The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-04-01
TEXANS WERE
QUITE FLUSH.

The old Judge was in a reminiscent
mood. That was plain by the manner in
which he directed his lire at the big Gus
pidor halfway across the hotel lobby,
says the Dallas. Tex. News
The papers tells as. he finally began,
that the Texas steer that famous ami
NAL with long horns and brand bigger
thsn a gridiron, Is passing away His
companion. the being whose face is griz-
zied and whose boots are OF rawhide. and
whose profanity Is appalling, Is also going
over the great divide.
The first Is being succeeded by grade
shorthorns, Herefords. and others of the
swell set Ia cattedom. while the latter As
giving way 10 the cold-blooded business
man. who has reduced cattle raising and
feeding To n science. and who follows that
vocation, not because he knows nothing
else, but because he has found # to be
profitable
Well, sir, with thepassing of these two
the great commonwealth of the south
west losses it's most picturesque features
'Ily those who have spent the greater
portions of their lives in this country. by
the cowboy whose only companions for
weeks az time have been long-horned
boys, and whose only boss the pictur-
osque man I'm rawhide boots-by ali who
still possess Il little sentiment, in spite OF
the commercial spirit of the age. this will
be noted with feelings OF the keenest re-
gret
Much has been said against the develop
ment of the long-horn and more against
the cattlemcn. but the former brought
many a dollar INTO Texas, and kept IL
here, and the latter was most important
factor In the development of this state.
CATTLE BOOM OF THE sos.
And speaking of the development. I
am reminded OF a great cattle boom
we had here back in the SOS. Almost
anything that wore horns was worth its
weight In gold Texas cattle men had
more money than they ever possessed be-
fore or, al IL WAS subsequently, proved 20
the satisfaction of all they would have
Tor mSsaE AMY oax i2Ts yyssp sa, to saG GGmG ,a ,oo
Thoroughbred cattle didn't do it. for in
those DAYS the long horn was Stil king
But I do know that cattle raising snd
feeding were for a time, very profitable.
indeed
There were many men who rec,r,ed IN
profits more money than they knew what
60 DO with Literally and not iigurativc-
lya they had money 90 burn. for some OF
them actually showed Of occasionally
by lighting cigars with SO bills
'lt was about the tirrc this boom
struck Texas that cattlcmeu acquitted a
passion for diamonds. " one man bought
Stone as big as the nail on his little
finger. his neighbor must have one that
was ns big a. his thumbnail.
This brought into existence class OF
peddlers the like OF whom was never
known before aud probably never will he
known again They didn't handle tim
ware nor sci cement that would even
mend broken heart
Their stock in trade was diamonds
yes sir. aud OF the finest. too. Think OF
IL. VIII NuU' Tho idea of "A man trotting
over the plains Of West Texas With S2n,-
go worth 0f diamonds IN his grip and sell
ing them to owners of ranches Just like
other peddlcrs Of the present time sell
suspendrrs and shoostriugs Ia the farm
ers who are too busy 10 20 to town.
Yet I know 10 20 be- q fact, because 7
hnXe- such peddlers aud Witnessed
the display of their wares made right
ont upon The opeu prtiTics. ] have often
wondered NhN they were not robbed btt
there Be- uOt case 0u record. so FAR a4
] know Of ~hsrs one 0f these FELLOWS ever
suffered loss AZ the hsnos II nighWsy-
men
WATCHES WERE oRNAMENTED
After the diamond craze came the
crazs fur watches of fabulous value a
SOON as it hrg3u the diamond psdalers
ch9ngcd etocks Hand satcheis thai had
heretofore hceu Ischct with prccicus