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Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads

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WHOSE OLD COW? (p. 362) 'Twas the end of round-up, the last day of June, Or maybe July, I don't remember, Or it might have been August, 'twas some time ago, Or perhaps 'twas the first of September. Anyhow, 'twas the round-up we had at Mayou On the Lightning Rod's range, near Cayo; There were some twenty wagons, more or less, camped about On the temporal in the cañon. First night we'd no cattle, so we only stood guard On the horses, somewhere near two hundred head; So we side-lined and hoppled, we belled and we staked, Loosed our hot-rolls and fell into bed. Next morning 'bout day break we started our work, Our horses, like 'possums, felt fine. Each one "tendin' knittin'," none tryin' to shirk! So the round-up got on in good time. Well, (p. 363) we worked for a week till the country was clean And the bosses said, "Now, boys, we'll stay here. We'll carve and we'll trim 'em and start out a herd Up the east trail from old Abilene." Next morning all on herd, and but two with the cut, And the boss on Piute, carving fine, Till he rode down his horse and had to pull out, And a new man went in to clean up. Well, after each outfit had worked on the band There was only three head of them left; When Nig Add from L F D outfit rode in,— A dictionary on earmarks and brands. He cut the two head out, told where they belonged; But when the last cow stood there alone Add's eyes bulged so he didn't know just what to say, 'Ceptin', "Boss, dere's something here monstrous wrong! "White folks smarter'n Add, and maybe I'se wrong; But here's six months' wages dat I'll give If anyone'll tell me when I reads dis mark To who dis longhorned cow belong! "Overslope in right ear an' de underbill, Lef' ear swaller fork an' de undercrop, Hole punched in center, an' de jinglebob Under half crop, an' de slash an' split. "She's (p. 364) got O Block an' Lightnin' Rod, Nine Forty-Six an' A Bar Eleven, T Terrapin an' Ninety-Seven, Rafter Cross an' de Double Prod. "Half circle A an' Diamond D, Four Cross L and Three P Z, B W I bar, X V V, Bar N cross an' A L C. "So, if none o' you punchers claims dis cow, Mr. Stock 'Sociation needn't git 'larmed; For one more brand more or less won't do no harm, So old Nigger Add'l just brand her now." <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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