A Texas Matchmaker by Andy Adams
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A TEXAS MATCHMAKER
by
ANDY ADAMS
Author of 'The Log of a Cowboy'
ILLUSTRATED BY E. BOYD SMITH
1904
[Illustration: ROLLING THE BULL OVER LIKE A HOOP (page 207)]
TO
FRANK H. EARNEST
MOUNTED INSPECTOR U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE
LAREDO, TEXAS
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I. LANCE LOVELACE
II. SHEPHERD'S FERRY
III. LAS PALOMAS
IV. CHRISTMAS
V. A PIGEON HUNT
VI. SPRING OF '76
VII. SAN JACINTO DAY
VIII. A CAT HUNT ON THE FRIO
IX. THE ROSE AND ITS THORN
X. AFTERMATH
XI. A TURKEY BAKE
XII. SUMMER OF '77
XIII. HIDE HUNTING
XIV. A TWO YEARS' DROUTH
XV. IN COMMEMORATION
XVI. MATCHMAKING
XVII. WINTER AT LAS PALOMAS
XVIII. AN INDIAN SCARE
XIX. HORSE BRANDS
XX. SHADOWS
XXI. INTERLOCUTORY PROCEEDINGS
XXII. SUNSET
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
ROLLING THE BULL OVER LIKE A HOOP
WE GOT THE AMBULANCE OFF BEFORE SUNRISE
FLASHED A MESSAGE BACK
GAVE THE WILDEST HORSES THEIR HEADS
HE SPED DOWN THE COURSE
UTTERING A SINGLE PIERCING SNORT
CHAPTER I
LANCE LOVELACE
When I first found employment with Lance Lovelace, a Texas cowman, I had not yet attained my majority, while he was over sixty. Though not a native of Texas, "Uncle Lance" was entitled to be classed among its pioneers, his parents having emigrated from Tennessee along with a party of Stephen F. Austin's colonists in
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Texas Matchmaker by Andy Adams
- 2: From the cooing of the doves in the encinal
- 3: A spinster sister of its owner
- 4: I learned to like the old ranchero
- 5: Uncle Lance turned in his chair
- 6: Las Palomas raised fine horses and mules
- 7: And Tiburcio can't hold four of them
- 8: But if my name is Lance Lovelace
- 9: Captain Byler was a good looking
- 10: 'if ever I happened over on the Sau Miguel
- 11: I was riding with a Miss Wilson from Ramirena
- 12: Of all this Las Palomas was typical
- 13: Enrique was in camp next morning
- 14: Enrique had known the girl for several years
- 15: Or gathering independently along the Tarancalous
- 16: So I ordered Enrique to the bucket
- 17: We were extended a cordial reception by Don Mateo
- 18: Did not Enrique mount his horse
- 19: On the round up below the Ganso
- 20: At a ranchita belonging to Las Palomas
- 21: Gang ben the house tae your wark
- 22: Because ye're frae Las Palomas
- 23: Before I came within sight of Las Palomas near evening
- 24: Gallup and I returned to camp early
- 25: And rubbed himself on either window jamb
- 26: Jumping from the hearth to the mantel
- 27: All the newsboys and bootblacks caught on
- 28: And we both knew the barkeeper well
- 29: Theodore Quayle claimed attention
- 30: 'was unfortunate enough to lose a wager made between us
- 31: Showering his blessings on Las Palomas and its people
- 32: The jacal was transformed into a rustic bower
- 33: As this would be the first trail herd from Las Palomas
- 34: And we lost no time in starting for Las Palomas
- 35: Our man Nancrede is a cowman all right
- 36: Nancrede remained with us to the last
- 37: Nancrede spent a restless night
- 38: Don Mateo Gonzales not troubling to appear
- 39: And sorrels forming separate manadas
- 40: Including the villagers of Oakville
- 41: As we strolled away from the grove
- 42: At a glance Esther recognized Wolf
- 43: Which had strayed away some distance
- 44: Happersett claimed a dance with Esther
- 45: Witnessing the tireless energy of the old matchmaker
- 46: The Vaux family were of creole extraction
- 47: Shepherd's Ferry and the Nueces was a poky place
- 48: We rode for a ranchita belonging to Las Palomas
- 49: And myself took the hounds and struck across for the Frio
- 50: Until we encountered some heavy timber on the main Frio
- 51: I'll keep Tony at the Vaux ranch
- 52: We resaddled and started for Oakville
- 53: Compared to Pleasanton and an Episcopalian service
- 54: I rode up to the house of Enrique
- 55: The fact that the door of Enrique's jacal was closed
- 56: Jean Lovelace relinquished no one
- 57: We reached the Ganso about an hour before sundown
- 58: As the ladino beef reentered the herd
- 59: I've sat up many a night barbecuing the ribs of a ladino
- 60: It was men of this class whom Deweese had met during the day
- 61: And together we took a big circle through the encinal
- 62: Tully told a personal experience
- 63: When our herd reached its destination
- 64: A young fellow named Curly Thorn
- 65: In buying the cows we had designated Mier
- 66: While we were riding home from the Ganso
- 67: Would give Las Palomas fully five hundred saddle horses
- 68: But Deweese greeted them all as if they were near neighbors
- 69: I had two good men in our segundo and Dan Happersett
- 70: That's one of the Las Palomas vaqueros
- 71: One of whom was Theodore Quayle
- 72: He accosted Quayle and said Well
- 73: That sister of mine playing second fiddle as a matchmaker
- 74: Scales was the black sheep of Las Palomas
- 75: This held his attention until Tiburcio
- 76: And sallied forth to the lair of the ladino bull
- 77: When Enrique rode down on the bull
- 78: But the other visitors remonstrated with Annear
- 79: Annear sprang backward and to one side
- 80: The spring before the second drouth
- 81: Deweese returned shortly after dark
- 82: Coupled with their confidence in Deweese
- 83: And June Deweese became suddenly interested
- 84: Miss Jean barely greeted Deweese and myself
- 85: Deweese returned the borrowed horses by Enrique
- 86: But in commemoration of the breaking of this drouth
- 87: A padrino in the person of Don Alejandro Travino
- 88: Don Alejandro was a distinguished looking man
- 89: The padrino denied all weariness
- 90: Don Alejandro finally consented
- 91: Quayle and I began looking for a ford
- 92: An unfavorable reply to Don Alejandro Travino
- 93: Don Alejandro was here as godfather to his nephew
- 94: The daughter of a vaquero refusing a Travino
- 95: Father Norquin stood stock still
- 96: But Father Norquin had nothing to conceal
- 97: Father Norquin could not remain seated
- 98: Frost and sleet being unseen at Las Palomas
- 99: Or Otro piedra por padre Norquin
- 100: And when the cavalcade was some distance from Las Norias
- 101: I tell you the javeline were pretty fierce
- 102: Not that those Wilson girls can't ride
- 103: Las Palomas set her house in order
- 104: The hospitality of Las Palomas was theirs to command
- 105: During the previous visit of the padre
- 106: The host replied Lieutenant Barr
- 107: And they rode up with Pierre Vaux
- 108: The rangers took kindly to our hospitality
- 109: With the exception of Captain Byler
- 110: Opposite the range of the manada
- 111: It was twenty miles yet to the Concho
- 112: This was my first fair view of the chestnut stallion
- 113: To which the mustang had led them
- 114: The manada quieted down and halted
- 115: Quayle stayed on at Las Palomas
- 116: Vaqueros rode the range looking after the calf crop
- 117: Orahood to remember my sore ankle
- 118: And wanted Father Norquin sent for
- 119: Dansdale attempting to dissuade Cotton
- 120: Years afterward I met Quayle at a trail town in the north
- 121: Instead of their own palisaded jacal
- 122: And they had remained away as did Las Palomas
- 123: And to day a railroad survey is being run across Las Palomas
- 124: The plaintiff was the last witness to testify
- 125: The consensus of opinion was favorable to the plaintiff
- 126: I saw Deweese supporting Hunter in his arms
- 127: Nancrede offered me every encouragement to leave Mexico
- 128: Leaving Las Palomas after nightfall
- 129: And after the cattle driving ended
- 130: I remained overnight at the ranch