The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-09-10
ASCowboy's Life.

so romantic as sometimes painted. They
work hard, have little variety of food and
lead lonesome life: OF course they
have all they wish to eat, such as it is,
but they do not get chance to step into
Young's very often, you may rest as.
sured. While a. the home ranch they
have some of the comforts of life: They
have chance to sleep under roof,
generally on a blanket on the floor, and
they can sit; down to table while they
eat their bread and bacon and drink their
black coffee. And during the evenings
they spend their time reading, writing to
some fair maid they have met at ball
at Uyalde or Del Rio, or telling stories
and singing songs. When they 60 off
COW hunting they take sack, put in it
some -four, baking powder, piece of fat
bacon, some coffee and sugar and little
salt. This they throw over the horses
back. They take skillet and hang it
to the saddle and hanga cofee'pot to
the horses neck. Their six shooter is in
a belt around their waist, They ride off
fifteen or twenty miles from nowhere.
The sun beginning to get low they dis:
mount, stake out the pony and proceed
to get supper. Gathering a few sotol
stocks fire is started. Some water is
dipped from the puddle where the, horses
have been drinking and the cattle wading
about. The coffee. pot is filled and
placed on the fire to boil. Bread must
be made. The cowboy has to have hot
bread three times day. They cut off
few slices of bacon, put it in the skillet
and fry it out. The MEATS picked out,
leaving the hot grease, to which they
add a little water, put in flour, some
baking powder and a little salt. This
they stir up till it is doughy; then they
play with it q little while with their
hands. Finally it il put. back in the
skillet, the cover put Oh and fire placed
above, below and around. Ina few mo-:
ments the bread is baked or fried. Now
the festive cowboy eats his supper
coffee, meat and bread. The same for
breakfast and the same for dinner, varied
somewhat if he happens to kill a deer-or
an antelope. Supper over, seeing that
his pony is all right, he spreads his
blanket on the ground, puts his saddle
under his head for pillow, places his
shooting iron where it will be handy and
goes to sleep. The bowling coyotes
gather around him, but he peacefully
sleeps; the sportive vinegarone and gay
centipede may linger near, the hirsute
tarantula may with measured tread walk
over his face, perchance some lonely
rattlesnake, may insinuate; himself into
the foldstof his blankets, bnt he sleeps
the sleep. Of the tired. The lightnings
may flash, thunders roll and torrents
descend, but it makes no difference-the
cowboy is there and is going to sleep till
it is time to make bread fors breakfast.
This life he leads for two or three weeks,
or till his provisions run short, and he,
getting hungry and lonesome aud wish.
ing to see the boys, returns to the ranch
for o day or two.
Cowboys are brave and good hearted
set. Their enemy is whisky and they
know it. Generally they are quiet and
peaceable, but leading the free life they
do, being under no restraint, it is not to
be wondered at that when they 60 10
some border town full OF bad whiskey
and important policemen they have a
as class, fast changing characteristics,
as the stock business is also changing.
A few years ago the western part of this
State was given up to stockmen, with
unlimited range and countless herds, and
no law but mi gh,. This is radically dif.
ferent. and now the man who engages in
the cattle business must buy or lease his
land. The profits of the business will
also be less, for part of the capital for
merly invested wholly in cattle, which
paid large dividend, must now be in
vested in real estate. The whole bust
ness is fast settling down to Legitimate
business basis, paying large profits to
those who engage in it. In the Southern
parts of Pecos and Presidio counties are
destined to be some Of the best ranches
in Texas. Land is now cheap, and cattle
are cheap, and the men who engage in
the business are now going to make
money. There is no question about the
stock business being paying one, if
rightly and honestly managed. And it
is surprising that when money is so
cheap in the East more do not engage in
the business. Parties can buy their land
and easily maze ten per cent. on their
investment by putting cattle on it.
Last year was unusually hard on the
sheepmen, but Iron Mountain ranch, in
Presidio County, paid net profit of
about $40, 900, the owner Of which values
il at S2O000O. The action of the Presi-
dent in driving the cattlemen from the
Indian Territory will tend TO increase
the value of Texas pasturcs.--Bosfon
Journal.