Connecticut western news., 1876-03-10
A BUFFALO STAMPEDE.

\ z young fellows found themselves on a nearly level plain. Here, too, was a dense throng of buffaloes, stretching of to the undulating horizon. As the two explorers walked on, wide lane seemed to open in the mighty herds before them. Insensibly, and without any hurry, the creatures drifted away to the right and left, browsing or staring, but continually moving. Looking back, they saw that the buffaloes had closed up their ranks on the trail which they had just pursued; while before, and on either hand, was wall of animals. 7.
 "We are surrounded !' almost whis- pered Arthur, with some alarm. "Never mind, my boy. We can walk out, just as the children of Israel did from the Red sea. Only we have waves of bufaloes, instead of water, to close behind and open before and be wall on each side. See l' .-..l ............. And, as they kept on, the mass before them melted away in some mysterious fashion, always at the same distance from them. 7 l1a .-'ev .- .laa
 "Seel We move in 8 vacant space that travels with us wherever we go, Arty." .--,l-. r"Yes," said the lad. 'sIt seems just as if we were candle in the dark. The open ground around us is the light we shed; the buffaloes are the darkness out side. ..-... .
 "A good figure of speech, that, my laddie. l must remember it. But we are getting out of the wilderness" T They had now. come to sharp rise of ground, broken by rocky ledge, which turned the herds more to the northward. Ascending this, they were out of the buffaloes for the time, but beyond them were thousands more. Turning southward, they struck across the country for the wagon track, quite we'll satisfied with their explorations. Between two long divides, or ridges, they came upon a single wagon, canvas covered. in which were two little chil- dren. Two boys-one about seven and the other eleven years old-were playing near by, and four oxen were grazing by 6 spring. .s.s -...r-, ,1aa'-- s gg'...... -gr9f In reply to Mont's surprised question as to how they came off the trail, and why they were here alone, they said that their father and uncle had come up after buffaloes, and were out with their guns. Their mother was over on the bluf-pointing to little rocky mass which rose like an island in the middle of the valley. She had gone to hunt for '' sarvice berries . They were left to mind the cattle and the children.
 "Pretty careless business, I should say" murmured Mont. Well, young sters," he added, "keep by the wagon; if your cattle stray of, they may get carried away by the buffaloes. Mind | that l'' .,.... --
 They went on down the valley, look | ing behind them at the helpless little family alone in the wilderness. "' GA man e1ght to be licked for leav- | ing his yoWng ones here in such lonely place." sad Mont.
 | Suddenly, over the southern wall of the valley, like thunder cloud, rose 8 vast and fleeing herd of buffaloes. They were not only running, they were rush ing like mighty flood. .. . .-. IA stampede stampede l" cried Mont; and, flying back to the uncon- scious group of children, followed by Arthur, he said: "Run for your lives, youngsters! Make for the bluff 1"
 Seizing one of the little ones, and bidding Arthur take the other, he start ed the boys ahead for the island bluff, which was some way down the valley. There was not moment to lose. Be- hind them, like rising tide, flowed the buffaloes in surges. A confused mur- mur filled the air; the ground resound- ed with the hurried beat of countless hoofs, and the earth seemed to be disap- bearing in the advancing torrent Close behind the flying fugitives the angry, panic stricken herd tumbled and tossed Its labored breathing sighed like 8 breeze, and the warmth of it's pulsations seemed to stife the air.
 "To the left to the left [" screamed Arthur, seeing the bewildered boys, who fled like deer, making directly for the steepest part of the bluff. Thus warned, the lads bounded up the little island, grasping the underbrush as they climbed. Hard behind them came Arty, pale, his features drawn ndrigid, and bearing in his arms little girl. Mont brought up the rear with stout boy on his shoulder, and breathless with excitement and the laborious run.
 Up the steep side they scrambled, falling and recovering themselves, but up at last Secure on bare rock, they saw a heaving tide of wild creatures pour tumultuously over the edge and fill the valley. It leaped from ledge to ledge, tumbled and broke, rallied again and swept on, black and silent save for the rumbling thunder of many hoofs and the painting breath of the innumer. able multitude. On it rolled over every obstacle. The wagon disappeared in g twinkling, it's white cover going down in tho black tide like sinking ship al sea. Past the islandlike bluff, where g little group stood spellbound, the herd swept, the rushing tide sep rating al the rocky point, against which it beat and parted to the right and left. Look ing down, they saw the stream flow by, on and up the valley. It was gone, and the green turf was brown where it had been. The spring was choked, and the wagon was trampled in fiat ruin.
 Fascinated by the sight, Mont and Arthur never took their eyes from it un. til it was over. Then returning to theil young charges, they saw tall, gaunt woman, with 8 horror stricken face, gathering the whole group in her arms It was the mother.
 "I don't know who you be, young men, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart" she said. |" Yes, thank you from the bottom of my heart-and } ohi thank God, too l" And she burst into tears. Et-- sits.a'
 Arthur, at loss what else to say, re- marked |" Your wagon is all smashed. ,
 "I don't care-don't care," said tho