New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-30
THE NEW STATES.
XII.
IN THE CATTLE COUNTRY
FEATURES OF LIFE AMONG THE cow
pUNCHERS OF WYOMING.

ING'S AMBITION FOR STATEHoD-ClVAl1'
EATON AMONG THE BIG HORNS.
rynoM A 81 Arr CORRESPONDENT TIRE TRrBUMIl
Copyright. 1889: BY me Nec York tribune.
Buffalo, Wyoming Territory, June Is.
The roundup is an institution by itself. IL
anything can be said to BE peculiar to the country
in which it occurs, the roundup is that sort OF
thing II YOU have never seen il, you have never
seen anything like ii. There is nothing with which
can compare a spectacle made up OF great nerd
Of cattle dazed and bcwildcred. massed together
In one big bunch, believing and moaning peseech-
ing and defying, necessarily moving, but never
progressing; of smaller herds, cut out from among
the great one TRANQUILITY grazing as II they under
stood that they were now at least to have rest, q
dream too soon dispelled; of herds Of horses
white black. spotted, kind suTly vicious, hand
come and mean oorralled here, at liberty there
and punched yonder; of men mounted on flyers
dashing in among the cattle and chasing this
Ole in that direction and that one in this or
tearing at breakneck speed over the prairie after
n stray steer or heifer, hooting and bowling, and
suddenly lurching forward while rope cuts The
air and the runaway falls captive 10 the ground;
At q horseman, quicker and surer than the others,
darling this way and that, and fetching TO the
campfire, near by, poor little calf caught by It's
neck or its leg and dragged over the ground at
the end Of the lasso, while its mother, sometimes
forlorn sometimes hewildered, but always crying
piteously follows in helpless misery; OF group
of men, armed with knives and brandlng-irons,
who snatch the poor little creature toss it heavily
but not always without hard struggle, to the
ground. cut it with one quick stroke OF the
knife. and press upon its skin the heated IRON
These are O few Of the many curious features OF
q scene, which, for animation and picturesque
ness, probably has no parallel, II begins with
the first pencil Of the morning sun that appears
in de SUha
. is withdrawn and the dark envelope OF night Is
sealed.
The cow.punchers-you call them cowboys in
the East, but that is an expression long since
abandoned hcre-are fine and vigorous lot OF
young fellows Some are educated men, bachelors
Of arts who have been attracted bither by spirit
of adventure, o liking for the open air, or
desire to occupy themselves better than by lolhns
around home. Some are men with record ana
a variety of names, who did something somewhere
that rendered their then surroundings disageeaoly
warm for them. They say their name is Smith, or
Jones, or Brown, and Smith, or Jones, or Brown, Is
the name you want u be particularly careful 10
rall them by, II you should happen TO have come
from their former neighborhood. and should fancy
their name was Robinson, or Thompson, or
Virgins and should call them so. they wouldn't
like IT, Smaller incidents than that have brought
about crave misunderstanding. Some are dare
devils who wouldn't do any particular harm TO
themselves or anybody else, but who like TO be
lust on the edge Of peril. And some are the same
old bumdrum. commonplace fellows you see every
where. who are punching cows largely because
they are not doing something else. They are
all young, all full Of strength and resolution,
ALL ready to fight If you are really anxious for Il
fight. all hearty, generous and brave Cow
punchine is no business for q sneak, or coward
or a sttngy soul Those kinds are not attracted
"a it. No man can live and do IN the open air,
with 4 wilderness for his workshop, the stars for
his ooyerlet. the wild flowers for his pillow, and
he a bastard. But if exceptions OCCUR to prove
the rule, something always happens to them
Thew leave or get lost, or-somethfng WHAT
Oh don't ask questionsl
I have already said many time that the
rcicn of disorder is over in the West, and want
70 impress that fact on everyoodys mind But
still, the man who keeps his pistol On the half
cock can always find as big gun as his just
as much disposed 10 go of. The tiger is under
cover But if you want to stroke him, you can
easily ret the cover removed. There is host Of
men In these parts who leading quiet, respect
able lives who did not use to be so respectable
and quiet They came TO the West when it was
the fashion TO shoot a man If you didn't like the
cut of his coat or thought his grammar too good
Being at Rome they did as the Romans did. But
as custom changed they have considerably changed
with IL. Their blood still runs briskly, however,
and you don't want TO swear at them unnecessarily
Though they rarely talk about it, they are quite
proud of their earlier career, and like 10 have
- understood that once upon time they were
ba-ad men. One day last week q big, rough
looking fellow entered Pullman car and began
10 smoke and sing vulgar songs. The colored
porter begged him 70 desist, but he shouted back
that he would smoke where he pleased and sing
what he pleased and no blamed Niger could
stop him. An elderly gentleman sitting near
called the porter aside and asked him il he knew
the express agent in the forward car.
YES, sah," answered the porter, " dous, sab;
name o Marshall, sah'
Well, you give him this card, and tell him
20 come here inm ediately."
The porter went off, and presently robust
heavy, thickset fellow entered, glanced about
the car perceived the elderly man, and can't
forward.
Do you remember mep" said the elderly man.
II guess So" was the rather hestating asswer.
Aren't you surc?7
yes"
DO you soc that fclIow yonder, yelling and
Smoldng?'
YES
Can you get away with himp
q amt fearful to try
Put him in the smok king car"
The robust fellow promptly went over 10 where
the rough was sitting, and said: Pardner, you've
got to get out Of here. I'm told 10 put you out
Fightin's right in my line, II you say fight /
don't want no trouble. but 1t all lays with you
Come, now, gitl'
For moment there We're signs Of a battle but
in another moment the rough thought hotter Of
IL, and meekly allowed himself TO be led away
The robust fellow returned aud reported that it