The age-herald., 1901-04-28
WHEN THINGS
 FLUSH IN h. Ranchmen of the 80s Bought Diamonds of PeddlerS GEMS WERE IN BIG DEMAND Watches ornamented With Branded Steers--stalls Where Jewelry Was On Sale Were Feature of
 Balls of the Period.

The old judge was in a reminiscent mood. That was plain by the manner in which he directed his fire at the big cus- pidor half-way across the hotel lobby.
 ''The papers tell us," he finally began, that the Texas steer, that famous ani- nal with long horns and a brand bigger than gridiron, Is passing away. His companion. the being whose face is griz- zled and whose boots are of rawhide. and whose profanity Is appalling. is also go- ing over the great divide. The first Is being succeeded by grade short-horns, Herefords and others of the swell set in cattledom. while the latter is giving way to the cold-blooded business man. who has reduced cattle raising and feeding to science. and who follows that vocation, not because he knows nothing else. but because he has found 1t to be profitable. Well. sir, with the passing of those TWO the great commonwealth of the southwest loses It's most picturesque feat ures. By those who have spent the great CT portions of their lives Tn this country, by the cowboy. whose only companions for weeks at time have been the long, horned boys and whose only boss the picturesque man in rawhide boots-by all who still possess little sentiment in spite of the commercial spirit of the age this will be noted with feelings of the keenest regret Much has been said against the development of the long-hor and more against the cattlemen, but the former brought many dollar into Texas and kept 1t there and the latter was a most important factor In the development of this state.
 Cattle Boom of the zoe
 And speaking of development, I am re- minded of the great cattle boom we had here back in the sos. Almost anything that wore horns and hair was worth its weight in gold. Texas cattle men had more money then than they had ever possessed before, or, as 1t was subse- quently proved to the satisfaction of all, they would have for many long year to come. I don't know what caused the boom. Thoroughbred cattle didn't do it, for in those days the long-horn was still king. But do know that cattle raising and feeding were. for time, very profta- ble, indeed. There were many men who received in profits more money than they knew what to do with. Literally, and not f1guratively, they had money to burn, for some of them actually showed off' occa- sionally by lighting cigars with ten dol lar bills.
 ''It was about the time this boom struck Texas that cattlemen acquired a passion for diamonds If one man bought stone as big as the nail on his little finger his neighbor must have one that was as big as his thumb nail. s This brought into existence class of peddlers, the like of whom was never known before, and very probably never will be known again. They didn't handle tinware nor sell cement that would even mend a broken heart Their stock in trade was diamonds--yes, sir. and of the finest. Think of it, will you! The idea of a man trotting around over the plains of west Texas with $200. 900 worth of diamonds in his grip and selling them to the owners of ranches just like other peddlers of the present time sell suspenders and shoe strings to the farmers who are too busy to go to town. Yet know it to be fact, because I have seen such peddlers and witnessed the display of their wares made right out upon the open prairies. have often wondered why they were not robbed but there Is not a case on record, so far as l know of where one of these fellows ever suffered loss at the hands of a high wayman.
 Watches Were ornamented.
 After tho diamond craze came the craze for watches of fabulous value. As soon as 1t began the diamond peddlers changed stocks. Hand satches that had heretofore been packed with precious stones now contained watches and watch charms and chains. Ifhave seen a cat tleman pay $500 for a watch that he bought on his ranch from one of these peddlers. The timepiece was generally the 1S-karat gold. with a steer head en- graved on the front lid and prairie scene on the back. It was not unusual for the steers eyes to be of small dia- monds, and maybe there would be a good sized stone in the place where the brand A A~ Nl.~ ~-k 1xa~ ~G H. monds were in the watch charms.
 So long as I live will never forget an incident witnessed in Panhandle town one day. A cattleman pulled from his pocket watch of the kind I have just described.
 How much did you pay for it? asked companion. who owned an adjoining ranch
 ".Five hundred dollars was the re- ply.
 Pulling from his pocket a watch that was Identical in every respect to the oth- CT, the questioner said that he had one just as good which had cost him only s4O0.
 "Umph!' said the man with the $500 watch; I'll bet $100 that can throw mine further down the street than you oan.'
 The money was flashed in a minute, and the watches were hurled through the air. Then these two men actually walked leisurely down the street and picked up what was left of those watches The con- dition of the tickers would have made a blacksmith weep"
 Just because she made those goo-goo eyes," hummed an customer.
 Young man." snarled the judge, Its your ignorance that makes you so incred- ulous. You make me tired. can't blame you much, though. But here's something else that I saw and will make affidavit to: Y s
 Diamonds Sold at Ball. II once attended cattlemen's ball in what is now, big Texas city ,and saw diamonds sold at little stand near the door just the same as they sell red lemon ade and popcorn at a circus. The sales were heavy, too. and if could have had the profit the proprietor of that stand made on his one nights business l don't believe I'd be working now.
 But these things are all of the dead @A