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Show 59 Round-up time was a far cry from in the movies, and, contrary to the opinion of both producers and viewers, all cattle didn't have to be driven to Abilene. The independent ranchers (which constituted 100% of cattle men) banded together and combed the range for strays. Since ours was the first place, or Papa was the most generous, they brought the common herd to our place, turned it into the "seven acres" for the night, and then each man would cut out his own critters and take them on home, next day. It was a common occurrence for eight or ten hungry men to descend on our place around midnight of a hard driving day, and for Mama to be routed out for a full course meal of meat, potatoes and gravy, canned corn or peas, topped off with cake, pie, or bottled fruit. When everybody got cars the wives would pick up their men of a night and deposit them again the next morning, and Mama would be relieved of the midnight task. Watching the men cut out their stock, the canny knowledge of the horses and the dogs was a never-ending revelation. Once a horse understood which critter his rider was after, he nosed it out of the herd, turning and twisting with it, but never letting it go. Sometimes a horse would even nip the rump of a recalcitrant cow. The dog would take over once it was at the edge of the herd and run it to his master's herd, nipping its heels and dodging its kicks. Whenever I could I perched on the gate and soaked up atmosphere which came out later in poems such as "The Autumn Herds. " |