Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-02-25
The Buffalo Fight.

The challenger advanced from the herd
to within some four feet. getting angrler
and angrier rs he came. Suddenly there
was a crash which had in it something
Homeric. 4 rattling onset of that kind
leaves no one longer in doubt AS to why
the short. strong horns of the huffaloes
have splintered appearance at the aplces.
Then there was long, steady push, IN
which every tendon of the huge bodies of
the butfaloes was strained to the utmost.
Then there WAS strategic easing OFT, then
Il sudden gladiatorial thrust, which pressed
the huge heads to the ground in an even
balance of strength. Neither beast dared
re AK 4 muscle or retreat an inch. for fear
of that fatal charge upon the flank, or that
dangerous twist of the neck, which means
defeat.
4 momentary relaxation of the tremen-
dous strain only resulted in the shaggy
heads coming together again with dull
thump, and a renewal of the dogged push
ING which might have moved Il freight
train. 1t was = matter of lungs and endur-
ance. and the white froth began to drop
in LONG. tenacious strings from their lips,
and the red eyes to glare dimly through
what seemed clots of blood. could hear
the labored breathing where | lay, and see
the tendons stand out across the thighs
and along the thick necks.
But this dead set Of strength could not
last ALWAYS. Every moment of time was
telling disastrously upon the shorter wind
and decaving strength of the old crusader,
who still fought for the love of his youth.
His foot slipped, and the intelligence OF
this slipht disaster seemed to reach his an
taeonist quicker than flash of light. Nc
gladiator ever urged his advantage more
suddenly. There was a huge lunge. q
sound of horns slipping upon each other,
spring forward, and the horn of the
Younger bull had made a raking upward
stroke through his antagonists flank. The
fight now became brisk. Again and again
the old one turned and tried to make the
old stand of head to head, and us often his
more active antagonist caught him behlno
the shoulder. With the red agony of de-
feat in his eye, and the blood trlcklin9
from the long wounds in his fianks, he still
refused to be conquered.
With failing strength and limbs, which
refused any longer to serve him, he finally
stood at bay, with open mouth and hang
ing tongue, unable to fight and disdainine
to retreat. His antagonist pushed him
and he Welded doggedly. He made no at
tempt to shield his flank, and pitifully en-.
iured all that came. The original plan O
non-interference was abandoned, and the
young lords gathered around him, ane
snorted and shook their heads, and gave
him an occasional dig in the ribs by way
of expressing their contempt for him.
The cows came and snuffed at him. ant
indulged in spiteful feminine butts ant
walked away. Their manner implied tha
they had always regarded him as disa
greeable old muff, and they were glad NJ
finally understood their heartfelt senti
ments in regard to him.
Through all this the old fellow stood un
resisting, whipped. but still obstinate
Gradually they left him to himself, ant
the herd wandered away. He did no
even look round; be was probably forced
at last to accept his sentence Of Danish
ment, and 60 and live as long as he ccul'
alone, and fight his last fight with tn
lcoyotes and dis.-Kaasos Magazine.