ering to contract cattle for spring delivery at Dodge and Ogalalla.
I was quietly resting on my oars at the ranch, when a special
messenger arrived summoning me to Washington. The motive was easily
understood, and on my reaching Fort Worth the message was supplemented
by another one from Major Hunter, asking me to touch at Council Grove
en route. Writing Edwards fully what would be expected of him during
my absence, I reached The Grove and was joined by my partner, and we
proceeded on to the national capital. Arriving fully two weeks in
advance of the closing day for bids, all three of us called and paid
our respects to the heads of the War and Interior departments. On
special request of the Secretaries, an appointment was made for the
following day, when the Senator took Major Hunter and me under
his wing and coached us in support of his suggestions to either
department. There was no occasion to warn me, as I had just come from
the seat of beef supply, and knew the feverish condition of affairs at
home.

The appointments were kept promptly. At the Interior Department we
tarried but a few minutes after informing the Secretary that we were
submitting no bids that year in his division, but allowed ourselves to
be drawn out as to the why and wherefore. Major Hunter was a man
of moderate schooling, apt in conversation, and did nearly all the
talking, though I put in a few general observations. We were cordially
greeted at the War Office, good cigars were lighted, and we went over
the situation fully. The reports of the year before were gone over,
and we were complimented on our different deliveries to the Army. We
accepted all flatteries as a matter of course, though the past is
poor security for the future. When the matter of contracting for the
present year was broached, we confessed our ability to handle any
awards in our territory to the number of fifty to seventy-five
thousand beeves, but would like some assurance that the present or
forthcoming appropriations would be ample to meet all contracts. Our
doubts were readily removed by the firmness of the Secretary when as
we arose to leave, Major Hunter suggested, by way of friendly advice,
that the government ought to look well to the bonds of contractors,
saying that the beef-producing regions of the West and South had
experienced an advance in prices recently, which made contracting
cattle for future delivery extremely hazardous. At parting regret
was expressed that t