Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1906-02-21
THE BUFFALO TEAM |
how THEY BEHAVED AT THE
SPoRTSMEN's SHOW.
Crowd Cheers as Bright-Eyed Little
Fellows enter Inclosure-Spirit-
ed, But Docile-Young Roose-
welt Drives Them.

They were in pen in the basement
of the Mechanics Building, Boston,
and were munching hay with as little
concern as though they were on their
own New Hampshire range. l opened
the door Of the pen and called the lit
tie fellows By name. Never before had
they shown the slightest affection for
me, but now they ran to me and shifted
at my clothing; they had been away
from me for three days and seemed
really glad TO see me again. / petted
them awhile, put the yoke on them,
hitched them up to the cart, and drove
them out on the floor of the base
ment. Here had been made a larger
Enclosure, with a stout rail fence
about it, and l. this it was proposed
that the team should be driven twice
a day du:ing the show. l expected
that the youngsters, not having been
hitched UP for some time, and be-
ing now surrounded by strange sights
sounds and OdOrS, would naturally be
little unruly at first But nothing
OF the kind; they trotted quietly
around the Enclosure, curiously eyine
two Indian girls who were watching
them over the fence
Next day the show was opened, and
that evening the shaggy sons of War
Cloud and Northumberland made their
bow to a Boston assembly. At half
past seven, the hour set for their first
appearance, there was a rush for the
basement, and the crowd stood sew
eral deep all around the larger .inclos-
ure. 1t was decided to drive them in
the yoke on this occasion, and in a
few minutes they were ready TO
start. At the last moment the halters
were thrown off, and a big cheer
went up from the crowd, as at the
word "haw" from Will Morrison
their driver the bright-eyed little fell
lows swung to the left, circled their
pen, and entered the larger Enclosure
at sharp trot. The enthusiasm OF
the spectators seemed infectious
and the calves increased their speed
to canter, which, had there been half
a chance, would soon have been a
gauop. But alas, they were on treach-
erous ground, and as they attempted
to make the second turn, their hard
hoofs flew from under them on the
|, slippery cement, and down they went
In heap. A few rowdies present
laughed At this, but all about the in
closure there was murmur of pro-
test, and many sharp criticisms of the
management for failing to have tam
bark on the fleor. After that the
no Eync I,ixy
even when walking they impressed
all present with their strength and
vigOr.
The question asked most often. not
only that evening, but throughout the
show, was: How old are they?' AMI
the answer: Eight months" was al
ways received with surprise.
But what created most surprise, per-
haps, was the docility of the little fell
lows. In spite of their shaggy coats
wild eyes and form;dable-looking
horns, they were almost, if not quite,
as quiet as average domestic steers
Spirited they were, of course, but not
vicious in the least degree. Many
ladies and more children patted their
heads and thrust their fingers out of
sight in the long, soft wool. but the
calves made no attempt to kick or
butt. Most of the time they were
harnessed END embarrassed by men
who were entire strangers to them.
but there was never any trouble.
After the first day or two, the
yoke was practically discarded, and
the team appeared twice a day in
double harness. And a handsome
turnout they made in their silver
mounted brides. set off by the rich
brown fur, and with the picturesque
figure of Morrison on the box 1t was
little wonder that hundreds of peo-
pie wished to ride behind them. and
that many distinguished persons
promptly accepted invitations to drive
them around the Enclosure Prominent
doctors, lawyers, judges, engineers and
college professors, many of them bald
or gray-headed, scrambled over the
sides of the cart like schoolboys and
laughingly handled the ribbons over
the only team of buffaloes in the
world. On the last day of the show |
a modest, studious-looking young man
walked into the Enclosure, and a mo-
ment later was whirling over the tam
bark behind War Whoop and Toma- |
hawk. A large crowd was present. |
but it is doubtful if half dozen peo-
pie recognized, in that quiet yong
man. the Oldest son of the president
of the United States 1t was Theo- |
dore Roosevelt, Jr., who had snatched
the time TO run down with a class
mate from Harvard for a drive behind |
the buffalo team.