest stallion 'main' wild I aver saw. It was down in those
sand hills below Pearce]]. Hp was red roan. H. had a busCh with
tin and got a goad leak at 'ma but I never *aught that,stalllon.
"It was a pioullar thing about that. What do you 'Kappa.* nus.
taags would 4* when they would spy you? Why, they would ions right
to you. A home is intelligent. When a smart hoes sees something he
don't understand, hose ran' to work around and sae what it is before
ha runs. And %hoes mustangs,- they would always sins right toward you.
When they got close -enough, they'd go plumb around you, bat they'd nev-
er brook and run as soon am they sea you; they'd ease right where you
could get a good look at *wiry one of ca. Than when they vent around
you, that could be about the last you would sea oisep$ the dust. You
mare couldn't head 'ma of fl
I rods so many neva hosier, I can't remember whisk was the nean.
*et. About the mast vielous hose I over rod. triad to eat me up. Re
nevir throw** me; that was something they didn't do, unless I wasn't
looklA. for it. I was nighty near a hace.eonquaror. This here hoes
would rough around and bite my lega. 1 aura had to wateh tin. I've
had lam fight ma and even kick my haiels in
"About the hardest rids I ever made was
%onto and bask. It was about aiSkty nil**
eleven o'clock one_nightto got a favor the
and got bask the next eveming;- It was
it was durin* Indian times, too.
"I rode that way at night for doctors
time. It did**, make no iitferones to as.
the doctor ones and after 1 get thlowsi I had
hoes, but I was just moms an hour and a half
bask, all right. They said, *Don't spare th
to rids..
*About the most peculiar brand I ever
_
divide. we used to volt stook _up there (in
and ve run an to a hog now and then that had
branded an *La. We would strike *in every
"I remenbar one old fellow that branded
and at on. time, timbre was about 1,000 head
that brand. Tha* liaxkin brands, they was so
temembsr an or ammo 'en talker. Thor* wad
brand near Sandara. It looked like the bell
flour.
*I rods a hose ior George Harper an.
kateh up a big serial and brook *in and hood
got that hoes up and 'brought *La up to where
and next morals* I rode *W. Some people e
stirrups.
an Frio Town to Saa As-
hore and left about
ter for ix'. Waves
rough, hard rid, and
other,familise many a
ode nine mils. ,to get
ride two miles after his
I brought the doctor
ass,* and I knew I had
soross was up on the
Roskeprings section)
I0 PIG' branded
ag.
V ito *11 eonniketod
hossis raisin* under
stiller you oculdn't
be Up Dinner Well
this 'Liberty Sill*
Se sant se word to
vs as ten dollars. I
livsd and tied *Ls up
to the Muss and was
vatehl**. That old hose she' w** Pitioht*
hoard these people say,
Pats
*0, he *int pitehin* hard.1 his logs is too stiftl* Well, they
ought to boom an his. I had a new saddle and the saddle posits*,
tied on with buekskin strings and when he quit pitshIno, both
pockets were on one side. The noRt_day, he get to pitehin* ant
jumped up and fell right back and buried the saddle horn in the sand but
he didn't get no. Then, I got on *is *ad rod. *In through a lot of
thickets and I iotiood.he'kept flinehini so -I decided to g5 that
flinch out of 'in when I got in the eXeerief. The grass *re was
kneewhigh, 'so I give 'in a Out with my quirt and he throes4 no
right in those grass burs. There 'wee nobody to see it, so I plaited
the her. out 'and got on *La to whip the Atek out of *in, but he
wouldn't pitch. That its the last time b I pitched with ne,'But,
he was nee*. AWL the tether of that hose souldn 't No rode, Ne
would pitch a man to death. 1 know, at least, two min that took
hemorrhagos fron tryin* to ride that hoes.
"I believe Telloy BuraottAiqs about the host pistol and rifle
shot I ever saw. He could be Adis* along with his rifle in his
esebbard and a door would jump up and held say, *latish ms break his
neekl* No*6 step off his hoes sad kill that door Wore It could
sot away, every time.
knew an NaglishameR in *ST that could shoot a .101 and hand
you the hull sad lot you 'Mush It up and he could hit it every shot.
I think he was better than Towyperweln for he workod foia Ilnehes-
ter company and was an emirs fine shot. But, be oculdn"t hit a door.
"I've *sea lots of good ropers. I seen Forreelli Tellettie
father, Alf Tollott, go isle the pen where it wee !akin' Ur** non to
the and hoed put as many an does by bisect as the othore
soul* wish holy. Nes put his rope around his moist and work alone.
Range Lore Tarn Mills
Polo
I've seen Old Man Alf, an. hi rods those outlaw hoses*, go net ono
of these outlaw and tail two mere to this one and,take en where he
was gain' to break 'en. One time, I seen *in when his hose fell. Re
had his rope down to rope something and his'hoss got up end got Alf's
foot tangled up in the riep. The boss broke to run and Alf $aw heft,
be drug to death because he had his reps tie* to the hora-of the
saddle, Hein' stout like he was, he set bask on that rope mad throw'
it that hoss. Before he tumid get his feet untangled* the hoes got
up and started aside,' Re *rowed "ta the sesond tine ant then got to
the hoes and jumped on 'in. Of *ours* he had plea,/ of tine, than,
to get his foot untangXeds He was the best ',Meant and the best
roper I ever saw in my life: He couldn't be beat in the pens and when
It eons to a neon hose, he'd kola% 'in by both ears and halt the hash'
mere (a rope fashioned somethihg like a bridle, but without bits) in
his mouth. Rett put that' beeknmere ea that boss by himself.
"I've seen some pretty nein bulls out on the range, too. There was
one cone into our *amp one 'hernia' and hooked two hoes is out of ene\mna's
mount. We hat to eeimease *koala:a' gin till vs killed *in. He was a
big brawn animal with a light streak does his bask, a rogslar old Span
irk bull with awful keen barns.
*Out on the Rio Oriente, I sone pretty near getting hooked. That
was la ISO, I believe. It was when the law was passed that people
had to quit malaria* their siz-shooters and hat ts *awry 'en on the horn
of the settle. was kespia' talley in some pens that day ant somitoty
yelled; 'Look out:" leoked up in Use to see that boll eosin'. I had
to get to ny gun and I wasn't such a good shot either, but I hit 'in
a lisky shot and he Ives veetiss eith such terse, he tell with his head
4111.,
right at sty footi
"Tabu! I've sou nor. ataapedoe than I 'mild emeriti Pin
sun _yen whoro the Natio all, get away, It would be so dark you
souldakvt soli a thing. X donut know how fur they would run ametinete.
It didn't take us so long te get yea round/ad book together, usually,
in about ex. half a day! V. would pick the_ tusks of the farther.!
oat *us and bring yen in that way. I found it vas but to turn ten
luso on a dark bight. one night, we had about ainewibundrod in a herd
down on the Cotuna oleo. to Sammielit's and Clarutharfa rush. lir.
Rutlodges eons *round to no and um 'What are ye" gala' to to with
thou utile"' 1 *aye, 'The beet thing we can do is to bed von and
slip off fro* tea, for when that Tam o, they will (hitt, then.
So we did, and about also o'clock next morniat, we bad all then Gatti*.
vvI think I told you **Us• bask about the tine we brought the bud
up from the lower *matey- tbr Kr. Demo resalti and Mr* dula•441*, I vs
thought of that noutytinea., Is had one old **ear that would grass off
from the bud every night whoa we'd bed yen down. Mr. Rutledge and
as was Saki** thei last guard in the nornia*,, so wo always bedded the
*stills dam. That ovonia* we aimed in a re -agar pear flat (priekly
pear) and Kr. Rutledge motioned to ne to sows to tin. Ks, uya, Mow,
when Slat old stoat grams off tonight, I'll cut via off from the
herd and, you ride 1* and tops 1111, aekd we'll give *in a good vhippia°.*-
Well, the old steer waist off as usual and Idr. Rutledge run in to
eat gin off fun the herd -and the old steer run in behind vin and
outrun lir. Rutledge, to the, herd. The settle vie all quiet and layint
dam and that -old stoop rim in on top of ion and ,otearpeded yon. Away
they went! We had a groesk•hora follow with us and he run to the .absolt-
!!..,,gu just as a big old stow run through sup and fell and rolled
Ravige Lore Tan Page 20
under the caulk wagon. It nearly seared 'in to dbath.. All hands
was out and we ?Ia.'s* ill night long. We'd no sooner get then
settle bask till they was gone *win. I'd hear mr, Rutledge yell,
rPronenedet, whenever Sherd start aid it sure did tlekle me. Nest
Amain' that priekly pear was all lyis flat On the ground. Mr.
Rutledge got wousti and told se to keep it quiet what started them
settle to vaunts' and we sever did tell *at did it. We hat masy
leash over it.
"'Many a happy des' I've spent sow hunt's,. We'd have two pack..,
4
bosses, one for the Utile sad ass for the softly', outfit. We never
**Tried no foolishness along. We had the settee pet hanging *Gun*
the hoes' ilea and the skillet ,it as to) of the peak, bottsm,upwards,
and 'the rope some right across; the skillet right begrimes the legs sad
then the kindle was tuned bask to keep it frau ketshia' in•the break.
I can peek an outfit ea a hoes right now with *V *Yee shut.,
*We'd carry meal, salt and green coffee. We got our meat and tallow
on the map and we 'evoked our mast on sticks. mrs But, it was fine
satin 1.
*Then was good days in this country. Thera matt many moon people
either. Teult hear of a few outlaws like tool Ocllins and $an Bass.
I seen Joel Collins but I doLY-t remember Ian Bess. I've sees Kingfisher
Amyl a time. We was sure a flue-lookia" fellow. He had black eyes and
we. dark samplested. They say he was some outlaw. I knew he killed
several Meatus in this frontier country,/but he wasn't no robber.
Well, we never will hove good times like those days."