The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-07-21
MUSIC AMONG CATTLE.
AN ENGLISH GIRL SAVES HER LIFE
BY SINGING TO A HERD.
Surrounded by Wild and Ferocious An

ourrouhueu by Nilu ana terOclous AMI
mails She Lifts Up Her Voice in Song.
Tho Wonderful Effect of Opera Upon
Creatures of the Plains.
My brother and were spending part of
September in one of the loveliesG'of the
parks OF Colorado. Our home was quaint
log ranch, containing the eating and sit
ting rooms, with small wooden houses
| grouped around, each containing one or
more sleeping apartments 1t lay at the
far end of the park, nesting under the
huge mountains which form the buttresses
of the storm beaten giant known as Longs
| Peak
My brother Is an untiring fisherman, and
the river running through the park sup
piled him with endeR occupation, so had
to seek amusement les myself and found
it in sketching, 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 | 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 my quest for sketchable bits it was
my fashion to start off on long expeditions
by myself which from the first greatly
surprised the folks at the ranch, my hostess
assuring me that no one bat an English
lady could he so brave.
SINGING FAUST To CATTLE.
One morning, walking down rather a
narrow part Of the valley, found my road
disputed by some fifty or so mountain cat.
tie which had come down to Craze and
were clearly puzzled at my appearance.
They formed in line in Il most steady way,
and for few minutes we stared ut each
| other
have always had lively terror of loose
cows, engendered probably by n childhood
in the Channel islands, where the gentle
little animals are all tethcred; so disliked
the position extremely. had no weapon
more formidable than a paint brush, and
was fortunately too frightened to run
away.
| An inspiration came to me, and wariy
watching my enemies | struck up the
melody of the Soldiers Chorus in Faust"
The effect was delightful The creatures
listened attentively for a few minutes and
then one after another quietly fell to graz
Ing, while | 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 mile from the ranch
saw a far larger number Of cattle massed
across the way had to 60 Remembering
my late easy disposal of the invaders
marched on, nothing daunted, and when
within easy hearing struck up my "Cheur
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, | 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 Il vast, noiseless audi
ence.
doubt if Patti ever held spellbound a
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 in ordinary human intruder,
to be treated as such On the other hand,
it was evident that the more sang the
more the herd gathered
AIDED BY A PARAsoL.
Closer, closer they came, until ! could
feel their hot breath like cloud round me,
and then gentle poke, now in the back,
then in the shoulder from their long
horns. am still convinced that their in.
tentions were good, none the less it was
evident there could be but one end of such
| an lliNl NtiolhR llANnoNAV' iOl u UlOIltllJ 1
despaired; then with considerable Difficult
ty for lack of space, 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 lane, down which rushed, bran.
dishing my weapon. When free of them
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 met a mounted farm
servant with II long whip coming in search
of me, having heard that the cattle had
come down to Craze
Near the anch met the mistress, quite
in state of agitation. She was much re.
lieved at my appearance and amazed at my
story, Some weeks later, telling it to a
Nebraska farmer he told me the danger
had been extreme ouly the week before he
and some other mounted men having res
cued barely alive n newcomer who had in
cautiously Straycd into cattle rum
Chambers journal