"Bin a-lookin' round," says he, "Quite a little while to see 'F I could git a purty face Fer to ornament the place. Plenty of 'em in the land; But the one 'at wears my brand Must be sproutin' wings to fly!" "You deserve her, Tom," says I. "Only one so fur," says he, "Fills the bill, and mebbe she Might shy off and bust my hope If I should pitch the poppin' rope. Mebbe she'd git hot an' say That it was a silly play Askin' her to make a tie." "She would be a fool," says I. 'Tain't nobody's business what Happened then, but I jist thought I could see the moon-man smile Cutely down upon us, while Me and him was walkin' back,-- Stoppin' now and then to smack Lips rejoicin' that at last The dread crisis had been past. _Anonymous._ A COWBOY'S LOVE SONG OH, the last steer has been branded And the last beef has been shipped, And I'm free to roam the prairies That the round-up crew has stripped; I'm free to think of Susie,-- Fairer than the stars above,-- She's the waitress at the station And she is my turtle dove. Biscuit-shootin' Susie,-- She's got us roped and tied; Sober men or woozy Look on her with pride. Susie's strong and able, And not a one gits rash When she waits on the table And superintends the hash. Oh, I sometimes think I'm locoed An' jes fit fer herdin' sheep, 'Cause I only think of Susie When I'm wakin' or I'm sleep. I'm wearin' Cupid's hobbles, An' I'm tied to Love's stake-pin, And when my heart was branded The irons sunk deep in. Chorus:-- I take my saddle, Sundays,-- The one with inlaid flaps,-- And don my new sombrero And my white angora chaps; Then I take a bronc for Susie And she leaves her pots and pans And we figure out our future And talk o'er our homestead plans. Chorus:-- _Anonymous._ A BORDER AFFAIR SPANISH is the lovin' tongue, Soft as music, light as spray; 'Twas a girl I learnt it from Livin' down Sonora way. I don't look much like a lover, Yet I say her love-words over Often, when I'm all alone-- "_Mi amor, mi corazon._" Nights when she knew where I'd ride She would listen for my spurs, Throw the big door open wide, Raise them laughin' eyes of hers, And my heart would nigh stop beatin' When I'd hear her tender greetin' Whispered soft for me alone-- "_Mi amor! mi corazon!_" Moonlight in the patio, Old Senora noddin' near, Me and Juana talkin' low So the "madre" couldn't hear-- How those hours would go a-flyin', And too soon I'd hear her sighin', In her little sorry-tone-- "_Adios, mi corazon._"