A Hundred Years of Rip and Roarin Rough and Ready By Andy Rogers (1952)(Hathitrust) (117 pages)

sale. Father carried a large sum of money, enough to pay for our home. In some mysterious manner, it became known to someone or some ones. Father's little blue shepherd dog Judy, always accompanied father wherever he went. The door of the room in the hotel had ho lock. liother was concerned. I firmly believe father did not know fear, so she resigned herself to sleep. Her faith in fatber was great. In the middle of the night, father and mother were awakened by Judy's furious barking. Father sprang from bed, pistol in hand. He flung open the door, a man almost fell into the room. “What do you want?" demanded father. The man ran. Father fired over his head. In the meantime, mother had kicked the money bag to the foot of the bed. God help the -thlef who tried to steal her gold. The excitement in the hotel finally subsided, but there was little sleep for anyone the rest of the night. Father later learned that there had been much thievery in that hotel. The management was found in time to be deeply implicated, and received summary justice at the hands of Judge Lynch. We were thrilled at the story of the attempted robbery. The boys evidently looked upon father as a Hero, a brave man of whom to be proud, they followed him around most of the day, gazing admiringly at his six feet one muscular manhood. As to Judy, she was spoiled and petted more than ever. Mother even let her eat in the dining room. The travelers of the evening, having heard the story, gave her so many choice bits from their plates that she was sick for a week. The Wilson House was what was known in those days, as a public house. Travelers from and to the high Sierras were put up for the night. Father made an ideal host. There was no physical labor; he was accustomed to work, and made the house pay. He attended the Bar. The bar-room was where the men coneregated. There was the proverbial parlor of those days, where women rested and gossiped. Many a telltale I did not wish to forego, but duty always called me away at the most excitThe boys, William, Thomas, with Ponto, took care of our horses and cattle, and those of the travelers. In this connection,. Blue, Mollie, distinguished or disgraced themselves, we did not know which, by presenting us with blue and white pinto colts, with white feet and ankles. We called one White Stockings; he grew to be a vigorous horse, with the fleetness of his mother, and the strength and endurance of his father, He was father's favorite riding horse for many years. In addition to his five blooded mares, father purchased a pure bred Kentucky racer, Golden King, a light beautiful creature, with an almost white mane. He was unlike the Palominos of later times. Golden King fathered the blood racers. Ponto's stallion, Abraben, sired gons and daughter of more endurance. Cattle of high grade and a small band of sheep, added to the ranch's stock, personnel, little Judy had never seen sheep before. After a few hours investigation, she came into her inheritance. She constituted herself their guardian, and with the assistance of Queen or Bull and Mastiff pedigree from Point Pleasant also, no coyote or wild cat, or even a mountain lion ever came nearer than Big Hill. Queen never gave up the chase, while Judy stayed on the job, she kept on the trail until kill. Google 62 If the kill was too big, and it seldom was for the powerful muscled dog, she brought it home; she guarded the animal while Judy came to the house to announce the event. She preferred father to come, but if. he could not, any one of us was accepted as a poor substitute. After she and Queen had been patted and good dogged, they returned to their kill. I firmly believe since those days that dogs can talk. The big bull dog, in all respects, except in size, the mastiff and little blue Judy, with her waving tail, would walk up and down exchanging whimpers, like noises and occasional growls. At last, after the apparent conversation was finished, they ate their kill of wild meat. Fruit trees, berries, grapes and vegetables, were planted. Chickens, big and meaty, were kept for chicken dinners. Others, brown and white leghornes, were added for their egg laying qualifications. The leghornes were great foragers, they would climb to the top of any tree to eat fruit; they found their way to the vegetable garden, in spite of a high board fence. Here they met their Waterloo in Queen, who voluntarily chased them out. We soon noticed the chickens running around the yard in a disgraceful state of nudity, so we had to break down the dogs habit. On the ranch, which father named Point Pleasant, after the Virginia home, was a large cempoodie of Indians. Father took the worthless rascals, (for the most part,) to his heart, doubtlessly thinking of his former slaves. Their ponies had free pasture, fruit from the orchard mysteriously found its way to their wigwams. The Chief's daughter, Nancy, was a handsome, intelligent girl. Ponto even eventually made her his squaw. They moved to a cabin next to the ranch house, ‘where they were invaluable help to mother and me. They took over the house-~ keeping, as mother never liked to work. Nancy did most of the work. Ponto did the scrubbing and the chores. Little ways for educations, Ponto sent some Indians to help, put they were no help, and-proved worthless. Help came, however. The next wagon train which drew into the state, brought a neighbor, who settled at Bridgeport, three miles north of Point Pleasant, on the Yuba River. 4s the wagon drew up to the door, wonder of wonders, but Mitchell, Ellen, and their seventeen year old gon, Rastus; these persons were among father's slaves that he had freed. Neither he nor mother believed in slavery, and the predominant reason of their selling Point Pleasant was that conditions were rapidly bringing about.a Civil War. The plantation could not run without slaves. Their freedom was too new for them to stay and work, as they were glad to do later. Mitchell and Ellen were our Virginia cook and house-boy, Rastus. They came towards us, hands extended, with teeth gleam-~ ing a broad grin on their faces, a suspicjon of tears in their eyes. We received them gladly and father fitted up two rooms adjoining. Rastus relieved Ponto of the chores, and in rush hours helped wait on tables. Point Pleasant became known not only for its hospitality, but also for the best meals served along the way. Travelers came early and late to eat Ellen's cooking. Her delicfous dishes amazed me, she would not read, she never measured anything, a pinch here, a pinch there, and viands fit for the gods ‘

sale. Father carried a large sum of money, enough to pay for our home. In some mysterious manner, it became known to someone or some ones. Father's little blue shepherd dog Judy, always accompanied father wherever he went. The door of the room in the hotel had ho lock. liother was concerned. I firmly believe father did not know fear, so she resigned herself to sleep. Her faith in fatber was great. In the middle of the night, father and mother were awakened by Judy's furious barking. Father sprang from bed, pistol in hand. He flung open the door, a man almost fell into the room. “What do you want?" demanded father. The man ran. Father fired over his head. In the meantime, mother had kicked the money bag to the foot of the bed. God help the -thlef who tried to steal her gold. The excitement in the hotel finally subsided, but there was little sleep for anyone the rest of the night. Father later learned that there had been much thievery in that hotel. The management was found in time to be deeply implicated, and received summary justice at the hands of Judge Lynch. We were thrilled at the story of the attempted robbery. The boys evidently looked upon father as a Hero, a brave man of whom to be proud, they followed him around most of the day, gazing admiringly at his six feet one muscular manhood. As to Judy, she was spoiled and petted more than ever. Mother even let her eat in the dining room. The travelers of the evening, having heard the story, gave her so many choice bits from their plates that she was sick for a week. The Wilson House was what was known in those days, as a public house. Travelers from and to the high Sierras were put up for the night. Father made an ideal host. There was no physical labor; he was accustomed to work, and made the house pay. He attended the Bar. The bar-room was where the men coneregated. There was the proverbial parlor of those days, where women rested and gossiped. Many a telltale I did not wish to forego, but duty always called me away at the most excitThe boys, William, Thomas, with Ponto, took care of our horses and cattle, and those of the travelers. In this connection,. Blue, Mollie, distinguished or disgraced themselves, we did not know which, by presenting us with blue and white pinto colts, with white feet and ankles. We called one White Stockings; he grew to be a vigorous horse, with the fleetness of his mother, and the strength and endurance of his father, He was father's favorite riding horse for many years. In addition to his five blooded mares, father purchased a pure bred Kentucky racer, Golden King, a light beautiful creature, with an almost white mane. He was unlike the Palominos of later times. Golden King fathered the blood racers. Ponto's stallion, Abraben, sired gons and daughter of more endurance. Cattle of high grade and a small band of sheep, added to the ranch's stock, personnel, little Judy had never seen sheep before. After a few hours investigation, she came into her inheritance. She constituted herself their guardian, and with the assistance of Queen or Bull and Mastiff pedigree from Point Pleasant also, no coyote or wild cat, or even a mountain lion ever came nearer than Big Hill. Queen never gave up the chase, while Judy stayed on the job, she kept on the trail until kill. Google 62 If the kill was too big, and it seldom was for the powerful muscled dog, she brought

it home; she guarded the animal while Judy came to the house to announce the event. She preferred father to come, but if. he could not, any one of us was accepted as a poor substitute. After she and Queen had been patted and good dogged, they returned to their kill. I firmly believe since those days that dogs can talk. The big bull dog, in all respects, except in size, the mastiff and little blue Judy, with her waving tail, would walk up and down exchanging whimpers, like noises and occasional growls. At last, after the apparent conversation was finished, they ate their kill of wild meat. Fruit trees, berries, grapes and vegetables, were planted. Chickens, big and meaty, were kept for chicken dinners. Others, brown and white leghornes, were added for their egg laying qualifications. The leghornes were great foragers, they would climb to the top of any tree to eat fruit; they found their way to the vegetable garden, in spite of a high board fence. Here they met their Waterloo in Queen, who voluntarily chased them out. We soon noticed the chickens running around the yard in a disgraceful state of nudity, so we had to break down the dogs habit. On the ranch, which father named Point Pleasant, after the Virginia home, was a large cempoodie of Indians. Father took the worthless rascals, (for the most part,) to his heart, doubtlessly thinking of his former slaves. Their ponies had free pasture, fruit from the orchard mysteriously found its way to their wigwams. The Chief's daughter, Nancy, was a handsome, intelligent girl. Ponto even eventually made her his squaw. They moved to a cabin next to the ranch house, ‘where they were invaluable help to mother and me. They took over the house-~ keeping, as mother never liked to work. Nancy did most of the work. Ponto did the scrubbing and the chores. Little ways for educations, Ponto sent some Indians to help, put they were no help, and-proved worthless. Help came, however. The next wagon train which drew into the state, brought a neighbor, who settled at Bridgeport, three miles north of Point Pleasant, on the Yuba River. 4s the wagon drew up to the door, wonder of wonders, but Mitchell, Ellen, and their seventeen year old gon, Rastus; these persons were among father's slaves that he had freed. Neither he nor mother believed in slavery, and the predominant reason of their selling Point Pleasant was that conditions were rapidly bringing about.a Civil War. The plantation could not run without slaves. Their freedom was too new for them to stay and work, as they were glad to do later. Mitchell and Ellen were our Virginia cook and house-boy, Rastus. They came towards us, hands extended, with teeth gleam-~ ing a broad grin on their faces, a suspicjon of tears in their eyes. We received them gladly and father fitted up two rooms adjoining. Rastus relieved Ponto of the chores, and in rush hours helped wait on tables. Point Pleasant became known not only for its hospitality, but also for the best meals served along the way. Travelers came early and late to eat Ellen's cooking. Her delicfous dishes amazed me, she would not read, she never measured anything, a pinch here, a pinch there, and viands fit for the gods ‘