The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-22
THE COWBOY OF TO-DAY.
Mild hammered, Well Intentioncd ana
Considered a Good Citizen.

Forest and stream.
A man who has punched cows himself be-
comes after O while a little tired of hearing
and reading that all cow punchers are
drunken villains, and feels like saying some
thing in defense of this class of outdoor
livers, They themselves are not much giver
to writing, for their hands are more accus-
toned to the rope and the latigo than TO the
pen; but even If they were practiced writers,
il may be doubted IL they would take up
arms for the class to which they belong.
To the plains Of civilized days the COW
time hunter were to the prairies of buffalo
times. They hunted the brown wild cattle
that dotted these rolling uplands; he follows
lives on horseback and were always moving
from place TO place: he. too. is most at home
in the saddle and is a true nomad. They
seldom Travelled except on certain special oc-
casions; he also has his own range. Like
them, and for the same reason-because his
life is spent in the open air and In close COM
munion with nature--he Is in many ways
simple and childlike and true. Like them,
and for the same -eason-because his life is
spent away from the combining influences Of
civilization-he often lacks self-control and
easily falls into temptation.
No life Is harder than that Of the cowboy,
and. men of no class do their work more
faithfully than these. For poor pay they
ride long and hard. c~onscientiously looking
after the interests Of their employers. and
and the sternest hardships. Often in the
saddle from daylight till dark. and in. addi-
ton. TO this standing night herd. they are
hard worked beyond most men, and as a
rule their service Is not a long one. Many
are crippled by accident or exposure. but
even II this does not happen the work is
most cowboys. indeed, are very young men.
The cow puncher Of to-day differs in many
s ways tb 5fo% a,t n,s Srosh ;s t 1S 'w mstmyai ye senus ago;
Of the spread OF the settlements westward
and the restraining Influences of an in
creased population. When the old-time cow
kNxr ~ fnfn tnuvp NTH (, 1rfuA he uwa.
likely to promptly fill himself with whisky
and then to seek diversion by taking the
town and holding 1t until he fell asleep or
was himself taken by a deputy sheriff. This
law officer the cowboy looked on as his nat
ural enemy. and " the two types came to
bicws-or shots a funeral often followed:
was sometimes preceded by another as
semblage when the friends of the dead man
constituted themselves a vigilance commit
the surviving combatant to a telegraph
pole, a bridge trestle or a box car.
The cow puncher. Of 1896 Is different. He is
Just as faithful TO his employer. rides just as
hard and as long. and faces wind and wealth
err. hunger and fatigue. with the same stead
rss, snansa 11sr sn ou. ne his is b hess b plolpr ;ns,ssa ne re
being a strip OF fur. a snake skin or OF silver,
IL a plain leather strap. His saddle Is less
highly ornamented. He does not wear such
expensive snaps. Besides. he is no longer re-
CARDS himself as the most important being in
the country. He remembers that others be-
<llt< tiilrtiA n1Nt ISLE ai0 lit
which must be respected. He no longer takes
towns. and the 'stretchers' no longer sus-
pend him In return.
BY his lack of self-control, and the liberty
ne allowed himself the cow puncher OF old
times gained for himself a bad name, which
stin clings TO the calling. He was a sort Of
land sailor. who got drunk whenever he came
10 town. just as his prototype of the sea got
drunk when he reached port. When drunk
he was hard 10 manage-a tough customer.
The cow puncher OF to-day is a mild-man-
nered man, weli-intentioned and a good citi-
zen. He Is as full of strange oaths and odd
turns OF speech as his predecessor OF twenty
years ago, Is quite as good natured and as
hosnitable. but he is less selfish and more re-
gardful OF others. Civilization has had its
effect on him.
Yet. just as to-day you will sometimes IN
riding the range see an old broad-horned
steer OF the true old-fashioned Texas type,
so sometimes you may come upon a cowboy
OF the old ty3e-one who. being by nature a
ruffian. models his conduct after that OF ohe
cowboys whom me has read OF. and strives TO
live uD 20 the standard which he has set for
himself. Happily such examples are seldom
seen now. and che cow puncher OF our day is
a pleasant. light-hearted fellow. with whom
any one miaht De glad to CAM.