The Long Dim TrailHooker, Forrestine C. (Forrestine Cooper)
General
The Long Dim Trail
Hooker, Forrestine C. (Forrestine Cooper)
Arizona -- Fiction; Cowboys -- Fiction; Ranch life -- Fiction; Western stories
Limber reverted to the letter. "It says that Mrs. Traynor will have the
little room off'n the big room for her'n, and we'd better whitewash it."
He broke off and looked at the others, as he said, "Have we got a
whitewash brush that is fitten to use?"
"Whitewash your grandmother!" retorted Bronco contemptuously. "We'd
oughter paper it. I seen some dandy paper with pink roses stampeding all
over it at the Headquarter Store. Whitewash is all O.K. for cowpunchers
and bronco busters, but girls likes paper and--and--them sorter things,"
he concluded hastily.
"We don't know how to do it," objected Limber, "and thar ain't no
paperhanger in Willcox."
"Shucks! Tain't no trick noway," responded Bronco airily. "I'll show
you. All you got ter do is get the paper an' do what I tell you."
Impressed by his convincing air the quartette engaged in making a list
of the things Bronco considered necessary, the principal items being the
paper with pink roses and three of 'the biggest, highest priced and
reddest Navajo blankets in town.'
After watching Bronco start on his mission, Limber and the others
saddled their ponies for the daily routine work on the range, as they
knew that Bronco could not get home before late that night.
It was nearly midnight when Bronco rode into the stables, but the entire
bunch of men met him with a volley of questions as he dismounted from
his pony. Bursting with importance, he unrolled the Navajo blankets
which had been tied to the back of his saddle; while the paper,
carefully packed in gunny-sacks, was swung across the front horn.
The men grasped the purchases and carried them to the bunkhouse where
they opened the sacks eagerly. The blankets had been fully endorsed and
admired; but when Bronco, imitating the storekeeper, unrolled a sample
of the paper and held it up with a flourish, no words were left to
express their delight.
"Now, we'll get up early tomorrow so's to tackle the job and get it
over," said Limber, after they had disposed of the packages in the room
they contemplated papering. Filled with joyful anticipations they
tumbled into their bunks.
Bronco was the first to waken, and he roused the others before daylight,
despite their protests.
Roarer sat up and blinked stupidly at the lamp which Bronco was
lighting.
"I ain't had no sleep that was any good," he quavered in his thin voice.
"I was chasin' pink roses all night--they had horns and tails and four
legs, jest like cows, and I was tryin' to rope 'em. I'm plumb played
out."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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