Evening star., 1905-10-14
AT THE COUNTY FAIR
TEAM OF BUFFALO CALVES
CREATED A SENSATION.
Drew Heavy Loads With Ease and
Raced Around the Track With
Great Speed.
Written for The Star.


cured as attractions for the coming agri-
cultural fairs. Some even went so far as
to make fattering offers for the privilege
of exhibiting the only team of buffalo calves
In the world, but for some time / steadily
refused them all for various reasons.
At last. however, l consented to show
them at the Sullivan county IN. H.) fair,
which was to be held within twenty miles
of my own home, and as they knew no
other driver but me, very naturally l had
to agree to drive them myself. The fair
was to for three days, beginning with
the Sd of October; SO the day before l had
the two burly infants bundled into separate
crates, put aboard a two-horse truck and
shipped to the fair grounds. The rumbling
and jolting of the truck must have been
a strange and startling experience for these
nervous youngsters, but each seemed to
find comfort in the fact that the other was
near him. Neither one could see the other,
but all through that long drive, which
lasted five hours they called to one an
other back and forth. Each time that the
truck bumped over a stone or a rut in the
road one OF the calves would give a deep
chested grunt, which in most cases was an
swered at ONCE by another grunt from his
travelling companion. If the answer did not
come Immediately the grunt Of inquiry was
repeated, and seldom failed to bring
prompt response. AS the team passed
through the country towns and villages on
the way the inhabitants, attracted by the
appearance of the big crates, would stop
and then on hearing the grunts, they
would add rather contenptuously, "Oh, it's
only pigs
Refused to Drink Strange Milk.
The calves arrived at the fair grounds
some time after dark, and snorted and
grunted at the strange sounds and odors
with which their
special roomy pen had been built for them,
close to the half-mile track, with wide
double gates, that there might be no
chance of hitting the posts when they were
being driven out. l was present at the un-
loading, but it was quite uneventful, the
calves backing quietly out of their crates
ana IN every other way behaving with per-
feet decorum- But when l offered them
milk which l had brought on the grounds
they would have none Of it-they were
thirsty enough, but they knew very well
that the milk they were offered was not of
the brand to which they had been used
So with pail of water and an armfuI of
nay they were left for the night
AS is usual, the crowd on the first morn
ing OF the falr was small, but the calves
needeo tonlng down little after several
Gays or ldieness, so 1 yoked them up and
took them out for about a mile, hitched to
a stone-boat. They were feeling fresh and
the spirited way in which they marched
comments from the farmers who watched
them, most of whom seemed quite aston
lshed when they learned that the little fell
lows were only few days over five months
oia. AS each farmer came up afterward
put this question: Have you ever seen
domestic steers of five or six months old
that could draw so heavy load as easily
as these buffalo calves can draw it?"
Every one of them admitted that he
hadn't, and many went so far as to say
that no domestic steers of the same age
could approach the young buffaloes in the
matter of strength. All We're amused to
see the calves come up to me after the ex-
hibition and suck their milk from bottle;
they were so thirsty they would have taken
any kind of milk, and, indeed before the
fair was over. they drank the milk of all
kinds of cows including Jersey, Holstein
Red Polled, Ayrshire and Hereford.
Made a Hit With the Farmers.
In the afternoon 1 took the team out
again, yoked as before, but this time draw
ing the cart instead of the drag Again
they made hit by their easy, rapid walk
ing and trotting. and the farmers were
now quite willing to admit that the buffa-
loes could easily beat domestic steers in
the matter of speed-a fact l had never
doubted Tor moment since the calves first
came into my hands.
Each day of the fair took the little fel-
lows out twice, now drawing a barrel of
d
of hay with two small boys on the top and
again just one buffalo in single harness.
hitched to pony cart borrowed for the oc-
casion. AT last came the big day, when
many thousands of people We're present
when the grandstands were packed, when
the infield was crowded with carriages and
when the fences surrounding the track were
lined with spectators, ding six deep.
Then l made up my mil.s! ihat these peo-
pie should see how even infant buffaloes
could travel when put to the test, and, Sc
curing lighter cart than the one hereto
fore used. I hitched up the team, arrayed
In a handsome little set of double harness,
and awaited the signal of the grand mar
shall. 1t seemed that the little fellows
themselves felt that something unusual
was coming, for they champed their bits
tossed their shaggy heads, lashed out with
their hind feet and otherwise showed their
impatience to be off.
The signal came and as I took my seat
l heard the band strike up the stirring old
cavalry charge, The Buffalo Stampede" :"
While one attendant held the plunging lit
tie rascals by their brides, another threw
the double gates wide open, and the fun
began. A large crowd had gathered about
the pen to see the team hitched up, but as
the hairy brown demons sprang through the
open gates that crowd parted even as the
Red Sea is said to have parted to accom-
modate the lsraelites.
Took the Crowd by Storm.
Around the track they swept with an
easy. Looping stride. not too busy to throw
their hind feet over the dashboard now and
then, to shy half way across the track
as they passed big policeman perspiring
in his efforts to force the crowd back out
of danger. AS we turned into the stretch
I slackened my hold on reins and the calves
increased their speed to a galiop. Like the
thoroughbreds they were. they fought for
their heads, and a moment later / threw
the reins on their backs and let them go.
The cart jumped beneath me a pebble
would jump IL jerked at the end Of a string,
and as I shook my whip above their heads
the gritty little beasts laid their bellies to
the ground and went down past the grand
stand in a whirl of dust, raised by their
flying hoofs. 1 did not see the crowd, for
my eyes were on the buffaloes. but very
plainly did hear the quick. rushing sound
as with one move 10000 people rose to their
feet, before breaking into cheer for the
youngsters who were so nobly, IL uncon-
sciousy, proving to the American people
the value of their race, and who were max
ing a splendid appeal for the preservation
of the last few hundreds of the North
American bison, one of the very grandest
animals the world has ever produced.
ERNEST HAROLD BAYNES.
M Nova fo Gov,