Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-09-28
An Eastarn Rnrahoo.
We 6ud the following paragraph

We find the following paragraph in
the Washington National Republicans:
"Gov. Sheldon, of New Mexico. writes
a BEAUTIFUL letter to the Acting Secre-
tary of the Interior, setting forth the
great natural advantages of that terri
tory, the happiness Of the people, the
splendid prosperity, the glorious future
But the governor said nothing about tho
New Mexican cowboy, whose hip pock-
ct bulges out as big as the hump on the
back Of the Arabian camelus dromeda-
rius, and who carries in his left boot
leg knife as big as handsaw. Gov.
Sheldon should not have omitted this
attraction. 1t is the bullwhacker of
the prairies who makes the southwest
so beautiful and sadly romantic
The above portrays common, but
hardly excusable, ignorance. "A scribe
who does not comprehend the difference
between ''bullwhacker" and ''cow-
boy" ought not to attempt the descrip-
tion of wild western scenes" A ''bull-
whacker'' is a teamster, who walks
along the road beside string of steers
or bulls, and recites to them fragmenta.
ry passages of the Scripture and enforc-
es his commentary with big whip. A
cowboy" is rarely seen on the ground,
but sticks on pony till his (cowboy's)
legs come to look like pair Of hames.
His business is to drive cattle from one
point to another, or to watch them on
the range and round them up and brand
them, and perform all and several the
little Offices necessary for their good.
About this same cowboy there is
deal of nonsense published in the Eas-
tern papers. He is by no means the
desperate creature he is painted. lie
is not by any means ''boly terror in
New Mexico; he is. on the other hand,
one of the best and bravest citizens of
that country. 1t is evident that the
Washington City man, who does not
know cowboy" from "bullwhack-
er," cannot distinguish between
cowboy" and ''rustler." Now,
"rustler" is bad subject, and the
peaceable, quiet, law-abiding people Of
New Mexico, cowboys" included, have
had much trouble i'll hunting down,
shooting and hanging these villainous
''rustlers." It is evident the Republi.
can editorial writer has confounded the
''rustler" with the cowboy, "a mis-
take we would not advise him to make
in the cowboys" presence.
The cowboy" carries his revolyers-
though in the best western society re-
volver is known as ''gun, n,"-and ec-
casionally he turns her tthe gum loose"
but he shoots only those who are ION
the shoot" He who taketh up the gun
shall fall by the gun; but the peaccable
man, who is not blood intent, could live
forever in harmony with the cowboy"
provided he could reconcile himself to
the same form of bowel burning fluid
that the cowboy" drinks.
The cowboy" occasionally stakes
the town." but it is usually one of the
towns that like to be taken; in short,
the cowboy" is very like the sailor on
shore, or soldier out on lark. Many
wickednesses are attributed to him Of
which he is not guilty; the criminals are
the "rustlers," men who have never
been cowboys" One of the worst
wolves we have ever had in Kansas
was once railroad engineer.
We think the sages of the Eastern
press viii have to brush up on the .scow
boy" They evidently need informa-
tion, as their ignorance leads them In
the direction of injustice. Atclsisou
| Champion.