The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-22
PASSING OF THE COWBOY.
Really q Commonplace Character an
His Days Are Numbered.

His Days Are NumDeTcu'
Winter on ranch is the dull season.
Once in while the cowboys may be dis
patched out in snowstorm to turn oack
cattle drifting helplessly before the ever
driving northwest wind, or they may have
to pick up young calves from the range
and carry them to the stable to save their
lives. But much of the time the men sit
In the bunk house. wood ire roaring in
the open chimney place, mending and
making brides, saddles and knick-knacks,
or losing small fortunes at cards.
At the beginning of winter half the
ranch employees are usually discharged.
The half retained thereupon invite their
late comrades to become their guests at
the expense of the boss for an indefinite
time. All accept. Some remain until
hired over again the ensuing spring
Others make trip home to Texas or
"Arkansaw," or even the East. Others,
again, set out on grand roundup of their
own among their fellows of the range, to
be entertained with poker, tirewater and
strong stories.
The sometimes iniudiciously glorified
cowboy Is not over-endowed with heroic
qualities. He indeed not infrequently
possesses brute courage. and on the 'front.'
Ter finer gifts and graces are not as apt to
shine. The courage displayed as part of
though therein he often needs tin sixty
mile rides. in battling with the blizzard, in
tanning STUBBORN horse, in wrestling with
yearling bull. In the public op Mon he
cares for he reaches true greatness only
when he has tested his mettie against that
OF another man. Were he to choose the
statue to be erected to his memory it would
depict him in heroic attitude in gam
bling saloon, glancing along the barrel of
his six-shooter, another contestant for like
honors hustiing to get the drop on him.
The cowboys peculiar Eastern fame has
been gained, not at his hard work, but
chiefly while loafing in cow-country shanty
towns. As Poor Jacks reputation is tar
nlshed on land, SO Antelope Toms suffers
when he IS not engaged as honest cowboy.
Inc cowboys most conspicuous intel
lectual trait is talkativencss. His lingo is
slang low Mexican ranch terms, few
Indian words, some mispronounced
French geographical names. the technical
phrases of his occupation and of miners
and piainsmen, and an inexhaustib vo-
cabulary of explosives. His fund of in
formation is small and his views of senti.
ment, though powerful, limited; but his
| mouth is promptly called into service on
every possible occasion. In anger he is
more noisy than bull under the brand
ing iron. In his socia! hours his buzzing
rivals streak of wind in canyon
Huency, the cowboy is commonplace. He
| seldom feels the need of money; so he is
| carelessly generous. He rarely sees
women; SO he is theoretically gallant.
Emulation in learning and the fine arts
never disturbs ranch society; so he is
| ignorant.
The cowboys pony is 1.-THE and wiry.
The rider sits well back. the saddle Sc
| cured by two cinches, the stirrup straps
| heightened to allow his legs to straighten
nearly full down. So adjusted, the mans
knees fit IN close to the pony's body, and
the nag may writhe and buck, but will sell
| dom throw the rider. The cowboys seat
in the saddle is good for long day
The cowboy uses high-pommeie ed Cali
fornia sadde-tree, the cushion a strip of
hogskin. hard as a rock. To a snaffle bit
| he attaches rein of plated buckskin. His
equestrian ornaments are bright hous-
| ings. low-roweled Mexican spurs and enor-
| nous polished and inquired sole-leather
stirruP-guards. He hangs at the pommei
OF his saddle lariat of rope or
plated skin, and by it a
quirt, as his short horsewhip is called.
| his blanket and overcoat, rolled up
| tightly, he straps behind him. His cos
tune is the inevitable stage cowboy hat, a
blue or red hannei SHIRT. rough trousers,
| long boots and leather oyerals He wraps
fancy-colored kerchief about his neck.
| He would feel lonesome without revolver
! sheathed in his belt. On horseback, the
cowboy is picturesque figure; afoot, he is
waddling swan.
The cowboy will last yet q good while.
! He is product of the cattle range, and
range will that Northwest region be- In
| greater part, for many year to come.
/! But with the rise of farming III his coun-
try. his romantic character is passing
| away. To the level of the plodding farm
! hand must he come at last. As hero to
| the dime novel the frontiersman' scale
| goes on descending-fndian fighter, scout,
| soldier, hunter, prospector, miner. bull
| whacker cowherd, rustler-ere long clod-