COWBOY LORE 

W. C. Bob  Hayley was born in The State of Mississippi in 1874. He 
moved with his parents to Texas in 1878. The family settled on a cattle 
ranch near Novice Coleman County. They lived there eleven years and In 
1889 they moved to Coke County. Mr. Hayley's father bought a ranch near 
Hayrick, then the county seat, Where he lived until his death. 

Mr. Hayley says, "My father was a pioneer stockman in West Texas. 
I began riding as soon as I was old enough to staddle & saddle a horse. 
My father always kept some gentle saddle horses for we us kids and 
mother to ride. I began riding the range and helping work cattle for 
my father before or at least in my very early teens. I learned some 
about the ways of cattle and men on my father's ranch. My father taught 
me to treat all men honest and square and expect the same from them. 
When I was about grown, I got a job with The Harris Bros. outfit. They 
owned a forty section ranch south of Robert Lee and kept a big-outfit. 
It was partly open range then although there were some fences. In 
working the herds in the spring or fall, we'd round up one bunch in 
one section of the pasture, cut the stuff we wanted and brand the 
young stuff there that day. Then we'd go on to another part the next 
day and continue until we'd worked the whole ranch. 

I remember the first spring we lived in Coke county, it had been awful
dry. The streams had nearly all dried up. We were rounding up and the 
boss said some of the cattle would have to be moved where there was 
more water and grass or be sold. As if to play a joke on us after we 
had most of the herd worked.  It began raining one night and it poured 
for several days. We had to quit work.  Just took out 'til the rain let 
up. Boy but everybody was shore glad to see that rain. I never was on 
any very long cattle drives. I made a couple of trips to the Texas 
Plains I recollect we always tried to pick a place that was level and 
open to bed the cattle and make camp at night as it was easier to keep 
them together in that way. Cattle were very easy disturbed. Sometimes 
a horse would snort or a rabbit jump up near the herd and frighten some 
of them and get them to stirring. And once they got started the riders 
had to get started too. I remember on one of our trips we had to ride 
all night long. We were trying our dead level best to get the herd 
quieted. We never knew, but it was perhaps some small animal that 
frightened them. We rode like thunder and tried to get in lead of them. 
We did manage to sort of keep them bunched together, and hen we finally
got them to following the riders and milling. They trotted awhile then 
walked and then they stopped and began lying down. I can tell you we 
was all plenty tired next day. 

The boys I worked with were usually full of fun and liked nothing 
better than a good joke. I remember once during a grand big spring 
round-up we were camped near Cedar Mountain and at that time there 
was quite a bit of wild stuff-animals I mean- in them parts. Some of 
the boys had roped a wild-cat and brought him into camp that day. That 
night after supper we was all grouped around or near the the fire 
smoking and discussing our day's work. The wildcat was tied with a 
rope and was lying on the ground nearby. John Hasey, our cook, was 
sitting with his back to the fire and directly in front of the big 
kitten.  Dick Castlebury, who was always up to some trick, heated an 
iron in the fire and told us he was going to have some fun. When the 
iron was hot he applied it to what he thought was a sleeping cat 
expecting him to lunge toward the cook but instead he jumped high 
into the air with an awful squall and jumped back for Dick. He nearly 
tore his clothes off before he managed to back out of his reach. 
The joke was on old Dick and the boys just doubled up with laughter. 
They sure enjoyed razzing him about that trick after that.  I knew 
several good riders but I believe Old John Hargroves, who worked 
for Spades outfit when I did was about as good as I ever saw. He could 
ride anything, steers and broncs too. 

I remember once while there, there was an old steer about seven years 
old, never had a rope on him. He was a booger to catch and a fighter 
too. Our boss Mr. Arnett told us boys if we coud drive that steer in 
and catch him we could have him. Well, Old Hargroves went out one day 
on his horse, rode up beside ole steer and jumped a- straddle of him. 
The old steer pitched and reared, but I'll be dadblamed if he did'nt 
ride him into to the pen. John could shore sure ride Wild steers as 
well as broncs.  

Bibliography 

W. C. Hayley/Haley,  Bronte Texas. Pioneer citizen and cowhand of Coke 
County. Interviewed March 21, 1938.