Soapweed's Ranch
Ramblings |
Heard a story the other night about a rancher that put together a large Sandhills ranch. He was known for his frugality, and didn't particularly take a lot of pride in his stockman appearance. He was known to ride with an old work-horse "blinder bridle" on his saddle horse. He used a gunny sack for a saddle blanket, and always wore bib-overall farmer pants and spurs tied around his old work-shoe brogans. His neighboring homesteader neighbors were going broke back in the 'thirties, and he was in a position to buy them out and increase his own land holdings. One of the neighbors held on for a couple years longer than most of the rest, but eventually he, too, decided to sell out to the frugal rancher. One evening he rode over to the other fellow's place and knocked on the door. The rancher was home alone, and reading by the light of his kerosene lamp. When he answered the door, he asked the neighbor, "What brings you out this time of night?" The neighbor answered, "Well, I just came over to visit." The rancher said, "If you just came to visit, we sure don't need this. Then he blew out the lamp."
Copyright © 2005 Steve
Moreland
All Rights Reserved