The cowboys' life was not glamorous. It was hard work every

day and into the evenings as well. The cowboy was paid one

to four dollars a month to herd the unruly and skittish longhorn

cattle, to rope the strays and brand them, and to be able to

drive the herds many, many miles to the railroads in Kansas for

shipment back East. The cowboy knew he could be crushed

under a stampede or even be hit by lightning on the open

plains. He was fortunate if he made it to a town once or twice

a year. It didn't take a degree from a college, but a lot of guts

and doggedness to be a real cowboy. The cowboy was usually

a young man with little ties to home and a strong desire to

roam. He was extremely devoted to his partners on the range

and would die fighting for them. He wore the same clothes

every day and ate whatever the chuck wagon cook gave him.

He carried a bedroll tied behind the saddle and slept on the

ground regardless of the weather. He became as hard as nails

but had the graciousness to all whom he met. He was a real hero

of the Old West.