The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-07-23

Consideration--Novel Outdoor Exam.
 ination.
 Fifteen bronzed hardy looking young fellows lined up in front of one of Uncle Sans forestry experts at Sul- phur Springs, Col, the other day, and after a few words of instruction plunged into three days examina- tion in in outdoor lore.
 During the same three days similar examinations were conducted at other points in Colorado, says the Denver Republican, as well as In every other state and territory where the govern ment has forest reserves, not even ex- repting Alaska. For Uncle Sam is eager to recruit his army of forest rangers to it's complete strength. He together the most trustworthy young men he can find to guard the big for est reserves that have been set aside in so many western states.
 No weddings need apply, for it is given out that the most important part of the examination is the field work. The 'readin', 'ritin' and 'rith- metic' count also, as the successful applicant must have fair education; but the man who Is a little short on book learning, and away ahead of the others in throwing the diamond hitch or in following blind trail, is the man who will have the call with the civil service commission when final judgment is rendered.
 With a view to securing the best re- suits in the field examination, the gov ernment sends its best grounded fores- try experts to take charge of the work paces The examinations attract of putting the recruits through their many young men from the mountain and prairie settlements-men who re- gard 1t as nothing short of a lark to be in the saddle forty-eight hours at 8 stretch or to sleep outdoors in a storm, with no other protection than a tarpaulin and blanket roll.
 The examination at Sulphur Springs was typical of its class. It was in charge of G. E. Clement technical as- sistant on the Pike's Peak Forest Re- serve, one of the largest reserves in the country. The fifteen applicants who lined up for work were typical western youths. There was one big, broad shouldered chap from the School of Mines at Golden; but most of them were ranchers' sons and ex-cowboys. Two were guards in the forest service who were taking the examination for promotion. The cowboys were unani- y<6hous in deciding that forest ranging would be far preferable to the work in which they had been engaged.
 If any one thinks it is snap to punch cows he is away off, said one stocky little black mustached chap who had ridden in the saddle from Routt county to take the examination. ''The outfit up in my country are working their men to death It's up fin the mornin' at four and pelt after the steers and grab tin plate and what grub you can spear Then do a couple of hours night herdin and the rest of the time they'll let you sleep, provided there ain't stampede, or if some other puncher ain't off duty and you have to do his guardin' There may be a lot of fierce stunts in this forest ranging, but anyway it ain't goin' to bring gray hairs quicker'n punchin' cows"
 In this view of the matter there was a hearty agreement from a tall capable looking cowboy who had rid den down from the Bear River coun- try, near the Wyoming line, and took to the outdoor part of the eXamina- tion like duck to water.
 The first day of the examination was given to 'schoolhouse work" and it is likely that this caused more gray hairs to sprout than anything suggested by the forestry expert in the succeeding two days. Finally, when the expert said in a kindly voice that the appli. cants might as well throw away their pen and ink or pencils as far as any more work of clerical nature was concerned, there was a general chorus of Bully" and one cowboy, with 2 blot of ink on his nose and a look ot despair in his eyes, rose on his high heeled boots and fervently exclaimed "Thank God!"
 The second day the applicant.