Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-01-14
x Queer Buffa1o. Hunt.

highly entertained one evening with
the narration Of Virginia backwoods-
man, who had settled in that section
when all around was a wilderness; and
as this story of the old farmer, con
cerning the manner In which he be-.
came acquainted with his present wife,
contains O rather curious and singular
adventure, have written 1t out, under
the assurance of its being a real occdr-
renee, which had never been told In
print.
Joseph Tompkins (for so will call
the farmer was true specimen OF q
rontiersman-tall,l lank and muscular,
and much better acquainted with the
mysteries OF the woods than the refine
ment of books and he had married a
wife nearly as tall as himself; but who
had tho additional qualification of
weighing some two hundred and fifty
pounds, and whom Mr.. Tompkins Of
ten playfully designated as ''that thar
tiny leetle woman"
"She's prize, that thar same leetle
woman is !" proudly replied the good
farmer, to compliment which I paid
SO her domestic qualities; "and if you'd
like to hear bit of romance, I'll tell
you how fust got acquainted with
her." .e~
Of course the story was demanded {;
and the worthy farmer, settling himself
well back in bearskin-covered arm
chair, proceeded with his narration, in
the following characteristic language
When I first moved to this here
county. from old Vargin'a, I reckon
it was as wild looking place as you
ever seen. We come right here where
we now live, and settled down right in
the heart of the woods, that war pow
erful gloomy jest then, as You can fan
cy.
Thar was dad himself and four of us
boys, making purity strong team; and
going right to work, we soon had up a
right smart chance Of a cabin and
what time arter that we warn't hunt
ing for something to eat, we war c'lar
ing off patch of ground to put corn
into the next coming spring.
All that wide prairie that you've
seen stretching away to the right, and
now dotted oyer with fine houses, was
as wild then as the big prairies towards
the Rocky Mountains; and the tall, dry
grass made 1t look awful drear, as the
fall winds begunsto whistle oyer it.
Arter the weather begun TO git purity
cold, and We found onr feed Citing
l,w, we concluded we'd better take
q week to lay IN game, to be ready
for needing times and so one day We
got together some neighbors' boys.
that lived about eight or ten miles
off-us four and them making ten
In all-and sot off on regular
hunting bout; and a'wilder, merrier set
OF young rascals you couldn't skeer up
the whole 'arth over-no stree !
Well, we TUX right acrost that thar
prairie, in Intending to 60 to a wood on
t'other side. whar thar twas famous
salt lick; but we hadn't gone MORN
two mile, when we seen the awfullest
big herd of buffers that ever showed
their shaggy heads in these here dig
gings. They war the fust that some of
us had ever seen in our lives-me and
my three brothers special-and il we
warn't nearly tickied cuten our moe
casins, at the chance we'd now have to
try our skill on the critters, tran you
can stop off my backer for month
yer stree
Wei, you'd better believe thar warn't
much fooling about then. The buffers
was slowly feeding along towards the
| fur side OF the prairie, and we at once
sot off to try our hands on 'em, taking
pains to keep well down in the long
grass, SOS they shouldn't see US, and
now and then Citing chance to kiveI
ourselves for a while in the low, scrub
by timber and hazlenut bushes that
growed thick along the different
sloughs.
I reckon the old brutes must got
the scent of us once in a while. though,
for several times we seen 'em sniff the
air abd then start off ut Il sort OF trot,
which they'd keep mp for mile or two,
and then feed along slow agin, till we'd
almost come up to 'em, and then up
and trot If agin.
In this way we follered 'em up purity
nigh the whole blessed day, without
Citing burned shot and by that time
4 I'D got about as mad rs any human ev-
er should GIT without nothing to bite
and up and sgore wouldn't go back
without one of them thar buffers, if
had to stay a week fort and all the
other boys jined in, and swore the same
thing. Then we took asmack from oul
wallets. and follered on, eating as We
went, and mumbling cur vengeance
with every mouthful we put in.
But still the same confounded luck