Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-09
COWBOYS.
HOW TREY WERE HUMILIATED
The Lessen That Was Tauaht Them BIZ an
Unob'rusive Tenarrfoci.
Milwaukee SeutInel1

thopifustfe Iendrrfoet
milwaukee Sentinel
There have been 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 unknown, and are supplied by
rude set Of conventionalties, the nom
observance Of which means violence
without process Of trial. The typical
cowboy must be fearless, ready to shoot
at moments warning, wild in his
makeup and language, and ready to
perpetrate a joke on tenderfoot +" at
any time.
But there is often considerable braga-
docia in the cowboy, and a good Illus
trstion of this fact was told Sentinel
reporter by a station agent, who had
lived in the West for many years, and
had been in tie employ Of various rail-
roads in localities where cowboys were
numerous.
81 have seen a good many daring
deeds performed and coarss jokes per-
petrated by cowboys" said the agent,
''but ! will tell you Of little incident
where the wind was taken out Of three
cowboys by a determined, fearless
.tenderfoot.' 1t happened only last
spring. was then station agent and
telegraph-operator for the Northern
Pacific Railroad Company at place
near the Montana line. 1t was not
much Of place, as it consisted only Of
a depot, house or two, and saloon.
lone morning q travelling man ar
rived at the depot by stage from up
North somewhere. lie had a small
sample-case and satchel. lie was be-
low medium height and rather slight,
but was very neatly dressed and wore
silk hat. He was travelling for a
New York jewelry-house. lie was about
an hour early for 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 up 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 huddled together and talked awhile
in an undertone. Presently one OF
them--a big six-footer-left the group
and began to ssunter carelessly about
the platform with his head in the air
inspecting the posters on the building
and the cornice. When he got around
where the travelling man stood he lifted
his big brogan and planted it firmly on
the jewelry-man's foot. No apology
was made. The travelling man merely
looked up, drew his foot back mo-
mcnt, then placed it back where it was.
The cowboy passed back to the other
two. They all chuckled and joined in
the low-toned conversation.
Soon the cowboy started out again
on q similar 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 thump on the
platform. Another conference and
chuckling followed. Finally the cow
boy 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 lat
ter looked up quickly and said:
So See here, there is my foot, and it's
going to stay there. You step on tiff
you want to, but want to tell you
tlat before you can get of OF IL will
kill YOU
"Such yolley staggered the cow
boy. lie looked at the foot and then
at the small possessor, and finally
moved off without stepping on it. An
other consultation followed.
1.-The travelling man calmly read his
paper a few minutes, and then took
from his sachcl three apples. He look
ed at them a moment, and suddenly
threw them few feet into the air and
then quickly drew a revolver, fired
three shots, splitting each apple into a
dozen pieces before they reached the
ground. He replaced the cartridges in
the empty chambers of the revolver,
and returned it to his pocket.
"Thc cowboys witnessed the act
without saying word, and soon, COM
pletely cowed, turned and left the de-
pot. The travelling man 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 was quick as lightning. He then
showed me medal he carried, which
he wen 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
,oIor orI Jor;r, kouT tbo co,-ko,,