The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-09-11


The Little Rams Ring ractics.
A preacher told this story RI q we'd
ding supper ON the South Side tho other
evening:
II was riding along country road
near Bloomington, he said, "whon
noticed a group of sheep in pasture
There was n large open space in the
midst of the flock and at either end Of
the space stood q ram. In the center,
but standing little ut ono side, was a
third ram. The two rams had evidently
had falling out about something. or
else they had como 70 settle in friend
ly contest which was tho better ram
Ram No. . seemed to be acting u.s.
Judge, umpire--what do you call it?
Referee? Yes, that's It, the third ram
was the referee. I dcn't know under
what rules tho meeting took place. It
may have been Quecnsbeuy or Rosehery.
You see 7 am not up TO these technical
matters.
when all the preliminaries had been
arranged and both contestants had been
cautioned apparently that there was TO
be no 'fouling-I think / have seen
that word in the newspapers occasional
", and therefore 1 suppose it is cor
rect word 20 use in this connection
each backed off to the farthest limits Of
the circle, which, by the way, was not
squared circle. Tho referee stepped
out of the way, and the rams dashed to
ward each other. when their heads
came together, there was terrific crash,
and the force of tho concussion threw
them as far apart as the length of this
table
All the guests looked tho full longth
Of the table from the passion flowers at
one end 70 the brides cake In the far
perspective, and then at the preacher in
the middle distance, but nobody said
anything
"Then," continued the preacher,
''they took their places, apparently none
the worse for the encounter. Again, evil
IDENTIFY at preconccrted signal from the
referee, they dashed together This time
the shock was even more terrific than
the first, and | noticed that as one of
them went back to his-ah, what do
they call it, corner?-ho was little un-
steady on his legs"
"Groggyl" yentured the bride
Il believe that is the technical torm,"
replied the preacher, "although, as
have intimated, am not at all familiar
with sporting phraseology. When time
was called for the third round--ahem-
that is, moan to say when tho rams
had recovered strength for third col
lision - there was another rush,
crash, and ono Of the rams, the one You
so aptly described as 'groggy' with an
acknowledgment 60 the bride) fell to
his knees. His adversary did not seem
inclined TO follow up his advantage, but
possibly he may have been restrained by
the rules Of the meeting. AT any rate,
after contemplating his fallen foe grave
ly for moment he walked back TO his
place. The other ram, after resting
briefly, struggled to his feet. The third
ram--the one ! havo called the referee
looked at him rather inquiringly, as
it seemed 60 me, but tho warrior show
cd no sign Of recognition He ambled
to his side Of the ring aud faced about.
a murmur of some sort seemed to go
through the flock The odds were APP
parently 3 to l in favor of the other
ram--that is to say, ii seemed TO be the
general opinion that the ram with the
weak knees had been outclassed, as tho
other ono was decidedly the heavier of
the two
However, the smaller qam seemed
to have wonderful recuperative powers.
When the proper interval had elapsed,
he came up smiling, as it were. even
thought could sec twinkle in his eye
for was quite close to the fence, and
this thing took place only little dis
tance away. As tho referee stepped back
from the center OF the ring, where he
kept his position between the meetings,
the other two rams drove at each other
pellmell. st the very instant when
their hard horns would have met, how
ever, the smaller ram suddenly changed
his course 10 the right, and the other
went through the ranks like catapult
just as no turned about, evidently
boiling over with indignation at the
trick which had been played on him,
the other one, with the added force given
by O longer run from one side of the cir
Gle TO point several feet outside of it,
where the larger rams momentum lad
carried him, shot at him like cannon
ball, striking him full in the face ard
driving him several feet away, where
he lay limp and helpless. The third
ram, who was promptly on tho spot, as
suppose every competent referee should
be, nodded his head several times-in-
deed it looked to me as If he was count
ing-and then the fallen ram failing to
rise the whole flock marched away to-
ward a knoll in another part of the
meadow with the victorious ram at the
head. Presently the defeated ram got
on his feet and made his way to a So
,cluded spot down by little run, where
j saw him reclining in the shade of
large willow tree'as rode away"
What an interesting study natural
history is, J." said the brides grandmoth-
,er as she adjusted her glasses
1T is indeed" said tho groom m's ia