Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-07-15

plalnSman, rancher0 and conservative
statesman.
Cowboys resemble one another much
more and much less than is the case even
with their employers or ranchmen. A
town In the cattle country, There it is
thronged with men from the n3lghbor-
hood round about, presents picturesque
sight. Here are assembled men who ply
| the various industries known only to
| frontier existence, who lead lonely lives,
| only when occasion causes their visit to
the Camp All tho various classes
loungers, hunters, teamsters. stage driv
ers, trappers. sheep herders suffers, and
men drawn from all classes, plainsmen
and mountain men--are here to be seen.
Most prominent of all, the cowboy. Sing
| ly, or in twos or threes, they gallop the
wild little horses down the street, their
1.-the supple figures erect, or swaying
| slightly as they sit loosely in the saddle;
their stirrups are so long that their knees
are hardly bent, and the brides not taut
enough to keep the chains from clink-
| ing.
| Except when too exuberant, or resent
| ing some real or fancied insult indulge
| too often in deadly shooting affrays,
| brought on either accidentally by conduct
of the moment, or on account of some long
standing grudge, or perhaps because of
bad blood between two ranches or locali-
ties, their general conduct is unexcep-
tional. They are quiet, rather self
tained men, perfectly frank and simple
on their own ground, treat stranger
with the most whole-sUuled hospitality,
do all In their power for him and scorn to
take reward in return Although prompt
to resent an injury, they are not at all apt
to be rude to Outsiders; treat them with
what can almost be called grave courtesy.
They are much better fellows and better
companions than small farmers or general
laborers, nor are the mechanics and work
men of great cities to be mentioned In
the same breath. The bulk of the COW.
| boys themselves arc south -westerners but
there are also many from the Eastern and
Northern states, who if they begin Young,
do quite as well as the southerner. The
best hands though are fairly bred and
born to the work, and follow 1t from child
hood up. Many young fellow goes out
with enthusiasm for life on the plains
only to learn that his clumsiness is great
er than he could have believed possible !;
and the cowboy is like any other work,
and has to be learned by serving a pain
full apprenticeship; that this apprenticeship
implies endurance. rough fare, hard liy-
ing, exposure of every kind; no little toll,
and month after month of the dullest
monotony, Cowboy work needs special
traits and special training. This strug
gle for existence In the far West is no
place for young man who lacks the
coarser virtues and physical qualities, no
matter how intellectual or how refined and
delicate their sensibilities Such are more
The far West needs men who have been
brought up on the farm or In the work
shop far more than it does clerks or col
lege graduates. The cowboy, hen needed
is an invaluable help in the officials. Few
of the outrages quoted In the eastern pa
pers are their handiwork, as the average
person believes that every individual who
has broad hat carries a six-shooter a
cowboy. These outrages are as a rule,
the work Of roughs and criminals, who
assume the costume for that purpose.
Of late years these dangerous characters
have been put down principally by the aid
OF the cowboy, and as consequence most
of our territories are now perfectly law
abiding" They will be here on Friday,
July H.
Hon. f. Dudley Freeman Of Yarmouth,
was in the city, yesterday.