A RANCHMAN'S RECOLLECTIONS 



Anything pertaining to an outlaw horse or steer 

 becomes current gossip in the big pasture country, 

 where horses and cattle form the basis of conversa- 

 tion about the wagon after working hours. Strange 

 stories drifted in about a certain outlaw speckled 

 yearling on the Lazy 7 Ranch — he had thrown every 

 boy with rodeo aspirations who had tried to ride him, 

 and seemed to be getting better all the time. The 

 "Speckled Yearling" was tall, gaunt and quick as a 

 cat. He had a mixed jump and weave that got his 

 men about the third jump, but the boys on the Lazy 

 7 were keeping him to themselves, with a view to 

 pulling off a prize "stunt" at the Stamford rodeo in 

 September. All the little country towns held rodeos 

 during the summer, with calf and goat roping, bronc- 

 busting and steer riding, but the big event was to 

 come, and the boys were getting ready for it. "Little 

 Boy" had a heart-to-heart talk with his boss, and re- 

 ceived permission to ride steers, and tackle the 

 "Speckled Yearlin'," if opportunity permitted. 



At last the time for the great event came. Cow- 

 boys from 100 miles around were on hand. Profes- 

 sionals were barred. It was to be an event for boys 

 who were in actual service on ranches. The S. M. S. 

 headquarters office was thrown open for all, and the 

 Stamford Inn pulled off an old-time cowboy dance, 

 with old-fashioned "squares" called by old-time 

 punchers, with old-time fiddlers doing the music. The 

 weatherman had done his best; some 2,000 people 



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