One day he arrived off the range at Kimball, and stopped at Ham Lilly's front street livery barn, which then stood next to the alley at the rear of the present Wheatgrowers hotel. Between the barn and the corner west, was Gassman's grocery store, and the few who could play horns, had gathered out in front of the store, practicing as "the Kimball Cornet Band." Johnny stepped into the alley beside the livery- stable, and espied a big sow, peacefully rooting into the stable debris. A good rider, wiry, and quick as a cat, Johnny leaped upon the back of the sow, who let out a series of grunts of disapproval, and plunged out of the alley, scattering the members of the band, as Johnny firing his six-shooter into the earth or sky, rode the frightened hog along the street. Without the gun, this escapade would have lost some of its joy for Johnny. He landed safely, "forked end down," after riding the protesting animal a few rods beyond the scattered but laughing musicians. The "practice" was off for the night, but Lew Schaefer did a thriving business in cove oysters that evening, and Billy Day and Mike Lynch were busy in their place of business. When Johnny landed in town, he always "touched it off."

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRAi

A. HALL AND ROBERT GRAHAM'S OLD TIME RANCH -- OGALLALA MEN AND EVENTS -- INDIANS GET SOUTHERS -- BARGAIN SALES OF RANCH LOCATIONS -- HARPER'S DEAL

Gene Hall, the foreman of the Blue River ranch, was but a kid of eighteen years, when he "drove drags," up the Texas trail in 1878. The older men of the outfit made him "eat dust," which consisted of picking up the stragglers in the rear of the herds.