The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-08-05
BLEEDING KANSAS.
a Charming Country to Live In
The Cow Boy and His Dear
Revolver Prairie Wolves
and Indian Tigers
Let's Emigrate.
AUaUsrA. KANSAS. JULY p, 20

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AUGUSTA. KANSAS, July %, 80
DEAR CITIzEs:-
Nearly six years have elapsed
since m, arrival in Kansas, and L
have experienced many of the ''ups
and downs" of western life. AL
though my experience has been
mostly in the downs" it is not my
desire to discourage immigration,
or convey the idea that Kansas is
anything less than what it is repre-
sented to be-"the garden spot of
America" / sincerely hope
that the tone Of my letter will aid
in convincing the most incredulous
that when Horace Greeley advised
young men to ''go west he wasn't
as far wrong as he sometimes was.
| Eastern Kansas is an excellent ag-
ricu.tural country and, as such,
stands second to none, but Western
Kansas is more adapted to stock
raising which Is carried on very
exten sively in some localities
old Father Time has produced
some noticeable changes in the wav
of houses, ''Dug outs" were all the
rage five years ago, but people are
beginning to think that it is equally
as pleasant to live in rooms above
ground as to burrow in holes under
ground. For the benefit of those
of your readers who have never
seen a Hdug-out," will endeavor
to describe one, although l must
say, the subject is one that can't
do justice to. A well-a dug out
con- sists of hole in the ground.
about the size of an ordinary cellar,
with a ella J. board roof that extends
from the ground. 1t suggests the
idea of a house sprouting from the
earth, the roof being the only part
visible. The occupants of these
pleasant abodes are remarkable for
their profanity and the number of
their children. In Western Kansas
the "Cow Boy" occupies the most
elevated position in society-from
the simple fact that he can drink
more bad whisky, swear louder
than any one else and has killed
''his man, 'the latter being an event
that should occur in every well reg
ulated western mans life. The
term ''cow boy' is applied to boys
that have been raised in the "West
ern Wilds" to herd or take care of
cattle. They are a wild and reck-
less class and seem specially adapt
cd fn hnF hnn1 A =
a mOnotonous business the herd
ers sometimes indulge In gloomy |
thoughts and life begins to drag, |
To relieve the dependency that
follows they go to the Arrest town
and get into shooting scrape and |
a triple funeral usually follows. |
The "Cow Boys companion is his
revolver, thing whIch he haudies
fondly and with the greatest ease.
The Herder and the Cow Boy are |
two distinct beings, although their |
vocation Is the same. The former
never becomes the associate OF the |
latter until he has killed his man, |
and a mans social standing is reck |
oued by the number OF men he has |
killed.
Crazy Tom Fenton had twenty
three tack heads in the butt of his |
revolver, each tack representing a
fallen foe, and Tom was considered |
the SONY boy of the west. He |
enjoyed all the privileges accorded
such characters. He went to all
the balls, danced with his coat off
when 1t pleased him to do so, drank
whisky from his bottle in the ball
room, and when the dance began to
grow a little dull he would some
times kill a man or two to stir up
things a little. Although Tom
stood higher socially than most
any one else, yet his mental capaci
ty was not exceedingly great.
He has been known to stand on
his head to let the water run
out of his boots, not having the
forethought to pull them of and
pour out the contents. With such
men as Tom, it is an indication of
refinement and bravery to treat la
dies with that Difference which is
usually shown to dogs in a more
civilized locality. An indispensable
accomplishment, and one that goes
a long way in the general make up
of one of these specimens of inhu-
manity, is the art of scalping an
Indian. You would think that they
were going to sit down to a good
square meal, instead of sauatting
down to rip the lining from the
head of a red skin, SO coolly and
pleasantly do they go about it.
Among the notables of this west
ern country is the coyote" or
prairie wolf. 1t resembles the red
fox in color, and is a great subject
of ridicule. 1t is of that long, lean,
lank shape which indicates speed.
and is endowed with a never failing
amount of that article. They are
the only thing on which death pro
duces no change. AS they are in life,
so are they in death-nothing but
hair and bones. They are so poor
that their demise causes no rejoic-
ing among the buzzards, who allow
their remains to rest In peace.
/ had the honor of meeting the
Hon. Sitting Bull and found his
name suggestive of his appearance,
especially when he was squatting on
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