The morning call., 1892-02-24
COWBOYS ESCAPADES
When They Are on a Spree and
Begin Revolver Practice.
Boarding a Train at Omaha and Capturing 6
Dinner able-Side- Tracking a Car
Not Liked by the Boys.

iZatiOn-s0me may call him an eXcrescence
quite out Of comparison with his class in
any other country. Elsewhere the herd is
bucOlic, a meek and tame creature very SIM
pie in his ideas, and very submissive in his
manners. With their characteristics of
gentleness shepherds often rank high intel
lectually and have often accomplishm ents
which enable them to pass their lonely lives
cheerfully. The cowboy also may be an
educated man. Those who have had col
lege training are not by any means rare,
and il would be difficult to find one, unless
a Mexican, who has not had some education
qualifying him at least for the task of iilliSg
up census paper But few years in the
mountains or on the plains, isolated from
contact with town life and its restraints and
refinements, soon tell their tale of degrada-
ton into wild restle3sneSs such as a Cossack
would enjoy, which finds vent in a life in the
saddle with repose on the ground rolled in
blanket. The cowboy perhaps shudders at
his first experiences of hard work and lonely
Yigis, buthe soon becomes habituated to his
situation and it is his pride to emulate the
feaIs and the excuses Of the older hands.
He is faithful to his engagement to watch
over the cattle in his care and to protect
them against Indians and all other depreda-
thousand miles or more to railway depot,
letting the animals feed by the way so as to
arrive in good condition. He Is faithful to
the ranch-OwDeT aud will risk his life in his
service, and he is also staunch cOmrade
and bold as lion in enterprise But when
ever the cowboy has drinking bout,
which he generally has nearly every time
he reaches a town with few saloons, his
chivalry is apt to be replaced by the widest
exhibitions of recklessEeSs and lawlessness,
and in his cups be Is terror to the peace
a bic and well-doing. The very hardships
of his life unhinge his prudence, and his
outbreaks are violent IN proportion 10 the
length OF time he has been under restraint.
A WEEK. SPREE.
A spree of week will get rid OF the earn
ings of half year, and on returning to his
post he Is as poor as when he began his
nOmadic career. Then for a season he is
again in the saddle most of his waking
hours. with only few companions to eX-
change word with at intervals or TO share
the rough cheer around the campfire.
When at his work the cowboy Is happy
enough. lie likes the exercise on horse
back, the freedom and the spice OF adYen-
ture with which ranching in tie wids is
associated, and he has scorn quite gen.
timely felt for the pacific humdrum ways of
town folks. He is a skllful rider, good
shot with sIX-shOUter or rifle. and Is always
ready to aCQuit himself valantly in quar-
lCi- DOihNDOh9 iNQuiACo " hhfc Nbul hEb III
these wids to make ranehing profitable,
ana the cowboy has it in supeTabundance.
Hence his extravagances and daredevil es-
capades are forgiven or rememb ered with
very little bitterness.
A number Of years ago twenty cowboys
boarded a train at Omaha on their return
to the Far West. They all took seats in one
car, and were apparently on their good be-
havOr. The train stopped at a station for
dinner, twenty minutes being allowed, but
hardly had the passengers got into the
dining room and before q morsel was
touched, when the bell rang to proceed.
This was harsh treatment for the hungry,
but the cowboys were equal to the occasion.
They seized every dish and every ounce Of
food in the place, even taking off the pep
per, salt, pickles and other condiments, aud
carried the whole into their car. where
the viands were disposed promiscuOusly on
three seats. Then they fell to and satiated
their appetite with YlgOr which showed
that they had need Of restoration. a few
other passengers IN the car shared IN the
SpoliS. At another part OF the journey the
train was switched oil upon sidetrack,
and during a whole day trains going east
ward were running past. This delay did
not suit the cowboys. They went into town
in a body aud returned in a body hilarious
and Tiotous. Out they whiSked their re-
volYers and began to rain bullets into
the car they were travelling by. They
lid not leave one single window
intact the glass was shot away in small
splinteTs; the woodwork was perforated;
the seats plowed up, and just as much de-
stTuction as bullets could effect was done.
THE DAMAGED CARRIAGE.
Therailway company could tell tale about
the cost Of repairing that carriage. 1t was
a marvel that peaceable passengers In the
car were not wounded. The glass few in
all directions, as we'll as the bullets, and gun
powder was going of so close that people
had their faces sc0rched by it. Some OF the
more timid were thrown into abject terror
aud Mysteries by the exhibition, and prob
ably they owed their lives 10 the fact that
while the fusillade lasted they lay on the
floor Not content with Wreaking vengeance
in this fashion, the cowboys gave another
display Of audaclty far more veDtureSOme
and dangerous. They seized the conductor,
the engineer and fireman, bound them and
kept them under guard in the rear of the
train. Then one OF their number toward
midnight got on the engine, opened the
valve and started the train off the side
track on to the main track and ran ahead
until the next station was reached. This
wild driver knew nothing Of what was
ahead he simply took the chances Of col
lis!on or OF disaster in any other shape, and
by great good luck no accident did happen.
This audaclOus maneuver was not without
its effect on the company'S officials. They
again took charge Of the train, and during
the remainder OF the journey there was no
more switching
For willful damage of this reckless de-
scriptiOn the cowboy has sometimes to pay
the penalty There was an instance of this
i'm one of the northern counties Of CalfOr-
MIA. Sixteen cowboys who had been driv-
ing cattle across the Oregon border went on
a carouse in town they entered. In one
saloon they whipped out their reYolyeTs and
began target practice on n mirror that had
cost $500. They took that mirror out of its
frame in very small pieces, and everything
else in the place frangible they most indus
triously smashed Soon afterward the ranch
owper appeared upon the scene and non
chalantly asked what was the bill of dam
ages? ''S5OOOW said the saloon keeper;
whercupOn the ranch-owner promptly gave
him check for the full amount. When
payday came round the offending cowboys
would comprehend some of the compensat-
ing benefits Of the rule of subtraction