The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-03-07
+ FUN FOR COWBOYS.
,,urs IN WHICH MEN AND PONIES
ENGAGE ON PuNcHERs' DAYS.
n skni That Would Not DO For Or
binary Riders-A Sort Of Tug Of War
WITH a Bssufifui Shock ut the End Of
I.-Joy Unsiicyed.

u,,,, a Besufifui Shock 1t the End Of
It--Joy Unsiicyed'
=, n meeting OF Texas and Oklahoma
-, nunohers last season after the work I
..as done It was proposed to have "cow
nunchers' day."
pu Lets stretch few ropes, +" said one Of
'" The men were lying idly about In camp
han this announcement was made, but
" twipkling they were on their feet sad
s,,no horses, Tightening girths and pre-
caring for action In general. Before an
p"storner could have bridled his horse the
non had divided into two opposing sides.
nuo man from each side had unslung his
sone one end of which was firmly secured
~ The horn of his saddle. The loose ends
- the two ropes were then tied together,
.h,s leaving the two riders Joined to each
other by about 100 feet of rope fastened to
.hoir saddle horns They took their stand
facing the same way and only few feet
cart leaving the rope slack between
Them Suddenly, as II at signal, they
mt spurs to their ponies and dashed of
az full speed. For awhile the rope trailed
IN a double curve but gradually frightened
as the two riders began to turn each to the
outside and away from each other. Final
lv the motion ceased, each horse pulling
AGAINST the other in such way that
neither had the advantage.
The strain on the ropes was tremendous,
but the ropes, constructed to stand the
nnllino of a maddened steer, stood this
test also. The plucky little ponies painted
and tugged and strained their nerves
AGAINST each other. Their riders had all
thew could do to encourage their animals
and TO keep them In such position as to
retain their own seats. Had either pony
turned his back squarely for fair pull
the rider would have been brushed of by
the rope Immediately. 1t was test that
required fine horsemanship, a steady hand
and practiced eye. 1t was well fought
battle and the spectators q eered 1t lusti-
". For some minutes neit.Vc pony seemed
able to pull the other, but gradually the
Texas pony seemed to gain the advantage.
Step by step he backed away, pulling his
opponent with him.
Seeing he was beaten II he relied on
brute force the Oklahoma man determined
TO see what strategy would do. Keeping
the rope always taut he galloped around
the circumference Of circle Of which his
antagonist was the center and the rope
radius First he galloped In one direction
and then in the opposit4p Then he stopped
altogether and slackenSd the rope. His
only hope was to brush his antagonist out
of his saddle with the rope, and as long as
his opponent faced him squarely he could
not do this.
Once more the Oklahoma puncher Stacks
the rope, his opponents pony turns slight
ly, and quick as a flash the rope has
swung around, and the Texan Is lifted
clear of his saddle and thrown violently to
the ground.
Hurt, Bill'" asks one Of his own men
as the defeated puncher remounts and
joins his side.
Nav"
"Well, you oughter be. You oughter
have your neck broke for gettin tricked
halfway.
For over an hour such contests went on,
with fortune favoring sometimes one side
and sometimes the other.
The last thing of the day as well as
the last of all punohers' days was what
might be called a tug Of war contest a
general conflict answering, unintention-
ally enough, to the melee of ancient tour
naments. 1t was held In the evening.
Three ropes were twisted together into
one thick cable, as the occasion required
threefold power of resistance. Some eight
or ten single ropes were fastened to each
side Of the cable, the other ends being at
tached to the saddle horns of the Nders,
the Texan crowd on one side and the
Oklahoma crowd on the other. The battle
began with straight tug, one side against
the other. Ponies and men, every nerve
quivering were pulling as II life and death
depended on the struggle. Some were
heaving against the ropes as they would
In pulling a heavy load in harness. 9th
ers were pulling backward, with the long
rope stretching away In front OF them.
The threefold cable held firm.
Now one side gave way fey feet and
now the other Soon, however, 1t became
evident that the Texans were being out
pulled. Then the scene changed. The
Texans swung round and round to entan-
gle their opponents and brush them from
their saddles. This movement was met
by counter movement. Whichever car
get outside in this contest has the advan
taee hence 1t Is evident long rope Is q
boon. Shorty Wilkus Is doing his best tc
push a big Texan back. He Is doing
nobly, but now two Texans get together
and swing around at full speed squarely
against him. He and his horse go dowr
together He gets on his feet again amid
the hurry burly of horses and men anc
lodges outside unframed to safety. His
riderless horse regains its feet and rushe'
on In the melee adding to the confusion
and entanglements. Now all system van
ishes; ropes sweep men from the saddle
horses become entangled and go down
yells, cheers, shouting, swearing shoot
ing, are fearful. Finally 1t Is discovered
That two Texans still retain their places
while all the Oklahoma saddles are empty
This settles 1t. The Texans have won.
Bloody noses, black eyes, bruised face
and tattered garments were visible every
where after the fun, and the ponies wer'
as badly used up as the men. Yet nom
was killed, and no one was seriously hurt
Inc best of good feeling and fellowship
prevailed. The men sat around the biz
campfire, over which a newly killed Gov
was roasting on hugo spit, and laughed
ana Joked over the incidents of the day
dneir JOY was unalloyed.
tIex.) Cor. New York Sun.