The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-11-05
Buffaloes that Execnre Military Tac'

when they were puppies; the antelope
when it wasn't as big IS kitten, and
the prairie wolf when the eyes were
scarcely open. They are all over fouI
wears old now, and I trained them my
self"
The speaker was John Richardson,
who for ten years has been serving Uncle
Sam as q private soldier ut Forts D. A.
Russell, Harker, Wallace and other out
posts en- the Indian frontier. He varied
the idleness of garrison life by studying
the habits of the prairie animals, and as
result he has been able not only to
make pets of three buffaloes-a COW with
two calves. bull and heifer- ante
lope, prairie wolf and q prairie dog.
but also to bring them into tolerable
condition of training. Yesterday morn.
ing he landed them in this city and pro.
ceeded with them to the farm of James
Archer. near Fordham, where they will
be kept until he can give an exhibition:
"What can the buffaloes do?" asked
the Herald reporter.
"Well, I would hate to tell you with
out proving it; because you'll think I'm
boasting. Well have little exhibition
soon as I feed 'em. You see they've been
on the cars since Thursday, when I
started from I.eavenworth. I had the
bufaloes out at Rochester. and like
enough they're scared and won't obey
orders first-rate."
The prairie dog nestled on his masters
shoulder, the wolf sneaked at his heels
and the antelope walked alongside the
buffaloes, all of them responding to their
masters voice by following him through
the stock yard Of the New York Central
raj road.
Then they were fed-the buffalo with
hay, the antelope with twigs of spruce
and grass, the prairie wolf with great
bone and the dog with an apple.
When they were through with their
meal Mr.. Richardson called out "Fall
I'M" At once the buffaloes stood facing
him and formed in line according to size.
The antelope took position as file closer.
while the wolf, refusing to take part in
the drill, got beating. and skunk off
into a corner, where he whined piteously.
"He is very disobedient, and will pa
rade only occasionally. I control him
by fear. The rest, except the antelope,
are very docile, and he isn't wild. 1
taught him to stand always behind the
line. Now you see I got these things,
and made pets of them. didn't in
tend to train them for anthing but fun.
"Being myself soldier I, naturally
enough, taught them Upton's tactics. so
far as they can be adopted for three big
shouldered brutes like Topsey, General
Custer and Meadow Grass. The heifer
is Meadow Grass. Fours right say
fours, but its really threes-march!"
Immediately the unwieldy Meadow
Grass began to wheel, the others keep
ing the alignment by moving more
slowly until the front had been changed.
Halt! right dress" and the great shag-
gy beasts turned their heads and eyes to
the right, and waited for the order
'FRONT.'" Then came "Fours left!'
"Fours right aboutm "Twos left and
rightw "Three step to the rear!" and a
score of orders ineligible only to a
military man. Allobeyed with prompti-
tude and intelligence. Finally, the order
was given, Forward, double turn:
march," and at once the trio, followed
closely by the antelope, started off at a
sharp run, and halted at the word.
"Perquita," said Richardson, speak
ing of the prairie dog, "is sick. He has
been sick ever since he got out of Kan
sas. But he shall turn a somersault for
you. Here, Perluita; over! march,"
At the word the quaint little animal
threw half handspring that would have
done honor to trained athlete.
It is Richardson's intention to give ex-
hibitions of the chase of the buffalo, as
the Indians dc it with bow and arrows,
and to that end he has brought with
him mustang and bow, with blunt
arrows. Il use blunt arrows because ]
wouldn't hurt my Meadow Grass, would
II" and the master put his arm caress-
ingly over the shaggy neck Of the heifer,
while she responded by atfectionately
rubbing his hand with her nose.-Neso
York Herald.