"_I'm the one to take such rakin's as a joke._ _Some one hand me up the makin's of a smoke!_ _If you think my fame needs bright'nin'_ _W'y, I'll rope a streak of lightnin'_ _And I'll cinch 'im up and spur 'im till he's broke._"

Then one caper of repulsion Broke that hawse's back in two.

Cinches snapped in the convulsion; Skyward man and saddle flew.

Up he mounted, never laggin', While we watched him through our tears, And his last thin bit of braggin'

Came a-droppin' to our ears.

"_If you'd ever watched my habits very close_ _You would know I've broke such rabbits by the gross._ _I have kep' my talent hidin';_ _I'm too good for earthly ridin'_ _And I'm off to bust the lightnin's,--Adios!_"

Years have gone since that ascension.

Boastful Bill ain't never lit, So we reckon that he's wrenchin'

Some celestial outlaw's bit.

When the night rain beats our slickers And the wind is swift and stout And the lightnin' flares and flickers, We kin sometimes hear him shout--

"_I'm a bronco-twistin' wonder on the fly;_ _I'm the ridin' son-of-thunder of the sky._ _Hi! you earthlin's, shut your winders_ _While we're rippin' clouds to flinders._ _If this blue-eyed darlin' kicks at you, you die!_"

Stardust on his chaps and saddle, Scornful still of jar and jolt, He'll come back some day, astraddle Of a bald-faced thunderbolt.

And the thin-skinned generation Of that dim and distant day Sure will stare with admiration When they hear old Boastful say--

"_I was first, as old rawhiders all confessed._ _Now I'm last of all rough riders, and the best._ _Huh! you soft and dainty floaters,_ _With your a'roplanes and motors--_ _Huh! are you the great grandchildren of the West!_"

THE TIED MAVERICK

Lay on the iron! the tie holds fast And my wild record closes.

This maverick is down at last Just roped and tied with roses.

And one small girl's to blame for it, Yet I don't fight with shame for it-- Lay on the iron; I'm game for it, Just roped and tied with roses.

I loped among the wildest band Of saddle-hatin' winners-- Gay colts that never felt a brand And scarred old outlaw sinners.

The wind was rein and guide to us; The world was pasture wide to us And our wild name was pride to us-- High headed bronco sinners!

So, loose and light we raced and fought And every range we tasted, But now, since I'm corralled and caught, I know them days were wasted.

From now, the all-day gait for me, The trail that's hard but straight for me, For down that trail, who'll wait for me!

Ay! them old days were wasted!

But though I'm broke, I'll never be A saddle-marked old groaner, For never worthless bronc like me Got such a gentle owner.

There could be colt days glad as mine Or outlaw runs as mad as mine Or rope-flung falls as bad as mine, But never such an owner.

Lay on the iron, and lay it red!

I'll take it kind and clever.

Who wouldn't hold a prouder head To wear that mark forever?

I'll never break and stray from her; I'd starve and die away from her.

Lay on the iron--it's play from her-- And brand me hers forever!

A ROUNDUP LULLABY

Desert blue and silver in the still moonshine, Coyote yappin' lazy on the hill, Sleepy winks of lightnin' down the far sky line, Time for millin' cattle to be still.

_So--o now, the lightnin's far away,_ _The coyote's nothiny skeery;_ _He's singin' to his dearie--_ _Hee--ya, tammalalleday!_ _Settle down, you cattle, till the mornin'._

Nothin' out the hazy range that you folks need, Nothin' we kin see to take your eye.

Yet we got to watch you or you'd all stampede, Plungin' down some 'royo bank to die.

_So--o, now, for still the shadows stay;_ _The moon is slow and steady;_ _The sun comes when he's ready._ _Hee--ya, tammalalleday!_ _No use runnin' out to meet the mornin'._

Cows and men are foolish when the light grows dim, Dreamin' of a land too far to see.

There, you dream, is wavin' gra.s.s and streams that brim And it often seems the same to me.

_So--o, now, for dreams they never pay._ _The dust it keeps us blinkin',_ _We're seven miles from drinkin'._ _Hee--ya, tammalalleday!_ _But we got to stand it till the mornin'._

Mostly it's a moonlight world our trail winds through.

Kaint see much beyond our saddle horns.

Always far away is misty silver-blue; Always underfoot it's rocks and thorns.

_So--o, now. It must be this away--_ _The lonesome owl a-callin',_ _The mournful coyote squallin'._ _Hee--ya, tammalalleday!_ _Mockin-birds don't sing until the mornin'._

Always seein' 'wayoff dreams of silver-blue, Always feelin' thorns that slab and sting.

Yet stampedin' never made a dream come true, So I ride around myself and sing.

_So--o, now, a man has got to stay,_ _A-likin' or a-hatin',_ _But workin' on and waitin'._ _Hee--ya, tammalalleday!_ _All of us are waitin' for the mornin'._

THE TRAIL O' LOVE

My love was swift and slender As an antelope at play, And her eyes were gray and tender As the east at break o' day, And I sure was shaky hearted And her flower face was pale On that silver night we parted, When I sang along the trail:

_Forever--forever--_ _Oh, moon above the pine,_ _Like the matin' birds in Springtime,_ _I will twitter while you shine._ _Rich as ore with gold a-glowin',_ _Sweet as sparklin' springs a-flowin',_ _Strong as redwoods ever growin',_ _So will be this love o' mine._

I rode across the river And beyond the far divide, Till the echo of "forever"

Staggered faint behind and died.

For the long trail smiled and beckoned And the free wind blowed so sweet, That life's gayest tune, I reckoned, Was my hawse's ringin' feet.

_Forever--forever--_ _Oh, stars, look down and sigh,_ _For a poison spring will sparkle_ _And the trustin' drinker die._ _And a rovin' bird will twitter_ _And a worthless rock will glitter_ _And the maiden's love is bitter_ _When the man's is proved a lie._

Last the rover's circle guidin'

Brought me where I used to be, And I met her, gaily ridin'

With a smarter man than me.

Then I raised my dusty cover But she didn't see nor hear, So I hummed the old tune over, Laughin' in my hawse's ear:

_If the snowflake specks the desert_ _Or the yucca blooms awhile._ _Ay! what gloom the mountain covers_ _Where the driftin' cloud shade hovers!_ _Ay! the trail o' parted lovers,_ _Where "forever" lasts a mile!_