Northern Oklahoma College - Roundup Yearbook (Tonkawa, OK)

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? N4 '13, .- 1 1 Q ,, , ,E . nz- Tlie Crafter and the Stage Driver Frank Brewer, '16 We were sitting in a semicircle in the yard after our day's work in the hay, telling our experiences as ieamsters. The boss, John Milton, was sittmg on an inverted milk pa.l. puffing vigorously at a big rose wood pipe. Some one remarked that it was JOl1l1'3 time to relate an experience, The boss took a deep drag at his pipe and began: Th',s reminds me, boys,,of a time about ten years ago, when l was driving an over- land stage in eastern Oregon, from Salton, the end of the railroad, to Pine Flat, a little town out in the valley near the mountains. about eighty miles away. The road ran over mountains, through gorges and around rim rocks, and it was very difficult to follow, especially at night. My drive was from noon till midnight. One afternoon in April, l started out from Salton, driving six horses, two bronks which 1 had in the swing, so they were of no bother to keep in the road. My lead team was true and willing, but ,my Wheelers were balky. The stage station was on the top ol' a little ridg. . After loading the express, baggage, mail, and about four hundred pounds of strawberries, l was ready for the passengers. A party ol' land grafters had just come into that part of the country. They were said to be a bad lot. lke Bowman. the man who had the reputation of being the shrewdest and worst grafter in the West. now came out of the hotel followed by three other men. There were an old gentleman and two' young fellows. The old man was tall and looked to be about fifty years of age. I heard him tell the hotel keeper that his name was Thompson, and he was from Iowa. He said the two young men were his son and nephew. The nephew was low and heavy, with an expression of hard work on his face. The old man called him George. The son was tall, and slender. l-le was prob- ably twenty-four years old. They-were not dreSsed as speeulators, but as substantial farmers, While standing by the coaclrbefore starting, l heard George remark, 'Harry, do you think the girls would like it out here?' Al last we were ready to start, l climbed to the boot, took up the lines in one hand and the long whip in the other, kicked loose the brake. The coach started to roll down the steep incline. .lust then the bronks began to run and kick. The Wheelers balked, but the leaders were heading down the road, holding the bronks straight, the wheelers began to rear. and we were on our road for a twelve hours drive. The big coach lumber-ed and rattled over the rocks as we descended the half mile gradeg we were going at breakneek speed, the wheelers had abandoned all idea of balking. At the foot cf the hill ran the beautiful little river, Blackbear. There was no bridge so wc had to ford. The water was about hub deep, and very clear. After we Crossed the river our trip was more peaceable. There were stat'ons every twenty miles, We pulled into the first station house at about the middle of thevafternoon. Here we changed teams. l heard this slick tongued devil, Bowman, laying it off to' the three men. The young fellows seemed to be drinking it in. He was telling them how fine the country was, and what wheat and sugar beet crops they raised. l knew he had his hooks pretty well set in the boys. but the old man was not so easy as the young fel- lGWS- 3011 DOY-S UPU take that two thousand of yours, and buy a lot of that land, and l'll be hanged if it won't make you rich in 'five years.' l say they were tender feet, so l thought l would drop them a hint to go easy. T had :wen that same fellow graft a widow on a land deal, so l said to myself, you won't these fellows if l can help it. We were soon on the 1'oad again, thins time driving SIX or HS SJQOG ll0l'S9S as a man ever swung a whip over. We drew into the second station house at about six o'clock that afternoon. Here we always ate supper and put on the third relay of horses, at Q.ilHElfTiQl'Ei,t33.1..2el,'?L.J.? flletfiiiilmiftr ,fitter We W trembltfl Va' ,T-lis tongue was as slick 'is the dOu'l' le Hon mimi tertlhty Qt the Que Bluff 'ink it was a scecond Nile AST liste eflHtS'1'He'iVOubd have U39 Drpspectwe buyer? Juno' tender feet I knew 'he -had 'em neH Okus ta k mm saw me etmct on the two mugs' I lm UH t 1 - 9 lfillt a. continuous flow of boost for the 1 Y- GW G COUH TY like a. book. It was nothing but a dry alkali flat. The 204

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5 , , , H . - Q2 sv ffv' 1'. i:1,:m . .Y . soil was of a white chalky color, very light and powder-like. The entire valley was C0l'91'ed with 10059 TOURS- The CNY moisture was from the snow and a few rains in the summer. But. the land shark kept his slick tongue at them. At last he exclaimed, 'That Country will grow twenty tons o' sugar beets to the acref The old gentleman, who had 'become some what disgusted and doubtful of these statements, looked across the table at me, and I knew my time had come. I expressed myself freely. I told him I run cattle over tha.t very valley for ten years. He then ask me to express my opine ion of the country. Glad of a chance to put a hole in this windbag of a Bowman. UWGU, b1'0th91', I said, that valley is good for a man Who wants to go into the goat business: I will not say that it is good for cattle, for Cattle cannot live on sage brush. But if you wa-nt to start a goat ranch, here's your chance. 'W-hat about that twenty tons of beetsf Harry asked. I have been in a sugar beet country for a long time, and I have never seen but two twenty ton fields. They were under irrigation. Now as to raising that crop of beets without irrigation, that is out of the question. This country won't' grow beets, Grow beets' in that dust and brush? Well! I guess not. 'What keeps up the town, out there? the old man asked. The silver mines in the mountain, and innocent homeseekers just like you fellows, I replized. - 'What is this matter to you?' the shark shouted boisterously. 'It is none of your business to be shooting off your head about the country? It is' enough for me or any other man who is not willing to see an honest man, fleeced. I answered. 'You don't know a damn thing about the valleyg you never punched cattle out there,' the real estate grafter roared. This was too much for me to be called a liar by such a thief as I knew Bowman to be. You don't call me a liar and get off with it, I replied. 'That is just what you a.re,' the grafter replied. As he spoke I swallowed the last of my coffee, and let drive my heavy cup at his head. He ducked, and the cup went through'a window into the yard. I-Ie made for me swinging his chair over his head. I arose from the table and stepped to the Center of the room where there was plenty of space, for I thought I had matched a real one with the booster. He never got more than a step from the table, for the old man col- iared him and pushed him back in the corner. I told him how the land lay, and if he was not satisfied I would accommodate him. He soon cooled off. The old gentleman stepped up to me with an extended hand, and said warmly, 'Young fellow, I believe you are made of the right stuff, you said just what I have been thinking about it all day.' 'Skin'ner, you pay the expense of this trip, n-ow, and I'll fix you yet, you've blowed up 'ai 'deal for me.' The land man said. I pay nothing for a grafter like you, I replied. 'Here is a ten dollar bill I want to give to an honest manf broke in the old gentle- 'Y h ve saved me about five thousand dollars, and all the boys have, for they man. ou a . f intended to put what they have in land out here. Had they bought land out here they would have gone broke, and their wizves and babies would have come to want. 205