The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-02-15
COWBOYS FINERY EXPENSIVE.
Practically No Limit to What He May
Pay for an Outfit.

When the city man gets his bill
for his new fall suit, his fussy top
coat with the latest style stock collar,
his velvet hat, spats and gloves he is
apt to think with some complacency
that he has done all that money can
do to clothe the outer man. His
tailor is the most expensive he can
find, his fabrics are all imported, and
he contemplates his fancy waistcoat
with the awe that comes with the
realization that the buttons alone cost
81 each.
The same man would be consider
ably surprised if any one told him
that there was an establishment in
the West Bottom that deals exclusive
" with stockmen and cowboys where
a hat costs anywhere from $l2 to
$40 and pair of trousers from Sl5
up to almost any figure. A cowboy
with roll and proper sense OF the
fitness of things can safely match
tailors' bills with the most fastidious
city dresser.
seeeral skilled workmen will
spend weeks making saddle, hand
carving it with artistic designs and
mounting it with as much silver and
other precious metals as the pur-
chaser desires to pay for. And when
q stockman or cowboy wants sad
die he wants it right. 1t not infre-
uuently happens that his saddle costs
more than the horse under it. Reg
ular stock saddles, not made to, order,
cost as high as SIS, and if the pur-
chaser wants to go in for something
fancy they take the lid clear off.
Take spurs, for instance. A good,
everyday, knockabout pair OF spurs
can be had for SIS, but of course 1t
is not contended that they are any,
thing more than rough and ready
article for heavy road work. A sill
YER spur, such as would set on
stamped patent leather boot, with
monogram on, will come higher, OF
course. In making an estimate on a
complete outfit it would be well to
play safe and put spurs down at $40.
Chaps" is something every cow
hoy has to have. Chaps is the
trade name for those wide affairs
that go on like a pair of overalls
which are seen In all faithful portray
ais of life in the wild, horsy West.
Sometimes they are Of leather with
a long fringe, or if the rider wants
to look particularly devilish they are.
of goat skin with the hair unbarber-
ed Chaps" cost anywhere from
SIS to s25. 2 - I
But the two articles that the cow
boy who wants to shine really turns
himself loose on are hats and saddles:
A hat can be made a wondrous thing
when price is not Nscouraging con-
sideration. OF hand stamped leather,
with silver filigree and buckle, 1t can
be made to weigh several pounds and
cost several dollars pound. It seems
that no cowboy would consider him
self dressed up without at least five;
pounds Of hat. AS to what cowboy
thinks Of saddle can be figured out
in this way: When he starts in ito
buy an outfit he buys the saddle first
and gets just what he wants, and
then If he has any money left he.
buys the other things he needs.
There are fifty pounds of leather
in, real cowboy saddle, fifty pounds
of leather wonderfully carved, stamp
ed and befringed. It is as big as
a hammock with a pommel like the.
ornamental sternpost of a ship and
a back like a rocking chair. There
are more rings, straps, thongs and
holsters depending from it than a
layman could count without trying
to learn their various uses. This sad
die is a fve-room fiat full of furni-
ture to the cowboy; he eats, works,
loafs and sleeps in it.-Kansas City
Star.