Memories of an Oklahoma Farm Boy

by Virgle Chappell

COWBOYS

I guess kids always have had visions of what they would like to be when they grow up. Those dreams always change as each new generation enters the world, but the excitement accompanying those visions remain. The day by day mundane life is never known nor even considered as visions of exciting happenings dance through one's head. These dreams may change from time to time as the child reads, sees movies or watches Television. 

Very few of them probably ever become actualities as adulthood appears.My earliest dreams were about cowboys, horses, cattle and guns. There were a few times when becoming a Forest Ranger or a Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman seemed attractive, but I always returned to the West and ranching. My dad, Leon E Chappell, always lived near a ranch as we were growing up. He worked for a time on the Frass ranch in the Texas Panhandle but I can't recall any experiences there. Yet, perhaps, this was the seed which was planted and stayed with me during my entire life. My first movie, a silent one I believe, was of Tom Mix and Hoot Gibson which we enjoyed in Darrouzett, Texas. This must have been about 1931 or 1932 and my aunt, Olive Chappell, took we kids. In those days, the hero was always for the Right and fearlessly confronted and brought to justice those who did wrong. 

There was the Stuart Ranch which was only across the road from where I was born. My uncle John Hamilton worked there from time to time and was manager of the ranch after I grew up. There was the King Ranch just a few miles north and we lived within 2 miles of it in my childhood years. My dad and I spent one hot Saturday (when we should have gone to town as was the Saturday custom) pulling broomcorn on the ranch. The heat was unbearable and the sap from the corn made us itch all over. But the pay was good, We each received $2.50 for the days work. 

The Schnelly Ranch was on Clear Creek, the location of our camp-outs and swimming holes. Mr. Schnelly raised watermelons so we nearly always had watermelon desert on these outings. A sad remembrance is one night about 10 of us boys destroyed many of the melons in his patch. We would possibly have better memories of the experiences that night if he had caught us and made us pay for what we had done.

Today I understand the cowboy's life was often a lonely and hard life. There were many days or even weeks which were spent alone. Many or most of the "hands" were not married and bunked with other men. There were several songs we sang as I was growing up which really tell fairly accurately the life they lived. The songs were about sweethearts whose father refused to let them marry the cowboy, or perhaps the sweetheart died of heartbreak while waiting for her lover to return. There were tragedies in which a buddy lost his life, such as stampede, wild fire, freezing in sever winter or rodeo accidents. The songs were all mournful which must illustrate the mind set of the cowboy.

I will end by relating a song which we sang as children that is somewhat typical of the cowboy song of that day. 

Virgle L Chappell

"Billy Vanero"
Author Unknown

Billy Vanero heard them say, in an Arizona town one day, 
That a band of Apache Indians were upon the trail of death.
Heard them tell of murder done, three men killed at Rocky Run,
"They're in danger at the cow ranch", cried Vanero under his breath.

Cow ranch forty miles away, 'twas a little place that lay,
In a deep and shady valley, in that mighty wilderness.
Half a score of homes were there, and in one a maiden fair,
Had won the heart of Billy Vanero, Billy Vanero's little Bess.

So no wonder he grew pale, when he heard the cowboy's tale,
Of the men that faced the murder, day before at Rocky Run.
"Sure as there's a God above, I will save the girl I love,
And for the love of little Bessie, I'll see there's something done."

Not one moment was delayed, when his brave resolve was made, 
"Why man", his comrades told him, when they heard of his daring plan.
"You are riding straight to death", but he answered, "Save your breath, 
I may never reach the cow ranch, but I'll do the best I can."

Lower and lower sank the sun, he drew reign at Rocky Run,
"Here the men met death my Mechucko", and he stoked his glossy mane
So e'er we go to warn, e'er the coming of the morn,
"If I fail, God help my Bessie", and he started on again.

As he crossed the alkali, all his thoughts flew on ahead,
To the little band at the cow ranch, thinking not of danger near.

Sharp and clear a rifle shot, marked the echo of the spot,
"I'm wounded", cried Vanero, and he swayed from side to side.
"While there's life, there's always hope, slowly onward I will lope,
"If I fail to reach the cow ranch, Bessie Lee shall know I've tried.

"I will save her yet he cried, Bessie Lee shall know I've tried",
And for her sake he halted, in the shadow of a hill.
From his chaparral he took, with weak hands a little book,
Tore a blank sheet from it's pages, saying, "This shall be my will."

From an oak a twig he broke, and he dipped his pen of oak,
In the warm blood that was spurting, from the wound above his heart.
Arouse, he wrote, before too late, Apache warriors lie in wait,
Good by Bess, God bless you darling, as he felt the cold chill start.

Still he made his message fast, love's first message and the last,
To the saddle horn he tied it, and his lips grew white with pain.
"Take this message, if not me, straight to little Bessie Lee,"
Then he tied himself to the saddle, and gave his horse the reins.

Just at dusk a horse of brown, wet with sweat came panting down,
The little lane at the cow ranch, and stopped at Bessie's door.
But the cowboy was asleep, and his slumbers were so deep,
Little Bess could never wake him, though she tried for ever more.

You have heard the story told, by the young and by the old,
Way down yonder at the cow ranch, the night the Apaches came.
In that fierce and bloody fight, how that chief fell in the fight,
And the panic stricken warriors, when they heard Vanero's name.

Heaven and earth between, keep the little flowers so green,
That little Bessie planted, e'er they laid her by his side.