Omaha daily bee., 1885-04-15

These wild cattle away from homes are
as variable as the wind, and when fright.
ened are ss Irresistible as an avalanche.
The slightest thing stampedes them.
For instance: We have rounded up the
drive and the cattle are lying down. i
am one Of the men detailed to ride around
them. Finding them all quite l got of
my borse to light my pipe. Relieved OF
my burden the horse rests himself by a
shake. The whole drove is on their feet
in an Instant listening to discover from
what quarter the noise came. No one
can foresee which way they will make
the break, and only the utmost self.pos'
session and good judgment on the part
of the men on duty will prevent a gen
eral stampede. That Is the class of men
cowboys are made of, and / never knew
of many lnstapce s where they failed to
do their duty"
WHERE THEY CoME FROM.
The enthusiastic Texan had now
warmed up to the subject, and when
asked Where are the cowboys recruited
from2" replied:
"From all parts of the world. Some
from the plains, where their toys in In
fancy are the miniature lariat and shot
gun. Some from Mexico, with many of
their half Indian characteristics, and
many from the east. l know q dozsn
college graduates who are cowboys, and
have become so infatuated with the life
that 1 suppose they will never leave 1t
until the final grand roundup.
There is another interesting period
in the life of the cowboy" continued Mr..
E1all, "and that Is the spring roundup.
In the fall the cattle stray away, and In
working away from the storms they some.
times get away leo miles or 30. Each
cattle owner has his own particular brand
on his cattle. Well, the ranchmen In
some natural division of the country will
organize a rand roundup In the spring.
The cowboys will drive the cattle all in
together In one big drove. Then the
captain Of the roundup will direct the
owner of ranch A to cut out his cat.
tie. One of AS most experienced men
will then ride Into the drive until he
sights an animal with his brand on.
Deity he will drive the animal to the
outer edge of the herd, and then with q
quick dash runs the beast out away from
the drove, and it Is taken In charge by
others of AS ranchmen, while the cutter
goes back after another. After some if
teen or twenty minutes AS cutter will
be taken off and BIS man given q chance.
This will be continued until each ranch
has it's cattle cut out. If any cattle are
found without a brand they are killed
for the use of the men on the round. up
This cutting Is a work reuuir-
ing great skill and experience,
and frequently requires the use
OF the lariat. Often cattle
with a strange brand ara found. If II
one recognizes the brand, ranchmen liv-
ing nearest the owner takes charge of 1t
and notifies the owner. If no one
recognizes the brand the captain of the
round up advertises it, and if no owner
is found, 1t is sold at auction for the
benefit of the Cattlemen's association.
WHEN THEY BECOME RECKLESS.
"Theae things will go to show the
responsibilities resting upon these men.
They have to be men of integrity and
reliability, and their labors are such that
you can readily see they cannot be very
dissipated. | will tell you how they get
the reputation for recklessness. We will
suppose these men have been on the
drive for six months and have finished
and been paid off. Thea they are just
like any other body of men. They 90 In
for some fun, and on their lark ride yell
Ing through the streets of some little
town, shoot a few street lamps out, or
get in,o saloon row. 1t
Is no more than a band of
college boys at Harvard, or Cornell, or
Princeton might do and frequently do,
but some imaginative correspondent I'M
mediately SENDS it to some eastern paper,
where it comes out headed another cow
boy outrage and giving q wholly fcti-
tious account of the battle between the
outlaws and the citizons. Now, 1 know
hundreds of cowboys who never carry q
revolver. and If you should go among
them to-day your life and your pocket
book would be as safe as in the city.
They have strict ideas of honor and they
stand upon their honor. You won's find
any of them who would be ssfe to impose
upon, nor will you find any of them who
will attempt t. impose On you. They
are OFT duty a LOT of big-hearted, rough
boys, but they ara not outlaws or out.
casts. They are not the class of men
who rob trains or hold up people crossing
the plains, and l believe that, taken for
all In all, the American cowboy will com.
pare favorably in morals ana manliness
with sny similar number Of c~ltizsns,
taken as a Glass;
Thoroughly Prepared.