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7-61 kstcr--... tYal e. tore—
rhe Lone Wo or Texas
Ruby Ioaley'
6an Angelo, Texas.
TILE LONE WOLF OF
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"I was bred in Lngland, born in Georgia, end rear-
ed in lexas, says 'I. L. Baugh, "The Lone Wolf of Tax".
"Ly father died before I was born and mother died two
months after I showed my face, so poor old auntie took
the burden; one rolled no up and brought me to Texas to
ace if i we. going to bark or bray. Look what I turned
out to be, a red-headed tabby, wearing a Vandyke, to be
distinguished from all others. I want to be different,
I crave difference from any human being that ever welled
on two feet.
"I want you to know that I have not lost my pride
and ambitions, I have four things to complete before I'm
ready to die. First, I want to be the first and beet
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guitar player with a little twelve inch stick; secondly,
to advertise for big corporations with my talent; third-
ly, to push my cart through every state in the Union and
last but zot least, to make an honest living without
government aid.
"I am 65 years old and average fifteen miles a day
when on the road, pushing my two wheel cart that weighs
from 350 to 375 pounds. It varies according to my sup-
plies. This *art contains all of my necessities, then
some luxuries such as books, photographs, police cards,
guitar, dress clothes, harmonica, and some sort of
little horn, bazooka style. I have pushed my cart house
16,000 miles and have made all but five states in my
itinerary.
"People tell me that I look like an old buzzard
pushinr my nest from one state to another, just drifting
alonp: with time. I guess it does look like one with
those old tin cans, rags, knives, guns, etc., hanring on
the sides. Alen people ask about my home, 1 always warn
them that the highway is lAy home and i am the Lone
of Texas.
"This little cart is sacred to me; it makes me sad
to talk about it. I have gone off and left it for a few
days;always got home -sick and returned to find my bed
the more comfortable.
"I was going to see a nice, pretty woman that bad
a big wheat farm out in Kansas, in fact we were engaged
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to be married. One day she said, 'How would you ever set-
tle down and leave your cart and highway?' I said,'It
would be different then.' I guess it would because I knew
it wasn't going to happen, I soon found myself pushing my
house cart down that lonely road again.
"I never 17:ok back, always look ahead, let the past
be past; this is good advice for anyone. I have worn out
seven pairs of cart wheels, but have the same old body
that I started out with.
"Several times I have been caught out in the cold
where wood was not to be found but I carry old innertubes
to burn in emergencies. I have been carried eight end
ten miles in cars to pet water, people would find me out
in the desert, starving for water.
"I have pushed my cart upward six and eic,ht days
at the time to reach the tops 9f mountains of Colorado
and I have walked twenty-seven miles backward, pulling my
cart to get down.
"one time I was playing for a little party in Lynch-
burg Virginia, I was to play three hours for one dollar.
when my time was up I quit; told them t would play
longer for more money. some of the boys got a little
hard end tried to foroe me to play without pay. I took
my butcher knife out of my belt and out one guy, mother
ran away. I got my nose and eyes beat up, lien I left
the crowd was in a brawl, some fightin because of the
Pegs !slur
effects of drinks, some because I was leaving, and others
just to be fightin'. I had to walk about six miles be-
fore I came to 7y. cart, I would not wait for them to
return me in the car, as promised,
"I went to show you my butcher knife and hand ex;
they ore around 150 or 175 years old and once belonged
to a reat uncle of mine, batch me hit my mark on the
talereph pole. There it is, see that? I'm fifteen
yards fror the pole, I bet you can't hit that with the
knife nor hand ax either. And I hit my mark the first
time. You see, that's why one of the fellows made a'
get -away from the party.
"In :Alisbury, North (Arolina, I was rudely a-
wakened by two bandits who demanded my mosey. Luckily
I was broke, and the boys left in disgust. I mover souse
disturbance with officers for little things like that.
can protect myself most anytime.
"Another little occurance kinds up set me when •I
was in Lynchburr, Virginia. I played two platoon at the
theatre and made 10.00. This was my biggest money,
playing the guitar with a sticks end on my way home I
was robbed of 6.00. ell E asked the law to help ms
little this time bnd we cot beck k;:46,00 with about
three hours' hunt.
"You may not know and I know you can't tell by
lookin' but 1 have been a detective, I detected severs].
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things while I was in oen Angelo my last time. They
thought I was pretty good when I caught an officer that
time.
90 business is legitimate. I don't borrow, beg,
nor steal; there is no other person like me, I sell
nothing but music, All of my music is decent and is
usually connected with children or old people. I have
broadcasted from better than 300 radio stations.
"One time I went to Abilene in 24009 and sold ba-
nanas; I pawned my shoes to buy my first stalk, I was
doin' pretty well but guess I got "sorter" out of my
place, though, and had to jump from a three story win-
dow with a .45 gun pointed at me; that's why I left
Abilene that time. Oh yes, I taught a long freight
out. I never went back to that place until about six
yecrs opo and acted as 3anta Claus in a local store.
"Yes, I've been married twice, I have two ohildren
that are married and have families. They live in cast
Texas. ;Ly boy is one of them A. L. Agriculturists.
"I reckon the reason I travel on foot I was in e
oar accident in Yort '4orth, had twenty-two bones broken;
I like to have never got over that.
"I don't like to speak of the past.- about my Sarni-.
lies; we wont go into that stuff. I never like the past.
I have six scrapbooks that contain pictures and write-ups
from north to south, from east to west sides of the
United tates. I entertain myself by looking them over,
Peg* six
singing, and playing.
"I like to meet nice young widows or middle aged
women, have little suppers and play 42 or talk; but I
ain't got matrimony in my head, no not me.
"I'm going to the Worldos Fair at P4,w York in
1939. I expect to push my cart over to New Orlecns
end go on up to New York. I take in all' them kind of
things. I stayed pretty close to the Centenniel most
all the time it was in Dallas. I made pretty good money
there playing for different enterteinments.
"For protection, I have my hand ex, butcher knife
and that little wooden gun you see hanging on my cart.
That is a true imitation of the worst desperado's in
the United 6tates. It is exactly like it except mine
is carved from white pine.
"I never carry s dog, you know it wouldn't be
natural for a Lone Wolf end a dog to go down the high-
way together.
"Remember to never look book, keep noing forward,
on an0 on."
The Lone tiolf of Texas,
Ruby Atosley
Jan Angelo, Texas.
BIBLIOGitAilrf
N. L. Baugh, Sou Angelo, Tessa. laterriewolo
February So 1910.