Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1879-05-31
and the unthinking observer remarks
on the cruelty shown toward one an.

and the unthinking observer remarks
on the cruelty shown toward one an
other by dumb ANIMALS. 1t is simply
an expression of the instinct of the ami
mails, by which they expect to ward off
attacks of wolves. and to prevent their
proving around the herd, by removing
the inducement to it. The animal is
wounded, badly wounded; the wolves
smell him, and, from far and near,
gather about him. The cattle, in their
wild state, constantly moved up and
down the water courses; SO, when they
killed the sick animal, they left the
body behind. Now they kill the sick
one for the same reason, and daily feed
about his carcass.
In July the herd is fat; calves are do
ing well and are full of play; grass is
plenty and the herd, as q whole, feel
splendidly. They are easily amused,
too. Jack rabbits are plenty in Kansas,
and are never-failing source of amuse-
ment to the cattle. Accustomed to the
rabbits from their calfhood up, it is
simply absurd TO see the actions of the
animals. A calf finds big jack rabbit,
and, very naturally, is interested in
looking at the wild beast. Cautiously
approaching him, she gazes open-eyed
at the small monster. Another calf
joins her, and they each regard the ami
NAL. Beginning TO caper about it, the
attention of the herd is attracted, and
they all come up to have look at the
jack. He is made to get up end Jump
quantity off. The cattle all follow; the
rabbit sits down, again to be forced up
and when he again jumps off they caper
around him, or, with pretended alarm,
they below and run away.
Many men who came to Kansas in |
1869 went into the cattle business, bring
ing Eastern ideas with them. They yery
naturally built sheds to protect their cat
tie from the cold storms of the winter. |
did this, and made mistake. The rea-
son why sheds are not good is that the
cattle stand under them when the cold
winds blow and refuse to leave the
shelter to feed or drink; and when
weakened by this lack of food they lose
vitality and huddle together for warmth.
This budding is very dangerous. The
outside cattle want to be on the inside,
and they pile up on each other. This
piling is called stacking" and when
once begun, some cattle are sure to lose
heir lives. Out of one "stack " took
IL dead steers one morning. A neigh
Dor of mine took Sc dead beeves out of
one "stack." After losing the - steers
took down my sheds, and that ended
he trouble. ft
When the cattle of Texas are weak
,ned by starvation and lack of water.
hey are unable to get up without help
Then the herders are obliged to "tail /" 4.
hem. This consists in taking hold of
he tail and yelling at the animal. ,
When it struggles 10 arise, the herder
fits on the tail, and so helps the feeble ,
'tute up. He is rewarded for his kind I
Intention by having the animal lower its ,
lead, and, with weak below of rage, {
tagger at him, intent to kill him. A I
Texas COW that has to be I" tailed - is {
bout as good as dead; few ever get !
'ver it. Again, when cattle are weak, !
hey will deliberately commit suicide 8
have seen steer walk into the deep. s
st place in creek, throw himself s
own and never make an effort to get g
ut. Ii pulled out with ropes and set {
n his feet, he first chases the herders, t
hen coolly turns around and walks into q
ne creek again. OF all the cattle l
ave helped out of the water, l remem-
er but two which did not return to It 8
n the first opportunity AID die in it. b
believe they do it with the intelligent e
urPose to take their lives. They are i
eak, sick, discouraged, have the blues, t.
nd life is burden to them; so they, ii
'st as many men do under the same b
commit suicide. 9
What do the herders do during the Al
ng summer daysa l have known q 81
'rder to put number of cents into q,
lch pocket of his pantaloons, and while al
duty play ''sesen up" one pocket W
raIusr tho athar Is tho | I.