Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-07-02

monarchs, while the herds mingling
drew to one side. To distinguish tho
antagonists, I'll call one Big Horn and
the other Antlers- Big Horns beloved
forth challenge that made the rocks
ring-ever hear an elk below? Well,
never did before, but can tell you he
can do it, and it isn't to be laughed to
scorn either, for it means desperate
fighting. When Big Horns gave the
challenge Antlers took it up with ano-
Their quite as loud and angry, and then
fairly tearing up the ground with their
formidable heads, the two closed to-
gether. Talk of gladiatorial combats!
don't want to see anything grander
than that fight For the first second or
two you could not have said which was
which, SO closely had they mingled;
then came lunge after lunge forward
with the terrible horns. which drew
blood every time, wheel and counter
wheel, round and round till they seem
like whirling demons and they grew
bewndered At intervals, by mutual
consent it appeared, both drew back
several PAGES, paused for a brief second
to breathe, and then would come the
rush forward and the locking of horns
BLOOD began to flow freely, and
could see that the wounds of both were
many and cruel, but still the maddened,
determined beasts fought on, neither
making the slightest movement toward
fight. Once Antlers, fell upon his
knees after a sudden blow from his an
tagonist, but as Big Horns rushed upon
him he dealt him terrible thrust right
in the breast, piercing also the belly
with one long prong. The other reeled
with the blood bursting in red, thick
jet from the wound. but started once
more for Antlers, who was trying to re-
gain his footing. Before reaching him,
however, he staggered blindly to one
side and the next instant fell over dead,
almost under the other. Antlers'
struggles to get up proving unavailing,
began to suspect that he was worse
wounded than 1 had imagined, but he
struck again and again at his foes
PROSTATE body. as if in wanton desecra-
ton OF it. He was evidently growing
weaker. though, and the blood continu-
ing to pour from his side, which had
been badly ripped open for nearly a
foot, he finally lay perfectly quiet,
gasping for breath and rolling his mag
nificent eyes in agony and entreaty at
the rest of the herd, which seemed
ror at this death struggle
of the chiefs of the clans But some
how 1 could not bear the sight of this
poor creatures sufferings, and saying
to myself that his gallant fight de-
served a soldiers death, 1 raised NV
gun and fired. The elk raised his head
for one brief moment, and / began to
fear had only wounded him further,
when he dropped it with heavy thud
and a long SILVER that shook his entire
body told me he was dead. The rest of
the herd, bewildered by the scene and
unexpected shot, started into life, broke
! up the valley toward where / stood,
| and, without even an Indication that
they saw me. swept past me, disappear
ing in less time almost than it takes to
tell it / really believe, such was their
fright, that they would have gone
| straight over me had 1 not stepped
aside, and 1 actually let them go with.
out firing shot, SO amazed was / al
that dash. 1 examined the dead gladi
| lay finger on either breast or fore
quarters without touching some wound
SO mangled and torn were the car
cases would have liked to secure
the horns as mementoes of the fight,
but the antlers of both were badly
broken in several places, but / dom
know that 1 need any such keepsales,
for L can never forget the scene as long
as / live. st Louis Globe-Democrat