Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-03-01
Arthur's First Buffalo.

Next 10 "wild " Indians the boys longcd
for a sight Of the buffalo on his native plain.
This came in due time. They had passed
up the long tongue of land which lies be-
tween Loup Fork and the Platte, and bad
reached a small stream making in from the
north, and known as Wood River Crossing
this, they bore off to the northwest, with the
little river on their right.
One hot afternoon, while the party were
YEARLY dragging themselves along, Barnard
went ahead with the horse TO spy out good
catnping-place. Arthur walked on in adj
vance of the team in the dusty road, half
asleep and feeling as II he would be happy
II he could fall down in the dust and take a
long nap. II was very tiresome, this contin-
ual tramp, tramp, tramp, with each days
journey making almost no difference in their
advance. Arthur grumbled to himself, and
scarcely heard the boyish talk of Johnny,
who trudged along with him. Once in
while he felt himself dropping to sleep as he
walked. His heavy eyes closed he lost sight
of the yellow wagon.track, the dusty grass,
and the earth which seemed to reel the
binding glare of the sun was gone for an
instant, and he stumbled on as in a dream.
Then he nearly fell over forward, and he
knew that he had slept by the painful start
of awaking. lie looked drealnily at the
rough soil by the side of the trail, dimly
longing to lie down aud sleep, sleep, sleep.
Johnny said "Oh my Arty what big
black cattlel"
Arty looked languidly across the river,
which was only a narrow, woody creek. In
an instant his sleeplessness was gone
Buffaloes buifaloes he shouted and,
very wide awake indeed, ran back to the
wagon lie was in fever of excitement,
and the news he brought set his companions
into commotion. Everybody rushed for his
favorte fire-arm, Tom extracting his long
unused revolver from the wagon, where it
lay unloaded.
Mont thought it unsafe to 20 to the upper
part of the meadow, because the wind came
from that direction. "And they are very
sensitive to any unusual odor in the air."
added Arthur. They can smell a man two
miles off, when they are to the leeward."
The boy was trembling with excitement at
the sight of this large game, but he remem-
bered his natural history for all that. Even
as he spoke, one Of the feeding buifaloes
lifted his large, shaggy head and shifted sus-
piciously TO the windward,
The three young fellows separated, Ar
thur going down the creek Iii up toward the
open, and Mont crossing in the middle of
',
were feeding. They were huge fellows,
ponderously moving about and nibblng the
short tender grass. Their bumped shout
ders were covered with dark, shaggy hair,
and their long, beard-lke dewlaps nearly
swept the ground as they bent their heads
to Craze. They were not in very good condi-
ton, apparently, and the hide Of one Of
them was clouded with dingy, yellowish
tinge. "Just like our old sleigh-robe," Sc
cretely commented Arthur to himself, as he
lay breathless, on the further side of the
creek, waiting for a signal from Hi.
Suddenly, to his amazement, q shot burst
out from the bush on the farther side of the
meadow, and as the alarmed animals dashed
away like cats, another report banged out
| from the same spot. The buffaloes, scatter
ing in different directions were almost i'm
mediately out of reach Two pitched down
into the creek near where they were feeding
| but on the other side, and so disappeared in
the woods beyond. One broke through the
timber just below where Arthur was posted
scrambled across the gully, and, with incred-
IDLE agility, crashed through into the road
near the wagon, where Tom CALAMITY, but in
effectualy assaulted him with the " pepper
box revolver as he galloped away. The
| fourth paced up to the N-shaded meadow
receiving a shot from Monts musket and
from His rifle in his rapid flight. The fifth
made as if he would plunge down into the
creek at the foot of the meadow, but, banked
by something, turned and raced up the side
of the triangle next the road, heading di-
rectly for Arthur, who was concealed behind
bush "Now or never" said the boy, with
his heart standing still and his eve glancing
along the sights of his barrel.
The buffalo was coming directly toward
him, his head down and his enormous feet
pounding the earth. Arthur fired, and the
buffalo swerved sharply TO the right; at the
same instant another shot came from the OPP
posite side of the meadow. The buffalo
ambled on for few PAGES fell on his knees,
dug his horns madly into the ground, rolled
over Oh his side and was still
As Arthur, scarcely believing his eyes, ran
out into the open, a tall young fellow carry
ing a doube-barreled shotgun, rushed up
from the other side, and, drawing his hunt
ing knife, cut the animals throat. There
was no need. The great creature was dead.
"My fust buffalo" said the stranger, draw
ing himself up proudly.
Arthur looked on with heart-beating, and
said; =" fired at him. too
All this took place in a very few minutes
The firing in all directions was almost sim
utaneous. Mont and Iii came running up,
chagrined at their ill luck, but excited by
the sight of this first buffalo.
"Who shot him p eagerly cried Iii, who
had not seen what had happened belowhim
Well, allow that I'm the fortnit indi-
vidooal," said the stranger. "Leastways
thars my mark" and he inserted his finger
into smooth round hole in the center of
the animals forehead, directly between and
u little above the eyes.
That's just where | aimed, said Arthur,
with some excitement.
No, little chap" said the stranger, super
ciliously 81 seen you shoot, and your ball
must a gone clean over him. Mines slug
No ornery rifle balls goln' to kill critter
like this" and he gave the dead monster a
touch with his boot
Lets look at that ball, said Mont, curl
ously, as the emigTant handled one OF the
clumsy slugs which had been fitted for the
big bore of his gun. Taking it in his hand
and glancing at the wound in the head of
the buffalo, he stopped 10 put it into the
wound. The skull was pierced with sharply
defined hole The strangers slug rested in
the edge OF it like ball in a cup.
That ball don't go into that hole, stran-
GER" said Mont. The mate of it never
went in there. Give me ball, Arty" And
Mont, taking one of Arty's rihe-balls slipped
il in at the wound it dropped inside without
difficulty and was gone"
It's clear case, Cap" said Iii. You
may as well give il up. The buffalo belongs
to our camp, and Artys the boy that fetched
him-you bet yel"
Well" said the stranger, discontentedly,
thar's no need o. jawin about it. allow
there's meat enough for all hands. III pitch
in and help you dress the critter, anyhow"
and he stripped for work.
There was certainly no need of disputing
over the dead buffalo. II was Arthurs
game, however, clearly enough. lie received
the congratulations Of his friends with nat
ural citation, but with due modesty.-F From
The boy Emigdnfs."