Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1892-05-19
LIFE ALONG THE COWBOYS.
4 Tenlcrf0ot Who Found 1t Pleasant
and Heard Some Entertaining


An Atchison correspondent writing
to the Topeka Capital says: | spent
two weeks il q hunting camp with
cowboys, and have genuine admira-
ton for them. One popularity about
these men was that ! never heard
them abuse any one. When 81 man
| out IN that country has "grudge,"
he retrains from talking about 1t un.
til be meets the object OF it; then there
is an explanation or a fight.
We had as a guest one night a man
known as English Harry" VINO said
that modern cowboys had greatly i'm
| proved because they were not able to
buy better whisky. Athome the cow
boys are quiet and well behaved and
honorable IN everything, but after
mouths OF loneliness some OF them
drink Il great deal OF whisky on going
to town. The whisky formerly sold
in the frontier towns was of such a
violent character that it would cause
q man To sressh open his OWE trtnK;
but the whisky haying improved, lit.
tie is now heard OF the cowboys going
on the rampage. They get sicl. at the
stomach on too much whisky and go
to bed like civilized men.
One night IN the tent heard a COW.
boy tell this story. He was with a
big outfit moving cattle, and one day,
somewhere near the line separating
Colorado from New Mexico, they en-.
countered settlers cabin which had
been plundered by Indians. The set
tier and his wife and children had
been killed and horribly mutilated.
The foreman was sent for, and he
Immediately ordered that the cattle
be allowed to take care OF themselves
while the cow boys went after the
Indians. Three parties set out at
| once, one commanded by the foreman
and the other two by experienced
men. One party came back IN day
without finding any trace OF the
Indians.
Another party came back in two
days without finding any trace of the
Indians, but at the end OF the third
day the third party came back whoop-
ing and yelling and firing their pistols;
they had found the Indians, killed
every one OF them and captured their
ponies. 1t is related that an Indian
chief once approached Gen. Crook and
wanted to borrow acannon. "Do you
expect me to loan you a cannon with
which to kill my soldiers?" the old vet
eran inquired. mo" the chiefreplied:
kill soldiers with club: want cannen
to kill cowboys"
Every boy expects to be eaten up by
a panther or "painters," which Is the
ordinary mountain lion. These lions
are the only sneak thieves III the noun
tains. never visited a house there
| and found locks on the doors. The
room where slept at the Brooks
ranch had an outside door but no lock.
Our tents were left day after day, and
although we occasionally knew that
cowboys had stopped and helped
themselves to food nothing else was
taken. was told that q man had
not been arraigned for stealing in Ma.
trona county in several years. I was
riding with Brooks one day when we
came to q sheep wagon. The herder
was gone but everything was lying
about loose. Being hungry, Brooks
made s. fire and We cooked q meal.
While we were eating the herder re.
turned.
I expected trouble, but he simply
expressed his regret and that he had
no butter and aided US to find sever.
al things that had escaped US. If you
stop at q house to stay all night or
eat a meal, you are never expected to
pay. A tramp who owned g. horse
could live magni6cently in that coup.
try by travelling from house to house.
When cowboy is out of a job he
travels about, finding free entertain.
ment everywhere until he finds work.
Settlements are few and far between,
and the people are always glad to see