Out Our Way: 'Packsaddle Sam'

Out our way, folks who have been around know that you can't always judge a book by its cover. Folks can fool you by the way they talk, dress or act. Take the true story I heard from a family member about what happened to his dad, Frank, when he was still a kid growing up in Browning.

Frank was a pretty good rider and had worked on some of the local ranches, so when the call went out for one of the last big cattle drives in Montana, he signed up to go.

The cattle had been ranging up near Chief Mountain and it was quite a job driving them across much of north Montana to the railhead. And just like in the movies, once the herd had been brought in and penned up in the rail yard corrals, everyone was paid off and they all headed for one of the saloons in town.

Now as the boys were celebrating, a passenger train came into town and down stepped this "dude" of the first water. Yellow spats, plaid suit, bowler hat, fancy diamond stud in his tie, and as fresh a daisy as one could ever hope to pick. Or so they thought.

He walked into the saloon and ordered some city slicker drink, which got the boys sort of chuckling and smiling in their beer - and then he turned around to address them. "Are you REAL cowboys? Oh, I have always wanted to come west and actually see some! Oh, and those horses out front, I suppose they are, what do you call them? Cow ponies? They are simply marvelous!"

Suddenly someone in the back cries out, "Bet you couldn't ride a real horse, dude" and everyone started laughing. But the dude says, "Well, I most certainly could. I ride horses all the time in Central Park. I am sure I could ride anyone of those horses." (Oh, you can see what's coming.) The fellow in the back says, "Care to place a small wager on that?" 

Well, the dude agrees and places a $50 gold piece on the bar. Well, now everybody wants in on the bet, and the dude seems to have plenty of money so everybody's bet is covered. Frank starts to head up to the bar with his wages, when the trail boss takes him by the arm and whispers,"Don't do it! The boys are getting played."

Well, the boys pick out the meanest, rangiest bronc in the string,  tighten the cinch and invite the dude to "climb aboard."

He does and the bronc does not disappoint. He blows six ways to Sunday and starts crow hopping, sun fishing and trying every trick in the book to toss the dude. And the dude just stays with him without breaking a sweat. He rides him down until that horse simply gives up and becomes as docile as Mary's little lamb.

Then the dude walks into the bar, picks up all the cash, gets back on the train and off he does into the sunset while a passel of now dead broke cowboys stand there gazing like a fresh weaned calf at the disappearing caboose.

Then the trail boss comes out and says, "Gentlemen, you have just met Packsaddle Sam, the world champion bronc rider of all time. He got his name because he would ride broncs with nothing but a pack saddle and never get dusted. But he found out he could make a lot more money putting on the 'dude' act and going from town to town picking the pockets of gullible cowboys like you. He dresses like a dude, but he rides better than any of you!"

Fortunately, all the boys lost was a little money and a lot of pride, but they learned an important lesson. Don't be fooled by appearances. 

Jesus warned His followers to beware of the Pharisees who made a great deal of noise about their piety - but were as greedy and untrustworthy as the worst of pagans. Being a cowboy requires more than wearing the hat. Being a disciple requires more than toting or even quoting the Bible. As Saint Francis once said, "Preach the Gospel of Christ every day - but only use words when you have to."  

Live the faith, be the faith in action. THAT is a message even the most cynical scoffer cannot ignore.

(John Bruington is pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Havre, Montana. More "Out our Way" columns, "Bruin Town Tales" and weekly sermons can be found at http://www.havrepres.org.)