THE OL' COWBOY Part 47

The Old Cowboy
Author James H. Wilson
August 20, 2004
© Copyright 2004

THE OLD COWBOY Part Forty Seven
(continued)

They knew that country, said they'd been cowboyin' all over South Dakota. They said they'd went through school together from the third grade 'till the war. When 'Uncle Sam' needed their help they was right there. But before when school was out for the summers, they loved cowpokin'. Said they was gon'na buy a spread of their own.

When they came back ta home they said they'd seen the future. Why there was lots of paved roads, and horseless carriages and they'd seen some trucks. Yea they'd been knocked around very hard by that war, but they knew cattle drives would become a thing of the past."

"So you're sayin' they had a different idea about cowboyin'?"

"Yea, they said they only had to save up for a couple more years and they'd have enough to start up a spread of their own. Then they'd go buy some trucks and start haulin' them 'doggies' down to Omaha, to the rail head."

"So what happened to them since then Grandpa?"

"Well last I heard they been truckin' beef to market all over the Midwest. Their six boys have a large spread now with millions of acres in five different states. They also have a fleet of their own trucks to keep their cows and calves on the right pasture. I heard they bought a huge spread down in Texas and run thousands of head down there.

The CH bar G hired me on as the foreman for the drive from up around Sioux Falls down to Omaha and we needed a 'cooky'. So Hank and Jack had a buddy they'd met in the war who'd been a cook for the Army. I figured he could get the job done if anybody could.

It took a week of trail dust 'fore he got things right. He'd been used to cookin' for a hundred or more at a time, but he turned out some mighty fine grub, anyhow some of the best grub I'd ever eaten on a drive. It was second only to your Grandma's cookin'.

I always had her fixin's to look forward to when I was done with the drive. Ever time I came back it seemed your ma and the rest had grown an inch. Well they was always glad to see me and me ta see them."

"Grandpa, mom said..."

To Be Continued. . .

THE OLD COWBOY Part Forty Seven, Copyright © 2004

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