Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-25
COWBOY CHARACTERISTICS.
AS Seen by a Savannah Cow Puncher
in Texas,

in Texas.
SHERWOOD, TEX., July 15.-The cattle
interests In most districts have so much
degenerated in the past six years that
Western Texans OF the present day have
only to eulogiZe on the things that have
been. His theme includes also persons,
since both alike have succUmbed To tue
pressure of circumstances consequent to
the advance of OF civilization, 20 which is
attributed the blame for the present de-
preston, etc.
The famous cowboy begins to show up
less numerOusly nowadays than for
mertV, but he is nevertheless the same
bundle Of character as of Did.
His days during the ground up' season
are generally spent in trying to wear out
his fiery steed by flying att any stray cat
tie which may chance to attract his watch
tut eve; his regularity Tor 'plunglng" into
meals is remarkable, as is aleo MS appe-
tite, which is unfailing. his leisure hours
around camp before time to make down.
(he is bound to be original, hence never
saws make up bed, is mostly spent in
s'swapping lies" with his fellow cowboys
or inventing some plausible excuse for
quitting the leggins" on the ''latest e0i-
ton" whose main endeavOr should be to
humOr the Joke. The punishment is less
severe IL IdhGu BOOu uuuiOIGutys
a cowboys conversation is thickly in-
terspersed with the popular slang and
savOrs strongly of cattle and the good
qualities of his horse. 1t seems to cause
him great satisfaction to tell you conf
dentially that the particular horse he is
''settiu'" is about the "peaTtest cuttin'
pony in the round up
Another characteristic is the style and
size of his hat, which is unfalingly the
r.. l., H., 1
some space. 1t costs him all the way
from So to $50. The finest and most gaudy
of these come from sold Mexico" where
the boys sometimes 90 especially to pur-
chase head gear. His next and most eX-
pensiVe nObby is his saddle, which is his
special pride, and costs sometimes as high
as $780, or as much money as would fur
nish him two mounts and leave enough
over to 20 to town on. He always goes
| to town when he gets any money, and is
| never known to return with any, or any
| thing to show for it.
One day in town generally suffices to
| disgust him with civilization, its noise
and dust, aud he is often heard to remark
while philOsOphizin9 on the divinity OF
| ma - ind, that a week in town would Kill
| hinDand no wonder, for his reckless gem
| erosity and love OF excitement often
| causes him to come to the sudden con.
| seriousness Jndb BIS rope Is t6ut' auu he
| must hle away to the plains a sadder but
! wiser "cowpuncher," or sell his horse as
! his only alternative for prOtraoting
| his spree. 1t cannot be said that he is
drunkard, for he hasn't the chance, and
if borrowing and forgetting to return is
not termed stealing, his character for
honesty is good. Neither is this eccentric
son OF the plains a liar, in a malicious
sense Of the word, but simply and solely
a child of nature. combining with the
| physical qualities and natural Cussednese
| OF the man child's curiosity and love OF
the mysterious. ReVeling in the pursuit
Of his beloved profession, he lives and dies
only a Texas cow puncher."
A SAVANNAH COWBOY,