in "polite" society: you must call them
"males." Very shortly afterwards there was a rise in value of cattle, a
strong demand for such bulls, and prices went "out of sight." Thus the
bulls that cost me some 100 dollars apiece in a little while were worth
200 or even 300 dollars. The young bulls "rustled" splendidly, and as
next spring came along there was much interest felt as to results. To my
great delight almost every cow had a calf, and nearly every calf was
alike red body and white face, etc. (Hereford). I kept and used these
same bulls six or seven seasons; every year got the highest calf-brand
or crop amongst all my neighbours; and soon, with prudent culling of the
cows, my small herd (some 2000) was the best in the country; and my
young steers topped the market, beating even the crack herds that had
been established for twenty years and had great reputations.

To give an instance: my principle was to work with little or no borrowed
money. Thus my position was such that I did not always _have_ to market
my steers to pay running expenses; and as I hate trading and dickering,
as it is called, my independence gave me a strong position. Well, once
when travelling to the ranch I met on the train two "feeders" from the
north, who told me they wanted to buy two or three hundred choice
two-year-old, high-bred, even, well-coloured and well-shaped steers.
Having by chance some photos in my pocket of my steers (as yearlings
taken the year before) I produced them. They seemed pleased with them
and asked the price, which I told them; but they said no ranch cattle
were worth that money and ridiculed the idea of my asking it. "Oh," I
said, "it is nothing to me; that is the price of the cattle," but I
carefully also told them how to get to my place and invited them to come
and see me. Oh, no! they said it was too ridiculous! We travelled on to
Amarillo and I at once went out to Running Water. Only two days
afterwards, on coming in to dinner, I found my two gentlemen seated on
the porch waiting for me. After dinner we saddled up and went out to see
the steers. The dealers were evidently surprised and made a long and
careful inspection. Evidently they were well pleased, and on returning
to the house it was also evident that they were going to adopt the usual
tactics of whittling a small piece of wood (a seemingly necessary
accompaniment to a trade) and "dickering"; so I again told them my
terms, same as before, and hinted that they