Hughes -- all

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

alive today (1919), and still able to draw a bow across the strings. In fact I would like to go to one of the old fashioned dances, \Vith the old fashioned music, and a crowd of the old timers. To be sure, it would be nothing like the gymnastic performances of the new people, the dips, the trots, and the wiggles that we are told is dancing now.

When near one of the old frontier towns, the boys were due for a little relaxation.

Once down at Sidney, Jimmy Tate and Johnny Frantz had gone to town, and every-

Four Old Time Cowpunchers

Left to right, standing: John Shear, Jimmey Tate,

sitting : Johnny Frantz and Frank Fitz.

body knew what that meant. Each would try to excel the other in some prank, or deed of daring. Riding their horses into saloons, sitting on the floor of a grocery store in tests of endurance eating cove oysters from the can by the handful, and such other general foolishness.

Late that night six rapid fire shots, and the sharp staccato of horse's hoofs announced the return of Johnny, and with him was Tate's riderless horse. The boys tumbled out of their blankets and tarpaulins, and Johnny tumbled from his horse. He told a sort of an incoherent, reproachful tale that Tate was dead, hack in the road.

All were more or less concerned, for Tate was supposed to have intentions of giving evidence against the Bay State Company concerning some of their acquisition of land from the government, and the empty saddle looked bad, for Jimmy was a good rider, even when intoxicated. "Long" (Wyatt) Heard, now (1919) and before of Uvalde county, Texas, then headquartered on Pumpkin creek, was telling about it. He said that the story they got from Johnny was that Tate had fallen from his horse and was killed.