Range-lore
Annie McAulay
Maverick, Texas
Page one
RANGE-LORE
Bailey Bell was born at Denton, Texas, June 21, 1891. He moved with his parents to Coke County in 1907.
His story follows: "I can't remember when I learned to sit on a horse. All boys learned to ride young them days. My father always kept a small herd and I learned to help work cattle when I was at home.
"I began riding for Suggs and Roberts on the Hat H ranch in 1910. It extended north and east of Post, Texas, for many miles. The townsite of Slaton, Texas, was sold off this 26,000 acre ranch.
"We had a tough time or rather the cattle did, during the drouth of 1910 and 1911. Water and grass seemed to get scarcer {Begin page no. 2}until they were forced to sell off much of the herd to keep them from starving. Many thousands were shipped out of that part of the country. Our outfit shipped out four train-loads at one time. There came a time when we had to kill all the young calves. Much of the old and poor stuff we'd kill and skin, then sell the hides. It was impossible to find feed and water to keep them alive and they were too poor or young to ship.
{Begin note}{Begin handwritten}C.12 - 2/11/41 - Texas{End handwritten}{End note}
"All the cattle was poor and weak of course, and so we had lots of trouble with them getting in the bog. The double fork of the Brazos river ran through the range and they depended on it for most of the water, when it was dry. Well, the river was low and when they bogged down, we'd have to pull 'em out. It was an every day business too.
"The boys on the Hat H ranch sure liked to devil the new hands. When I first went to work there, they of course, had to pull one of their jokes on me.
"They had an old saddle horse on the ranch, they called old Mule Ear. He was as gentle as a dog, but had been trained to kick up and pitch when he was cheeked. So the very first day I was there, one of the boys told me about that particular horse's peculiarities. Only he said that if the rider failed to cheek him as soon as he mounted him he'd start pitching. The boy made it very plain that he was telling me all this in confidence and as a special favor to me, and warned me that if I ever had to ride him, to be sure to follow his instructions {Begin page no. 3}and I'd not have any trouble. The very next day I had a chance to remember his advice. The boys of course very cleverly managed it. They told me the boss said I was to ride old Mule Ear that day. Well, I didn't mind, as I felt sure I knew how to manage him.
"Well, I crawled on him and the first thing I did was to give him a good cheek. He began pitching and the first thing I knew the earth came into my way. The boys just whooped and yelled. I didn't feel any too good about it all, but I couldn't do anything but take it. I found that it was an old gag of theirs and one that they enjoyed more than any other.
"I went out to Ft. Stockton in 1912, and worked awhile on a ranch. Finally, I got a job on the Hood and Mendall spread. Hood and Mendall were cattle dealers or traders. They ran lots of stuff on the alfalfa fields. And when they were fat they'd sell and buy others to fatten. I was in the Big Bend country, when Dud Barker and John Hightower killed five Mexican railroad hands. The Mexicans at the camp started some kind of rough house and a fight ensued in which five of them were killed.
"I remember what a hard time we had trying to deliver seven hundred head of steers to Boston Ward & Co., while I was out there. We was takin' them to an alfalfa field near Pecos. We didn't have any trouble 'til we got to the Pecos river and found it bank full of water. It looked plum foolish and risky to me but we swam our herd and didn't lose a single one of them. {Begin page no. 4}"I enlisted for army service at Ft. Clark in 1914, and was in service two years. We was strung up and down the Rio Grande to protect the border during the Mexican Revolution. Our troop covered an eighty-mile line down as far as Del Rio. I was stationed on the Blocker ranch four months. It lay right on the border and had been raided, supposedly by some of {Begin deleted text}of{End deleted text} Villa's gang.
"We were sent - during the revolution - to Ojinaga, opposite Presidio, and brought back 360 refugees to Marfa. They had been captured by Francisco Villa's band and after he had plundered to his satisfaction turned them loose to starve. Some of them were white and of course all were really American citizens. Pretty soon after this we were called back to Ft. Clark."
******
Reference- Bailey Bell, Bronte, Texas. Interviewed June 2, 1938. {Begin page no. 1}{Begin handwritten}Beliefs and Customs - Occupational lore{End handwritten}
Mrs. Annie McAulay
Maverick Texas
Runnels County
Page One {Begin handwritten}[dup?]{End handwritten}
COWBOY LORE
BAILEY BELL was born at Denton Texas, June 21, 1891. He moved with his parents to Coke County in 1907.
Mr. Bell Says, "I can't remember when I learned to sit on a horse. All boys learned to ride young them days. My father always kept a small herd and I learned to help work cattle when I was at home.
"I began riding for Suggs and Roberts on {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}/{End handwritten}{End inserted text} The Hat H ranch {Begin deleted text}{Begin handwritten}[?]{End handwritten}{End deleted text} in 1910. It extended north and east of Post, Texas, for many miles. The townsite of Slaton, Texas, was sold off this {Begin deleted text}26000{End deleted text} {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}26,000{End handwritten}{End inserted text} acre ranch.
"We had a tough time or rather the cattle did, during the drouth of 1910 and 1911. Water and grass seemed to get scarcer until they were forced to sell off much of the herd to keep them from {Begin deleted text}staving{End deleted text} {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}starving{End handwritten}{End inserted text}. Many thousands were shipped out of that part of the country. Our outfit shipped out four trainloads at one time. There came a time when we had to kill all the young calves. Much of the old and poor stuff we'd kill and skin, then sell the hides. It was impossible to find feed and water to keep them alive and they were too poor or young to ship.
"All the cattle was poor and weak of course, and so we had lots of trouble with them getting in the bog. The double fork of the Brazos river ran through the range and they depended on it for most of the water, when it was dry. Well, the river {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}/{End handwritten}{End inserted text} was low and when they bogged down, we'd have to pull 'em out. It was an {Begin page no. 2}every day business too.
{Begin note}{Begin handwritten}C12 - 2/11/41 - Texas{End handwritten}{End note}
"The boys on {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}/{End handwritten}{End inserted text} The Hat H. shore liked to devil the new hands. When I first went to work there, they of course, had to pull one of {Begin deleted text}hteir{End deleted text} {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}their{End handwritten}{End inserted text} jokes on me.
"They had an old saddle horse on the ranch, they called {Begin deleted text}Ol{End deleted text} {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}/Old{End handwritten}{End inserted text} Mule Ear. He was as gentle as a dog, but had been trained to kick up and pitch when he was cheeked. So the very first day I was there, one of the boys told me about that particular {Begin deleted text}horses{End deleted text} {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}horse's{End handwritten}{End inserted text} peculiarities. Only he said that if the rider failed to cheek him as soon as he mounted him he'd start pitching. The boy made it very plain that he was telling me all this in confidence and as a special favor to me {Begin deleted text}.{End deleted text} {Begin inserted text}, /And{End inserted text} warned me that if I ever had to ride him, to be sure {Begin deleted text}and certain{End deleted text} to follow his instructions and I'd not have any trouble. The very next day I had a chance to remember his advice. The boys of course, very cleverly managed it. They told me the boss said I was to ride {Begin deleted text}Ole{End deleted text} {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}/Old{End handwritten}{End inserted text} Mule Ear that day. Well, I didn't mind {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten},{End handwritten}{End inserted text} as I felt sure I knew how to {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}/{End handwritten}{End inserted text} Manage him.
"Well, I crawled on him and the first thing I did was to give him a good cheek. He began pitching and the first thing I knew the earth came into {Begin deleted text}to{End deleted text} my way. The boys just whooped and yelled. I didn't feel any too good about it all, but I couldn't do anything but take it. I found that it was an old gag of theirs and one that they enjoyed more then any other.
"I went out to Ft. Stockton in 1912, and worked awhile on {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}a{End handwritten}{End inserted text} {Begin deleted text}The Scharboy Ranch. [????]{End deleted text} {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}ranch. Finally,{End handwritten}{End inserted text} I got a job on {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}/{End handwritten}{End inserted text} The Hood {Begin page no. 3}{Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}/{End handwritten}{End inserted text} And Mendall spread. Hood and Mendall were cattle dealers or traders. They ran lots of stuff on the alfalfa fields. And when they were fat they'd sell and buy others to fatten. {Begin deleted text}I was with them the day Woodrow Wilson was elected President. I witnessed the building {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}/{End handwritten}{End inserted text} of the Orient railroad.{End deleted text} I was in the Big Bend country, when Dud Barker and John Hightower killed five Mexican railroad hands. The Mexicans at the camp started some kind of rough house and a fight ensued in which five of them were killed. {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}"{End handwritten}{End inserted text} I remember what a hard time we had trying to deliver seven hundred head of steers to Boston Ward & Co., while {Begin deleted text}[?]{End deleted text} I was out there. We was takin {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}'{End handwritten}{End inserted text} them to an alfalfa field near Pecos. We didn't have any trouble 'til we got to the Pecos river and found {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}it{End handwritten}{End inserted text} {Begin deleted text}banks{End deleted text} {Begin inserted text}bank{End inserted text} full of water. It looked plum foolish and risky to me but we swam our herd and didn't lose a single one of them.
"I enlisted for army service at Ft. Clark in 1914 {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}, and{End handwritten}{End inserted text} {Begin deleted text}[?]{End deleted text} was in service two years. We was strung up and down the Rio Grande to protect the border during the Mexican Revolution. Our troop covered an eighty-mile line down as far as Del Rio. I was stationed on the Blocker ranch four months. It lay right on the border and had been raided, supposedly by some of {Begin deleted text}Villas{End deleted text} {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}Villa's{End handwritten}{End inserted text} gang.
"We were sent-during the revolution- to {Begin deleted text}[?]{End deleted text} {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}Ojinaga{End handwritten}{End inserted text}, opposite Presidio, and brought back 360 refugees to Marfa. They had been captured by Francisco {Begin deleted text}Villas{End deleted text} {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}Villa's{End handwritten}{End inserted text} band and after he had plundered to his satisfaction turned them loose to starve. Some of them were white and of course all were really American citizens. Pretty soon after this we were called back to Ft. Clark. {Begin inserted text}{Begin handwritten}"{End handwritten}{End inserted text}{Begin page}{Begin handwritten}Bibliography. Bailey Bell, Bronte Texas: Cowhand and Citizen of Coke County,{End handwritten}