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Range -lore
laizabeth iJoyle
4A911 ialgelo, Texas.
RAIIG-.0...L JIVE
Page one
Carrol County, Tennessee,
was the home of A. P. TOwnsen,
long time Coleman resident, be-
fore coming to Lampasas, Texas,
with his mother's family when
8 b07 of six. At this age
Tornsen says he began the long
ride on the range with his uncle
and older brother which lasted
through many years and was only
discontinued because of failing
eye sight, which the most skill-
ed aid hac failed to benefit.
think that's why I was a good rider. Jinks gave ms
so much good practice, lie had a way of sticking his
old nose right down on the ground and bowing up in a
knot as he let the now guys right off over his head.
The tenderfoot was greet fun but we always
tried to be human with them and that is more than
some outfits een say. We had one coma straggling
along once and ask for night's lodging in our *amp.
The poor fellow, looked tired and hungry as he said he
had been walking all day. We gave him a good supper
of sonr-of-sii.gun, corn breed, and bleak coffee and
enough bedding out of our own to make him comfortable;
no he was soon fast asleep and snoring. We tried to
think of some harmless trick to play on him and final-
ly decided to use some poles nearby and build a pen
over him. We built it up about two feet high then
covered it good and solid over the top with the same
poles. The poor fellow was so tired until I don't
think he turned over all night but next morning he
awakened and started up very suddenly with the result
that his head was almost busted. As soon as he saw
what he was in for he was a good sport and lay back
down saying, 'Boys, the Joke is on no, I'm game; if
you'll let me out of here and give me a little break-
fast I will be on my mi.' We all liked that spirit
so mush that we begged him to stay on with us after
Yetis tour
we had let hi* out and eaten breskfest hut he seemed
to have urgent business sheet end weal en bat it just
made me think that it on the noribeemesa had been as
good a sport is he we. they would have saved them*
selves siomany s-duskin' or ride es a polio
*In 1879 I some through to Coleman County with
a big herd and settled out on Zia Nei Crook about
twenty-five miles northwest of the present toes at
Coleman. At that time there matt a mhos' or
church house in colonial County and everything else
was in the mei
Rae went oUt one miming sad saw seven buffaloes
on our mash, six grown ones and one 1020 We killed
and butchered one of the wen ease, roped the self
and carried it to an adjoining rush whore it woo kept
five monthe• In September I *orris& it beck to Zamposes
to put it in ir brother's pasture ihereIlatended hear
tag it until I could sell it to sees show* No soak lack
was mine, though, for the self had aim Mums ear*
abort time whin some hunters omit slang end their dogs
ran and 'moiled tho poor thing 411 it died.
awhile I was at my brother's the /Mims raided
his renoh and stole all his horses, is followed than
quite a ways but soon lost the trail and had to tuts
back. We newer reeovered the horses.
*My uncle end one of wir brothers sans out to
Page five
Fort Chadbourne in an early day end tried to establish
a ranch but the Indians were so much worse here then
than they were back there, that they were forced to
break up and return to Lampasas. my brother was a
great deal smaller man than I am and he always said
his fear of Indians kept him from growing enough.
"I have cow hunted all over the western half
of the state but the largest herd I ever saw we at
a round -up between the Colorado and Conch° hivers
down on Fuzzy Creek. There were some 30,000 head in
that bunch end when the forty or fifty men got in
among them, there was certainly some cutting going on.
My little horse named Slick (I called him Boy) was the
best all around oow horse T ever saw. I loved him like
he was a human and he did have more sense than lots of
people. I never knew hti to fall down vith any rider
and I owned him from the time he was four years old
until he was fourteen.
"I have sung all night a -many e-niqht and hardly
sing the same song trice. All the boys sang "Sam Bass,"
I believe, more than any other song. We sang to keep
awake, to keep looation and also to keep the cattle
quiet. There's no denying that cattle have nerves to
be quieted the same as the two legged animals.
"I have put tobacco in my eyes to keep awake too,
and often wonder if that could have injured them enough
Page six
to have caused my present trouble. i an thankful
though that I can see enough to get to town and book,
for my daughter works down town, you ma, and I would
get even more lonely if I couldn't find my way down
there once in awhile; end I'm still living in hopes
that somehow, someway, my sight will yet be restored
to me."
Bea. -lore
Ilisibelk Boyle
Sea Angeles Tomes.
BIBLIOGRAM
A. P. Towasea, Coleman, Tome, interviewed,
November 111, 195,.