y trained horse set
himself back for the shock, but the engine set both myself and my horse
in the ditch, and might have continued to set us in places had not
something given way, as it was the rope parted, but the boys said
afterwards that they thought they would have to send for a wrecking
train to clean the track or rather the ditch.

[Illustration: I Rope a Narrow Gauge Engine, my Lariat Settled
Gracefully Around the Smokestack and my Trained Horse Set Himself for
the Shock, but the Engine Set Both Myself and my Horse in the Ditch]

Roping a live engine is by long odds worse than roping wild Buffalo on
the plains or Uncle Sam's cannon at the forts. This incident cleared the
atmosphere somewhat, but my love was as strong as ever and I thanked my
lucky start she did not see me as they dragged me out of the ditch.

I first saw my sweetheart as we were driving the herd along the dusty
road, passing a small adobe house near the city of Old Mexico. I saw a
handsome young Spanish girl standing in the yard and I suppose I fell in
love with her at first sight, anyway I pretended to be very thirsty and
rode up and asked her for a drink. She gave it to me and I exchanged a
few words with her before joining the boys and the herds.

After that I saw her quite often during my stay in Old Mexico before we
again returned home. One day shortly before I was to leave for the North
I went to see her and overheard a conversation between her and her
mother, in which her mother said to her: "My daughter will you leave
your mother for to go with the wild cowboy?" And she answered no mother
I will not leave you to go with any wild cowboy. On hearing this I bid
her goodbye and a long farewell, as I told her I did not expect to ever
see her again. Then leaping to the back of my faithful horse I rode like
mad across the Mexican plains, until I had somewhat cooled down, but it
was a hard blow to me, as I truly loved her. After that I joined the
boys and returned up the trail with them. Six or seven months later we
were again in Old Mexico with a herd of cattle and went in camp some
distance out from the city, and as soon as she heard our outfit had
returned she rode out to the camp and after looking around and not
seeing me, she said to the camp boss, "Where is the wild cowboy that was
here with you last time? Did he not come up the trail with you". The
boss told her I had come up the trail but that I had not been seen since
crossing the las