The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1882-07-13
AN INTERESTING LETTER FROM
TEXAS.
Observations by a Marietta Young
Man.
CAMP ON Rio GRANDE,
Juiv lat. 1882.

ing the Elcinco DMsyo. Drunken
ness shouting and the FREEING Of gun
: characterized the holiday. 1t wa
quite different from what you rea,
10 books aud taking it as Who'll
was q very tame affair. There wa
no gorgeous display, no handsome
booths where Mexican meats ant
drunks we're dished up after the ole
time manner. No handsome Span
ish women on the plaza. Nothing
after all more than a Marietta Christ
mas as celebrated by some. The
ball at night where oil the dances
were quite q show and especially
adapted to conversation was not es-
pecially enjoyable to an American
visitor not we'll enough up in Span
ish to make it agreeable to his part
ner. had already made some blum
ders in experimenting with the lam
guage, Offering a Mexican for a
hat, q mule and a jack knife, when
| meant dollar and half, go was
afraid to risk aud extended CONVEX
sation with the bon ton Of Pedras
Niegrss.
While in San Antonio last winter
| met many young men who had just
arrived and were looking around for
suitable locality for establishing
sheep rancho. All of them had
money which was going to bring
them in fortune in little of no
time through the medium of sheep
farming. Since then have had
opportunities for observing the BUSH
ness to limited extent, and must
say it is not near as pretty out here
as it is on paper back home or in
San Antonio. Strange to say the
enthusiasts never mentioned the
thousand and one diseases sheep
flesh is heir to, the rot for instance
which carries off q great many
some time, not unfrequeutly whole
hocks. One sees out here far more
men who have lost money 10 the
business, than who have succeeded,
and few months experience will
prove to q young man who is anx-
ious to try it, that sheep raising is
not always big bonanza. 1t ought
to be when ono counts the trouble,
annoy ance and watchfulneSs neces-
sary to properly care for them-to
follow a flock of senseless sheep,
giving up association with mankind,
listening to no voice, save the bleat,
bleat, all day long-at night the
herder goes to his hut OF tent, cooks
bis food, and perhaps sees no one for
months--there ought to be big mon
ey in it. 1t is said large percent
age of the inmates of the Texas in>
sane asylum are sheep men, and it is
popular expression to say one
hasn't "any more sense than a sheep
herder." Given up to loneliness and
reading too much is said to be in-
furious to the mind.
The Southern Pacific Railroad is
rapidly nearing completion. As the
contractors along the line finish up
their work, men are thrown out of
employ ment, and trsmps and vags
bonds become numerous. Being 10
a frontier country where there are
no courts and where personal safety
depends to a great extent on person.
al protection, these tramps become
quite lawless, and robberies and
murders are not unfrequsnt. To the
credit of Texas be it said that these
crimes are for the most part CONS
mitted by men who are not natives
of the State, but who have come
here likely because it was too hot
for them elsewhere. Wages being
high and money plentiful the prac
tice of highway robbery is all the
20. OF these robbers there are two
classes, tho low sneak thief, who
slips up behind one and robs him
while bis victim is asleep and per-
haps kills him to prevent resistance
and exposure end the other is the
intrepid professional, who rides good
horses, and wears neat clothing,
faces all kinds of dangers, and is oil
that the most ardent admirers of the
late lameuted Col. James could wish.
This character out here is generally
an OK Cow boy, and when he throws
down bis six shooter on you, the
best thing you can do is to throw up
your hands. So long as you take it
cool you are safe enough, but don't
provoke him by resistance.
The psymaster as a matter of
course has large amounts Of money
to bring out monthly with which to
pay off hands. During the month of
April there we're vague rumors of
contemplated attack on him while
enroute to the front. The rumor
reached the San Antonio Office, g
few days before the 2Oth the time
for bis departure. The wife and
daughter of one of the contractors
were at San Antonio at the time.
Over forty Thousand dollars was
sewed up 10 their skirts and they
started for the front. The third day
out they arrived in camp at mid
night not the least excited, or fright
ened, after long weary stage ride
over the plains on the frontier max
ing the same trip for which men
have frequently applied for guards
of U. S. soldiers.