Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-03-25


occupation of cowboy reporter
called upon him and had pleasant
chat. His name Is f. ID. Woolworth.
and his parents reside at No. 202 Hal
sey street. According to the popular
idea, something with high.top boots,
slouch hat. and revolver was expected,
but were It not for bronZsd face and
absence of the conventional billed
shirt, no essential point of difference
existed between him and an ordinary
individual. Mr.. Woolworth stated
that on account OF the irm In New
York city with whom he was employed
as clerk reducing his salary from mo.
tives OF economy he did not think that
it paid him to work at the lower figure.
and therefore determined 20 try bis for
tune in the. west. Fourteen months
ago he left Brooklyn for Omaha, Neb..
where, two or three days after bis ar
rival, he obtained a situation In the OF.
Ace OF the Burlington and Pacific rail.
road. That occupation being too con-
fnIng for his health. which, he said.
was also injured by drinking the mud
dy water Of the Missouri, by the advice
of his uncle, Mr.. G. d. Woolworth, who
owns the Loup stock ranch. Nance Co. +,
Neb., he left the railroad Office and be-
gan his new life. The ranch 10 the
largest In that section, being Is miles
around, and stocked with one thousand
head of cattle at present, not inclu ding
calves.
The FIRST days experience OF a ten
derfoot' on a ranch,' said Mr.. Wood
worth, is not calculated 10 make him
we'll contented with the new life, end
especially IL he be q tender clerkling,
the change from we'll worn Office
stool to less certain seat upon the
back ofa bucking pony for twelve hours
a day Is apt to make him homesi:k.
But when you get used to IL it's splen-
did; and think any average city young
man would say.as do if be went there
with will to work. The work is hard
and rough, truly, but It is the max ing
OF ones health. When left Brooklyn
l weighed l26 pounds, and now I tilt
the beam at l40.'
The cowboys are q rough class, but
make good friends, and. 90 far as my
experience goes. not so violent and law
less as they are thought to bs. In our
section they are not so rough as they
are in parts OF Texas aud Kansas.
There is very little drinking, and none
on the ranch, and though they are
somewhat disposed to attempt alarm.
ing practical jokes on the 'tenderfoot
they are fairly peaceable.'
How do you pass the day p the re.
porter asked.
we get up in the morning at 8 o..
clock. Each man feeds and cleans his
pony, and then we sail in TO break
fast. BY the way. the rations are ex-
cellent. In cold weather we get all the
best beef we can eat and plenty oil
white bread, milk, and coffee. There
are plenty OF wild geese and prairie
chickens on the plains, and last year
there were some antelope. The duties
Of the day consist In supervising the
cattle generally, seeing that the gates
are shut, and branding and cutting
OUT steers for the market. The two
latter occupations are pretty lively.
The cattle have also ITO be protected
from thieves, and to this end each cow.
boy carries revolver. Almost all day
is spent In the saddle. as our work does
not cease until dark. By that time
you can judge we are pretty well tired
out and glad to get to bed. The first
day upon the saddle is very trying to q
new hand.
1t is not so easy for green hand tc
get employment as has been made out.
continued the young man. "a young
tenderfoot is worth $40 or $50 a month
until he is broken in After years
experience he can get $40 or $50 a
month. This, of course, includes his
rations. OF those who 60 out swest
many return disgusted; buckskin pants
flannel shirts, q slouch hat, and TWEEN.
ty-foot lash not being sufficient to'com
pensate them for the loss OF dude
oyercoat and crutch cane. The clim
ate IS splendid mornings and evenings
are, however, very cool, aud even In
summer blankets are necessity. The
houses are built Of Nebraska brick or
dug OUT which consists of sods q foot
square laid one upon the top of the 9th.
er. The sun hardens them, and they
make staunch and comfortable dwell.
ing, though somewhat hot in summer.
No rain falls in the winter, and there
is meyer enough snow for sleighing,
owing to the high winds blowing il
away as quick as it falls. Lung diseas.
es are unknown and colds In the head
are an exception. In Short continued
the gentlemanly cowboy, Il would not
return to city life and put my nose tc
the grindstone ofxoffice drudgery no