Wagons West Chronicles October Issue 2016 October Issue | Page 6

6 October 2016 Wagons West Chronicles
The Round Up III from page 5 slide down to the bottom almost or quite on his haunches .
In very wet weather the Bad Lands are absolutely impassable ; but if the ground is not slippery , it is a remarkable place that can shake the matter-of-course confidence felt by the rider in the capacity of his steed to go anywhere .
When the men on the outside circle have reached the bound set them , - whether it is a low divide , a group of jagged hills , the edge of the rolling , limitless prairie , or the long , waste reaches of alkali and sage brush , - they turn their horses ’ heads and begin to work down the branches of the creeks , one or two riding down the bottom , while the others keep off to the right and the left , a little ahead and fairly high up on the side hills , so as to command as much of the view as possible .
On the level or rolling prairies the cattle can be seen a long way off , and it is an easy matter to gather and to drive them ; but in the Bad Lands every little pocket , basin , and coulee has to be searched , every gorge or ravine entered , and the dense patches of brushwood and spindling , wind-beaten trees closely examined .
All the cattle are carried on ahead down the creek ; and it is curious to watch the different behavior of the different breeds . A cowboy riding off to one side of the creek , and seeing a number of long-horned Texans grazing in the branches of a set of coulees , has merely to ride across the upper ends of these , uttering the drawn-out “ ei-koh-h-h ,” so familiar to the cattle-men , and the long-horns will stop grazing , stare fixedly at him , and then , wheeling , strike off down the coulees at a trot , tails in air , to be carried along by the center riders when they reach the main creek into which the coulees lead .
Our own range cattle are not so wild , but nevertheless are easy to drive ; while Eastern-raised beasts have little fear of a horseman , and merely stare stupidly at him until he rides directly towards them .
Every little bunch of stock is thus collected , and all are driven along together . At the place where some large fork joins the main creek another band may be met , driven by some of the men who have left earlier in the day to take one of the shorter circles ; and thus , before coming down to the bottom where the wagons are camped and where the actual “ round-up ” itself is to take place , this one herd may include a couple of thousand head ; or , on the other hand , the longest ride may not result in the finding of a dozen animals .
As soon as the riders are in , they disperse to their respective wagons to get dinner and change horses , leaving the cattle to be held by one or two of their number . If only a small number of cattle have been gathered , they will all be run into one herd ; if there are many of them , however , the different herds will be held separate .
Editor ’ s Note : Next month the cattle drive continues with branding .

QUESTION : “ What is surface coal ?”

JESSE JAMES MARRIED

April 24 , 1874 , Chronicle , Kearney , Missouri — Jesse Woodson James and Zerelda Amanda Mimms , known to all as Zee , were bound in holy matrimony . The wedding took place at the home of Zee ’ s sister , Mrs . W . Boling Browder ( Lucy ) in Kearney , Missouri . Their uncle , Rev . William James known as “ Uncle Billy ,” a Methodist minister from Kansas City , Missouri , performed the ceremony . Zee ’ s sister , Lucy , was the matron of honor . Her other two sisters , Nan and Sally , were Zee ’ s attendants . Her brother , Thomas Mimms , gave Zee away .
Because Pinkerton agents are pursuing Jesse for supposed crimes he committed , the wedding was not generally known . Even so , about 50 friends and relatives attended the wedding .
As far as Jesse ’ s supposed crimes are concerned , those who know him don ’ t believe a temperate , Bible quoting man raised in a religious home could have done the crimes of which he has been accused . There are also those who say if he did do those activities , he was justified because of the horrid treatment toward Southern sympathizers during and following the Civil War .
Zee ’ s mother , and father before he passed away , opposed the wedding not only because of Jesse ’ s criminal actions , but also because Jesse and Zee are first cousins . Zee ’ s mother , Mary , is a sister of Rev . Robert S . James , the deceased father of Jessie James . Zee was actually named for Jesse ’ s mother , Zerelda .
Jesse and Zee met in 1865 following Jesse being seriously injured by Union soldiers during surrender negotiations . Following the Civil War , Southern regulars and irregulars were required to surrender to Union troops . Jesse and a few of his irregulars had agreed to meet under a white flag with a Union captain to discuss surrender terms . After terms had been discussed , Jesse ’ s irregulars were given a week to
Jesse & Zee James .
come to a final decision . As Jesse ’ s group left a troop of Federals entered town , and not knowing what was happening , opened fire . Jesse received a serious injury in the right lung .
Zee nursed Jessie from August until late October . When Jessie left , still in poor health , they agreed that if Jessie recovered they would be married . For six years there was offand-on wooing .
Following the ceremony , the wedding party received word that two Pinkerton Detectives were riding over from Liberty , Missouri to arrest Jesse . Even though the Pinkertons could have been dispatched with no problem , Jesse and his friends decided that a rouse would take place . Because of Zee ’ s small size , her sister hid Zee between the feather bed and the mattress , leaving Zee just enough space at the top for air . Jesse and two friends , hid in the barn with horses at the ready .
When the Pinkertons were inside Lucy ’ s house , Jesse and his friends rode away , making as much noise as possible in order to draw the detectives into following them . Because of the riding skills of Jesse and his friends , and their experience at evading Union soldiers during the Civil War , the Pinkertons were led on a wild goose chase . Jesse then circled back to Zee ’ s sister ’ s home , and picked up Zee .
Jesse and Zee are rumored to be heading toward Tennessee where there are no warrants for Jesse ’ s arrest .
Incidentally , rumor also has it that Frank James , Jesse ’ s brother , may also be getting married soon .
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