Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-08-13
OLD DAYS IN OKLAHOMA.
Governor Ferguson's Reminiscs nee,
of Hunting In Rnffnln Cnnnfrr

Governor Ferguson's Rem In iscs noes
of Hunting In Buffalo Country.
This Is the time of year in Oklaho-
ma when a man feels something puil4
ing him into the open country" said
Governor Ferguson, who is frontiers
man by preference, and pioneer by
Instinct. His father went from Iowa
TO Kansas when game was abundant.
everywhere, and became one OF the
most successful hunters in the, South.
western country. When a small boy
Governor Ferguson was his fathers
companion on many expeditions into
Oklahoma and Indian Territory.
az do not suppose that I'sndll ever
overcome the keen regret that Is felt
In thinking OF the old days that are
gone forever" said Governor Fergu-
son. oklahoma seems lonesome to
me now when l travel over 1t and
pass constantly in sight of towns and
farm houses where once saw moth.
Ing but the prafries, the hills, and the
timbered streams, 1t was my delight
to ride as the crow flies-stra light
uNiVoS NhV uiiObSli utttu ny
wire fences ana section7lne highways.
Spring was glorious season, The
air was fresh and pure, the earth
mantling with green aud brilliant with
lowers, and the sun just far enough
north to thaw the winter sluggishness
from a mans blood and set every
aerve tingling with happiness. The
plaintive note of a meadow lark al
ways makes me homesick and brings
back to me vision of the prairies
1T was no less enjoyable to ride In the
big timber in the river bottoms mu
steal with the songs of countless birds.
The song OF what we called the sugar
writer bird, probably the tohee, had
a melancholy sweetness that makes II
mans heart thump even now. t..
II went with my father on many
hunting trips from ChautauQua county
Kansas, into Oklahoma. The regions
between the South Canadian river and
the Smoky Hin was the best buffalo
country in the West Along the Salt
Fork in Northern Oklahoma have
seen buffalo as far as the eye could
reach. We came often In the fall
with OK teams. and returned with our
big wagons loaded with winter meat
We camped one afternoon at Buffalo
Springs, just north of Hennessey, and
turned our oxen out to Craze, without
unyoking them. They began snorting,
and fearing stampede. we chained
them to our wagons. We looked every
where for the cause Of alarm, but
could see nothing. In about ten min
utes a low, rumbling sound, like deep,
far-off thunder, came from the west,
In the air. We know that a heard of
buffalo was coming. Almost before
we could realize II, the herd was upon
us, rushing headlong for the springs,
where they crowded upon each other
in mad frenzy for water. Their
tongues protruded as IL they had been
pursued by hunters, which was prob
ably true. We killed nine, all we
needed, in a short time.
at may be unwise to destroy tradi.
tons, but the story that Pat Hennes-
sey Is buried in the town Of Hennes'
sey is untrue. Hennessey was buried
near Buffalo Springs, and I saw his
grave within a year after he was
killed, and many times afterward in
driving cattle up the trail The grave
was marked by a stone on which was
p. H., 1874 If remember correctly,
Al. IL 4 t. IllI
Correspondence Kansas City Star,