The San Francisco call. [volume], February 12, 1911, Image 5

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
The San Francisco Sunday Call
This
Cowgirl
will starle
NEW YORK
Alberta Claire, of Wyoming,
Drops Into Town on Her
Pony "Bud," Comoletmg the First
3,000 Miles of the Longest Horse
back 'ourney in History
RIDING horseback alona across
tha continent from Wyoming to
San E*ranelsoo, thence to New
Orleans, thenoa to Washington
1 »nd New York, Alberta. Claire, a cow*
girl of Buffalo, Wye, has covered 3,000
1 miles of the most unique journey ever
: undertaken by a woman, Accustomed
I te the hardships of the range the dar
•ing- girl is making the trip with little
I Inconvenience, and upon reaching San
yraueisco finds herself and her faith
ful pony in excellent -condition, after
"being en the road since April 8,
The Wyoming eewglrl must make the
'jeurney to New York before April 2,
1812, and she must have with her the
■addle pony, "Bud," on which she be-
Iran tha Journey and the faithful dog,
"Mlckle," that had followed her day In
and day out on the wide plains of
"Wyoming, This provision of the wager
takes into account the possibility of
death by natural causes only.
Alberta Claire Is a girl of iron nerve,
Fine weighs about 100 pounds, is a
•plendtd horsewoman and an expert
with firearms. With the revolver she
can shoot out a bird's eye or kill an
.unruly steer with equal unconcern. Life
on the range has given her that self
eonfldence born of being compelled to
meet emergencies alone and unaided.
Beginning the Journey of more than
'1,0,000 miles with $2 In money and the
. clothes she wore, the cowgirl is com
pelled to earn her way and that of the
pony and dog. By sewing, by domestic
i service, by acting as nursemaid, by
' v driving cattle with cowboys, by doing
advertising stunts with her horse and
dog-, by doing expert shooting and by
giving the people exhibitions of her
■kill on the range the wandering cow
girl has made her expenses and more.
She can not accept [ charity, she can
neither borrow nor beg.
Alberta Claire Is practically alone In
the world. Her father and mother are
, dead and she had neither brother nor
sister. Her life has been spent on the
plains doing the work of a man.
• Strange as It may seem, she is well cd
. ucated, has music enough for the aver
age woman and is a good cook. Two
. years of her life were spent In an
English college for women. The story
she tells ,of the hazardous journey Is
m entrancing. Here are snatches of It:
"I used to Ay In a joking way that
I knew I could make Buffalo, Wyo.,
famous. I oeuld ride iwwtack and I
thought I could show the world how a
1 Wyoming girl could, ride. The people
■ Sever took me in ea»-nest. Buffalo Is
•4 miles from a railroad and right at
the foot of Bighorn mountains, with
'an elevation of 7,000 feet. Sheridan is
, "the Burlington railroad center, 45
miles from. Buffalo. I had been to
Sheridan visiting for a week and I bad
to get home.
• "The weather was awfully bad and'
the river was flooding everything out,
and my friends said I had better wait
It Is a hard trip from Sheridan to Buf
falo anyway. A little more than half
way there is a little river called Flney,
\ so-named because it Is lined with pine
trees. It Is only a little river, but It is
deep. It is hard to ford at - the ; best.
One of those wooden bridges swung
across the stream. It bad been con
detuned for quits a while. The day I
started from Sheridan to Buffalo, when
I left town people Jeered at me. No one
thought I could make the trip. When
within flve or six miles of Plney river
I met a man who told me the bridge
had gone down with a big freight team.
Three horses were drowned, but tha
driver had been saved. Tou can't get
across Plney,' the man said emphat
ically. "When I reached the river I
discovered that by going five miles
down stream I would find a bridge over
one half, and th« other half I should
have to ford. I got across. The water
was running over the bridge. The pony
was afraid of bridges for a month
alter that. The other half of the river '
the pony swam. I was from 7 o'clock
In the morning until 8 o'clock at night
making that trip of 45 miles, about 65
the way I had to go. I finally reached
Buffalo and rode up right in front of
the hotel and the pony fell over dead.
"I started to cry about my pony. Th«
men talked so much about that ride
that it developed tins idea of this long:
ride. A cowboy brought his pony to
me and begged me to ride him, assur
ing me that he would take me through
all the way. He is a Wyoming cow
pony.
"In less than a week I was off. I
was among ranches where I waa«known
for two weeks. From that on I got
among strangers and it began to g*>t
hard. It was hard to earn the dollars •
and after I earned them It took every ,-^
one to pay my way. I had to cross
deserts and mountains and also had to
hunt trails. There are not many trails
through the deserts In Wyoming. I
would ride all day and not meet a soul.
Other days I would ccc thousands of
sheep, but not a herder who could
speak English. I met a herder one day
and h» said, 'What Is the matter? You
are the first person I have met that
could speak United States. I want to
talk to you a while.' I could not get
away until I had lunch with him. He
didn't know that the world was awake,
he had been so many months out In the
desert with the sheep.
"I struck a ranch where there were
14 men and was there three days in a'
blizzard, with every courtesy shown me
by the crude plainsmen.
"I went into Utah with the intention
of going through Salt Lake, but I
found I couldn't do Jt without packing
across the desert, and I had not enough
money to get a pack horse. I went
back into Wyoming and then It was I
hit the Red desert and mining camps.
I bought some woolen socks, bandana
handkerchiefs and anything that would
sell to the miners. With what little
money I had I bought up all I could get
to sell to the miners. In one little
town there with about 150 people I
gave a little entertainment in the dance
hall. I recited and read to them. Thoy
took up a collection and gave me $26.
That carried me and paid the pony's
way for three weeks.
'"Then I bought drass goods by mall
order in New York and had it »ent to
Lander, Wyo. I sold it to all the ranch
people and made it up into dresses for
them. Then I came to Shoshons reser
vation and into the Wind river moun
tains. In making the pass I climbed
10,000 feet and dropped to 7.000 feet in
a ride of 47 miles. I want into Jackson
hole and stayed three days at Jackson
lake at a ranch to rest up.
"One day I happened to pass a cow
camp. The men were getting suppar.
I asked the boys how far It was to the
next ranch. It was quite a long way,
they said. "If you can roll up In your
EcdJle blanket and use your ■»<■(</y> tar
■. pillow we can give you some supper
and breakfast and feed your pony and
dog,' they told me. They gave me a
canvas Bleeping bag and I slept In th»
open. ' From there , I went over the
Yellowstone park route In the direc
tion of Wyoming. When within 18
miles of the- park I forded Snake river
and took In the' grand-. Tetons, ovar
what used to be a pack trail used only
by cowboys and hunters. ,
"When I reached the! top of the high
point, and started down, a sign, writ
ten on a board In blue chalk and nailed
to a tree, greeted .me: 'This hill li
hell; but the c prescription says, , take
It.' There In,the mountains I lost my
way. I missed the trail by man tell-'
ing me I could save a few mile* by
going another way. He told me to take
the best traveled trail, but didn't say
whether It went north, south, east or
west, :I stayed out all night in the
forest. - I found a clearing with-1 grass
and I picketed the pony > and' gathered
up brush and built a big eampflre,
rolled up in my- saddle blankets and
went to Bleep.. I waited until day-
I.igrht came, when I started out', During
the day I found a hunter's cabin in the
forest. : There no sign of anybody
around, but ;I; went in. There wu
; plenty to eat in the;, way of canned
goods, and plenty of feed for the pony."
After I had been there quite a while
a big man came in, and, looking at me
in astonishment, said: 'Where the hell
did you come from?* I said: '■ 'I am
not sure, but ; that wasn't ■ the place'
He put me on the right trail. , :;;
"About two days after that I got Into
a • forest fire on the border of ; Idaho
I had, to leave the trail' and ;go down
through . thick brush to get behind 'it
Pony \ went' through the brush on the
dead run and •: my clothes - were % torn
-from' me. , For, a time we ,took refuge
in a little creek. In the distance I could
■cc a r ranch. I was now ', behind % the
, fire. At the '■■ ranch the: woman helped
me mend my clothes. 1* finally arrived
In ; Auhton, Idaho, '. and from * there % I
came to i Idaho Palls, ; Twin ; Falls ' and
Boise, then through the Payette valley.
Prom * there • I j went : to { Olds ' Perry ■ and
crossed the Snake i river Into * Oregon.s?^
"In.- the Rl]if> innuntaiaa X '~tH. Mr
way at right and stayed at a logging:
camp. I flred two shots as a signal
and I jot an answer. Two men came
out of the woods toward me. At first
they said they couldn't let me in. They
finally agreed to keep me until morn
ing. We went to the cabin, but It
wasn't bad. In a little while we were
talking about "Wyoming ranches and I
found that one of the men had worked
for the X L outfit Alter that, of
course, It was all right, anything I
wanted I could have around there.
"I was born In Gloucestershire, Eng
land. My mother was English and my
father American. From my father I
get my wild ways. My mother liked
har home and society. My father's
brother had one of the largest cattle
ranches In Wyoming. I was four years
old when I first came to America. I
was about 10 years old when I went
back to England and they sent me to
an English boarding school. I naarly
died. I sneaked a letter out to my
father and he came and took me back.
All the early education I got was from
my father and from books. To get me
to read and study he would tell me I
could have such and such a pony to
ride. I wasn't over 10 years old when
I learned to ride.
"I was 15 years old when I put in a
solid year of hard study to fit myself
for two years of college. The three
years I put Into one. 1 had two years
In an English college. My grand
father paid my expenses for the two
years on condition that I work harj
enough to get in. It never was & hard
ship to me. but once in a while I got
a notion to get out.
"My greatest pleasure In life was to
Co 1 fox hunting?. „• It was the only; place
I,; could ride fast,. for ? the ; policeman
wouldn't ■ let ;me i ride fast - around the
parks. ■; My aunt was a member of the
hunt club and she had me taken In as
an 5 honorary; member. ' Riding: ■ and S the
gymnasium I thoroughly ", enjoyed be
cause 'lItV was ; boyish. -My ■ mother was
■till '■> living la EngianJ when ?I;,quit
college, but she died soon afterward.
My : father died while i I was In college.
, . "I expect to win ;my wager by i riding
into New York on my-oony before 'April
2. 1912." ■-:' ■■'.'■ :■■■ , :, ■': .■--.. -.. •
THE STORY OF SCHEMING CECILIA
SOME girls can do almost anything
and not suffer for it. while others
can not even think wrong without
paying the penalty. Cecilia is one of
the unfortunate kind that has to settle
tor every little thing.
Just take, for example, the price she
paid for that small transgression on
the way up to the Watsons' last Satur
day afternoon. Hers wu a little sin
and the provocation was extreme, yet
the punishment was severe. It waa
not her fault, either. Charley Lemon
was really to blame. He had promised
to meet her at the ferry at 2 o'clock,
but he did not come.
And Cecilia, being independent and
level headed and a good comrade gen
erally, agreed. It annoyed her to find
him a laggard. At 15 minutes past 2
indignation deepened into chagrin; at
half past 2 she was downright angry.
"He's a villain," stormed Cecilia, "and
I am a fool. If he didn't want to come
why didn't he say »o, or if something
happened to prevent, why didn't he let
me know? But I'll show him that I
can't be played fast and loos* with.
I'll go anyhow."
Then suddenly she stopped planning.
She had felt""ln her handbag and found
she had no money.
"A fool again," sighed Cecilia. "It
Is never safe to depend upon a man for
anything, not. even carfare. But Tm
not downed yet. I'll borrow it."
Cecilia perceived at a glance that her
choice of banker was limited, a mes
senger boy and the ticket chopper, the
porter and the agent The porter had
on a new hat with a gold band around
it. That splendor, augmented by the
perpetual smile that he wore, dis
tinguished.-him as the most affluent and
most accommodating of the lot; there
fore, Cecilia approached him first.
"Excuse me," she said, "will you kind
ly"—
Her courage failed, her tongue seemed
paralysed. The man looked around cur
iously.
"Huhr he said.
"Will—you—kindly— uil— me— what
time it Is?" gasped Cecilia,
The porter pointed to the clock at
which she had been looking steadily for
the last half hour. ', "It's half past two," ;
he . said.'
"Thank you," said Cecilia weakly. She
sat down again. "It's no use," she said. .
. "I "never asked anybody for /money in
my " life, and I ; can't begin now. I'll'
have to wait for! something ) to % turn up ,
or else go back home." • *■•.'
And.then the other girl came along.
She , had * passed .' through \ the ' station
while Cecilia was talking . with the por
ter. ; She. too, appeared to have some
thing on her mind. Sh« walked hur
riedly down.to the end of the' platform,
then S back again at, a higher i rate of
speed. ■ Presently she ' approached ' the
ticket chopper. " • ■ . J>
tv"l i dropped Vat ticket" in there :a >■ mo- »
ment ago," she said. * "I find that I haye 4
forgotten something. I have to go back.
I shan't be gone more than 10 minutes.
When ■I .' come back :I > will mention this
incident you let me pass through
without" another ticket?" ,
The ;man' considered the proposition.
"It's : against :! the S rules," he: said, "but
I guess it will be all right." ' ?
The other girl came back through
the station. Cecilia's t head - reeled be- ••
fore the brilliancy, of the scheme evoked
by the incident on the platform.
"If that girl doesn't get back inside of.
10 minutes," she said, "I 'am': going to '.
rob her of a dime." ' >
- The 10 minutes passed. The v other
girl * did not appear ; and :; Cecilia braced:
herself : for the execution of, her desper- •
ate plan. A group of students and their i
young women 1 friends «came * clattering <
Into the ? station. :j Cecilia ■: Joined " them h
and was ■ carried i through the [ door in V
the midst of the noisy, Jostling crowd.
"You have ;my s ticket. Don't you re
member? ;I: had to go back for some
thing? You said it would be all fright," •
1 The man nodded' and Cecilia' went on. '
Fortunately she did not have to wait for I
a train. 3An express i pulled in Just as •
she passed through the door. " . ■ '
Cecilia did not know half 'of, the per-'
sons she' saw ■at C the < Watsons'. After
moving * across ;; the * bay rlt was -;• their; I
:pleasure to invite ■ friends • out; to t spend \
the . afternoon and "evening.1., Usually' it 1 <
was a congenials party that; assembled £
; there, but that day every laugh, so it j
seemed |to Cecilia, rang out lof tune. *An
: extra* note of I depression >; was . added I
: when, at 4 f o'clock,* Charley Lemon ap-1
\ peared. v • That '< was I because he; did • not;:
; come ( alone. ;V; He S was * accompanied by I
the Other Girl. Presently he detached
himself £from ? the * grtmp . of girls and
Joined Cecilia. - , - _:,-,■■ '
. : "Where I were you this ! ternooof I. hi i
asked. y..
j
"That's a nice Question for 70a to
ask." she retorted. "Where were you?"
"I was detained at the office. I got
up to the station at a quarter to 8. I
didn't see anything of you. so I con
cluded you had either gone home or had
gone on ahead. You'd better boilers I
was hopping mad about It too. You
might have waited."
"Yes," said Cecilia, "I snpposa I might,
but —I didn't. So you came to the sta
tion—and thea7"
"And then I met Mildred Joyc*. 8h»
had been Invited to the Watsoaa* tor
the evening too. The poor girl waa In
an awful stew. She had to go back for
something after dropping her tloket
into the box, and while she waa gone
some other woman with unbounded gall
pushed through and rode on her ticket.
At any rate, that was the way th« chop
per explained things. Lord, what ntrv*
some women have got, anyhow."
"Yes," said Cecilia, "and then?"
"Why, then," said Charley, "we cams
out together. She's a mighty nice girl.
Mildred is. I'd like you to meet her."
"Thank you," said Cecilia.
When Charley had gone away Mrs.
Watson came and sat beside Cecilia.
"Did Charlie tell your she asked.
"What?" said Cecilia.
"About him and Mildred. They're en
gaged. It happened on the way up this
afternoon. You know they came out to
gether."
Why despair, If other* haT* failed? Bend once rar -
treatiM and Fro* jiottie of my Infallible-rßmiidy. 1 I bar*
made the dlaeaae of Fits, Epilepsy, or Filling Slekor v.
c lite-long «tady and warrant my remedy to rire •-*»■
4UU u« >iKr»fiii rtliet. I h«- iinndreds of tMtlotO*
BlaU from tho«e wbr hare \nxa cared. ■.; OIt« eipiMi
andP.O.addrei*. : :;-;. . -; ■■• •'
W. H. PCCKE, F. D.,4 CCOAR ST., New Tom
JTSTRIDER AfiERTS WAITE9
/Uk lne»cli to»a to ride ud exhibit wwN
MsJm\ -ÜBJ/mt'* t DlfTCle. Writi/T sftHaltfir.
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EaSfa MEmm ****** allow 10 rats frbc TMAb
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loft asd kan oux ««*#• rrf aad iwrK<w tf«M^lv
rtrM, cowter tfaks rear wbrdt, limp". »«adrl«t, /ut/frictt,
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Sv MEN and WOMEN
kIUU i $20.00 A WXSX
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bis Booklstttllißg mvti i« it FlEf '
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