The American cowboy; Get up, guns, and gear

With the lonely skies shoving down on his shoulders and the dust of a continent taking his throat he left his brand on the front tier of our history eyes squinted ahead into savagery. Civilization dogging his heels and we give him to you who can take him straight. The American cowboy. You moved to get him wet and he was stiff and go soft as I fell I doubt the green horn when Jess let me tell you this boot. Once I get you on this foot you ain't coming off to your rocks off. And how do you like that. Radio television the University of Texas presents the American Council. A series of programs reflecting the true place and picture of the significant historical figure this unique folk hero. The American cowboy has

produced and recorded by radio television the University of Texas under a grant from the National Educational Television and Radio Center in cooperation with the National Association of educational broadcasting. Day programs get up guns and gear. Suppose it's 87. Suppose you're an eastern passenger on the new Union Pacific Railroad. It's not unknown for you to ride with a group of genuine front tier Cowboys taking the train for the long trip back to Texas and care with a friend there. Totally shallow fantasy salary that was never shifted from our harsh

good train. For this we have the word of friends and show in their book The American cowboy and they go on to quote from the day of the cattleman Barney statements. No period in American history brought such complete and sharply condescending contact between civilization and savagery as a general period during which the cattlemen's front here was being extended on the northern plain. So suppose you're still trailing the railroads in 1885. You may be present in the sleeping car when such a sharp contrast in contact. Is in process. Hang. Right there certain number 8 lower berth on the prowl I ask you to check your gun with the porter here. Not desk guy. Dad. You know me always sleeping and I'm afraid I'll have to win six the rules of the road do not look such a friend.

We follow our own route. Which is anybody mucking with old daddy or gets blown so full of holes he won't hold I. Say boy I tell you what you can do. Take this thing away don't you won't kill pillow soon sleep with my head no bowler clabbered ain't much of a pillar any. Man could get a little thing like that stuck in his ear. Homeowner son yes drop them books was just gone a Black M for you Bob problem. Yes I'm booked up already hoard dollars for them both and they have a spars I wouldn't take for a ride and Blucher alone on my own. Don't you come Saul footing around my camp no more light fingered thing. You're looking at a feller what sets great store by his hurry. Cowpunchers were mildly particular about their rig so speakes rawhide Rawlings and Charles and Russell's book trailers plowed under and

in all the camps you'd find aphasia in later from a cow punchers idea. These fellows were sure good to look at and I tell you right now there ain't no prettier sight for my eyes than one of those good looking long back cowpunchers sitting up on a high fork for stamp California set off with a live was between his legs. Course a good many of these fancy men were more ornamental than useful but one of the best cow hands I ever knew belonged to this class. Who was that. Wrong or down on the gray bull. He went under the name of Mason but most plungers call him pretty shadow comes from a habit some punchers has a riding along looking at their shadows and its funny way of doing. Oh I don't know. You've got to remember lookin glasses are kind of scarce and cow outfits so the only chance for these pretty boys to admire themselves is on a bright sunshiny day. Well now I say or pretty shadows got got a bright day. What'd be the

picture. O his hat was the best his boots was made to order with extra long heels. He packed a 65 foot Rawhide is persian bits were silver inlaid the last being a Spanish spade but the gaudy as part of his reggae he was as good. It's a forty five Colt's silver plated and chased with gold. This then was the cowboy in all his glory but Glory was secondary function came first and setting the style Those were the hard practical uses of the ranch and. It was not empty masculine vanity that prompted the gaudy silk bandanna not so naturally around the cowboy sunburned neck when the cowboy got up in the morning and went down to the water hole to wash his face. He used his bandana for a towel. After he had roped outage drunk and tried to bridle him. He probably found that the horse had to be blindfolded before he could do anything

with him. Perhaps he wrote only a short distance before he spied a big cat that should be branded. And down I was as big a string to tie the calves legs together. This business was with the best grazing herd of cattle. It made a respirator and Blizzard whether they were going to be directly or just for the Cal country. Jay Frank Dobies vaquero of the brush country knew these and countless other uses spread his man down over muddy water and used it as a strainer to break through the bandanna made a good sling for a broken arm. It made a good bandage for a blood. Like 4 gallon Stetson or the Mexican's and broke. The band on a good not be made to lard. They deserve to be called the flag of the range country. The styles changed as ws James points out in

style on the rans 1867 floor and co-founder of nurse Terpsichore rider stood on his toe saddle. Anything could be had. Most of us fans of the broad R and I got a 45 degree. Eight hundred seventy two sixty eight in Sturtze broad flat horn on the saddle Godor bare skin saddle pockets Spurs long shank with bells curving down the Long Teeth Roe. 1877 box toed boots with sensible heels in California saddle with a small horn. They're strong and oh yawn baby steps and come across with a deeper crown on our a.m. and 10 ounce cover that took the cake. She gained with a little drier snow and mud

with Grecian crimson blood battered banned from constant use still use. Good that deigned to abuse. My Stetson hat. More kids know to a piebald raw security food drinks and the honky tonk. Frightened of fire and clapboard shack in stop unweaned crack I have grown old as we trailed along. While you all I had going strong even a good pen go through all of that good dirty old Stetson the changes were wrong on the range.

The Cowboys Betty no longer burden the pack pony. Now when the time arrives for bed and board to be up and moving out came the chalk white and free from its winter resting place. You'd slam filled in pots and wash tubs and get me a hot cargo and we gotta get this wagon fit to row when it comes to getting ready to start the wagon out. Cookie is a busy man no doubt he would gather the best all winter was sort of a chicken roost in a pots and pans with rusty in the spokes will sort of show with a halberd Bellew slim it rolls it Brown the shade and starts right in there cleaning it up where he is. Oh man they. All. Greet him actually get the bosun wagon seat ready to let water barrel so's to swell the seams closed I got to see this Sarge okaying and stole the tears seasons and eaten arms in the chuck box and start rattling me up some wires.

A cowboy like Jack Thorpe who had shaped his weapons to the demands of distance and danger. Six shooters an awful lot of company. Suppose you fall off your horse and break a leg. You can signal if you're caught if you can shoot a jack rabbit for food. Besides with the guns the only way I know how to find like here Le Grange used to say if God or my dad wanted me to fight like a dog he had to give me long teeth and claws that same cowboy now found his trigger finger relaxed by safer times and less permissive bosses. The Texas Stockman are reported to be making progress toward dismantling the armaments of the cowboys. This new departure may tickle the stockmen and not be objectionable to the cowboy but it knocks the romance out of the latter individual lives are merely a common smoked and person who does nothing but chase tears over the plains. So claimed the Daily Express of Fort Collins Colorado on January the 9th 1893 but Charlie Russell's rawhide Raleigh would have

argued with that in all likelihood. Over times one cow men were in their glory. They live different talk different and had different ways. No matter where you met him or how it was written. If you watch him closely do something that would tip its hand. I had little experience in Chicago back in 83 that will show what I'm getting at. Range you've called the turn mister. But how do you read it your ways neighbor. While I'm laying here watching you get into your garments when you raised the first thing you put on is your hair. So next comes your vest and coat keeping your hind quarters covered. You slide into your pants. And now you're lacing your shoes. I notice you done all of that with that getting out of the bunk. It's like the ground. Cole I don't know what state or territory you've hail from but you smell sagebrush and drank alkaline has plenty Seve

Mr nothing to a neighbor. It's a fact of life. Humans dress up and dress down. Get up guns and gear. Radio television the University of Texas has brought you program number seven of the American cowboy. Today's broadcast is based on source materials from the Texas History Library of the barker History Center and the western publications True West and fronted times edited by Joe small. Poem. My old Stetson hat by Joe Hoffman Saugus California. Chuckwagon Poland by Tex Taylor from. Come and Get It By Raymond F.. A bibliography is available on request. The American cowboy is produced and directed by Bill Burke from Scripps by Mary D Benjamin

under the supervision of Robert F. shank. Associate Producer Arsinoe original music by Eleanor page. Oh now the writer is Horton Wayne Smith. Student production assistant Allen pay damn Langfield speak get up guns n gear was produced and recorded by radio television at the University of Texas under a grant from the National Educational Television and Radio Center and is being distributed by the National Association of educational broadcasters. This is the NEA E.B. Radio Network.