Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-06-26
THE REAL COWBOY.
No Longer an Animated Battery, but
Bronco Buster Still

1t is quite true that the cowboy of to
day is not a college man, nor one at all
familiar with the manners and customs
of polite society. Neither does he 20
about his daily task with a brace Of six
shooters slung at his hips and repeat
ing rifle held in the crook OF his arm
Barhed wire fences, steam railroads,
police courts and penitentiaries have rem
dered such appurtenances supertluoHs.
And Immediately after pay day he does
not swoop down upon the nearest town,
shoot out the light and take part in a
gun fight or two
For the $50 or $40 month which he
receives a strict attention to the duties
of his job is expected, and in these days
OF strenuous competition job is pre-
cartons thing. The life of the modern
cowboy is as full Of hard aud monot-
onous work as that of AN eastern farm
hand, and there Is very little difference
in the intellectual and social standing of
the two.
Though thousands of cattle are gra2ed
on the plains of the southwest, very Jew
are shipped direct from the range to the
market The places of individual cattle
kings have been taken by great stock
companies which own numerous tracts
of range land in various parts Of the
west.
i few years ago dry season In south
ern Arizona meant the death of many
cattle and very frequently the financial
ruin of their owners. The oldtimers still
tell stories of having walked for inered
able distances on the carcasses of dead
steers.
But all that is past: they do things
differently now, Let dry year come
upon the southwestern ranges and the
cattle are hustled ON board train and
transported TO the cattle companies
ranges IN Colorado or Montana or Dako-
MI Ia.A Is avsI fbF.
feed abundant,
No long drives of hundreds of miles
in search of new range. as in the old
days. Simply day or two of rounding
up. then few hours drive to the near
est shipping point on the railroad. Then
perhaps "A day in town for the cowboys
aud back again to the bone ranch and
the regular grind.
Though the cowboy is not college
graduate be il by no means an ignora
mus, Usually he is American born aud
fairly well read, taking the same active
interest in current topics and politics
that other American citizens do. As a
general rule he has been reared in the
section in which he is employed and is of
youthful appearance. lie differs very lit
tie from the average American working
youth, western dialect stories TO the con
trary Notwithstanding
In all cowboy bunkhouses there IL "a
pLle " thtANht' hiashhltSs tHe Cuhtthts
of which are devoured with avidity. And
one is not infrequently treated TO the
amusing spectacle of a youthful cowboy
becoming so enamored of the kind of
punchers pictured In modern fiction that
he purchases pair Of utterly useless
siX-shooters, commences to walk with a
swagger and TO initiate the dialect of
Red Saunders.
But If craftsmanship is no longer II
qualification Of the cowpnnehef horse
nanship III The modern catfleman II
ms proud Of his ability to ride anything
on four legs as was ever the bronco
buster of bygone days. and this Is the
first fact impressed upon a tenderfoot.--
Out West