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Buis -lore
Elinabeth Doyle
Ban Angelo, Texas.
RANGE -LORE
L. U. Cox of Brownwood, Texas
was born in Benton County, Arkaw.
sae, in 1858 and came to Lrownwood
in 1880. Re engaged in the repair
tug business for a number of years
before retiring.
Page one
"The cowboy's life as we knew it was certainly
lacking in the glamour which we lee on our sereens to-
day," says L. 11. Cox of Brownwood„ Texas.
"1 have known cowboys to rideane hundred miles
per day. I know this sounds unreasonable but they
were off before daylight and rode hard until after
dark. Their usual day's work was to be off as soon
as they could see how to eatch their horses, throw
the round -up together around 10 o'clock then work
cattle or brand until dark and often times stand guard
Page three
got his flock located on some good grass and the cow-
men came along and ordered him off their premises. 'I
+Don't go now,' the theepman complained, 'I have lost
my wagon wheel.' Cowboys always had a heart and tried
to be lenient but they also hated deception. One of
the cowboys who had heard this gag* before, looked a-
round a bit and found the missing wheel hidden away
in some mesquite bushes. The theepman was hustliata-
way in a hurry.
"Larly days were hard on all stookmen. nth
sheep selling at 750 per head, wool at .040 end (little
no better, a penis seemed evident.
"Neglect of herds (mused lots of cattle rustling,
stealing, burning of brands, etc. Many tales were told
of mysterious increases in herds. One fellow had an
old red cow that fruitfully produced twenty mavericks
in one year. Another with a yoke of oxen reported an
increase of twenty-six in a short time.
"we never heard much complaint about hard times.
people thought about a lot of things more than they -did
money then, 'cause it didn't take so mush money to live.
"No eowpuncher ever talked mush. Ride further and
talk less, few words and That action, were rules whin h
they followed pretty close.
"The president of big cattle comports' who resided
in the North, same down to the camp once and was late
Page four
getting there. When he arrived the boys had all either
gone to sleep or out on night guard. He had one of
those nevmfengled talking machines with him and he
turned it on out there under the midnight skies and
all the punchers stampeded.
"No respeetable sowman ever wore any other foot..
wear but boots, and the spurs were never removed only
when the boots were.
"A stranger rode up to our camp one day and an-
nouneed himself as a cow buyer. *He's a damn liar,'
whispered one old puncher, 'look at them there shoes
he's e-wearin'.'
"Cowboys lay awake nights trying to think of
"good ones" to play on the tenderfoot. We tied an old
cowboy to a tree ones and told the tenderfoot that he
was a madman, had spells end was very dangerous. At
the appointed time the (lowboy broke loose and the new
*comer made it to town, five miles on foot, in a very
short time.
"Boiled beef and Arbuckle Coffee was our standby,
The boys used to spy if old man Arbuskle ever died
they'd all be ruined and if it wasn't for Pesos water
gravy and Arbuckle Coffee we would starve to death.
"There were two things that the cowboys were
deathly afraid of end that was the Peooa River end
rattlesnakes. The river was narrow and deep, with no
Page five
warning as to when you were approaching the bank and
a man was liable to ride right over into the deep water
at night,before he knew he was near it. Time, and many
cattle drives, have worn down the banks to some extent
but in many places it still remains a strange phenomenon
of nature, with its smooth straight banks and no warn..
ing of your approaching a stream.
"We don't have ranches any more; just windmill
and pasture projects. These dipping vats, bahl We
used to have to dip some of the punishers but never
the cattle. I tried for awhile to fall in with their
newfangled ways but when they got to roundin'esup and
herdin' in Ford ears I thought it was about time for a
first class sowman to take out, so. I guess I'm ghat
you'd call retired. Just the same, the cow business
ain't what it used to be to the old timers and I'm not
the only one who says that, either, everything else
changes though, so guess we'll just have to get used
to that like we do other things and if we can't get
used to it, quit and let it alone like I've dons."
Resser.lore
Xilesbeth Doyle
Sea Alessi°, Texas.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
L. M. Cox, Brownwood, Texas, interviewed,
November 22, 1937.