The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-07-25


may prove to man.
VALUE OF THE BUFFALO.
1.-The hair of the animals head and
forehead is heavy and springy, serving
perfectly the office Of mattress and pill
low. It's tallow is as rich and palata-
bic as butter; the flesh, when dried,
serves for bread; the hide, when tanned,
makes good shoes, rope and leather. Its
fur is softer than lambs WOOL and
when woven into cloth is the lightest
and warmest fabric ever manufactured.
The under fur is like SWansdoWn and
makes a perfectly waterproof hat when
converted into that article. The rain is
shed from it as rapidly as from a
ducks back; it is this wise provision
of nature so close to their bodies which
keeps the animal constantly dry and
warm. While domestic cattle are strick-
en- down by the deadly venom of the
rattlesnake, the buffalo receives its
fangs in the long hair and wool cover
ing its head and legs and then tram
pies the serpent into the earth with it's
sharp hOOfs. Its fleece may be carded
off every spring after having fulfilled
its purpose of a winters protection to
the animal, woven into the finest IA
brics, knitted into hosiery, and made
into robes and blankets which kings
and princes delight to recline under"
The study of its habits, too, has been
as carefully made as has that of its out
ward characteristics and it's pOsSibili-
ties for service, An extract from the
description of a fight between buffa1Oes
for leadership of the herd gives some
idea of the fine style which distin-
guishes the book.
A FIGHT FOR LEADERSHIP.
With muzzles lowered, paving the
earth with their great hoOfs, raising
impalpable dust from the hard, dry sod
over which millions of their cOmpeers
have trOdden for centuries, they eau
tiOusly circle around each other, meas
uring ever possible vantage. Their great
heads, matted with bull nettles" and
sand burs' until twice their normal
size, are alternately tossed high in the
air, then as quickly lowered until their
noses come within an inch of the
ground. These are the preliminary tao
tics that gauge the battle, like the
knights of old when they threw their
gauntIets of steel into the arena. Their
short tufted tails are swollen as a cat
when in the ecStacy of its rage; their
backs curved up like the same pugnac-
iOus animal, and their hair bristling
with the desire for battle
Now, when near enough to each other,
comes the supreme moment for which
they have been waiting-their eyes
seem to pour forth liVid rays like that
emanating from an electric dynamo, as
they charge upon each other with the
rush of a tornado at the height of its
rattle that sounds like the firing of a
battalion directly over where they
stand in their mighty struggle. The
spectator is apparently almost para
ertion of muscle shown by the huge
beasts, as he breathlessly waits for a
lun in the terrible conflict which has
completely entranced him.
The fight always continues" goes
on the story, until one of the contest
ants is conquered. Even then the con-
Quered animal always keeps his face to
the victor, moving backward until an
opportunity offers itselffor him to skulk
into seclusiOn or out of sight of his now
acknowledged master"
In frrIo 70
know as intimately as he does the wild
animals. For them he evidently has not
the same admiration he possesses for
the four-footed creatures which he fol-
lowed and conquered. The red men
were more to be feared, he asserts,
than the buffalOes and snakes, and he
appears to have dreaded more the en-
counters with them than with even
billiards., which he says were beyond
words.
JONES' ESTIMATE OF INDIANS.
Regarding them he says: Il have
many hundreds of times been in close
contact with these tunsOphiSticated
children of nature as some Of our
SupersensttiVe eastern philanthrOpiStS
are pleased to call them; have dWelt
in their lodges, hunted with their great
chiefs, battled with them, and am
familiar with their cunning, their brav-
cry, their sUfferings, and every other
phase of their nOmadic life. Ihave been
treated with the most profound re-
lated under force of numbers by the
miserable creatures
The encounters with seas of fire
spreading themselves over the land the
adventures with horse thieves and cut
threats which dot the volume, are in
tereSting beyond telling. The frontier
lore which saves life in both cases is
only to be obtained through experience,
and in the latter in at least one in
stance discretion seemed to be the only
way out The principal in the story
of enforced hospitality happened to be
Buffalo Jones' " brother. who was left
alone in camp while others of the party
were off antelope hunting. AS night
drew on the occupant of the camp was
dismayed to see three men approach
ing. They entered the quarters evil
IDENTIFY with the intention of making
themselves at home.
AN EXPERIENCE WITH HORSE
THIEVES.
In Buffalo zones - words. There were
two apartments to the dugout. and my
Detnef lnNIted them TO sleep IN the inner
ROOM 70 winch they StTenuousiy object
ed, however, declaring they wanted to be
to their horses Each carried a Witches
ter and two large revolvers and slept with
PEELED to occupy the inner room. but was
careful to bar the door. He had recently
with him a very fine pair of trousers,
which hung upon nail in the room taken
trousers We're missing. but he went right
ahead getting breakfast and saying moth
said: Boys, I have tried to treat you as
nicely as I know how. Won't YOU please
leave my trousers, 1 shall certainly
need them before 1 can procure another
pair
In moment everything was as quiet
as the grave. At last one OF them spoke
up and said:
=" We haven't got your pants. What's
the matter with you?
Yes, said my brother, this gentle
man has them on under his overalls, as is
plainly seen
Then said the accused: What are you
going to do about it?'
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