Once prices were established, I was in
the thick of the fight, selling my oxen the first week to a freighter,
constantly on the skirmish for a buyer, and never failing to recognize
one with whom I had done business the summer before. In case Major
Mabry had nothing to suit, the herd in charge of George Edwards was
always shown, and I easily effected two sales, aggregating fifteen
hundred head, from the latter cattle, with customers of the year
previous.
But my zeal for bartering in cattle came to a sudden end near the
close of June. A conservative estimate of the arrivals then in sight
or known to be en route for Abilene was placed at one hundred and
fifty thousand cattle. Yet instead of any weakening in prices, they
seemed to strengthen with the influx of buyers from the corn regions,
as the prospects of the season assured a bountiful new crop. Where
States had quarantined against Texas cattle the law was easily
circumvented by a statement that the cattle were immune from having
wintered in the north, which satisfied the statutes--as there was no
doubt but they had wintered somewhere. Steer cattle of acceptable age
and smoothness of build were in demand by feeders; all classes in fact
felt a stimulus. My beeves were sold for delivery north of Cheyenne,
Wyoming, the buyers, who were ranchmen as well as army contractors,
taking the herd complete, including the remuda and wagon.
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