Manuscript Page 19

the yards were very busy. Something was always preventing a quick clean access to the pens. Either there were too many cattle or not enough cars or something else would go wrong. When your turn came the cattle were put in the stock pens, then were herded a few at a time through the crowding pens and up a ramp into the cars. It was slow, hard dirty work and when finished everyone was exhausted. When the last animal was loaded, the buyer handed the Boss a check and then it was up to him to take the crew to a steak dinner at the White Cafe in up town Holbrook. I remember very well when were charged one dollar for a steak dinner. Dad thought the price was much too high and told the management so in no uncertain terms. The dinner of course included vegetables, mashed potatoes, bread, pie and coffee as well as a big steak.

The cattle were shipped to the mid-west or to Imperial Valley in California where they were fattened for market. Sometimes a cowboy was hired by the buyer to accompany the cattle on the train. I remember a guy by the name of Troy Speers who went to California with a load of Bar X cattle. Troy's romantic appearance caught the eye of some movie mogul from Hollywood and Troy played some small roles in a few western movies. He came back to the Bar X some time later married to a beautiful Hollywood starlet. They came in her Packard. She lasted almost two weeks at the Bar X and returned to California. Troy had let one get away but he continued to work at the Bar X.