Cowboys and Time

Daddy would tell how he and the other cowboys use to tell time. I would sit fascinated while he told stories that happened around 1915 to 1923, while he worked on various ranches in Wilson, Concho and Runnels County .

He use to say time meant nothing to a cowboy, since that was all that most of them had a lot of. Time was when you got up in the morning ( about 5 AM ) , then you had better be on time for breakfast or you done without till the noon meal. Sometimes if the cook was in an extra good mood, or he had taken a liking to you, he would let you have a biscuit and a piece of bacon to tide you over.

Time was after breakfast when you checked you tack and saddled your horse. You made sure you got your mount an extra helping of oats if there was any to be had. Daddy said he always put a couple of hands full of oats in a small sack he carried in his saddle bags. Your horse and saddle were usually the most valuable things a cowboy owned so you took special care in how those two were taken care of.

Time was when the foreman came from the main house (this was well before daylight) to tell the men what their chores were for the day. Time started when you climbed on your horse around day break and headed out to do what the foreman had assigned you to do.

Time was slow paced as you rode out to where you were going to work that day. Your horse usually knew the trail and you could just sit in the saddle and enjoy the sunrise as the first glimmers of day break started to come up over the horizon. You could watch as the day started to unfold in the morning light. Every thing was fresh and crisp, the birds would be singing , the jack rabbits would already be out eating before it got to hot and they had to bed up in the shade of a tree.

Time was when just you and your horse were the only things moving about, or making any noise. The wild life and stock weren't afraid of the two of you, and it usually meant you were able to ride nearly upon them before they would mosey out of the way.

A cowboy didn't watch time like the city folk did. Very few had a watch, and those that did didn't have a very good one. All of them were pocket watches that had to be wound up by hand. They were careful not to wind them to tight , as the stem would break or the main spring wouldn't release and the watch would quit. Daddy said some of them old watches sure had some pretty engraving on them. One of the hands (John Billie) had his girl friends picture engraved on the inside of his watch.

Time was when you were rounding up the cattle and branding the calves. Daddy said he always liked this time when all the boys were working together. The work was hard and dirty but there was a lot of fun in it also. The boys were always pulling pranks on each other to liven things up a bit. Daddy said you could bet some one was going to have a hog nose snake around to scare some body with. Since the hog hose looked a lot like a rattle snake , it was usually pitched in the middle of a group to get things stirred up a mite. During it all there always had to be a cinch or two loosened so someone would take a fall.

You watched time laying around the chuck wagon after the noon meal. Your belly was full, the sun was warm and it didn't take much to dose off. Just about the time every body really got comfortable the old cook would start rattling the pots and making a lot of noise and you knew it was time to get back to work.

Time was when the sun was setting and you were headed to the corral to take care of your horse for the night. Your horse was tended to before you did anything for your self. You made sure they were fed, watered and rubbed down before you called it a day.

Time was when all the boys were gathered around the supper table laughing, telling jokes, poking fun at each other and just enjoying life. After ever body had eaten all they wanted, the smokes would come out and the tall tales would begin. After supper was over and it wasn't to cold all the braver of the bunch would head to the stock tank or the watering trough for a bath. They were careful not to take to many of them bathes as it would make them rust up.

Time in a cowboys life might have been slow but it was one that was filled with personal satisfaction and a sense of belonging.
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