The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-08
INUNDATED COWBOYS.
The Lesson that Was aught Them by an
Unobtrusive Tenderfoot.

UnoDtrustve TenuerfoOt.
Milwaukee Sentinel.
There have been a great many stories told of
the reckless daring and abandon of the cowboy.
He is an American production, and at the sound
of the word cowboy the mind reverts to some
Western locality where law and order are
known, and are supplied by rude set OF con-
ventionaiities the non-obServance of which
means violence without process or trial. The
! typical cowboy must be fearless. ready to shoot
at moments warning, wild in his makeup and
language, and ready to perpetrate joke on q
'tenderfoot" al any time.
But there is often considerable braggadocio in
the cowboy, and good illustration of this fact
was told Sentinel reporter by station agent
who had lived in the West for many years and
had been in the employ of various railroads in
localities where cowboys were numerous
II have seen good many daring deeds per-
formed and coarse jokes perpetrated by cowboys"
said the agent. out will tell you of little in
cident where the wind was taken out of three
cowboys by determined, fearless 'tepderfoot'
1t happened only last spring | was then station
agent and telegraph operator for the North
ern Pacific Company at place near the
Montana line. 1t was not much of place, as it
consisted only Of depot, house or two, and
saloon.
"One morning travelling man arrived at the
depot by stage from up north somewhere. lie
had small sample-case and satchel. He was
below medium height and rather slight, but was
very neatl.' dressed and wore silk hat He Was
travelling Tor New York jewelry house. He was
about an hour early lor the train east and he
opened his grip on the platform, took out brush,
and busted his clothing and shoes. He then drew
out an old newspaper, leaned I'D against the side
of the depot with one foot projected in front of
the other and began reading.
MEANWHILE however, three cowboys had
sauntered up to the depot. They all eyed him
closely and watched his operations. When he
began reading they hudde6 together, and talked
a while in an undertone. Presently one of them
"a big six-footer-left the group, and began to
saunter careles3ly about the platform with his
mead IN the air, Inspecting the posters on the
building and the cornice. hen he got around
where the travelling man stood, he lifted his big
brogan, and planted it firmly on the iewelry
mans foot No apology was made. The travel
ing man merely looked up drew his foot back a
moment, then placed it back where it was. The
cowboy passed back to the other two. They all
chucked and joined in the low toned CONVERSE
ton.
Soon the cowboy started out again on a SINH
lar round gaping at the roof. When he reached
the travelling man he tried to bring down his
coarse boot on the extended foot. The travelling
man jerked his foot back suddenly, and the
brogan came down with a thump on the plat
form. Another conference and chuckliDg fol-
lowed. Finally the cowboy set out on the third
round just as he was about to raise his foot to
plant it on that Of the travelling man, the latter
looked up quickly and said:
- See here, there is my foot, and it's going to
stay there. You step on it, if you want to, but
| want to tell you that before you can get Off of
it | will kill you.
Such yolley staggered the cowboy He
looked at the foot, and then at the small posses
sor, and finally moved off without stepping on it
Another consultation followed.
The travelling man calmly read his paper
few minutes, and then took from his satchel
three apples. He looked at them moment and
suddenly threw them a few feet into the air. ard
then quickly drew revolver. fired three shots,
splitting each apple into dozen pieces before
they reached the ground. He replaced the cart
ridges in the empty chambers of the revolver,
and returned it to his pocket.
The cowboys witnessed the act without say
ing word, and soon, completely cowed, turned
and left the depot. The travelling mar told me
after they left that he would have killed the
three of them had the fellow stepped on his foot
again, and think he would. as he quick
lightning. He then showed me "a medal he
ried, which he won as being the most rapid and
one of the best shots in New York The story
simply illustrates that there is sometimes great
deal OF fictitious valor and daring about the cow
boy"