Evening star., 1899-02-11
BUCK TAlLOR'S HARD LUCK.
bfnHed All sorts of Dangers to BE
MOmnslcG in Cul,a-

Buck Taylor. the cowboy scout and the
hero of thousands of American youngsters
as the leader of the band of intrepid ranch
men, who, in the wild west shows. rescue
the stage coach and its passengers from
the hands of the redskins, has been of
late patient in the Arsenal Hospital That
Bucks courage is not of the kind that will
stand test only under the peaceful canvas
OF a circus was demonstrated in no un-
certain way in our late unpIeasantness with
the descendants of Don Quixete and Sancho
Panza He was one of the toughest of
the Rough Riders, and Theodore Roosevelt
thought SO much of him that he had the
"eSterher accompany him on his rounds
IN his effort to cOrral the governors1ip of
New ork Representative Serene PAYNE
the new head of the ways and means com
Inlttee, did not despise either to have Buck
lend his presence TO the congressional cam
p&lgn IN his district. That both Roosevelt
ana Payne were elected is certainly no dis
credit TO the frontiersman.
Buck carries as a mementO of his CI1ban
campaign a wound that has pulled him
down from likely lad of 1913 pounds to an
attenuated and weakly ugh-ridden hero
OF l3o. This hurt laid him up in the Roose-
welt Hospital in New York city. When
| Colonel Roosevelt's political campaign open-
| ed, however, Buck pulled himself together
anG @ stuck by his old commander to the
end Then he retired cnce more to the
hospital. He started for his home in New
Mexico Il few days ago, but became so
weak that he was forced to camp in WASH
llstoh. ,,!, ne mas improved his stay here by
paying several visits to the Capitol and
laying the wires for a pension. should his
health so completely fail him that he cam
not work again. He will not he says. ac-
| cep' the governments bounty unless that
calamity overtakes him. He has iutrIsted
MS interests to Representative PAYNE. in
whom he feels full confidence Buck isn't
much of a talker; besides his cough vnr-
hair hn ont
IeaFinS Tor the front, and he doesn't look
fierce enough to frighten anybody.
How was / shot?' he said. repeating The
Star writer's interrogatory. Just follow
ing the flag. I guess. 1t was on the 3d Of
July in the last of the fighting before Sam
uago. We were trying to capture a block
| mouse. Roosevelt was leading and we were
an Duncned up near him. The Spaniards
d1dnt seem to be shooting at U.S. but at
the flags. The glorious old flag was being
torn TO pieces by the storm of bullets. but
NOBODY seemed TO be falling. All of sud
den something struck me and keeled over
thlnk IT was spent bullet, but ii did the
work 1t hit me here in the left lung and
came OUT the back of my neck. And now
the doctors say l won't be able to ride A
horse any more, after having lived all nv
llfe in the saddle-yes, you might saw born
! there And don't you know Ii seems funny
70 me that | should have gone back to the
iahd where was born to receive the blow
that put me hors du combat, for you know
came into the world in Havana where my
tather was living at the time"
BUCKS first exploit of moment occurred
when he was yet in his teens gang
OF Indians had swooped down on the ranch
and carried OFF bunch of cattle. He placed
himself at the head of cowboys in pursuit.
| fight ensued and sixty or seventy of the
/ marauders were killed. That gave him a
/ standing in social circles out west, which
/ his natural daring rapidly added to- He
| was ofen OF assistance to the Washington
| boy, Captain William O'NeiIl who was
| killed in the high grass at Las Quasimas.
| ONeil was sheriff of Tucson Ariz, when
| Taylor became acquainted with him. and
/ on more than one occasion the cowboy rem
| dered the easterner a service
| did ONeill deserve the reputation he
| held for nerve?' Taylor was asked
[ Well he said and then hesitated as IL
| careful to choose the right words, II don't
| think there was anything that Bucky
/ ONeii was afraid of. Once he went into
i den where ten of the pals of murderer
| and train robber he was after were gath
\ cred. laid his hand on the mans shoulder
| and walked him out. He had not a friend
| or ally within sight or hearing. Was that
| nerye?''
Buck says that If his health permits he
| will go back to the show business but he
| will have to occupy a less heroic role than
| that of the leader Of the rescuing cowboys