The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1858-10-29

II velunt or Dnll rlSh4.
/ remember once seeing, when : lad at
school, Aght besw cen two bulls. Although
I could not have been more than eight years
q ags, shall never forget the spss1aale.
hepps1ed 10 this Y SCI
ol6ee by tho Sc ol house-a very unpre-
teq11pg Sd6cei il as--rnn deep and rapid
i've Aofoss Is had been thrown high
woo11a tEidsa ~ bnnd-railing Of which
time - thel a. a5nnd the weather had en-
tirsly dsstrd1. The land on the opposite
sides Of fte asDunsn was owned by different
persons and farmei BY them respectively
One bright summtr day remember u asR
il were Yesterday the hour Of noon had ar
rived, and frolicsome, fun -sesking troop OF
school boys were LIT loose Tor IN hours 70.
creation.
All u once the believing and roaring OF
two bulls that had broken out OF their enclo-
sure on each side OF tho river attracted our
attention. The animals wsrs not yet in sight
Of each other, bat we're approaching along
the highwsy at rats Of speed which would
cause them to nat near the centre OF the
high bridge which have described, and be-
nsath which, = some thirty fest, ran the riv. |
or, between steep banks: The moro daring |
OF us gathered nsar the bridge, lining it, TO
appointed. Nearer and nearer approached
the proud, paving contestants. Bashsn nov
er produced two brutes Of 6ercsr aspect
They dashed their sides with their tails, they
tore the ground With their feet. Occasion
ally they kneeled down, trying to gore the
earth with their horns. And - yet they were
concealed, each from the other, BY the ascent
to the bridge ct either end. Presently, ~
| they simultaneously assembled the respective
abutments, they camc full In sight Of each
other. The roar was mutual and actually
tremendous. Every urchin OF as sprang into
the fields, and ran Finding, however, that
we were not pursucd, We hastily rstraced our
steps. There thss we're, quito ~ sensibly
employed as some If their human imitators.
Front to front thor horns locked, every mus
ole strained, they were fighting a. only bulls
can fight. II seemed m even match. Now
one would press back his opponent few pa.
ces, and presently you would hear quick.
sharp, short steps, and his adversary would
be pressed back Ii return. The struggling
was hard, Was long, was savage. For while
neither obtained an advantage.
4 Hitherto they had been pushing each other
lengthwiss OF tho bridge suddenly they be-
gan to wheel, and 10 moment were facing
each other crosswise. They we're ct right
which shook, and creaked, and re- ,ked again
with their trAmplng and their terrible strife.
4 liz WAS tho work Of single moment one Of
the beasts--I could not tell uhich-ons Of
them, however, a. ii conscious Of his posi-
ton, made violent, desperate plunge for
ward ard pressed bis antagonist back, back,
back, till there was but another step OF the
plank behind him, between him and nothiDgl
The moment Was enc of intense interest to
. US Juvenile spectators. Never was the am
phithestre OF Rome the scene Of more OK
citing combat. Another step backward, yes,
the unfortunate bull was forced to take il -
Back be il pressed and over he goes!
Such sight never saw, probably never
, shall sec again. Imagine bull pitched back
ward over bridge and falling 1t least thirty
feet over and over! He turned once or twice
probably; thought he turned City times,
! there seemed such a confusion of horns and
! feet revolving, flying through the air. Blu,
| down he went; tie water was deep and be
disappeared, leaving whirlpool Of foam be-
hind him, and making the river undulate fal
and wide with the eoncussion Of his ponder.
GUS bulk.
The other bull did not laugh, merely be.
, cause bulls, as supposed, could not. But
I We laughed and shouted our applause. There
h ssoVu WIG vtosoFS ioVAtuR oHuOsJ uOWh law
. the abyss below, into which he had hurries
J bis unlucky foe. lie stood, however, but
: moment, and then, Ms il frightened st tn,
. prospect, he began to snort and step back
: ward. Back, back, he retreated, with hi
\ head in the same rugnacious attitude a. whe
!. in combat--back- another step back
!. and OVER he too vent on the opposite side 0
the bridge, performing just ~ many and .
4 ludicrous somersets ~ his adversary ha
q done minute before. 1t was . scenc to re
J. member; and the performance called fort
!. immense applause from the Juvenile amateur
= who witnessed it.
!. In about FIVE minutes both bulla might
:. seen, we'll sobered by their decking, drippin
70 wet, scratching up the steep gravslly banks
- each on his own side Of the river. stThoi
i. bulls will never FIGHT any more," said be
>. behind me. His prediction turned out col
- rect for two more pencsabfy disposed but
n than they were, ever afterward, could u
have been found.