every year.

Before this nomadic life of the Plains has been drained of its
picturesque elements by the advance of civilization, I hope that some
painter may arise who can grasp and worthily fix on canvas this most
picturesque scene of American life,--one with the skill of a Church to
paint the mountains and the genius of a Bonheur to catch the beauty of
free animal existence. It should be a great picture, for in its distance
would stand the continent's mountainous head crowned with its shining
diadem, while in the nearer view there would be every attitude of bold
horsemanship, every phase of intense muscular activity, brilliancy of
costumes, the charm of wild life, the beauty of freedom.

AMONG THE COW-BOYS.

LOUIS C. BRADFORD.

[The preceding selection may be fitly followed by the following
description of life among the cow-boys, those wild and wilful
cattle-guards of the West, whose escapades form an interesting
part of the romance of modern times.]

There is a peculiar fascination in the wild life of the cow-boys which
tempts many young men of culture and refinement, reared in the enjoyment
of every luxury in the East, but of adventurous dispositions, to come
and live with these rude spirits on the frontier. Often for thirty-six
hours continuously in the saddle, the hardships of their lot are
apparent. Cold black coffee, without sugar, drunk whenever the
opportunity offers, is the sole luxury of the cow-boy. With a piece of
bread in one hand and some jerked beef in the other, he will ride around
a stampeded herd, eating as he goes, and as happy as a king on his
throne. When night comes, provided his cattle are quiet, he will tie his
horse to his leg, and, "covered with his hat," with a hummock of grass
for his pillow, will sleep peacefully on the broad prairie, and dream
perchance of his sweetheart far back in "God's country."

Perhaps his dreams will be rudely disturbed by the thunder of a thousand
hoofs, as his cattle, becoming frightened at some noise, have stampeded,
and the grass fairly pops beneath their cloven feet. Then it is he does
his tallest riding, and, circling around his cows, brings them back to
where they started. If a wild bull becomes obstreperous and unruly, a
rider dashes past him, and, seizing his tail as he goes by, gives it a
twist around the horn of his saddle, and in a trice the bull is fairly
slung heels over head on his back. Two or three applications of