The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-19

WleTS Sl6flUS WIFI pDhSGS vi MY ~ y AuA-
dted deputies have been utterly poWeriess tt
, quiet a mob and restore order until a squat
of eight or ten rangers, and sometimes
even less, dashed into the towns on thei
wiry little ponies, and at once the mob
dispersed and the riot ended SO awe-in
spring are these men of the buokskin pant
and Winchester holsters that oftentims'
the mere threat of calling them out Ii
sufficient to strike such terror to the law
breakers as to cause them to immediately
come around to the side of the peace con
SENATORS.
Tho chief duty of the ranger in Texas at
the present time is, therefore, to be ever
ready to mount his horse anu fly. lie mus
be able to endure long marches in the sad
die, and 1t Is no uncommon thing ior hlm
to travel eighty miles between sun and sun
across bald pralries. over preolpstons
hills, through deep canyons, fording rivers,
wading lakes and lagoons, moving down =
path through thick mesquite and cactus,
leaping bitches, etc. But. above all. he
must be quick OF the trigger and sure of
aim. q
When lie shoots, he shoots to kill. He is
no temporizer. He keerlv realizes when
entering the service that he is wearing his
life on his sleeve. and that he has only the
most desperate men to deal with. He
knows, too, the danger of ambush. and
views every mott with suspicion lest it OK
plode and kill him. He is as alert as u cat,
and sits his saddle with the grace of All In
dian. His ambition is. if he be of the bet
ter class, to SO impress his personality on
the community where his presence may be
needed as to stand in the line of promotion
whom q county sheriff is to be elected, and
SO it is that the majority of western Texas
sheritfs of to-day were but recently Iang-
ers.
The pay of the men seems insignificant
when the peri!s and hardships OF their lives
are considered. Priyates receive $50 Il
month and Napkoipa GTS fTbay hnva tn
furnish their horse, clothing, pistols,
Winchesters, saddles, knapsacks, etc. The
state provides provisions for no $50 ana
man. If the horse is killed in action. the
state replaces him. If ridden to death or
dies of sickness the ranger buys another.
They are not provided with quarters by
the state, and most of the time live in the
saddle. The blue dome is the roof of their
tents and the hard earth the floor. In win
ter, when on the march, they scatter through
neighbolhoods where they last stopped, and
for the most part live on the hospitality of
ing, registering set when so situated, and
thar presence causes the hearts of the
buxom country and village lasses to tluttef
as much as the nerves of evil doors to quake !
when they get on their trail. They are the
envy of the rural beaux and the admira-
ton of b~ackwoods mothers. Their visit
to these peaceful communities is the signal
Tor a series of 'break-downs'' and "candy
and they enter into these social
festivities with the same dash and abandon
as characterize them when on the chase for
horse-thieves ana murderers.
When in camp they are jovial and hos
Around their cemp-fres at night
gathers many a man and boy to listen to
their variations of daring captures and
forced marches. They take turns at cook
ing, washing clothes and providing fuel
forage. The commissariat is not noted
fnr yNrnfrSJny nf vnpJnfu mr. nvfr0U no ~ of
Corn and rye bread, beans and
pork, with a wholesome quality of coffee,
with muddy-looking sugar, con-
the menu of the camp. Often a
well-to-do cattleman gives them a fat three
year-old as a token of gratitude for services
rendered, and then they enjoy a feast far
to their palates to the rich yiands
Of Lucullus' board: or when they strike a
settlement they are fairly sur
feited with chile y ~frijoles, chile con corne,
ensilados and other caloric dishes of the
spicurean Aztec. The Mexican senoritas
their black sensuous eyes that speak a Ian
guage stronger than words.
That the rangers arc the best forces to
employ for the search of Cara and his
a Of so-called revolutionists has been
made manifest by recent events in the hunt
Diaz's bumptious little enemy. The
is as good a trailer as any of the
revolutionists, ne is Injured to the same
hardships, he is mounted on q pony whose
endurance and speed have stood the severe
tests to which they have been put in the
long and hurried marches, he is accustomed
to the bushwhacking warfare practised by
the evasive CATERING, and his knowledge of
the country is equally as complete as that
Of Garza's frontier bandits. But they con-
slider the work of scouting for the United
States troops a degrading duty, and they
snter upon its discharge with no
feeling of pride. They account them
selves of superior service to the state f;
look upon the United States soldier as
4 mere hireling. There is no particular
,ordiality between the officers of the rang
ers and those of the army, the former view
tng the entrance of the latter into frontier
service as an unwarranted assumption of
authority and an encroachment on states
lights. Consequently, when Gov. Hogg
,ent Adjt. Gen. Mabry to the front several
weeks ago to direct the movements of tho
Anglers in the field that officer broke away
rom the United States troops and pro- :
,eeded on an indeEendent search, disre-
even the advice and experience of
he army officer who had been in the field
two months.