The Van Buren press., 1896-09-12
Roam Dick and the Buzzard.

zone day last week | had took and
made pallet in cool place out on tie
back porch and laid me down to sleep a
few stanzas But about that time |
looked Off down in the paster and there
was my roam horse Dick layin down
broad side in the shade of big persim-
mon tree. | could tell from his general
appearance that he was sleepin as sound
and sweet as baby. AT the same time
| Likewise took notice of turkey buzz
zard which was sailin round and round
over the paster, and swimmin deeper
and deeper and nearer and nearer to the
earth with every swoop and circle.
You can laugh If you want to, Rufe, and
it don make continental blame bit Of
difference with me, but l could hear
that buzzard talliin low and sayin to
himself:
If that amt somethin dead down
there I'll be blessed if | know a good
thing when l see it. By all the devils
at oncst will dip down and see what l
can see.'
so with that the buzzard he swooped
down, he did, and lit in the shade of that
same persimmons tree. In the main
time roam Dick he didn't move a muscle
nor turn a hair, and naturally, of
course, l don't reckon he was even
dreamin about boneyards and buzzards,
and the like of that. Now presently the
buzzard got up on his tip toes and de-
scribed q circle around the horse, but
he stepped tremendous high and hoped
monstrous light on the first circuit.
az do wonder in my soul if that
durn horse is dead says the buzzard,
inchin up little closer and talkin to his
fool self, whilst roam Dick was still
sleepin the sleep of the Just. If he amt
dead there's nothin in general appear
ments, but amt he fat? And, dad
blame it, l am so scandlous hongry till
my skin fits loose. BY iings, will try
him one barrel if 1t breaks up the plan
of salvation
"With that the buzzard waltzed up
and hauled off and nailed the horse on
his ham at q spot where he was fattest
and his hair was the thinnest. Well,
man sir, roam Dick got up from there,
and when he riz he riz buckin and
pitchin and snortin and kicllin to beat
six bits. And in the general shock and
confusionment he had clamped his tail
down and caught the buzzard by his
head and neck. They went off across
the paster like the dark path of cy-
clone-roan Dick plungin and pitchin
and the buzzard futterin and floppin
for dear life. Presently the buzzard
broke loose and tore out and flew off
the other way. And as he burnt the
wind towards the western hills I
could hear him sayin to himself:
"'Thank the Lord I'm loose and free
oncst more. Bless and praise His holy
name. The dead is alive and the lost are
found
"Roan Dick didn't break his gait till
he had run way over there to the fur
corner of tie paster. Then he wheeled
and turned, y tn head and tail up,
looked back towards the shade of the
persimmon tree, give two or three loud
shorts. and l could hear him sayin TO
himself:
"Goshermighty durnl What in the
round created world was that? Snakes
or flends, or man or devil?"
"You can say what you please about
It, Rufe, and you can laugh till you fall
off in it," Andy went on as serious and
solemcholy as the head mourner in a
funeral procession, "but bein neither
blind nor def l am bound to believe
that which see and hear for my own
native self"