New-York tribune., 1890-03-30
THE BUZZARD LOPE.
A BRAND NEW STEP THAT IS RAGING IN
GEoRGrA-woRsE THAN THE GRIP

GEORGIA-wORSE THAN THE GRIP.
Tribune reporter Just returned from Georgia
brought back with him the step that has had an
extensive run in that State in the last two months
1t is called the Buzzard Lope.7 Nothing Ike IT
was ever seen in this part of the country. and
persons who are not intimately acquainted with the
ways OF buzzards will be unable 20 form anything ap
preaching correct notion Of It's STYLE The buzzad Il
so useful a citizen of the south that he seldom
ventures Northward. lie IS known In a small way In
the West, but it Is an historic fact that he was
never caught Looping outside of Georgia The habits
Of the buzzard are peculiar lie Is excessively car
nivorous and likes his meat served high. II your
favorite dies the buzzards OF the nelghhorhood
will bury her. not necessarily IN the earth, but
they'll bury her.
An aged darkey lost his aged mule, lost him by
death in the piney woods one black Friday. The
following Sunday he took a spade and .cnt forth
TO bury him. Arriving within sight Of the body he
came upon group of forty nine buzzards. Forty
eight OF them flew away. The forty ninth. whose
feathers gray with age. early pcty. or
something declined 10 retire. Looking straight at the
old darkey lie spread his wings-thoy
were nine feet from tip TO tip
tucked his tail under his body, drew in
his chin and proceeded to lope around the dead mule.
The old darkey had been wonderful dancer I'm slavery
days and prided himself on knowing every step that
any body else knew. He had danced the dignity"
step in Barbados, the TON Tom IN Dominica he
had danced "karo" other person IN the world
could dance It. and for cutting the pigeon wing.
why. lie invented II But here brand new
step. 1t wrenchcd his soul to that ancient
buzzaM Looping there at his ease he had never
dreamed any creature earth could lopc lie stood
aghast. The spade fell from his shoulder. He
spread his arms bent his body the middle stiff
cned every Joint except those at the elbow, wrist.
ankle and knee, and forgetting both the day and
the place. followed the buzzard around the mule for
four solid hours. keeping step with the bird. At
dusk tho buzzard tapped his wings and went 10
rOost. while the old man lopcd home feeling ten
years younger than the youngest COON In the
county.
Such is the legend Of the Buzzard LOPEZ The step
captupd everybody. Clubs formed all the
state 10 learn IT, and for the time being all unlappi-
over the appointment Of negro postmastcrs was
forgotten The proportion Of persons able 10 master
the lOpc was about ! In 80. The reporter gave up
every thing else and devoted himself assiduOusly T.
the task for nine days. at the end If which time he
accidentally stumbled into the proper capcr ON the
New York he afraid lest the lOpc might
escape him that he lost opportunity practise IT,.
~ Chattanooga lie devoted BIS twenty minutes for
a lOpc the station al
the employees OF the Queen and Crescent Alabama Great
southern Cincinnati southern, Western and Atlantic
and Louisville and Nashville roads working 10
master the step. At Cincinnati lie lOpcd indus.
triOusy in the waiting room that Official threatened
lOpc him ont into the street At Ptt.buig the
general impression that lunatic had escaped.
but that did not prevent score Of smoky city
inhabitants from moving their feet IN mysterious
The Buzzard Lope" begcars description. You can.
not appreciate IL till II. II ought the
stage for the benefit Of the community.