Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-23
THE COWGIRL OF TEXAS
A Young Woman Chasing Steers-
Testimonial from the COWBOYS.

A correspondent of the New York Sun writes
from Midland Texas: The herd Of Col. A. w.
Dunn, president of the Colorado National bank
came upon the plains the other day, and the
colonel came here with his niece, Miss Marie
Bynum, Of Mississippi, to ''cut out" as the
phrase goes the beeves that were ready for
market. and to pen them in the cattle pens at
the railroad station. The wild Texas steers
were full of life and run, and the cowboys had
their hands full. with all of their SKILL to get
them penned. Col Dunn, who is typical cow
man, mounted mustang to help the cowboys,
and his niece insisted upon going with hfln
She could not be persuaded that there was any
danger in the adventure, or that her dress and
sex placed her at disadvantage in an effort for
which the cowboys were rugged with Mexican
spurs, big leather leggings. three or four revolt
| vers. lariats at their saddle horns, big white
| sombreros with rattlesnake skins twisted about
them. and watch chains of snake rattles She
insisted that if she could get swift pony and a
side saddle she would show that she could ride
alongside OF the widest steer and turn him. in
| spite OF his dangerous horns. The pony was
| provided, and Miss Bynum, placing her foot in
| the hand of cowboy, leaped into the saddle
and, gathering up the reins, dashed of with a
| hearty laugh followed by her escort of COWBOYS
who spun over the prairie after her. She refined
up as they came into the herd as the process
| of selection of the beeves required a Quick
| Judgment that only experience gives.
The cowboys went into the herd, and their
| trained ponies. when they were pointed to
| steers that were to be "cut out" ran them out
| of the herd, and. as soon as bunch was formed
| the cowboys swung around them, and Miss
| Bynum. with a lash made of the end of the
| relns. started her pony forward. and Joined In
| the semicrcle and started the steers to the pen
The work was exciting to a novice. and the fair
| cowgirrs cheeks flushed as she sped along A
! big brown steer, all branded over reared ND
| and, breaking out of the line, tossed his horns
and his tail up. and started off like deer. Miss
| bynum whirled her pony, and started after the
| animal. She did her work bravely The cow
| boys watched her with admiration Her pony
dashed alongside of the steer, and the cow bows
| expected that as the animal turned, he would
| catch his horns in her drapery. or she would
plunge over the ponys head as he turned with
the steer. They saw her stop as the steer
turned aud balance herself like skilled euues-
] trlenne. and then head off the steer and turn
him back. Soon she came dashing back along
side the steer and landed him in the bunch that
| was headed for the pen. Several Of the cow
boys pronounced her Thoroughbred" and q
| '.long hOrn"-their choicest compliments, for in
| the fertile vocabulary of the cowboy the terms
| half breed" and short horn" are equivalent to
the "tender FOOT of days gone by. with, per-
haps. shade more ofderision to them
Miss Bynum. when the first lot of cattle was
penned, dashed back to the herd and with a
| little instruction, began to help .'cut out" the
cattle. Each trip from the herd to the pen was
marked by some exciting chase of steer, and
each time the young woman bore herself brave.
| ly, and she did not let q single steer escape.
When at the pen. OF which the cattle, with APP
parent consciousness of their impending fate
! after the long trip to Chicago, showed fear, they
| tried hard to escape With heads down, the
| steers that could would dart past the ponies and
dash away, and the nearest cowboy would touch
his spurs to the pony's side and point him and
start on the chase The wild Texas steers are
! swift-fOoted, and 1t takes a good rider to pass
one and turn him, but Miss Bynum was equal to
| every steer that invited her PONY to q run.
Although she was in imminent danger Of being
| dragged of her mount by the horns Of some steer
striking into her riding habit, she was able to
| manage her skirts as well as her pony, and when
the task was ended she contemplated the forest
| of horns in the cattle pen with sparkling ewes
| and rosy cheeks.
That night when the cowboys were drinking
their black coffee and eating their jerked buffalo
meat, they agreed to present Miss Bynum with
| some token of their appreciation Of her assist
| ance. and few days ago there came to the bank
| at Colorado massive gold ring, inscribed, ssTO
| Miss Bynum from the Texas Cowboys" Col.
Dunn presented the shining circle Of gold to his
niece, and said that he hoped it would signify an
| engagement OF her services at the annual round.
| up on the plains.
Il never enjoyed anything so much in nv
| life, said Miss Bynum to the writer .'and would
| you believe it? / didn't hear the COWBOYS quote
| scripture once. am going to ride at the next
| roundup, and expect to do much better. ri
show them what cowgirl can do"
The ScatterinU Of Mark Tuasm,.