Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1901-02-07
HIS NICE WARM BED.
1T WAS MIGHTY PLEASANT UNTIL 1T
FROZE UP TIGHT.

Greeted n Buffalo Hunter In Mon
tana When He Awoke From u Nap
on q Cold Night In February.
Sitting around big stove one cold
winter evening at Montana cattle
ranch, says writer in the Washington
Post, both cowboys and cook amused
themselves rolling and smoking the in
evitable cirgarette, while they snapped
yarns more or less remarkable.
One of the men had just finished
rather hair raising experience when the
cook, an old Texas trail boss, In
drawing voice began: "Well, that re-
minds me of the winter l staid up here
and had close call. / trailed cattle up
from Texas that summer for the Three
V company, and getting a good offer
from the foreman to stay with them as
cook decided to try northern winter.
There were a few scattering punches OF
buffalo around here then, and as winter
wore on and having nothing to do but
lie round and wait for spring we got to
going out on little expeditions just for
amusement. Buffaloes were scarce
enough at that time to be pretty valua-
BILE game, and it was a great honor to
the one who could bring in hide.
II got good start one morning in Feb
ruary, determined to stay out until l
could bring at least one skin back with
me. There was very little snow on the
ground, but the weather was nipping
zero. l must have gone 80 miles at least
before sighting my game, when 1t was
wearing on into the afternoon and SEEM
ed to be growing colder all the time.
"Getting up closer to the group and
counting four COW buffaloes and one bull,
l began to pour lead into them. | got the
bunch, and now to skin them. Giving my
horse his head to Craze, l sailed in, but 1t
was new business for me, and slow. 1t
began to get dusk by the time had fin,
ished the job, and on looking around
there was no horse in sight. Searching
about as well as could, it began to look
as though I'd have to hoof it in to the
ranch, but how about the hides!
Leaving them for the coyotes and
wolves to tear up was out of the question,
and, being cloudy, there was never star
to help me in my course home, were l to
try and foot it. After studying over the
matter for awhile and cursing my luck
at the horrible cold and darkness, l laid
two Of the hides down fat together, the
hairy side up, stretched myself at one
edge, and began to roll up, careful all
the while to leave an air hole at the top
for breathing purposes. The hides were
SO limp that they conformed well to the
shape of my body. and the comfortable
feeling Of being good and warm soon put
me to sleep.
II don't know the time, but it was not
far from morning, when | awoke and tried
to stretch and turn over, which was i'm
possible. l tried to move my arms, but
that was no more to be done than If
had been bound and rebound with rope.
| tried to crawl up, | tried to crawl down,
but 1t was no USE l could twist my body
and limbs little, but that little twist
was all. 1t then dawned on me what had
happened. had rolled myself up in two
green hides and they had frozen hard,
making me prisoner.
II lay still long while trying to think
Of some means Of escape. The idea OF
cutting my way out with a knife occurred
to me, but try as ! might | could not
reach my pocket. l could twist my head
up Just enough to see out of my air hole
and realize that it was a sunshiny morn
ing, but ! was getting hungry now and
awful stiff and sore from lying in one
position SO long. 1t was like being tied
to q plank.
"Oh, how my bones did ache :, When
would relief get to me, or woulEIt come
ut all? The boys knew about what di-
rection | had taken, but they might not
be alarmed enough to start out and look
me I'D in time. 1t seemed uncomfortable.
felt numb.
"My head throbbed, and with q start
I noticed that it was growing dark. Was
the sun going down or only under
cloud? Yes, il was getting dusk again,
and another night Of torture was before
me. Could l put in a long night Of it
and live? yelled and yelled again. II
could reach my gun and shoot, the boys
might be near enough to hear me.
'These thoughts raced through my
brain in rapid succession, when-could it
bell heard voices. No, l was doomed to
disappointment. 1t was the yelps OF
coyotes, calling and answering to each
other in the distance. Soon they would
be looking around the buffalo carcasses
and probably be my companions for the
night. 1t seemed to me that their yelps
never had such lonesome sound before.
''Soon they gathered for their feast But
their jangle suddenly ceased. What was
it? Probably some grays had sauntered
up and claimed the layout. No, oh joy!
l could hear the tramp of horses feet,
and soon | was heloing and being an
swered. The fellows could not find me
at first, but following the sound of my
voice, traced me and took in the situation
at glance. They pulled grass and piled
it on each side Of me, set 1t afre, and
In less than a quarter of an hour l was
free. They had to give me drink and
rub me a long while before l was able
to stand up, and then they helped me
into my saddle, and we got to the ranch
before daylight"