The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-07-03
frightened are as irresistible as an ava.

frightened are as irresiDtibIe as an ava
lanche. The slightest thing stampedes
them. For instance: We have rounded
up the drive and the cattle are lying
down. am one of the men detailed to
ride around them. Finding them all
quiet 1 get off my horse to light my
pipe. Relieved of my burden the
horse rests himself by q shake. The
whole drove are on their feet in an in
slant, listening to discover from what
quarter the noise came. No n can
f%oresee which way they will make the
break, and only the utmost of self
possession and good judgment on the
part of the men on duty will prevent a
general stampede. This is the class of
men cowboys are made of, and l never
knew of many instances where they
failed to do their duty"
The enthusiastic Texan had now
warmed up to his subject, and when ask
ed where are the cowboys recruit
ed from?" replied:
From all parts of the world. Some
from the plains, where their toys in in
fancy are the miniature lariat and a
shotgun. Some from Mexico with
many other half-Indian characteristics,
and many from the East. 1 know a
dozen college graduates who are COW
boys, and have become so infatuated
with the life that / suppose they will
never leave it until the final grand
roundup.
"There is another interesting period
in tho lite of the cowboy, and that is
the spring roundup. In the fall the
cattle stray away, and in working away
from the storms they sometimes get
away 100 miles or SO. Each cattle-own-
er hus his own particular brand on his
cattle. Well, the ranchmen in some
natural division OF the country will or
ganize a grand 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 cattle.
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 out
er edge of the herd, and then
with a 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 fifteen or twenty minutes AS cut
ter will be taken off and BIS man given
q chance. This will be continued nntil
each ranch has its cattle cut out. Ii any
cattle are found without a brand they
are killed for the use of the men on the
roundup. This cutting liz a work re-
curing great skill and experience and
frequently requires the use of the lariat.
Often cattle with a strange brand are
found. If any one recognizes the
brand. a ranchman living nearest the
owner takes charge of it and notifies the
owuer If no one recognizes the brand
the captain Of the roundup advertises
it, and if no owner is found, it is sold al
auction for the benefit OF the Cattle
mems Association.
"These things will go to show the re.
possibilities resting upon these men,
They have to be men of integrity and re.
liability, and their labors are such that
you can readily they caunot very
dissiptaed. 1 will tell yor
how they get the reputation
for recklessness. We will sup,
/ poSo IueSe Iueu uuNC Decl i'll d uElFe lOl
six months and have finished and beer
paid off. Then they arc just like any
other body of men, they go in for SOM
fun and on theirlark ride yelling through
the streets of some little town, shoot s
few street lamps out or get into a saloor
row. 1t is no more than a band of col.
lege boys at Harvard. or Cornell, Oh
Princeton might do and frequently do
but some imaginative correspondent
Immediately sends it to some
Eastern paper, where it comes
out headed another cowboy out,
rage" and giving a wholly fictitious
account of the battle between the out
laws and the citizens. Now I know O
! hundreds of cowboys who never carry {
revolver, and if you should go among
them to-day your life and your pocket
book would be as safe as it is in thu
city. They have strict ideas Of honol
and they stand upon their honor. The.
are off duty a lot of big-hearted, rougl
boys, but they are not outlaws or out
casts. They are not the class Of mel
who rob,trains or hold up people cross
ing the plains, and believe, that, tax
en- for in all, the American COWBOY vii
/ compare favorablv in morals and man
illness with any similar number Of citi
!, zens taken as a class"