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Show HE cow puncher, like the poor, is always al-ways with us. if not in the flesh, then at least in some of the moving picture shows to be found In every street. counting of them (with suitable embellishments, em-bellishments, probably) to their grandchildren grand-children If they are lucky enough to have any. There are no two callings In the world today surrounded by so much romance, and about which so much has been written as those of plainsmen plains-men and sailors, and yet withal, the general public has a very hazy and sometimes absurd conception regarding regard-ing the life and members of both professions. pro-fessions. Perhaps that the fact that the real work of both callings is done far away from the public ken, thus allowing plenty of latitude for a vivid Imagination, is responsible for many of the false impressions concerning them. In the first, place, the average puncher might work on the ranges three or four years and at the end of that period be able to count all the "girls" he had ever seen on the fingers of one hand; and a visit to the "home" ranches would probably reveal re-veal as many Chinese as ladles, and It is hard to imagine anything romantic ro-mantic connected with a Chinese. The "bosses" see to it that while the puncher is on the payroll be has mighty little time for anything outside of hard work. Again, In these days tew punchers pack a gun. Years ago. when cattle rustling was rampant. It. was advisable that the stockmen should be provided with guns, as the rustlers themselves went armed; but the real use of the gun dates back to the time when fences and lineriders were practically unknown. Thus, during some big stampede, when thousands of dollars' worth of beef was running headlong to destruction and all ordinary means had failed to check It, as a last resource re-source the foremost rider would shoot down some of the leaders, thus checking check-ing the ruBh and enabling the riders to "circle" the bunch; that process by which alone big herds can be kept under control, when they show a tendency ten-dency to be restless. It consists In making the fringe of the herd move in a. circle around the rest of the bunch; thus the cattle themselves are made to head off their fellows, until finally the entire herd is one huge revolving mass of flesh. But at the present time fences and restricted ranges have almost rendered these big stampedes things of the past and the type of men who coped with them and with hostile Indians has disappeared. dis-appeared. While the modern cowboy Is called upon in a roundup to do much strenuous stren-uous work, during which the safety trom accident Is measured almost entirely en-tirely by the sure footedness of his pony and his skill as a rider, mischance mis-chance is the sum total of risk to life be has to run. , Some persons having in mind the "frontier celebration" held at Cheyenne, Chey-enne, Wyo., will be inclined to doubt this statement, but it must be remembered remem-bered that these gatherings, which ire held annually in all big cow centers, cen-ters, are simply entertainments for the public's benefit and to demonstrate the skill attained by certain Individuals Individu-als picked out of thousands. Their reckless disregard for limb or life is not general among the punchers. What i man may do in the ordinary course Df his work and what he is willing to Jo for the love of applause or for money, may be two widely different things. Some of the most skillful and Intrepid In-trepid broncho busters (o be seen In exhibitions never go near a cow camp trom one year's end to another. Sev-?ral Sev-?ral of these "high priced attractions" ire engaged in the sheep shearing iusiness; another drives his own team ind "rig" in connection with the trans-,'er trans-,'er business. So these exhibitions must not be taken as a criterion of the character and work of the $75 a month puncher or the all the year round stock hand. The fact is there is cannot get I 3- 4 Is exploits. . -cSs rf "lfy ture shows - -gggj SSVpZ i complete -TJ0'M. ay3 Ff.w m at least i PUhCGuri'5 PAOS A ires month " ' ave a very (AM ' erroneous -4. ' f JJ I AULICr0 t and his . inevitable . A exploits -0 lose no time In branding them with ted In real "s&gia- their own outfit's brand, using a "run-any "run-any "long S05300g0S ning Iron" which they carry for the k part in 1 I purpose. In the re- Y,c"Jcn7fif''""r " r The herd beinS D0W b"ched up, Go where you will in the ' English speaking world, you cannot get away from the puncher and his exploits. If you don't patronize the picture shows themselves, you cannot fall to notice the man in the "chaps" printed in the gayest of colors on the posters outside in fact, no picture show seems complete unless it includes In its program at least one cowboy picture. The pictures usually represent the puncher as a happy, well meaning individual, indi-vidual, with a miniature arsenal to sustain sus-tain the effect, who has little to occupy his time except meddling with other people's business, administering Justice with the aid of a tree and a length of rope and being in -at the finish of any love affairs which may culminate In his neighborhood. According to the moving picture authorities these latter episodes seem to crop up like mushrooms on a moor in the cow country. All this is very nice and romantic, but. unfortunately, unfortunate-ly, If the truth is to be told, it can not be stamped with the hallmark of veracity. After viewing these pictures month after month the public must have a very exalted though none the less erroneous Idea of the average cowboy and his work. If we leave out the Inevitable "girl" some of these pictured exploits might well have been duplicated In real life in the "early" days, but any "long haired" plainsmen who took part in them have now to be content in the Te as much difference between the modern mod-ern stockhand and the old timer as there Is between a deckhand on a river boat and a deep sea sailor. The old time cowpuncher considered teaming in any form beneath his dignity, and would have viewed any request to handle the lines much as a present day plumber would regard the suggestion of having a shovel added to his tool bag. For tlJs reason in bygone days the roundup cook had to be an expert teamster; but, as is to be expected, where such an unusual combination of talents Is required, that member of outfit's long suit was seldom within the culinary depart ment. While the old cowboy's lot was cast In more strenuous days than now, still he was more independent and enjoyed better opportunities of acquiring acquir-ing his own herd, whereas the present day puncher can hardly expect to attain at-tain anything beyond the status of a foreman. Practically all the cattle ranches of any . consequence are now owned or controlled by companies, or perhaps trusts would be a better name. During the last ten years wages have decreased for range work, and with the decline in wages I he work has become more general. Nowadays the cattle owners hire their regular help by the season or the year, and outside their work during the roundup their "job" and surroundings are much the same as those of the farmer's farm-er's hired man. The states of Montana and Wyoming pay the highest wages for range work, riders receiving $75 a month and board. On the other side of the line wages are about 20 per cent, lower for the same work. These wages only obtain during the roundup, which time corresponds In the conduct con-duct of a cattle ranch to the harvest season of the grain farmer, and many of the punchers work for $40 a month and less for the rest of the year. There are . two big roundups during the year, the spring roundup and fall, or beef, roundup. The spring roundup, which takes place In May or June, is perhaps the busiest time of the year. A foreman is chosen from each district. dis-trict. Usually he Is the son or relative rela-tive of the manager or owner of the ranch he Is attached to. Each foreman fore-man or captain brings a number of cowboys with him, the number varying vary-ing according to the cattle his employer em-ployer is estimated to have running range. The work is apportioned and the helpers are under semi-military organization. Each puncher is provided pro-vided with from five to eight ponies, and the whole district, sometimes covering cov-ering hundreds of square miles, is laid out In daily rides. As a rule four to five weeks are required to cover the country. The riders travel In pairs, as a rule, and much patience, coupled with keen observation, is necessary If their work is to be thorough; watercourses must be followed, and the country carefully searched for stragglers, some of which occasionally turn up only after a year or two. Daybreak finds a roundup camp astir, and the saddle horses having been corralled by the night wrangler, whose duty it is lo herd the work ponies during the night, by 6 so'clock the riders have caught and saddled their respective mounts and are away "chasing beef." In the first stnges of the roundup they will probably not be back for 15 or 1G hours. The puncher must stand alike severe heat and drenching rains when after cattle, and this with no prospect of relief until the work of the roundup is completed. When all the cattle apparently appar-ently have been rounded up to a common com-mon center an enumeration is made, beef stock selected and calves branded. brand-ed. It might be mentioned here that if during these expeditions the riders come across any unbranded yearlings, and there is nothing to suggest what outfit they originally belonged to, they lose no time In branding them with their own outfit's brand, using a "running "run-ning Iron" which they carry for the purpose. The herd being now bunched up, fires are lighted and the "hempen rifles" are uncoiled. Calves are roped and dragged to the Branding fires, where a couple of men on foot grab and hold the calf, clearing the lariat so that the rider may be free to fetch another one. They then apply the heated irons for two or three seconds. The branding completed, they administer admin-ister a gentle kick to the bewildered calf to remind him he is free, and they are ready for the next. This goes on until all the calves and yearlings yearl-ings have been branded. The climatic and physical conditions of the country seem to have quite an effect on the cattle running wild. Their breeding propensities vary ac cording to the country. Each member of a herd seems to. know Its place, and prefers its own to any other herd, but like all other rules this one is proved by exceptions, and sometimes in a large herd calves will get mixed up and separated Irom their mothers, and in such cases disputes will arise as to the ownership of the calves. If not satisfactorily settled otherwise, the calf In dispute is taken to the fire and the branding Irons applied ap-plied with not sufficient pressure, however, how-ever, to make a permanent mark, but sufficiently to burn the calf and make It cry out. In a moment there is an answering bellow from one of the herds, followed by a stir among the cattle, who seem almost to make a gangway for the concerned mother as she rushes to answer the call of her calf. A rope is shot around her hind legs as she leaves the fringe of the herd, allowing her no chance to make any serious objections, her brand is observed and the calf branded accordingly. accord-ingly. Justice is served. The cow and calf are 'turned loose again, and it Ib a fine sight to watch thera "beat It" together for the herd. The branding done and stock taking finished, the beef ready for shipping is driven to the home range to await actual shipment, and the remainder of the cattle are once more free to wander wan-der the hills and plains until the fall, when the big drive will take place. The rounding up of cattle Is sometimes some-times difficult, as they, unlike horses, frequently take a notion to spilt up in bunches and head off in all directions, making much work for the riders. Cattle are not roped as are horses. The latter are thrown by their forelegs, fore-legs, the cattle roped by their hind-legs. hind-legs. The reason for these different methods will be readily understood when one remembers that, while a horse rises from the ground with his forelegs, the cattle are able to rise only witl) their hind legs. In the case of the horses also, they are less liable to be Injured or to injure themselves when thrown In this way. The cow pony enjoys the chase, the puncher's "Haloo-oo!" being to him what the hunter's horn is to the hound. He understands every movement move-ment of his rider, who, wether at work or play, seldom toucher a bridle rein. Should be wish to gallop he lifts his elbows and he Is borne away; if he wishes to go to the right or to the left he leans slightly in either direction, and a gentle touch on the pony's neck is sufficient to pull him up. When the rider is about lo make a throw the pony slows up. and when he sees the rope uncoil ahead of him he advance again and finally stops dead as the loop settles about steer, jorks back his head, stiffens his neck and prepares for the shock, siding tile rider in throwing his victim, vic-tim, and ail this of his own accord and without having received any spoken command from his rider. The kind of cow puncher we read about, who was as indelibly marked with the physical characteristics of his calling as were the cattle he herded herd-ed with the brand of their owners, has given way to the less hardy and picturesque cowboy or stockhand of today, who may be beating a train tomorrow to-morrow or driving team in the city. |