The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-06-05
EMUSIC AMONG CATTLE
AN. ENGLISH GIRL SAVES HER LIFE
BY SINGING TO A HERD.

\
| Surrounded by Wild and Ferocious Ami.
| mails She Lifts Up Her Voice in Song
! The Wonderful Effect of; Opera Upon
! Creatures of tho Plains.
My brother and were spending part OF
September in one of the loveliest of the
parks of Colorado. Our home was a quaint
| log ranch, containing the eating and sit
| ting rooms, with small wooden houses
| grouaed around, each containing one or
more sleeping apartments. 1t lay at the
! far end OF the park, nesting under the
huge,mounsa7ns which form the butresses
of the storm beaten giant known as Longs
| Peak.
Ny brother Is an untiring fisherman, and
the river running through the park sup
piled him with endless occupation, 50 had
to seek amusement for myself, and found
it in sketcAipg, trying to catch some Of the
wonderful effects of color, always varying
on the forest clad mountains.
Doubtless many of my readers know
what is meant by mountain park; but
for those who do not I explain that the
term is used for open ground inclosed be-
tween mountain ranges. This particular
one is perhaps seven miles long, and at its
widest mile broad, but narrowing greatly
in parts. The surrounding mountains
form complete wall, and, until very
lately, it was considered inaccessible on all
sides but one.
In nv quest for sketchable bits It was
my fashion to start off on long expeditions
by myself, which from the first greatly
surprised the folks atsthe ranch, my hostess
assuring me that no one but an English
lady could be so brave.
SINGING FAUST TO. CATTLE.
One morning, walking down rather a
narrow part of the valley, ufound my road
disputed by some fifty orYso mountain cat
tie, which had come down to Craze and
were clearly puzzled at my appearance.
They formed III line in a most steady way,
and for few minutes WEI stared at each
other.
have always had a lively terror Of loose
cows engendered probability childhood
in the! Channel islands, where the gentle
little animals are all tethered; so disliked
the position extremely. l had no weapon
reiformidable than "a paint brush, and
was fortunately too frightened to run
away.
An inspiration came to me, and warily
watching my enemies I struck up the
melody of.the Soldiers! Chorus in Faust"
The effect was delightful. The creatures
listened attentively fora few minutes and
then one after another quietly fell to graz
ing, while l walked through their midst
after the fashion of the little pilgrim,
singing on my way"
WILD CATTLE AMAZED.
A few days later was returning to sup
per when about a mile from the ranch l
saw a far larger number of cattle massed
across the way had to go. Remembering
my late easy disposal of the invaders
marched on, nothing daunted, and when
within easy hearing struck up my "Choeur
de Soldats." AS before, the animals all
faced about and gazed at me steadily; but,
alas, instead of dispensing they moved
slowly toward me like moving wall.
Louder and louder sang on, until, look
ing beyond and around me, l saw cattle
everywhere all moving in my direction
up the slope from the river, down the
mountains on my right, up the track had
come-cattle slowly but surely closing me
in. They were not fierce in aspect, but
looked at me with their great soft eyes in
a meditative way; but still they came
nearer and nearer, a vast, noiseless audi
ence.
doubt if Patti ever held spellbound
more attentive crowd than gathered round
me on that lonely plain, with the great vi
olet shadows of the mountains lying over
us, and the golden glories of the setting
sun blending rock, river and cattle into a
cleaning haze.
/ dared not stop singing, as saw clearly
my song was my "shibboleth" without !
which was an ordinary human intruder,
to be treated as such. On the other hand, |
it was evident that the more l sang the /
more the herd gathered.
AIDED BY A PARAsOL.
Closer, closer they came, until could |
feel their hot breath like a cloud round me,
and then gentle poke, now in the back,
then in the shoulder, from their long
horns. l am still convinced that their in
tentions were good; none the less it was /
evident there could be but one end of such |
an increasing pressure. For a moment I |
despaired; then, with considerable difficult |
ty for lack of space, l opened my parasol, |
whirled it round and round before me with |
all the strange shouts / could invent and /
charged straight at my foes
To my thankful surprise, the bewildered |
animals gave way one by one and fairly !
made a lane, down which rushed, bran
dishing my weapon. When free of them I !
dared to look back, to find them all stealth
lily staring after me IN dull amazement;
but no one moved step in pursuit of me.
Five minutes later l met a mounted farm
servant with long whip coming in search
of me, having heard that the cattle had
come down to Craze.
Near the ranch | met the mistress, quite
in state of agitation. She was much re-
heved at my appearance and amazed at my
story. Some weeks later, telling it to q
Nebraska farmer, he told me the danger
had been extreme, only the week before he
and some other mounted men having res
cued barely alive newcomer who had in
cautiously strayed into cattle run
Chambers Journal.