Cowboy Life on

The Sidetrack

Being an Extremely Humorous and Sarcastic

Story of the Trials and Tribulations

Endured by a Party of Stockmen

Making a Shipment from the

West to the East.

By FRANK BENTON,

Cheyenne, Wyo.

ILLUSTRATED BY E. A. FILLEAU,

KANSAS CITY, MO.

DENVER, COLO.:

THE WESTERN STORIES SYNDICATE.

Copyright, 1903,

By FRANK BENTON.

Press of

Hudson-Kimberly Publishing Company

Kansas City, Mo.

DEDICATION.

For justice no shipper e'er asked in vain
From George H. Crosby or C. J. Lane.
We go to them, as to our dad,
When on their road our run is bad,
And when we think the freight too large
Ask them to rebate the overcharge.
No matter which road you give your freight,
To both these friends, this book I dedicate.

F. B.

The Author Waiting for the Train to Start.

CONTENTS.

PREFACE.

To the readers of this little booklet: I wish to say that while some things in the story seem over-drawn, yet I have endeavored to write it entirely from a cowboy standpoint.

To the sheepmen of the West: I want to say that I couldn't have written this story true to the cowboys' character without making a great many reflections on sheepmen, and I want to tender my apologies in advance for anything they may consider offensive, as some of my old-time and dearest friends in the West are among the large sheep