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We boys finally
decided we would drift Northwest as we had learned wages were much
better than were to be obtained near home. In Aug 1881, we notified
our parents of our wishes. They gave their consent, as Ben Riley's F. said "OK, let them go. They will be back in six weeks and
will be satisfied with the parental roof." Another neighbor boy,
Joe Lawrence, decided he wanted to go with us. We three pulled
out about the middle of August. After passing Austin we came to a
fork in the
road. One way led to the town of Burnett, the
other the right hand to Lampasas. Riley and I followed the right
hand, Lawrence the left. We learned later that Lawrence soon landed
back home.
Ben and I passed thru Lampasas and on up into
Hamilton County to an old acquaintance of the families by name of
Maxwell where stopped over for a couple of days to visit and rest
our horses. From Maxwell's, our course was still N W. The second day
out from there attempting to arise from our saddle blanket bed, I
felt weak. Ben looked at my face and said, "You have the
measles". As we were only about two miles out from Comanche, we rode
back there, thinking I might need attention. No one would let me
into their house, as of course, they did not want their one family
infected. The doctor that was consulted gave me a couple of doses of
pills and advised to drink lots of cold water. The hospital that
took me in was an empty room over a store where the Doctor's orders
was carried out, Ben nursing put me on my feet the third day after
the hospital entrance. The weather was warm & clear; otherwise I
should have had a relapse which would possible put one under the sod
even though the measles settled in my throat.
The cause of it
has bothered me ever since when I take clod which seems to settle in
my throat. Ben and I trekked on NW thru Cisco which was a brand new
town, as the TP RR had just recently reached & passed this way
from Ft Worth and on its way to El Paso. Our course from Cisco to
Albany and on to and thru Fr Griffin, Tex where two companies of
Negro soldiers were camped, and the remnant of the Tonkaway Indians
were quartered. The Indians were there to be protected against the
Commanchies who hated the Tonks on account the Army had often used
some of the bucks as traitors when pursuing other tribes. Naturally
when a Tonkaway was caught away from his white friends by especially
the Commanchies they left the hated enemies bone to be picked by the
buzzards or coyotes…….
Written by Woods Coffee
(There is much, much more which I hope to add when I get more
time. KCS)
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