Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-02-05
Without Water Twenty-four Days

Without Water Twenty-four Days
Louisville, Neb., Jan. 3l.-Two
calves, one six the other seven months
old, were buried In straw stack for
twenty-fuur days and were taken out
alive Thursday 1t happened on the
farm of Frank Stander, who lives
three miles from Louisville.
The experience. of the two calves
has placed them above the freak at
fractions of the five and six legged
varieties found at county fairs. The
"buried alive" man who has trav-
eled the country over, frightening
women into floods Of resolutions, has
been beaten at his own game.
"Dot' and "Smudge" are the
names Of tho two calves They were
to great extent the pets OF every
one on the farm. Having been de-
clared dead for twenty-four days,
their active condition is something
of an agreeable surprise.
The calves were In lot with
mum Der OF other cattle. The strong
winds Of about three weeks ago were
tearing things TO pieces on the farm.
Boards were flying and anything
loose was sure to be sent on an air
ship journey. The cattle were hud-
died on the lee side of the large straw
stack thatahad been left in the lot
when the threShing was completed
last fall. They had .eaten from both
sides Of it and the dozen or two deep
inroads the animals had made were
used for shelter.
Into hole Of This sort the two
calves had sought refuge from the fly
ing "brlC brac" Of farm tools and
fence boards. The remainder of the
cattle, as many as possible, were also
smuggled in similar places.
Mr.. Stander had started out across
the lot facing the wind. The lull for
a few minutes just previous had en-
ticed some OF the cattle away from
the stack. The til id calves, how
ever, remained In tneir place Of safe
ty.
There was a sudden squall, coming
up in much the same manner as a
dust whirlwind on summer day.
The revolving current Struck the
straw stack and caught in the eaten
places on the windward side. The
straw began to fly thick and fast.
When the whiTlwind had careened
down the bill and disappeared, the
straw stack had been moved three
or four feet in mass .and was re-
piled, without holes.
The cattle mad all stampeded down
to the other end Of the lot. Mr.. Stan
der supposed they were all safe. He
gave the matter no more thought for
a day or two. Then the calves were
missed. The owner remembered hav-
ing seen them close.to The stack"and
their fate be suTmised very quickly.
1t is big job to move a.straw stack
as large as an ordinary five room cot
tae. Mr.. Stander postponed digging
out the bodies OF the calves from day
to day. Finally he concluded he
must get them out BY this time
the cattle had again eaten holes into
the sides Of the stack. 1t was the
same huge affair as before the acct
dent.
Stander went to work resolutely,
An inroad by the cattle had made a
larger hole than usual in one place.
The other p aces had not been eaten
away so much by the cattle. 1t was
singular, thought MI. Stander A
noise attracted his attention and az
ter about five minutes work he
found the calyes-aive.
The hole eaten by the cattle had
allowed them plenty OF air. They
had survived for twenty-fOuT days
without water and with only straw
for food.