Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-08

tMH " puncher was head boss
W,AN@SAlZM, and advance guard and
:HYV\\NMzT// guide. A generation
TkN4Y MZ/ hence he will be q rem
u ~ inisoence. and In two
or more decades . creature of legendary at
tractiveness.
The cowboy has played a prominent part in
the settlement Of the great west, and how
ever undeserved, certain flavor OF brig
andage and q spice Of diablerie will forever
envelope his name and fame. A creature Of
dash and daring, rudely chivalrous and reck-
lessly courageous, the king Of the COW trail has
established a reputatian which is bound to be
perpetuated in history, yet il far from rep
resenting him as he is. The attributes Of the
pagan gods are no more mythical than the
chapter written about the cowboy denom-
mating him as nine-tenths devil and one tenth
demon. II IL supreme satisfaction to the
friends Of the cowboy to know that few OF
these nimble scribes ever saw q cowboy or his
country, and would not recognize the real
thing II presented to him on the dead quiet -
Always picturesque if not perfect, the cow
boy Is In reality an interesting study from any
standpoint, and clothed. as he always is, in the
garb Of wild west tradition, he would be q draw
ing card in any enterprise. Realizing this
Chicago has roped him in for the summer
season. and having coached him in the dime
ton of u COW puncher his pony will paw the
mimic prairie and buck in splendid imitation Of
the broncho in "Comanche Kit" and his in
trepid and daring rider, after exploiting his
staying qualities in various ways, will back of
the scene of action to become as mild a man
nered man A. ever murdered Lindiey Murray
or bulldozed "barkeep."
CHICAGO NOT THE PRAIRIE.
While the actor cowboy will thus be made to
do ma fh{noo hat tai
on the range would ever think Of doing, his per-
formance will be no more homogeneous than his
| surroundings. Chicago is big. butitis not all %
embracing a. a western prairie, and its tall
buildings more nearly represent . forest than
| an elliptical plain. plain whore the gaze
wanders on and ON until it gets lost in the azure
| haze aud runs up against the sky shut down
| over the maddening fluctuations OF desert like
| blue lined bowl, plain where you can see
Fifty miles ii the clear" and the haunting
mirage brings TO your door hints Of habitation
that are q three days dreary ride distant. Even
with St Louis annexed and Illinois cyclone
| swept to clear the field, Chicago could not pro-
vide stage for the COW puncher like the plains
| Of Kansas, the plateaus OF Nebraska or the
northern ranges" as the grazing ground of
the Rocky Mountain region il called coun-
| try with more square miles Of territory than
France, and with paltry population Of $50 900
| souls. The theater of action Of the northern
fenced land and over it roam 1000, 900 head OF
| cattle.
In the bit Of ground staked out in Chicago
some 300 cowboys are to round up. rope,
brand and otherwise display the accomplish
ments Of a cowboy. as nearly a. possible as he
representation will bear about as much relation
| to each other as a paper snake to boa con-
| strictor, but As Barnum said: ''The people will
be humbugged, which is . unique pseudonym
| for amused.
In preparing for the '.oow punchers' camp
| a race Ii now in progress on which large stakes
| are placed. The cowboys, some 800 strong,
| started from Chadron, Neb., and for purses OF
81, 800 and $500 will demonstrate the least time
| necessary to spend on horseback between Chad
ron. Neb., and the worlds fair in Chicago.
| The cowboys select their own route and ride al
they chose. the man covering the ground irst
| to receive first money, and he must
| ride into Chicago upon the bronco
herode out Of Chadron. The distance
IL a little over 1000 miles. At least thirty five
miles day must be covered Each rider reg.
| listers every twenty four hours. Only native
bronchos are allowed to compete, and full de-
scription, color, brands. DC, was registered
with photograph Of the animal. before enter.
ing the contest
THE FIRST LoNG-DIsTANcE RIDING
| Long-distance riding Of this kind was frs
practiced in the early sixties. The unrivaed ia
ciiities the nation now enjoys in the way OF
telegraph, telephone and fast mail make i,
| seem almost incredible that up to 1860 the only
| method Of communication with the western
half Of the continent was through slow going
| heavy coaches and emigrant wagons. Con
gress empowered Maj. Sibley in 1875 to estab.
| lish q wagon road across the country from the
Missouri river to Santa Fe. He began his sur
| vey at Indeperdence NO., and continued II
through Kansas and on to Santa Fe, N. NJ, d
distance of nearly 800 miles, Over this trail
| and new ones that were laid out later in the
century. all the freighting for the western fort.
was done. all the mails and dispatches carried
| A perilous undertaking, for there were lurking
| redskins to dodge at every mile OF the trip
| swift-running rivers to ford. great mountains
to cross. forests to thread and prairie fires to
| encounter, to say nothing of boasts Of prev and
warning elements. No description ever printed
with types describe this country as Long.
| fellow saw it with the eyes of Gabriel when be
crossed the prairie ocean after being driven
| from Acadia
Far in the west there lies desert land. where the
Lift through perpetual SHOWS their lofty and umin
GUS s"h.n's.
Frsttea with sands and rocks. and sw.p. by .ls ind
Numberless torrents. with ceaseless sound descend to
Spreading between these streams are the wondrou..
Bilowy bays Of grass ever rolling in shadow and
Bright iu,uri.nt clusters of roses and purple
amorpleas;
Over then, wandered the buffalo herds and the elk
Over them wandered the wolves and herds Of rider
Fires thss Ss. and blight and wind. that ar. weary
Over them wander the scattered tribes Of Ishmaers
Staining the desert with blood and above their tor
Circles and sails aoft, pinions majestic the vul-
Here and there rises smoke from the camps of these
Here and there rise from the margins Of swift
running rivers.
And the grim. tsciturn bear. snchorite monk Of the
desert,
Climbs down their dark rauss to dig for roots BY the
And over all is the sky. the clear and crystalline
heaven"
TIE PONY EXPRESS
Through scenes like these the first overland
trails were laid and the mails taken by slow
wagon trains across the country. In 1860, after
long talk and much figuring, "pony express
was established. 1t was for the sole purpose OF
carrying light mail and important matter OF
| small weight, and was considered a wonderful
| innovation. The mail carriers travelled upon
horseback and there we're relay stations every
dozen miles a little more, where horses were
exchanged for fresh ones. The route was al
| that time extended to Folsom, Cal. distance
! Of 1000 miles, and from there the mail was car.
| Yied to San FraDcisco nv hoat