THE OLD COWBOY Part Forty Six
(continued)


I knew the next time I saw Grandpa I'd have to ask about World War I. "Hi ya Grandpa," I yelled as I rode up on 'Tanner' number two. Grandpa waved back and motioned for me to come on up, and he patted the chair next to him in the porch.

What a beautiful day for mid summer. Just a few white puffy clouds, the birds chattering in the trees. It must of been about 70% with a light breeze. The kind of day you are glad to be alive, and the lawn had just been mowed, so very green. "I sure do like the smell of fresh cut grass Grandpa."

"Yep, that's a good smell, a country boy's perfume."

"Grandpa I was worried about Gary, and I was talkin' to mom about the first world war."

"Well now they arn't much for tellin', on my part. The way I remember, they had some folks overseas that wanted to take over the world or something like that. And they sent a bunch of men over there somewhere, and we helped the good guys win the war.

Some couple of cow pokes I rode with out in South Dakota told me all I needed to know about war. They'd been back about three months when we hooked up at the CH bar G spread. Their names were Hank and Jack. Hank was gettin' better with that lasso, he said he'd be near as good as he was in a couple more months. He'd lost two fingers on his throwin' hand but the doc' told him he should be able to do almost ev'rything he did before.

Now ol' Jack there, he'd taken a piece of shrapnel in the gut. He could rope an' ride like before, but he had to eat something ev'ry couple of hours. he said it twern't no big deal, it's just the price we pay to keep our freedom, and the freedom of our family and friends."

"Did you go and fight?"

"Well I wanted to, but they said on account I had a bunch of kids I was raisin and I was over forty two years old, they'd call me last. They told me to go on home and raise my family.

Hank and Jack wasn't much more than about four years older than your uncle Frank. I'll tell ya Grandboy I sure was glad when that one was done, I thought for sure he was on his way too. He wanted to go but your Grandma was holdin' him back 'till he eighteen, then she'd of had to let him go on his own.

As it turned out Hank and Jack were very good cowhands. I could tell they was at home up in that saddle, but they never talked much 'bout the war they'd seen.

They knew that...


To Be Continued. . .