The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-11-30
A Civilized Cowboy.

A reporter Of the Buffalo Courier
happened on Texan cowboy, named
T eod0re Doxtater, whom he interview
ed with tho following result. II was
born in Albany, and have been home
on a visit. am now on my way back
to the ranch. left my home in spite
OF my fathers commands and my moth
er's entreaties just twenty-five years
ago, determined to see this country, of
which | had heard so much. was
pennless when | got out there, so |
hired myself out to cattlerraiser who
owned about 10000 he d in the Nueces
valley. did not relish the work at
first, can assure YOU. There was not
a settlement within miles of me. |
fancy no one was ever so homesick as
|. At night about twenty boys came in
from various directions. thought
they had designs on my life, so wild
did they look in their broad sombrcros,
big shoes, and leather leggings. They
tried to guy me at first, but paid no
attention to them. This, to my great
Joy, found was the best way 70 treat,
them, and they took kindly to me. In
( ct, in short time we were the best
of friends. In the morning they gave
me horse, which they lariated out of
a corral, and they told me to unhobble
and saddle him. He was the most
mulish animal | ever saw. | thought
| should never be able to ride him, but
by persistent training he became toler-
ably gentle.
you asked what my work WASP"
continued the cowboy. "Well, | had
to ride about twenty miles daily to keep
the cattle toward the center of the
range.
Have we fine weather? / rather
guess we have. No language is ade-
quate enough to describe the unspeaka-
bic beauty Of Texas spring for in
stance In early February the lately
brown prairies are covered with car
pet of the loveliest green. This is spot
ted with millions of flowers, the whole
producing marvellous display Of har-
moniOus coloring. The cattle, too, at
this time undergo a wonderful trans
formation. They shed their winter
coats of hair and become beautiful,
slick creatures ready for their journey
to the market. They are then collect
ed for the purpose of branding. Thou
sands are brought together, among
which are cows with newlv-born calves
or majestic steers with horns five feet
between the tips. Their believing and
paving are terrible in the extreme
The bran ing irons which are heated
are of three kinds. When all is ready
the animals are driven into a narrow
chute wide enough TO admit them in
single file, but too deep o allow of their
escaping. The brander then stands on
the side, and rs each animal passes he
marks it, This of course is a most
painful operation and the poor brutes
their disapproyal of it by ear
piercing means When the herd has
been thus branded it is started on its
journey. Part Of it goes TO market.
while the stock cattle return to their
former haunts. The former are put in
charge of the dreaded COWBOYS, who
painted red the different towns
through which they pass on their way
to the market. a grub wagon carries
provisions and the cowboys on this
journey earn their bad name.
But, said the stranger in conclu-
sion, 1.-THE usefulness of the cowboy is
rapidly vanishing, and in few years
this functionary will be a thing OF the
past You see, proprietors are more
careful about the character Of their en-
ployes, and besides this wire fences are
rapidly taking the place Of herdsmen."