Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-05-11
COWBOYS VOCATION GONE
Everythiag Now "Fenced in"-Dafing
Work II Old Days-Wolves aad
CntN1a.

long 4 handful of men will he all that
are left to tell the story Of the most
picturesque occupation that wonderful
America ever developed. Hundreds of
them are emigrsting from tho West and
finding their way into other fields OF
work They all lament the passing of
the old days, and would give a great
deal to get back to the freedom OF the
plains II the onward march Of progress
did not make II impossible. Their chance
Is past. and never again will they see
saddle service unless they emisrate to
South America or Cape Colony. Even
then they would only again witness the
destruction of their vocation"
Burt Mckee. Of Oklahoma, born and
bred In A saddle. cattle ranger and cow
boy, scout and Indian fighter spoke. He
| was one of the many driven from tho
plains by changing conditions He went
to New York three or four years ago and
has been successful. but he itches TO feel
the broncho under him again.
| I'D like mighty we'll TO feel a real cow
pony under me again Tho settlers have
spread so thick over the plain that they
| busted the game. Tho land is so cut
UP there are mighty few stretches where
the cattle can run wild. Everything is
fenced in. and all the boys have 70 do
now is to ride the line morning and even
ing to see that the wires are all in place.
"Only in the sem-annual roundups for
branding is there chance to rope a
steer, except for the four summer ship
ments. when they are corrallcd TO pick
the Fat ones for the market. linen a
"l.N. WI Wv COUNTY " VIC NC"
lho far &c al, tho action von,i, got Tor
your r,ono,,
can tho n,sturo ,,ra !. ,ory on, I'm
and IL forces tho cntt,emcn m raise his
nun food ~ too, tho horde in yvintor "
Tho o,d d,ys tho c,,,Io cou,d a;wavs 6nd
canvops and footbilIe whore tho prass
rrew en- long tb,, - u.s e.silv found nm
lder the spou. rborc w.s m necossitv IN
nrovide food Nature did n all Now vou
have to raise grain tn save tho rough for
winter In OLi.bom. With tho now, rot.
ton industry and the finding Of oil there
will he less chance than ever.
"When WAS a kid out there SCARCELY
big enough Ia sit IN tho saddle. there
wore miles and miles of land over which
tho cattle rrazed They we're 40 wild ne
could be. and a man took his life in his
hands many MANY Times whom he went
out IN round then, I'm And in drivin,
tbcm no was conna,,cd "a drive ooo mr.
aoO m;,oa IN cot thor, IN r,arte+ oyer tho
| rouchest kind of +errito-v rensn,her
m ono occasion whom NO wero taxing
srno bead "a chin thon, "a Kansas cue
mr. Cb;c,ro wc h,,, IN crosse a stream
where tho current u,s rurniry n ,e,u-
lar mi,l,nce
n.,,~c ,.o,, -. r.ve
i' '''D
me oa"ks were SO steep IL was I'M
stretch OF aoout ioo s"rds. Ihcre was
soud mass OF cattie swimming from one
oahk 10 the o'her Inc leaders were
across pelore 'he ta"-ehoers starteo' ana
between the banks you couid nave walk
ed across on thelr backs we lost loo
head' drowned ana would nave lost many
more had IL not peeh Tor some mighty
quick ana daring work on the part OF the
icowpoSs.
YOU Know when nero starts TO SWIM
stream they all follow certain leaders.
III one OF these leaders get bewildered
p| anything theE Will SWIM AROUND IN Il
circle. Inc o'hers VIII foiiow untii
score or more are locked 50 tlght you
oou'oht get leg between tnchi. ihere
'neN "ou'o s"'ri' II you wouih lei tnch'
untii every one OF tnem drowned from ex-
haustion' inc COWBOY mas 10 ride out
an" mount the backs OF the OUTSIDERS
lhoh ne Hsh's MS way across 10 the
ieauerS' shopping over he throws water
III 'heh eyes "h'ii ne abstracts them ana
denects thclr course uhtiI theN are gong
stra'eh'. lhere Is no chahco TO set PACK
OH HIS "oIse' anu '', mas 10 rue ''e steer
ashore ihere ne mas 1t pret'! tickisn
Jon ois'houh'nS ana SettihS ms pony
again.
man aioot IN minute ana II taxes
livery moving 10 AVOID helng gored or
trampled unoer foot ny them' IN fact
there Is always danger htoot I" look out
lor. but co" prute Will never ATTACK
Ia Morse unless us haoly WOUNDED or
completely worn OUT ana uhapie 10 run
Ihen IL IL heht any'hing. III 'heres
chance 10 rum IL Will no't' thouGn.
Iheh t"erc ~ u"nser OF peIhs thro"h
IN the wafer from the PACK or the Steer
" man goes on ahead OF herd us all
day with nm a steer VIII nit nm win
ts rore rect II there is a chahce' an" try
TO put MN under In iact. a horsb Will
is Even cow pony Will try To climb
into boat IN stream, ana mes pretty
J sure to swamp IL II ne gets near.
Most OF the cattic iost III crossihS'
however are lost by being trampled I'M
ger an" oro""eo ny '"e'r 'e''""s' me
,,oso hnhira no oI;,,,ho,, ~, ~, tho ,o,.
,o,.a. o,a ar,,..r ,nd.r oroo ,our