, 1904-01-06
THE GIRL COWBOY.

really, you know, when Miss Lucille
Mulhall, a mere slip of a girl eighteen
years old, wins the first prize of $1,000
over the most skilled cowboys in the
southwest in Il champion steer roping
contest at South McAlester, l. T. Wo-
men could have done the like all along.
1t is of interest to know that the girl
who won the prize. Miss Mulhall, af-
~fectionately called "Bossie' by her init
mates, is Il refined, well educated, ac-
complished young lady, who knows
Latin and mathematics and can play
the piano eXquisitely as we'll as dance
like a fairy. Besides this she is an eX-
pert rifle shot and is said to have killed
a prairie wolf at very long range. 1t is
plain that cowboy accomplishments do
not interfere with social and educa-
tional ones; on the contrary.
Miss Mulhall's father, lack Mulhall,
owns and lives on a large ranch in
Oklahoma, and there his two daugh-
tiers, Lucille, or "Bossie," and Agnes, re-
eeived the cowboy part of their educa-
ton. 1t is pleasant to know their ia
Their encouraged their requirement of
practical ranch knowledge and skill,
considering that no gymnastic training
for his girls could be better than cow
boy athletics. Therefore they learned
to &allop like mad after a herd, to "cut
OUT and rope a wild steer and to throw
and tie it as well.
At the agricultural fairs in the ranch
region the cattle roping contests are a
regular part of the entertainments. In
the southwestern territories there is an
nually a great cowboy tournament,
where the cattlemen show their cour-
age, strength and skill in competitive
exhibitions. A great number of the
spriest, widest steers the country af-
fords are driven to the grounds and
put inside the Enclosure ready for the
sport. The yearly contest draws cow
boys and spectators not only from In
dian and Oklahoma territories, but
from Texas and from states to the
north and west. 1t was in this tourna-
ment that Miss Mulhall won her laurels
over the bravest, most skillful lariat
throwers in the land.
The steers are selected by lot, so that
the girl "Bossie' had no advantage at
all over her masculine competitors. The
conditions were that each contestant
should rope, throw and tie three steers,
II after the other, and the person who
did this in the quickest time should be
the winner. The most difficult part
comes perhaps after the animal is
"roped." The long, coiled, snakelike
lariat has to be hurled at the steer in
full gallop. 1t must either catch him
square owe the horns or else be neatly
thrown around one of his flying heels.
In either case, with the help of the
trained COW pony, the creature is
thrown and tangled in the rope. Then,
quick as lightning, the rider must dis
mount, run to the struggling steer and
tie him fast, so he cannot rise and run
away.
All this Miss Mulhall accomplished
three times and did it more quickly
than any of the men contestants. 1t
was a fair and square victory. One
steer she roped, threw and tied in forty
seconds, and that was her quickest
time. 1t is not, however, quite equal
to the champion record, which is a few
seconds under hers.
At the contest Miss Mulhall rode
astride on her favorite COW pony.
which had been trained for the sport.
She has always ridden astride, for no
s~idesaddle would be safe in the rough
riding which COW people must do. 1t
may be mentioned that quite recently
some of the most popular young ladies'
of New fork's exclusive set have given
up the sidesaddle and appeared brave
ly riding astride.
MARY EDITH DAY.