The Forrest City times., 1905-08-18
TANNING BUFFAL0ES
STARTING OUT WITH STRONG
 CALVES UNDER YOKE
They Give Plenty of Evidence of Their Strength - When Startled Their Nervousness Soon Passes Of
 Settle Down Calmly.

DSWa
 AS soon as the new yoke was ready, I went out with my assistant to try it on the buffalo calves. which as the reader will remember. re. ceived from Corbin park some weeks before. First of all, however. we fed them little. and as they were taking milk, one from calf-feeder and the and the other from a bottle. we fastened ropes to their halters. which they now wore all the time Of course We knew there would be some fun when we tried to put the yoke on. them, and in anticipation we led them to a tree and coupled them together with our stout two-foot stick. which had snap at each end. The long halter ropes were now passed around the tree, and while my assistant held them fast, I undertook to adjust the yoke. The agile little beasts did not like the look of the thing at all. and danced about. tugging at the ropes which held them. Gently I approach. ,d them. and speaking to them all the time, l caressed them with one hand. while I laid the beam of the yoke across their necks with the other. As l stopped to pick Up one of the bows, I was less watchful than I should have been, and one of the calves. with vigorous butt threw the beam of the yoke against my face. UiVinO m surely have taken premium at Donneybrook fair. Never mind. in half minute the yoke was on. and the sight of my new team" was worth all the knocks which had lately come my way.
 At word, my assistant untwisted the ropes from the tre-, and taking one rope in each hand, I proceeded to drive my buffalo calves. 1 soon found they needed little urging, but a great deal of restraining Believing an. grily they leaped forward down the road, dragging me in their wake. leaning back on the ropes though was. At first 1 only walked. but my strides became longer and longer. and raster and faster until I found my sell the tail-end of comet, which was going at a rate of speed rather too great for my peace of mind. It had been raining, and the road was wet and slippery. and under the circum- stances l hated to think of losing my footing. The pair of calves, which at aIN weighed nearly three hundred and if " pounds, most of it bone and muscle. and as 1 weighed about a third of this. it was physical impossibility to hold the youngsters back by sheer strength when they both pulled to- gether. So suddenly let go one rope and threw all my weight on the other. The result was what l expected; the calf l held on to swung round to the right. and the other. being yoked to him, was obliged to swing with him. Presently they came to a standstil headed for home. and walked round them, picked up my other rope and was ready to start them up again. The first mad rush being over. they were much calmer, and finding that the yoke did not hurt them, they logged along the road side by side for years. But every time we came to gap in the fence they showed their dislike for the road by making dash for the fields, and it required constant watchfulnesS
 All went well until We were passing field in which number of cattle were grazing. Among the lot were two big red steers, which have a bad reputation hereabouts. These two at once became interested in the calves. and started for the fence at a gallon. The fence itself was rather fiimsy affair. and l knew that if the big fel- low broke through it and got into the road with the buffalo calves. there might be most disagreeable mix-up. So l started to urge the calves a lit. tie, but as they had already become somewhat nervous at the demonstra. tion of the steers, they broke into a run and away we went for more than quarter of a mile before I thought it wise to swing the team round as I had done before. This time. instead of turning neatly about. they got their feet over the ropes. and be- coming frightened, tore off down the road again. in spite of all l could do. The ropes were so tangled up that could hardly tell which was which. | so l decided to let the calves have their heads and run themselves out. Holding the ropes just clear of the ground therefore, l jumped in behind my pacemakers, and, as an athlete i would say, let tham pull me through When we started for home they trotted off as calmly as anyone could wish, and never showed the least in clination to bolt. until we unyoked them and turned them loose in the pasture.