Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-09-02
w ped 0ut-A Story of the Plains.

Will see that the prairie beyond is sive
win Ouualo. Count them. You might
rs well try 10 count the leaves on a giant
maplel They are moving foot by foot rs
they crop the JUICY grass, and living
waves rise and TALL as the herd slowly
sweep on. Altar out TO right aud left
mere specks on the plain--are the flsak.
ers; brave old huilal0es, which catch
bite OF grass, ana then sniff the air sud
scan the horizon for intlmstlon of dan
ger. They are the sentinels of the herd,
and right well can they be trusted
The wolf creeps nearer
All the afternoon the great herd has led
III peace, and as It now slowly moves 10.
ward the distant river II is All uucoasGious
that danger is near. Look you we'll aud
watch the wolf, for you are going TO see
such sight as not one man in 10000 nas
ever behed.
Creep - crawl - skuik how behind y
knoll 49, now drawing himself over L @
grass-now raising its head above ~ this
tie TO mark the locality OF its victim Ii
is lone, stumbling, skulking wolf, lame,
and spiteul and treacheroue Wounded
or ailing, he has been left alone to get on
as best he may, aud his green eyes ligh,
up with tiercer blaze ss he draws nearer
and nearer to his unconscious prey.
There No, he is yet too far away.
Creep, creep, creep. Now he is twenty
feet away now fifteen, now ten, He hugs
the earth, gathers his feet under him, and
he bounds through the air as il shot from
a gun. lie Is rolling the calf over and
over on the grass in three seconds alter he
springs
tnI
A cry of pain from the Gala furious
below from the mother rs she wheels
and charges the VOLTA startled move
ment from dozen OF the nearest animals,
and rush begins. The one wolf is
magnfied into hundred, the hundred
into thousand. Short, sharp bellows,
snorts OF alarm, rush, and IN fifty
seconds after the wolf has wet his tsnge
with blood, that living mass IS IN motion
to get away from an unknown terror.
The waves rise higher and higher az the
confusion spreads. One instant it seems
AS II 10000 solid acres OF prairie were
moving bodily swsy-again waves rise
aud fall as the towards behind rush upon
those in front who wait 10 sniff the air
and lesrn the danger. In one minute the
alarm runs down the herd to the leaders
further than the eye can see, and the
entire herd is going ct at mad
gellop, head down, eyes rolling, snd
no thought but that of escape II
Lake Erie were to dash itself against
wall, the shock would be no greater than
the awful crash with which this mass OF
rattling boots, sharp horns, and harry
bodies would meet it. The CHATTER OF
hoots and rattle Of horns would drown
the noise OF brigade OF cavalry gallop
ing over stone.psved road,
Ride out on their trail Here where
the stampede began the ground is torn
and turrowed rs II thousand cannon
had beer firing solid shot at targets, Here
and there are calves which have been
gOred or crushed here and there Older
an mails with broken legs and disabling
wounds. Here, where the herd was fair.
ly of, you might as well hunt for gold
dollar as a blade OF grass. You Look for
three miles AS you look across it. II is
trail Of dirt and dust and ruts, and fur
rows, where half an hour ago WAS a car
pet Of green grass and smiling flowers.
The most dreadful cyclone known to
man could not have left more horrible
seats behind.
Miles away, on the banks of the wind.
ing, growing river, are three white-topped
emigrsnt wagona. A camp fire blezss up
10 boil the Kettles, men, women, and
children stand about, peerlng over the
setting sun at the distant mountains, and
glad that their journey Is almost done,
Butterflies come and 90 on lazy wing, the
cricket chirp cheerily on the grass, and
the eagles sailing in the blue evening air
have DO warning to give,
uaIkl Is that thundery
Men and women turn In their tracks as
/ they look in vain for cloud In the sky.
| That rumble comes again, as they look
into each others faces 1t grows louder
as women turn pale and men reach for
their rusty rfles, The ground trent les,
and sfar of comes din which strikes
terror to the heart "Indianslp they
whisper Mol A thousand times better
for them il savage PawDee dared ride
down where these long bsueled rifles
could speak a defense OF the peaceful
camp,
"a stampede Of buGsloe." gasps one
OF the men as be catches sight o. The adj
vsnCe.guard under the awful oud Of
dust. Il 1es are ready Tor n shot, and the
children climb up on the heavy wagon.
wheels to see the strange procession
gallon by.
Here they come! Crack crack crack !
from three rifles and shout as each
bullet tells. Next instant shaggy head,
followed by "a dust-browued body, rushed
through the camp. Then another, and
another The men shout and wave their
arms; the women and children turn psier
yet.
The roar and din shut out every other
sound, and the wagons Jar and tremble
with the conclusion. Now another shaggy
hesd-aholher-hslt.a zen--a scnre--s
hnndred--a great wing wa. VIII Oh