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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (June 10, 1956)
Is That So? Want to get a degree from the Frontier College of Heralds, that is, become a Bunkhouse Geneologist of the Golden West? O.K., podner, hunker down 'round our campfire while I poke it up and we'll kill us a little time tracing in the sand some of our famous brand names of the West. First you ought to know that the tradition of branding cattle came to the Southwest with the Spaniards but in the present-day reading the heraldry, is pure American. Next, that any; puncher worth his keep has to read brand quickly and with moving cattle on the open range, that isn't as easy as it sounds. And not only read 'em, but to sing out along with it . who owns 'em, and where he's from. Like this "Rafter R, belongs to Jones of Happy Valley." Don't let it scare you off, son, but there are more than 100,000 registered brand names on our Western States alone. But I'm telling you. once you latch on to the way of reading 'em, you'll be able to sing 'em off with the best of cowhands. Of course, hav ing a State brand book pub lished each year on Bible-thin paper in a handy hip-pocket size to fit into your Levis, is a big help in locating the owner of strays. According To Rules Brands being western, you got to read them according to our western rules. They read three ways. From left to right, as you would this line; from top to bot tom, as the Orientals read a page; and from outside in that is, the larger enveloping symbol reads first. The three kinds read so: 2-x reads, "Two Bar X"; a flattened inverted V over a five, reads, "Rafter 5"; and an X within a square, reads: "Box X." Before you allow as how that's easy, better look at the ways of writing each letter. Believe me, a lot of cowboy imagination went into designing 'em. Take the variations played on the letter "R." By adding curlecues and gimmicks, the "Block R" becomes the "Running R," the "Walking R," the "Drag R"; by tilting it, the "Tumbling R," by resting it lazy-like on its side. By FVQENt BURNS Ranger-Naturalist 2-X -9-6 . V the "Lazy R," by upending it, the "Crazy R." And with all these variations of the letter R and there are others I might mention you add to it a rocking chair rocker, and you have the "Rocking R"; a quarter circle and you have the "Quarter Circle R," and then there's the "Circle R," the "Box R," the one with the little bench under it, the "Bench R," the "Rafter R." the "Bar R," the "Diamond R," and the "Slash R." R's Can Be Tilted Man, R U beginning to get rocky! But hold on for one more: most of these "R's" can be made in a hand-written style, which makes them a "Running R." And the "Running R" again can be tilted and go on from there. Just about the same treatment can be given numerals that is, 1 through 9. So you have your "Flying 8," a "Lazy 2," a "Rock ing 6," a 'Bench 5," and a Tum bling 4." Backing up these letters and numerals and a vital part of tens of thousands of brand names are the designs of box, circle, diamond, triangle, heart, bar and slash. And these, too, have their variations. Take the circle. It can be a 'Mashed Circle" or "Goose Eggs"; "Quarter Circle," or "Half Circle"; and that little ole heart, podner, can come out a "Lazy Heart," a "Crazy Heart," and a "Broken Heart." When letters are up-ended, standing alone, they are termed "Crazy." But put two "A's" to gether the one up-ended, the other normal and you've got the so-called "Up A and Down A" brands. Think you've had it? Not yet. Apart from letters, numerals and basic designs there are also ii flock of picture brands, often highly personal. A new rancher, for example, might be cracking proud of his first log cabin so bango, he makes himself a cabin for a brand. Inspiration From Sun Another gets his inspiration from the rising sun; a more bus inesslike soul thinks thars gold in them cattle, and he uses the $ sign. An ex-sailor, lonesome Around Hollywood By ALINE MOSBY United Presa Correspondent Hollywood U R Betty Hut ton smiled for the movie cam eras for the first time in four years this week but the bouncin', fran tic Betty of old been put in mothballs. The new Miss Hutton, frankly 35 and subdued, is making her Aline Mosbr film comeback In a non-singing dramatic pic ture. "Spring . Reunion," that producer Kirk Douglas calls "whit collar Marty.". The former shouter as a dra matic actress may startle some fans. But to Betty it's natural progress in her "growing up" campaign. "Ive been acting like a teen ager in movies. You can't do that forever. If you can't grow up you're not going to make it," ex plained the actress on the set at Republic studios. Mature Role Accepted "I'm a woman in this picture instead of a kid. This role is me, Betty Hutton, as a person and a human being. I'm 35 now. But in this picture," she laughed "they let me be 33." The new Hutton plays a spin ster who falls in love with Dana Andrews when they meet at a reunion of their high school graduation class. She sings only one song a non-jumpy ballad at the class reunion. Producer Douglas thought of Betty for his Bryna Productions' film despite the fact that, an associate says. "Everybody hoo hawed at the idea." Kirk figured the part was similar to Betty's other dramatic movie, "The Mir acle of Morgan's Creek." "I never got another part like that," Betty said sadly. "That's the kind of thing I wanted to do." TV Debut Flops After "Somebody Loves Me," Betty quit Paramount studio in a fight over roles. Then came her TV debut, a disastrous event that upset her so much she "re tired." Now she looks back on that flop and tells friends, "I was just unlucky enough to be associated with a lot of people without talent." The last time I saw her per form in person was the night of her "farewell" to show business at the Desert Inn in Las Vegas, Nev. Reporters in the audience didn't believe a word of it, but Betty swore she was through forever. Her happy marriage to NBC- TV executive Alan Livingston changed her mind. Betty went back to night clubs and TV last year. The script and a percent age deal on "Spring Reunion" got her into movies. She next plans to star in TV series next fall. James Named Chairman Of Pear, Apple Section R. M. James. Medford, has been named chairman for the apple and pear section of the 71st annual meeting of the Ore gon Horticultural society De cember 6-7 at Oregon State college. Attendance of approximately 1.000 growers from all parts of the state is expected at the convention. Portland is said to be the larg est lumber-milling center in the world. Dental Tradition Says: "Never Retire". I have never done better work than now and I have no inten tion of retiring. Dr. S. Ralph Dippel D.M.D. WHY PAY MORE? FOR OUIY J Jf Rolf' REPRINTS 5c PENN YWISE 323 EAST MAIN for the brine, usee a "Laiy An chor"; a former housepainter, a "Tumbling Ladder"; others, the "Cloverleaf," a "Pitchfork," 'Wineglass," and there's the rancher who just kept dreaming about bottles, so a picture bottle brand resulted. Another, tempt ing lady luck, boxed 7 and 11 in a pair of tumbling dice. Sometimes names are worked into the brand: Keys, for exam ple, used an upright picture of a house key and added 's"; a man named Barker put a bar over KER. Before you take the final test on this Bunkhouse Heraldry course, better consult a text book and for this I'd recom mend looking into the April May issue of American Her itage the Magazine of History. And, oh yes, there are the Sunday, June 10, 1958 MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE FIVH "Warning Brands," I almost for got. The ICU (I See You); the 2-U (To Bar You"; and I-U (I Bar Yoti). Although to my mind, the most effective one was the symbol of frontier law and order, the Colt Forty-Five: simply, ".45." (Released by McClure News paper Syndicate Copyright. 1158, by Eugene Burns) Free: By special arrangement with the editors of the Encyclo pedia Americana, my panel of judges will award the reader who sends me the best true-life nature adventure, the best na ture observation or the best ques tion on nature and wildlife, a complete 30-volume set of this world famous reference work in a handsome Sealcraft binding. Each week new submissions will be considered. Sorry, I simply can't answer your many friendly letters. Please address your let ter to: Is That So! co Medford Mail Tribune, Box 575 Sausa lito, Calif. WATCH WARDS JUNE 17th IS THE DAY! firsts Pinnrik jSIu ft Sff SCORES OF GIFT IDEAS INWARDS W THE MEN'S SHOP NEW CONTINENTAL SHIRTS Pull-over or Button-front styles in washable stripes or checks Short Sleeves ; -. .. 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