New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-15
HOW THE PROFESSIONS .WERE PAID FOE
A COWBOY MAKES A oATTLE.owNER BRAND HIS
OWN CALVES.

OWN CALVES.
We had Just gone through one of the hardest winters
ever experienced in Colorado Cold weather in COW
boys camp isn't pleasant under the most favorao
circumstances but Jim scott who owned orr herd was
the mcanest man perhaps, forty ranges. II was
the unanimous opinion of the sever men in our camp
that II old Scott knew that every Of us would have
frozen TO death unless he spent s25 for blankets
we should have lain stiff that plain till spring
and moving camp. stopped to bury Us
When talks about hard winters on cowboys, OF
course he means unusually hard. Tor the man never
lived that saw easy But the snow was SO
deep that year that the cattle kept getting stalled
time and time again, and that meant that they must
starve So we spent the days and good many Of
the nights when the mercury was so far below zero
that no one cared how far down IT was, and when the
wind was like a knife that had lain ice box. in
digging steers from the snow banks and driving
and pushing and dragging them to clearer places
where they could around and make some kind OF
a living. Bronchos we're Of no earthly use, and
there wasn't toe I'm camp which did not show the
effect Of ramping around in the hour after hour
1t was pretty hard scrapplng" for the boys to get
enought TO eat We shut in for three months
without getting stock OF provisions or hearing
word from any one and life was just little monot-
and tresome even for cowboys We lived IT
through somehow. and were CONCENTRATING ourselves
that We had saved so many cattle, although a good
snow began TO melt we were a sorry looking lot Of
men, We were all little better than skeletons and
Of the boys about ready 10 take TO their hunks
The cattle just about skin, bones and horns, and
Scott would have been lucky to get $4,000 for lot
of cattle that five months before could not have been
surpassed on the pralries
Well wnen the " old man. rode into camp that
spring, he made things lively for us. He had
doubleday expected find every head gone but seeing
that we had pulled so many out, he whipped around
and simply ravcd because half his cattle were
scattered the plains. He finally rode off, shout
ing to us TO XII the rest long had ruined
him. But we didn't kill them and two months later
when he came back, had fine array Of sleek, we'll
fed animals TO show him.
Now we had expected that when travel became
possible Scott would make amends for our privations
and send us new outfit and good supply Of pro.
visions. Not a bit OF IT, We got just enough 10 live
on and the poorest kind Of that. SO when he paid
his second visit we were almost in as bad a condition
as VIC hal been all winter. The rolling sides and
shining coats OF the steers, however, put him in such
fire humor that he told Sam Jackson, the best
boy that ever In saddle, that when ne drove the
first lot the railroad for shipment he might take
the wagon along and bring stock Of grub
Two weeks later we divided the herd and started
half of them the plain toward the railroad, the
empty wagon bringing up The rear You must under
stand thai maverick. that IS calf which IS about
old enough TO leave IFS mother. was IN those DAYS,
when looking. public property. II was
catch II, Assoc it, brand II and run II Into the herd
wherever you came upon one. That was not honest,
of course but there good deal Of such stealing
done all sides. Scott had an intense yearning for
mavericks
When struck the railroad sam Jackson began
to buy provisions. and such buying was never seen
before I'm that little lie spent the whole day
II. and If the wagon had been bigger he would have
bought till doomsday, doubt. There were hams.
plug. package and I'm bulk. yeast pOwd'e. crackers,
canned beans, jugs OF mOlasses, even canned peaches
things that a COW pnchcrH would hardly dare 10
wish for IN his widest dreams How that wagon
was loaded when sam. with big ive-cent cigar IN
his mouth jumped the seat and drove back 10 the
herd.
When Scott saw what had been done he turned pale
with agony. Then. his anger Swelled. he grew
red in The face until be looked his blood-ves,els
would burst. For ten minutes he could do nothing
but swear and then he chOked out: Jackson. you
thief IN stop your pay for three months for tiat'
see, here. Mr.. scott" said sam Softly, DO YOU SO
those mavericks there" pointing 10 dozen
calves IN bunch. thought they might a. well pay
for this LOAD Better have them branded Dcisre some
body comes around 10 look for them.'
And the expression SCOTS face changed so sud
denly that YOU might have thought the dead half OF
lis winters herd had come to life again. When We
drove OF for camp Scott himself attending 10 the
t,rauding of the calves. said rolling his great
cgar in his mouth : looked back: Think Of the
IA ecoundre branding bis calves Every hide
belongs TO him But it's lucky for me they Were
standlnc there when the old man saw this pile OF
crubn