Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-09-16
ATONQ III CATTLN IMAM.

AANINM mn OAA 49,
Most Americans have ideas Of cow
boys, but most Of them, also, have
formed their ideas from wild West
shows and theatrIeals Of the "Vir-
ginianD stamp, where the cowboy y
decorated for the occasion. OF the
real article, and their daily tasks, less
IL known, and, since the range Is pass
ing, those ideas are apt to remain
with most. Back in the '7O's ana
early SOS, when the range was wide'
and railroads fewer than today, cat
lie and horses used to be driven
through from Texas to Abilene ana
Dodge City. Kansas knew real cow
boys then, and some Of them we're
Wild and picturesque enough 70 SUIT
even q theatre-goer. But they had
work to do of more Importance than
the waving of guns. The day Of the
long trail has departed forever, but
the system Of transportation at that
time may interest those who see cat
tie chiefly in palace stock cars. the
conducting safely and profitably was
work which called for the best men
Of the plains as managers and fore-
men, and skill was a requisite even Of
the riders. The trail was long, the
work hard, and no man not sea-
soned to the saddle and the trail
could stand 1t. The old cattle trail
was always laid in as near a straight
line as the prime necessities OF grass
and water would permit. It crossed
dry plains, difficult canyons and
treacherous streams, which had no
bridges. With every outfit was the
grub wagon, a heavy affair drawn by
four horses or mules The wagon
was loaded with bacon and beans,
flour and canned goods, and on top
of 1t was piled the beds Of the riders,
manager, foreman and cook. And
the cook and his wagon were more
important to the cattle trail than
guns or leather breeches. Like an
army, the cowpuncher travels on his
stomach, and no excuse Of sandstorm,
savages or blizzard was ever RE-
garded as a reasonable one for the
failure of the grub wagon to arrive.
All day the herd must be kept to-
gether. Until camp was made. some
time in the afternoon, all the riders
were on duty, and then the force
was divided into shifts for the herd
ing until the start the following
morning. Storms make cattle rest
less, and II bad weather threatened
the whole force was put on the night
line. Stampedes occurred sometimes
Ii spite Of all precautions, and these
meant always long and hard riding,
danger, and frequently loss. Not all
cowboys are musical, but singing was
part Of their work on the night herd,
Singing has a quieting influence on
cattle, and it was for this reason,
more than entertainment, that the
cowboys sang. They sang different
songs, Of course, but usually some
thing meant to be slow and soothing,
Frank Campeau, as Trampas, in the
i'Virginian," gives a really excellent
imitation of a range song, even II he
Il more bellicose than the average
cowboy in other particulars.
On the trail, as on the roundup,
each rider had string" Of five or
six horses, so that he might always
have a fresh one. The horses were
always supposed to be trained cattle
horses, and were in the charge OF one
rider, detailed permanently for that
duty, and technically designated as
the ''horse wrangler,"
For herds, fifteen miles day was
good time on the trail, even with
weather conditions favorable, and Of
course, there we're days when the
weather forbade travel AS is now
the case, except that they go by rail,
herds we're frequently taken past the
market at Dodge City, and north into
Nebraska and the Dakotas. That made
long journey by such slow route;
lonesome journey on which few
enough people we're encountered. And
likely that is one reason why the COW
boys sometimes carried their celebra-
tons too far; they we're far enough
between, and his life wasn't one glad
10Y ride, by any means.
But Just as the cowboy has passed
entirely from Kansas, he Is passing
from the farther Western states. And
where he is found, his condition and
work are changed q great deal. The
small farmer is crowdlng the ranch
man, and the big ranges are more d.
vlded. Even the large ranches now
make use Of fences to great extent