The “Beef” sign called to me from across the Wal-Mart. It was high enough that I could see it peeking over the aisles, past the fruits and vegetables and frozen pizzas. Beneath it stood 40 feet of refrigerated wall, holding hundreds of pounds of bloody, red beef.

Mollie Stevenson, Jr., carried herself with the elegance of a model and the wisdom of an old ranch hand when she was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas. Stevenson, Jr., 62, was honoredby the museum in 2001 for her work in educating the public about the important roles of multicultural settlers in Western history and her families own ranching legacy.