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War, Lefties PC; slate
ro. words 635
Falls, Mishit*. Page 1
01.000,Tirff
"'Sher I ttCrk of those days as a cowboy or the range I get reel lonesome.
I was herr it, Wise County, and lived there until I was eighteen years old.
"On June 10, 1679, I passed through the unsettled townsite of Wiehita Fells
and joined the outfit it W. T. Waggoner, three mass c''rem Wiehita Falls.
"For seven years I rode the ph l's, living in a dugout in the winters, and
sperding the spring and summer on the range. They sent out previsions from
headquarters about Wee during the winter. WO killed a beef ono* in a while,
and got by till spring.
"In the spring usually April three neighboring ?Groh's of ?k,rehmmil Barrett
and ironer Started south to gether up the cattle. You see, they drift south
duri-g VA, artrtar. As the whole region was unfenoed, it took cynsidereble
scout 1'r before the round up was over. There were abut twenty nutfits. Im
*ash outfit, was 000k (who besides cooking drove the supply we or), a horse
wra-gler who drove the extra horses, and eighteen or twenty cowboys. Each ooWbey
had to furrish is own esciile, but board was furnished and s small sum of money
leat'Ars.
"Duri,,g the day the boys herded the tattle. At night they watched in rolsyse
some times they sot around the camp fire and listened to one of them playing the
fiddle. Sometimes they all song the cowboy songs. This had a twofold purposes
It made the boys feel better ad was soot trg to Vie cows. You see, if cows get
nervous or startled they start a **impede, and that is something to reeken with.
"To ',norm the =notary, the boys played poker. When we came to a town we
tried to stir up a donee.
Mejer„ Lefties PW .a.hits Falls, Wichita. Page 2
No. Words 635
JEFF WAGTITIN.440iBOY (Sent 'a)
"We wohdd send out word to hoodquarterr when as had some fifteen hundred
heed of cattle rounded up* Then the three ranchos would send out men to
bring their own brand home. The rest of us would stay to finish the round up.
"Some of the boys I knew traded a dreesed be.for a tow', let in Wiehito
Falls, but 1 vas not in °rested in any such trade. 1 did not oars to burial'
aorself with city property* 1 ve-ted to be free ihe go and eon. as I chose.
I enjoyed the trips to Lenses City* There were eight oesiboys* a boss*
a (soot ard a horse wrangler in the expedition* lb e boss traveled ahead and
leeated water and a *amp site* Then the wagon driver stepped at the thee and
made 'amp* WO boys drove the cattle till they get to the wagon. We made about
twenty miles a dove
"It usually took about two months to reach lasses city. We would let
the settle graze along the green pastures* 'we vented them to get fat for
market. Every bite of grass they ate, was eater while traveling aieng* We
vrfuld let them lit, down ard rest while we ate. We go ull not let them rest Largo
.1. they would be restless at -ight*
"The first night out thong was a stampede ea he Creek. We did not
knew the cause. About five hundred cattle were lest* It delayed the trip tee
days before we found thee all.
"The bees wrote W. T. Waggoner about the time the cattle were doe to itrrilre4
Se he wort by train to make arrangements ter the sale.
"On ohe of our trips* we found that the settle were too poor for market.
They had to tie pastured for two or three menthe. They had nearly run themselves
to death as far Pe worth Canadian* stampeding every night. We were in the
long grease, and the wird blowing through the grass veuld startle on: of thee.
Major, Lottte, PH;
Ile. Words 665
Mite Falls, Wichita. rage
JET Ak6Ge"En.-COWBOT oon'td)
One of them, jumping up or over srorting, w- ld siert, the bunch ard away
they 'mid go.
Abut the wisest thirg ever did was when I married Mery r7cse of
Decatur, February Us 1666, I settled down thong en the twenty thousand
acre tract that W. T. Waggoner had forced in on Gilbert Creek,
"I looked after two thousand cattle for nine years. I secomulated
quite a stook in that ti7os so I decided to lease tho pasture. My brother,
John J., went in with me on the seven year lease. He lived la Iowa Park
during that time. WS later bought an eight thousand sore ranch on Dearer
Creek. I turned over my interest to my ddest son. Merle.
"We moved to Wichita Falls in 1906. 10 imertid our children to have
educati-ral advantage..
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