The mirror., 1923-03-29
FRONTIER DAYS
(Oont;nwsd from page y

and cactus. In town, they are never worn.
1t is another habit of fctionists to hang
heavy pistols upon their sharp-shooting
heroes and villains. There were two gun
men, but the average westerner carried but
one gun, and that was for protection
against animals. Guns are too heavy for
comfort, especially the single-action ass Of
the old days.
The westerner is as Eugene Manlore
Rhodes said: "A cowboy is just like other
humans only bow-legged." The West can
compare with the South for the hospitality
of its people, but the stranger does not
find this in Cheyenne during Frontier
Days. He pays well for everything, and
as the city is not large enough to accom-
modate the crowds he is fortunate to have
something to pay for in the way of con-
veniences. The privilege of sleeping on
cot on somebody's front porch costs from
two to five dollars. Meals cannot be had
at less than $3.50 to $500 and these are
by no means elaborate. The sum and sub
stance of it all is that Cheyenne is no place
for the poor man on celebration days.
Cheyenne does not offer a verdant field
for the grifting hustler and very few of
them make it. The same ones handle the
program and other concessions year after
year. There are the usual street hawkers
and concessionaires with their strong
joints, but they cannot be aptly classed as
husters although they are CRITTERS.
In II the streets were blaze of color.
Cowboys and cowgirls, with their rain
bowesque attire gave tone to the general
effect; blanketed Indians wore their ver-
million paint, and trailed beaded war bon
nets. Cavalrymen from Fort D. A. Rus
sell made the picture complete. At noon
the Cowboy band rode down the street
playing popular western air. The crowd
took taxi or service car for Frontier Park
for the events of the day.
There were the usual events trick rid
ing and roping, bull-dogging, relay races
broncho races, in which both cowboys and
cowgirls participated. Lorena Trickey, a
diminutive bit of a girl, rode outlaws as
easily and as nonchalanty as riders of the
sterner sex. Bonnie McCarroll and Bon
ME Gray Mabel Strickland and her bet
ter-half, and Yakima Canutt, former all
around campion cowboy entertained the
crowd. Rocking Chair, Steamboat, Bat
tie Wagon and other outlaws equally
famous did their bit. Of course the clown
and the trick donkey were present.
Program hustlers bawled their sheets in
the grandstand. "Yuh can't tell the con-
testants without program! Get your
programs now" Hot dog and soda pop
vendors increased the raucous din.
Out in the paddock several men were
endeavoring to get saddle on a plung-
ing bronc. Finally it was accomplished,
the punchers cleared away as one of their
number swung into the saddle. For a
the bronc stands stock still when
the blindfold is jerked from his eyes, then
feeling an unaccustomed weight upon his
back he starts.
Across the field he goes, sunfshng and
twisting, jumping into the air and COM
ing down on all fours, then off like shot
across the enclosure to halt suddenly and
If this is unsuccessful he
makes for the fence in an attempt to brush
the offending obstacle from his back. This
is dangerous business for an inexpert rider
and many broken leg is the result of
such trickery. If the rider wins the ap-
probation of the judges he is signaled to