Wichita eagle., 1888-07-14
A CHORUS OF STEERS.
Texas Cattle Trained TO Below 'sHan
CoIumbia"-A Unique Concert.

Texas Cattle Trained TO Below 'Han
CoIumbia"-A Unique Concert.
It was now about s o'clock and the Fun
was rapidly approaching the horizon The
bovine orchestra was to perform as usual at
6, or about sunset, just before feeding time
Mr. Heminway led the way to the home
corral a heavily timbered stockade just over
the crest Of hill and about a quarter OF a
mile from the house The cowboy band
which had ridden out to meet him accom-
panied the party on horseback It was a
cool but calm April evening, the air balny
with the fresh prairie air and the faint per-
fumes Of wild flowers As they approached
the stockade melodious benowings sounded
over the pale Within were just twenty Of
the most intelligent beasts in the whole herd
Of $1,000 Brawny, big boned, long horned
and muly -soms of them-snooth limbs,
sleek coats and bright eyes marking them as
crack cattle They moved forward In a
leisurely, self contained way and stood look
ing at the cowboys Six Of the latter dis
mounted, came inside with their trombone,
cornet, French horn, big horns and cymbaiS
Each cowboy took up position by partic-
ular OK
Six OF the cattle were now separated from
their fellows and led by the horns to skeleton
stalls OF light poles, constructed SO the beasts
faced in towards the center OF the inclosure
and were ranged on the soft grass side by
side, near enough TO touch the tips OF each
others horns. The cowboy with the cornet
stood Immediately in front of light brindled
heifer that had an exceedingly vlvacious
aspect and was very quick on its feet The
trombone confronted an almost jet black
steer that proved to have a high voice Of
great reverteratory power. The cymbals
fanked q red bull, while the other horns
were pointed at bright eyed COWS that re-
garded the whole strange scene with an eI-
perisnced air and anticipatory delight.
The Heminvay party stood slightly to one
side the intoxicating cowboys, 20 the num-
Der Of forty or more, IN group near them
Just SIS the sinking SUI reached the horizon
and seemed to hnger for a moment before
SAYING good night, Mr. He-ninway gave the
signal
The eowboys at once struck up "Hal
Columbia playing that fine old air with
much spirit and tolerable correctness With
the first note from each instrument the ami
NAL in is front raised its neck, opened its
mouth 70 the widest capacity, and throwing
its head back gave prolonged and musical
utterance 70 souorous sounds which, If they
were not singing IN the human sense, consci-
tuted something remarkably like it
The accord between tie Instruments and
tie vocal accompaniment OF the bovine
CHORUS was perfect There vas one hsrncni-
Gus volume OF sound, that echoed far and
wide with singular power and sweetness, car
ryins through the charmed air strains Of the
western patriots favorlte song and mellow
ing in the distance 70 8 grand choral ode.
But the most interesting part Of tee unique
performance was vet TO come. When the
strains OF the horns diei away tie cowboy
performers withdrew and joined the ether
cowbcys. TIE bovine chorus was left 70
itself Mr. Ee;uinway drew a revolver from
his pocket end fred shot As the smoke
curled up IN the fading sunlight, the steers
opened their mouths, threw their heads back
and III psrfect harmony went again through
the air they had Just finished The ring and
volume sad sweetness OF their voices were
now distinctly apparent. They chau-ed alb
solutely correctly and lacked ocly a-sicula-
ton to be the champion sextes Of the vocal
worid.-Jobn Paul Bococ6 in New York