HE workings of the law of evolution are plainly discernible in the development of the "cowboy," a certain prominent and now well-defined character of the far West—one that was made necessary by, and has grown out of, the vast cattle interests which have, in the past two or three decades, spread over that mystic region. His counterpart is scarcely to be found anywhere else in the civilized world, for the very good reason that such a species of manhood is not required anywhere else. True, cattle-raising is carried on extensively in many States of our Union and in various other countries, but nowhere under the same conditions and on the same plan as in the West; hence, though herders, drovers, and the like are employed elsewhere, there is no locality in which a class of men endowed with such characteristics and requiring such peculiar tastes and faculties are to be found as are combined in the cowboy of our Western plains. The life he leads and the services he is required to perform call into the business young men possessing tastes and traits different from those of average human nature, and such as are not found in men following any other vocation, as a class. It is an occupation that entails, generally speaking, a life of isolation from society, and in many cases from civilization. It is one in which home comforts must be dispensed with; it is one requiring its devotees to live on plain food, in log huts, and to sleep in blankets at best; it is one in which there is often intense hardship and suffering, and which exposes its disciples to dangers of various kinds.
When all these facts and peculiarities of the calling are considered we must readily perceive that men of ordinary tastes and inclinations would not seek to engage in it. Cowboys are not "native and to the manor born." They do not follow in the footsteps of their fathers as do young men on Eastern farms. The business is yet too young in our Western Territories to have brought about this state of affairs, though it will come to exist in future. But at present cowboys are all exotics, transplanted from Eastern soil. Let us consider, then, what manner of boy or young man would adopt such a calling. Certainly not he who considers a well-spread table, a cozy, cheerful room, a good soft bed, and neat, tasty clothing essential to his health and happiness; nor he who is unwilling to sever his connection with the social circle or the family group; nor he who must have his daily paper, his comfortable office chair and desk; his telegraph and other commercial facilities and comforts; nor yet he who, when he travels, must needs ride in a comfortable carriage on the highway, or a Pullman coach on the railway. But the young man who is willing to engage in the occupation of "rustling cattle" on the plains, who is willing to assume the title of "cowboy," must be he who, although he may love all these luxuries, and may perhaps have been accustomed to enjoy them, has in his nature enough of romance, enough love for outdoor life, enough love of sport, excitement, and adventure, enough enthusiasm for the wild freedom of the frontier, to be willing to deny himself all these luxuries and to allow such pleasures as the ranch and range can afford, to compensate for them.
The love of money can not enter largely into the consideration of the question, for while the work is often of the hardest kind a man can endure and the hours of labor only limited by the men's power of endurance, the wages usually paid are low. From $25 to $35 a month is the average rate of wages for all good men on the range except the foreman, who commands from $60 to $75 a month, according to his ability, the number of men he is to have charge of, and the responsibility of his position generally. Ambition to succeed to this dignity, or a desire to learn the cattle-growing business with a view of engaging in it on their own account, may induce some boys to engage as herders, but the young man who deliberately chooses this occupation is usually one with a superabundance of vim, energy, and enthusiasm; one who chafes under the restraints of society, who is bored and annoyed by the quiet humdrum life of the Eastern village, city, or farm house; one who longs to go where he can breathe fresh air, exercise his arms, legs, and lungs, if need be, without disturbing the peace; one who, in short, requires more room to live in than his birthplace affords.
Many a cowboy of to-day was, in his childhood or youth, the street gamin, the newsboy, the "hard nut" at school; the dare-devil of the rural districts; the hero of daring exploits; the boy who did not fear to climb to the top of the highest tree to punch a squirrel out of his hole; who led the raid on an orchard or watermelon patch on a dark night; who at college was at the head of all wild, reckless frolics, and was also well up in his classes; who led the village marshal or the city policeman many a wild-goose chase and caused them many a sleepless night by his innocent though mischievous pranks. He is the boy who was always ready for a lark of any kind that could produce excitement, fun, or adventure without bringing serious harm to anyone. He was not the vicious, thieving, lying, sneaking boy, but the irrepressible, uncontrollable, wild, harum-scarum chap who led the gang; the champion of the weak; the boy who would fight "at the drop of the hat" in defense of a friend of his own sex or of even a stranger of the opposite sex. These are the boys of ten, twenty, or thirty years ago whom to-day you may find riding wild cayuses on the cattle ranges of the boundless plains.
As a class, they have been shamefully maligned. That there are bad, vicious characters amongst them can not be denied, but that many of the murders, thefts, arsons, and other depredations which are committed in the frontier towns and charged to cowboys, are really committed by Indians, bummers, superannuated buffalo hunters, and other hangers on, who never do an honest day's work of any kind, but who eke out a miserable, half-starved existence by gambling, stealing, poisoning wolves, etc., is a fact well known to every close student of frontier life. And yet, crimes and misdemeanors are occasionally committed by men who are, for the time being at least, regularly employed in riding the range. Fugitives from justice, thieves, cut-throats, and hoodlums of all classes from the large cities have drifted West, and have sought employment on the ranges because nothing better or more congenial offered; but such are seldom employed, and if employed at all, are generally discharged as soon as their true character is learned and their places can be filled by worthier men.
THE "WOOLLY COWBOY.
Neither do I wish to defend the "fresh" young man from the East who goes West to "paralyze" the natives, who gets a job on the ranch, makes a break for "loud togs," arms, and knives, large nickel-plated spurs, raises a crop of long hair and "catches on" to all the bad language of the country, fills up on bad whisky at every opportunity and then asserts that "he's a wolf, it's his night to howl."
Nor do I wish to defend the swarthy, loud-oathed, heavily-armed "greaser" of Mexico and the Texan ranges, who accounts himself a "cowboy" par excellence, but who much prefers the filthy atmosphere of the gambling den, or the variety dive of frontier towns, to the pure air of the prairies. These are the exceptions, and fortunately are in a "distinguished minority," and it is but just that all such swaggering humbugs should be loaded with the obloquy they deserve, and should be appropriately branded, even as their master's beasts are branded, that all the world might know them, wherever found, for the infamous humbugs that they are. My purpose here is to champion the frank, honest, energetic, industrious young fellows who engage in this calling from pure motives, most of whom have fair educations, and some of whom are graduates of Eastern colleges—who are brimful of pure horse-sense, and who are ambitious to earn an honest living, and to make themselves useful to their employers in every possible way, aside from their ability to snare a bullock. Many of these are Nature's noblemen, and their good qualities shine through their rough garb, as the sunlight of heaven shines through a rift in a dark cloud. Their hearts, though encased in blue flannel or water-proof canvas, are as light as the air they breathe; their minds as pure and clear as the mountain brooks from which they love to drink; their whole natures as generous and liberal as the boundless meadows upon which their herds graze, and their hospitality only limited by the supply of food and other comforts they have with which to entertain a visitor. Strangers are always welcome at their shacks, and no matter at what time of day or night you arrive, you and your horses are promptly taken care of, you are invited to stay and eat, to sleep if you will, and are promptly given to understand that the best the ranch affords is at your command. I have known many of these men intimately, and have never known one who would not cheerfully share his last ounce of food, his last dollar, or his only blanket with a needy stranger; or who would not walk and allow an unfortunately dismounted traveler to ride his horse half way to camp, or the ranch, even though that might be a hundred miles away. They invariably refuse all remuneration for services or accommodations of such nature, and if it be pressed upon them, the stranger is liable to be told in language more expressive than elegant they don't make their living by taking care of tenderfeet.
As a class, they are brimful and running over with wit, merriment, and good humor. They are always ready for any bit of innocent fun, but are not perpetually spoiling for a fight, as has so often been said of them. They are at peace with all men, and would not be otherwise from choice. As a rule, if a man quarrel with one of them, he forces the war and is himself to blame. Their love of fun often leads to trouble, though generally because the victim of it does not know how, or is not willing, to either "chip in" or excuse himself. They are fond of "piping off" anything that is particularly conspicuous, or vice versa, no matter to whom it belongs, and they dislike to see snobbish airs assumed in their country, though such might pass current in any Eastern city.