New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-14
"THE YAP."
A NEGLECTED TYPE.


Iowa or K ,nsas or any prairie State but the west
ern part is Il wholly different region ana terra M
cognita even 10 people who nave HVeu al "'''
lives the other half Of the state IL Is o'ieren'
In climate. soil. people ami landscape anu '
Frenchman Valley. which is the vantage grouni
| Of these observations, is typical Of these dliier-
As TO why the Frerchman, and as 10 the Identity
| Of the particular Frenchman involved, history Is
silent The earliest settlers several OF whoth c'ain
to have been here years Though 1t does NOT seer"
as II there could have been anything but SKY mere 80
long ago as thaD. fail to furnish anything but
coniectures concerning this important point. lie
must have been romantic hgure-a ro'lis eN"o'
first penetrating the wids of this southwestern cor
ner Of Nebraska conciliating the Sioux and having
his fame perpetuated In the name OF the Voiie!
and It's broad, shallow river. The valley as all
Western Nebraska Is waiting, like the enchantcd
palace for the touch that Is to call 1t into ful He
and beauty-the added moisture that IS 10 MAKE
another garden spot here In the western desert
In the mean time, 1t has every other ADVANTAGE
tho climate ,s notceably warmer than that in the
latitude of Omaha and the autumns and winters are
all that could ne desired. 1t IL remarkably heai'h-
full many former invalids now living here attest
ing 10 that and a decided gain In health ana heSh
Is the experience OF almost any one WIN ''OP' ~
even for few months.
We a little west and two counties south Oh
Buffalo BITS home and the beasts from which he
took his were hunted here as late az they
were hunted anywhere II Is still game anu Nsh-
ing country, and yet civilized enough 10 pay
any attention 40 game laws. When frontlerstnah
wants TO shoot birds seine fish. he does not
hamper himself with such artificial restraints Inc
dsagreeatle feature OF the clmnt" IS the dry' ho'
east wind. but there IS the pure. Hight air the pri-
liant sunshine and the clear spring water the
Frenchran and all the other streams OF the valley
ar. fed from springs bubbllng up from sandy beds)
one is reminded OF the nearness Of Colorado by
m. CANYONS OF different depths. with high noorike
mcsas between extending IN every direction on
either side Of the valley the blazing sunshine ana
the marvellous Wild flowers. besides such minor
/ features az broncos. burros and cowboys: noun
tairs and Mcxicans all that are lacking 70 conf
/ pleie the comparison.
This hes been famous indian battle-ground anu
f such knobs. caves. canyons. streams. places f'T
ambush and surprise ore would think "oud '''nP'
even tho fororn. lo~-splritol descendants OF de-
t.rlorlfol race 10 fight for the mere skill anu
glor, of f. In a place so specially adapted 70 II.
The wiley extends east and west, and Is dotted
sparsolv with the prevailing sod houses. ana T."
4 villages whore one finds touch o. pioneer HE
/ which reminds one OF Ross Brownies "WasAoe Re-
/ visited"
The ror, - characters that melt away n The ap-
u-.ach II A railroad disappearcI l"ss than "A year
qro into some region OF lesser Interference with
the Inalleulblc RIGHTS 81 cowboys. class remains
I which assumes the title anl accoutrements OF inc
/ vanished hut since the cow days II has been RAPID
lrcalsut. AMI representatives. ar" T''"p'"'i W.
h der the generic term Of "Yap" There are some
/ thln,4 that are funny and many that are pathetic
about this individual He looks a. II he slept IN All
Of HE clothes all the year round. and his eyes Hgh'
M, under his h,g Imp hat brim only when the sud
,,, ,,rl.r discussion is a wolf hunt. the bust
| IL. M, huckin' bronc" He 10 limited but pctu-
rescue and he tries 20 discuss Things "n'ch
~. does not undcrstand perfectly. He thinks OUT a
few things all for himself and there are nu'.D''
Of things that DO not occur TO him at all Ills me-
such It H. Is 80 fun OF hard iacts tha' III o'ue
20 Introduce the poetic element. he Is driven 10 eN-
,,.,cr,,. some Of the exploits Of which h" Is the
hero. more especially II h" lounges IN the vlaT"
ros,offlce I'm one corner Of the general store. ana
some OF the girls among his audience lie
knows that he i loved like OthcNo. for the Jan
gers he MS passed and II he tells hs story wei
enough p"rchnncc he - going to get the o"h"-the
+ Darling Katie willows" ~ the villigt-to go 10
TIE next barn loft dance with him. 'Th" girl ~ pale
and na,-ch.stcl. by the same Sign that the CITY
beauty Is large ana a'h'ucl
our her, - no, without hls Steiner ambitions;
h~ ,,u work IN order 10 realize them. too although
fl.. ,he nolleruan A.! the tramp. he has sonI
above manual labor. He has BEEN known 70 'i''S'
a. a hired hand fcr three or four months IN sue
c.si,r. 10 den, himself e,crythng-that l.. t. cut
III Ill ,h,. chances and changes OF this irans!iory
NE Az. recompen-ed. For he comes rldihs lt'S ,.
G"|rS astrle "brouc" that enters into ne spiiit
II the thing. ms feet "ncts"i ~ We ZOOS w..
IN. four pl.rs Of spurs Of lnrge Size am cosl.nn
design. his iees In the costly r fi'p ~. rnI
u.rlcrchrf about MS scrawny throat. M rot"p'''o
atop OF h.~ matted and combined LOCKS. d., ,
az roursr .c believe that happiness per 50 X az
v,ys the same thing. and differs only IA IT. man
fc- iA~ons and expressions. but NJ ms sup' v a'o
moment IL would be difficult to convince the ap
thai ne had reached the essential P'nlac'r o,
human b,is-. And no on" but very pau '!Pc u q"
T.. 'si,ust would have The heart 70 Try. go,
Iav~ mentioned h!s religion? Like the be
hnvIor' of Por;ia's EngIlshman. he gets IL ''sry-
whcr. Isut the chief source OF lnSpir ttlon h'ts
about In archaic simplicity ana = carr IL ,r,i',
IN, t.,ul4 10 "A primitive mode Of living. lie does
mot b.lryc IN churches. forms OF belief or coilrc-
ions. and after his converts IRE ''il' , ihorr
Frenchman They simply continue L" M ., " rr'I
after IN the sod schD,lhOuse once week 10 80. !
chapters In the Bible aloud ara d4scuS9 'u , ,,.nf
preacher returns once ~ WINE 10 9'l 'n'tl -
on difficult points that may have ARISEN III Ms az
He seldom returns 10 ~ farIn iii LOW ne
leaves II In the care OF his wire ana 'hlidrrh' 'n'
himself travels about preaching IN neglected re-
,ious payin. his own way, ana asking n" r',uin
for his labor. Iiis converts are oi 'oufs" .n"aoS
y,om.n The Yap respects religion at distance.
he thinks It is something ina! women men ought 10
science is moro his line than religion Scitnce -
plain and straight and practical luS' in''s WI io
| .y.rythIng-every village has hlin-th" disabled ana
retired COWBOY. who has accumulated the WISDOM OF
the ages well az IA rheumatic lnp or 80, IN ,ie
/ course of his career. Why. how would prop!e nave
known what had caused the dronth ms year ~, u
moon was "furder north than he ever see = ar1r',
and other curious things about ms ertItlc anu uii-
mart of the grocery among the apple barrels
/ they throw light things. ncle Bil gives II ~
his opinion that the earth IS square. and rests on
mn,cr and the v,ater rests ION the power q God "
ana explains more curious things about It's
caprcious relations with ne moon, r,ssre ran
div and while he lasts all the arts ought 10 cltcn
him AMI take pictures Of him FOR future grh,r,omS
ncatlon OF philosophers who attempt 10 account
for racial notifications.