Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-03-07
A CLERKS EXPERIENCE.
FROM THE FIELD OF COMMERCE 70
THE FIELD OF CATTLE.


Learning that there had arrived from the
far west young man who in that section
followed the occupation Of cowboy re-
porter called upon him and had a pleasant
chat. His name is z. D. Woolworth.
According to the popular idea, something
with high-top boots, SLOUGH hat, and re-
volver was expected, but were it not for .
bronezd face and the absence of the conven-
tional billed shirt, no essential point Of diff
ference existed between him and an ordinary
individual Mr.. Woolworth stated that on
account Of the firm III New York city with
whom be was employed as clerk reducing
his salary from motives Of economy he did
not think il paid him to work at the lower
figure, and therefore determined to try his
fortune in the west
Fourteen months ago he left Brooklyn for
Omaha, Neb., where, two or three days
after his arrival, he obtained situation in
the office of the Burlington g. Pacific
railroad. That occupation being too confin-
ing for his health, which, he said, was also
injured by drinking the muddy water of the
Missouri, by the advice of his uncle, Mr.. C.
d. Woolworth, who owns the Loup stock
ranch, Nance county, Nebraska, he left the
railroad Office and began his new life. The
ranch is the largest in that section, being
fifteen miles around, and stocked with 600
head of cattle at present, not including
calves,
rEsDERFooT's FIRST EXPERIENCE.
THE first days experience of tenderfoot
on a RANCH said Mr. Woodwork, lis not
calculated to make him well contented with
the new life, and especially if be be tender
clerkling, the change from a well worn
Office stool to a less certain seat upon the
back of a bucking pony for twelve hours a
day is apt 10 make him homesics But when
you get used to it its splendid, and think
any average city young man would say as |
do if be went there with a will TO work. The
work is hard and rough, truly, but it is the
making of ones health When left Brook
iyn weighed 126 pounds, and now tip the
beam at no
THE cowboys are a rough class, but make
good friends, and so far as my experience
goes, not SO violent and lawless as they are
thought To be. In our section, he continued,
"they are not so rough as they are in parts of
Texas and Kansas. There is very little
drinking, and none on the ranch, and though
they are somewhat disposed TO attempt
alarming practical jokes on the tendeifoot,
they are fairly peaceable"
How do you pass the day!- the reporter
asked.
I'VE get up in the morning at 9 O'Clock
Each man feeds and cleans his pony, and
then we sail IN to breakfast BY the way,
the rations are excellent. In cold weather
We get all the best beef we can eat and
plenty of white bread, milk and coffee
There are plenty of wild geese and prairie
chickens on the plains, and last year there
were some antelope.
COWBOY on THE RANCH.
~The duties of the day consist in supervis-
ing the cattle generally, seeing that the gstes
are shut, and branding and cutting out steer,
for the market. The two latter occupations
are pretty lively. The cattle have also to be
protected from thieves, and TO this end each
cowboy 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
10 get TO bed The first day upon the saddle
Is very trying to view hand.
at is not so easy for green hand to get
employment Us has been made out" contin-
ued the young man. A young tenderfoot
Is worth so or $50 n month until he is
broken in After years experience he
taIl s,et StV OF SJp u month. lnls, OF course,
includes his rations OF those who go out west
many return disguised; buckskin pants,
flannel shirts, n slouch hat, and a twenty
foot lash not being sufficient TO compensate
item for the loss OF a dude overcoat and a
c.utch cane. The climate is splendid; morn
bgs and evenings are, however, very cold.
nd even in summer blankets are necessity
The houses are built of Nebraska brick or
dug out, which consists of sols foot
square laid one upon the top of the other.
The sun hardens them, and they make
stanch and comfortable dwelling. though
somewhat hot in summer. No rain falls in
tie winter, and there is never enough snow
fer sleighing, owing to the high winds blow
ir's it av,iy as quick as it falls Lung dis
eases are unknown and colds in the head are
al exception. In short" continued the gen
tlcmanly cowboy, Il would not return to
city life and put my nose TO the grindstone
Of Office drudgery; no, stree, not for PEN
sion.-Brooklyn Union.