Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1881-01-08
A BOYS ADVENTURE WITH BUF.
FAL0ES.
A True story.


among drove of buffaloes | am about to
relate, wasa young herdsman of the Lone
Star State, and was, regret to say, us
wild and uneducated a boy as could be
found in that far from classical region
But, though Will was uneducated, he
was clever-witted. He was not the kind
of boy who, as the French say, "would
tie hungry dog to a tree with a string
of sausages;" and, if he was ignorant of
mathematics and geography, he was
well informed on all matters relating to
his fathers calling. He could manage
a horse as we'll as the best man on the
ranch, and was fair riile-shot and
good drover.
But Will had one great defect. He
was extremely obstinate, and his father
had not enough force of character to
check the fault. So, at seventeen years
of age, Will was of such a self-willed
disposition that to advise him in one d.
rection was almost sure to make him
take the opposite course.
On one occasion this obStinacy
brought VIII into trouble which nearly
proved fatal.
The drovers had got back from San
Antonio, whittier they had driven their
herds, and were going on grand buff
falo hunt There were six of them
"Old man Crocker," as Wills father
was called, to distinguish him from his
son, Frenchman named Henry Lee
clerc. a Dutchman, nicknamed
DUTCH" two Mexican UaqaeroS, and
last, but by no means least, our friend
Will.
1t is impossible to hunt buffaloes on a
horse unused to the business. But the
following morning, as the hunters were
about to start, viii appeared among
them, mounted on a powerful black
horse called Bonanza, which reared and
plunged in manner that would have
unseated less practiced horseman.
"Hello!p said Croker. "What re
you dom on that horseP'
"Going buffalo hunting, of course
replied his son, as the animal he be-
strobe stood up on its hind legs, threat
ening to fall over backward, and vigor-
ously gesticulated with his fore feet.
"YOu can't hunt buffalo on that
horse!' said his father. $50 back and
get another; and be quick. We're go
ing to start right away"
"Start as soon as you please, replied
Young Obstinacy. "But I'll be the
first man past"
His remarks were cut short by b.
nanza suddenly reversing himself and
standing on his front feet, causing his
enterprising rider to slide forward upon
his neck. Dutch, seeing this, spoke up.
You can't go. to buffalo up NIT dat
horser'
"You fellows attend to your own
affairs, remarked Will. disrespectfully,
"and I'll attend to the horse He's
, the fastest beast here, and I'm just
; about smart enough to put him along
side a buffalo, whether he wants to &C
or not"
/. at makes me noding odds if you &C
hunt on steam-engine," observed
. Dutch.
Remember what we're telling YOU
said Croker, "when we strike buffalo
and that critter runs away"
"The horse doesn't live that can run
away with me" replied Will, confident
ly, and the little cavalcade cantered of
briskly toward the buffalo-pastures O
the southwest
1t was a beautiful morning, peculiar
| to the Texan climate. The rising sur
r gilded the flower-decked plain, anC
from the tall grasses rose flocks of gay.
3 feathered birds; while the balmy air o
: early fall blew, fresh and invigorating
: into the faces of the horsemen. With
4 spirits raised by that sense of exhilera
: ton which comes of rapid motion, thu
D riders shouted and sang, as their pow
erful horses, with equal animation, Dor
them swiftly onward.
!. The second afternoon out buffalo
= herd was discovered feeding far to tn
!, south, resembling flock of black sheel
! in the distance.
= A halt was at once called and prepa
= ration made for q descent upon tn
!, game in the morning. The horses wer
" tethered by long raw-hides, and tn
men proceeded to put their guns an
ammunition in order. The next morn
ing dawned fresh and clear The bulfa
- loes were still in sight, though farthe
# away; and, us the wind blew from th
n hunters toward the herd, long detou
!. was made, in order to approach ther
# from the opposite side.
e At length, the hunters dashed anon
g them and commenced the work of dc
|. struction. Wills horse, the unreliabl
l. Bonanza, behaved well while among hi
IS companions; but no sooner did the
: scatter than he became unmanageablt
"a and his rider heartily wished he ha
r. taken his fathers advice in relation t
d the animal, as he found he was goin
i to be left out of the sport.
ii There were no breech~loading gun
h in the party. and it would astOnish
F: crack sportsman-with his repeatin
q Winchester and ready-loaded shells
/. a convenient belt-to see a horsema
\ charge a muzzle-loader from the saddle
II The report of the hunters rifle
"a gradually diffused uneasiness anon
q the buffaloes, which numbered tw
n thousand or more, and they began
~ move, followed by the relentless hors
~ men.
10 In their course they again approache
4. the horse of our disappointed frien,
= VIII tried desperately to get clio,
N enough for a shot. He succeeded, bl
4 a scared bull, with shaggy front az
AZ furious, twinkling eyes, charged +
2 ward Bonanza, and that animal turnC
and fed ANONYMOUSLY.
=