It was the year 1873 and I found myself in Kansas City. I remember spending time at Potee’s Faro Number Three, owned by Bob Potee. It wasn’t much of a place to speak of but I liked it. I also could be found at the Senate & Marble Hall. This fine establishment was owned by Joe Bassett, brother to my old friend and former Lawman Charlie Bassett. Charlie was one of a number of friends that came to my aid in Dodge City after a dust up. More on that later.

In part because of my friendship with Charlie and in part because I had become a very skilled dealer, Joe offered me a job at the Marble Hall and I took it. By fall I needed to move on and that I did. I went to Dodge City determined to hunt buffalo. Once there I looked around for the equipment needed to live on the Plains while tracking and hunting buffalo. I made the acquaintance of Paddy, an Irishman, who had the mules needed for my business adventure. We struck up a deal and off we headed in search of buffalo. Our second day out we found our prey and set up camp. That first year we managed to do very well but realized we could use some help. On our second trip out we hired a few men to assist us expecting even better results.

Trouble didn’t take long to find us in the form of Indians. They attacked our camp killing two skinners and all but two mules. The camp was destroyed and we were out of business.

Not long after that I secured a wagon and supplies and made tracks back to the hunting grounds. I knew the hunters would need supplies and I was eager to provide them with whatever they needed. I did this the remainder of 1874 and part of 1875.

Getting the itch I sold my wagon and head back to Kansas City. After visiting friends for a spell I take the Union Pacific west across Nebraska getting off at Sidney. I spent the winter in Sidney dealing cards. It was the following year the Col. Custer and his brave men were attacked at the Little Bighorn. All were lost.

That winter I spent time in Cheyenne, Wyoming at the Inter-Ocean Hotel working for Ed Chase and his brother John. Ed was a very famous Riverboat Gambler and with the outbreak of the Civil War he headed west and eventually settling in Cheyenne for awhile.

It’s late October and we ( Red, his son and I) have returned to Red’s ranch in Llano, Texas. There, I would spend two years working the ranch and driving cattle to the railheads in Kansas. One year we pushed two herds North. One to Abilene and the second on to Ogallala, Nebraska.

After the Nebraska job I struck out alone first taking a train to Kansas City and then on to St. Louis. At St. Louis I boarded a Stern Wheeler and headed down the Mississippi River to Vicksburg. At Vicksburg I traveled by Stage back to Texas.

At almost 16 years of age my time with Red is nearing an end. In 1871 I take my last trip North with Red. I have worn out my cards but have gotten pretty good at shuffling and dealing so once we deliver the cows to Ogallala I find work dealing cards.

The next two years were some of the best times for me. I traveled from cow town to mining camp between Nebraska and Colorado working at various Saloons and Gambling Houses. Life was really exciting and the work was very easy compared to working the ranch and with cattle. Though I’m not quit 19 yet I have seen a lot and I’ve done a lot. I miss my Ma and Pa and brothers and sisters but I just couldn’t imagine being stuck in Saint Jo on Pa’s farm working the fields.

Riding all night I made it to Fort Worth and though I was dead tired and hungry I was full of energy as the lights of the town called out to me. I had never been to Fort Worth, or for that matter, any big town. There were people all about and music in the air. A gun shot just about caused me to fall off my horse. Everyone seemed to be having such a good time. Some of the gals were even calling to me but I acted like I didn’t hear them and kept riding.

The cowboy told me to ask for a man named “Red” and so that is what I did. It took awhile but I finally found him. Well, I should say he found me. He had heard a young boy was asking for him and having a son about the same age he wondered who I could be.

I told him about the bully, the cowboy and my story. He listened without saying a word but never took his eyes off mine. When I was done he asked me if I was hungry and I told him I was. We went to a restaurant and there I met his son. We hit it off and I began to feel a lot less scared. Next morning I found myself headed to Abilene, Kansas.

By the middle of the August and after three months on the trail I got my first glimpse of Abilene. The cowboys, who have been dog tired for some time, were all of a sudden hooping and hollering. Even the cows seem to have picked up the pace. They sure don’t know what’s in store for them.

Once the cows are delivered Red has us (his son and me) get cleaned up for we are going into town. Red paid me off so I have a pocket full of money and a burning itch to buy something, anything!

As we ride into town the sun is setting and the street lights are being lit. We pull up next to a saloon and get off. I am both excited and a bit fearful as we walk towards the doors. Once inside I can’t believe my eyes. There are people everywhere. Music is playing and dancing is right out there in the open. You hear a constant chatter and smell the smoke that fills the place. I just can’t believe my eyes.

In a far corner men are gathered about and much excitement is evident. I wonder over to see what is going on and learn that men are playing a gambling game called ” Faro”. Someone points to a man who is the most fancy dressed man I have ever seen and says his name is Dick Clark and he gambles for a living. I think to myself, he is the luckiest man in the World. I stand there for the longest time and watch as the game is played. I don’t know the rules of the game but after awhile I begin to understand what is happening. I even decide that I could play this game.

Next morning we head to the store and I buy a new hat, boots, a heavy coat and a deck of cards. As we walk out of the store Red asks me what am I going to do with the cards. I tell him I’m going to learn to gamble. He laughs and says, “Boy you need money, nerve and some luck to gamble and not lose all your money”. He then says, ” Speaking of money, what are you going to do now, Luke ? ” I told him I hadn’t really thought about it and I’m not sure. Red offers me a job on his ranch back in Llano and I jump at the chance. Not long after that we are headed out of town in the general direction of Texas.

Having arrived in Texas at the tender age of 2, I grew up Texan and consider myself a true Texan. It was in Texas where I cut my teeth and learned the ways of life.

I have already talked about when the Indians attacked our home and we were able to chase them off. Within a year after that attack I had a new brother, George. It was in that same year that Uncle Will (Brumley), Sheriff of Montague Co. and Uncle Dan were murdered by Jayhawkers and shortly after Great Uncle John was also murdered as he stepped into his porch.

It wasn’t long after that that Pa decided we should move. We headed a bit east to Cooke Co., Texas and it was there that sister Belle Nannie was born.

Things were going along pretty well except for older brother Young who kept getting into trouble. It was some time in 1867 that things finally boiled over between Young and Pa and Young went to live with Ma’s brother. I was attending school and having a tough time ’cause of the school master’s boy. He was big for his age and mean as a bear. He took to whipping me on a regular basis. A cowboy living across the way watched as the bully beat me on day and afterwards called me over. He wanted to know why I put up with sure treatment and I asked him, what could I do? He gave me a pocket knife and told me the next time “Junior” started pounding on me to pull out the knife and “stick em”.

Well, I didn’t have to wait long as I found myself cornered the next day and as the fists began to fly I reached into my pocket and pulled out the knife. Once opened, I took a mighty swipe at my attacker and the beating stopped immediately. We both stood in horror as the bully’s guts fell out of his shirt. I was scared, really scared. I ran to the Cowboy and told him what happened and he suggested I make a run for Fort Worth. There I would find a man by the name of “Red” who would hire me on. I ran to my horse and rode as fast as I could until I got home. I told Ma what happened and that I was sure I had killed the boy and could no longer stay here. I told of my plans and gathered some things and was back on my horse and headed for Fort Worth.

At the tender age of 13 my life had changed forever.

It was in the summer of 1862 when Pa and older brothers John, Joe and Young were off to town that a small party of Indians decided to pay us a visit. This was not to make our acquaintance but to lift our hair.

I was just 8 years old and scared as all get out but I was also the oldest boy so I did as my Ma told me. We saw them Injuin’s coming and made it safely inside the house. Ma took one window and I took another. The yougin’s got down but were ready to load our rifles as needed.

It was on that day I killed my first man. I managed to wing another. It didn’t take them long to lose interest in us and move on but it seemed like forever.

Back in 1856, Polk Co., Arkansas I saw for the first time the day of light. Now I know it has been written that I was born in Kansas and Missouri and Louisiana and even Texas (that’s my fault) but the truth is what it is.

I was just two years old when Ma and Pa decided to pick up stakes and venture up the Red River Valley, all the way into Texas. Now, I grew up a Texan and consider myself a Texan and have stated I was born in Texas, cause that’s how I feel about that.

Ma, Pa and us kids were living on the Western Frontier, on the Elm Fork Creek, Montague Co., Texas near the settlement of Saint Jo in 1859. We had no neighbors and those pesky Indians were always about.

Gotta go, the boys calling me the games about to start. More later