The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1908-05-12

crawled a few feet toward the foot

or the ladder. i shut my eyes.
"Antone must have moved like a
double-geared and double-jointed
acrobat, for only moment later the
loose rafting of the windlass bear
ings steadied to a Earring, grinding
purr. and there was the low swapping
OF straining hemp.
Then l saw otAnne surging on a
rope which was tied to a cross-brace
and passed twice around the barrel
OF the wfndlass. The steer, his horns
low to the floor, and stretching the
rope as taut as a fiddle-string, stag
gered heavily round. On ahead OF
him, rolling over and over, Prout
sought to postpone death
"As though doubly enraged by the
feeble retreat of his victim, the steer
fought to reach him. But every on
ward lunge made the coils OF An
tones brake-ropes wedge more tight
ly; the windlass barrel revolved more
and more slowly, then stopped.
"Prout, with flop and a wriggle
evaded a savage sweep of the steers
horns and rolled to a place of COM
parative safety.
Then the animal got a fore leg
afoul the rope and threw himself.
For moment 1t seemed certain that
he would tangle and stay down; but
no such luck. Up he came with a
snort and below, and catching
sight of Antoine at the windlass,
charged him.
Schmidt still lay piled up against
the wall. But this time 1 did not
sAut my eyes. felt sure that Antoine
would do something. He looked
equal to any occasion as he leaped
lightly upon the barrel of the wind
lass and faced about, his heavy Indian
features aglow with fearless deter
miHation.
ION came the steer at a mad gal
lop, faster and faster.
'S-s-s-tah-h-h-hi" tainted An
tone; and he shook n rubber-booted
foot at the animal. defiantly.
II thought the boy was mad. /
thought the steer would get him sure.
Then at the last possible second he
leaped, caught the overhead cross
brace, and swung his legs out of
reach. The steer struck the windlass
with crash that Jared the whole
building.
s-s-tah-h-h-h-h! Vaca,
Vaca! Antoine followed the insult
with kick at the appraised muzzle.
Il saw the method of his madness
then. He was batting the beast to
draw his attention from Schmidt.
Cattle don't climb trees, or It
would have been all over with the
roustabout. / never saw such crazy
horning to reach high places as when
Antoine, hanging with legs drawn
just out of reach. kicked the steers
horn tips, dabbed at his upturned
muzzle, all the while calling insult
ingly:
S-s-s-s-s-s-tah-ah-h! Vaca! Va
cal No one but a Mexican knows how
to offend cattle.
But this was pretty violent exer.
else, and Antoine was getting winded.
Outside, a-number of boys and men
crowded at the favorable cracks.
Somebody get guni Somebody
shoot him. they clamored.
We had no way of knowing how
long they would be about It.
"Antone was getting chalky around
the corners of his mouth, and he
handled his legs so groggily that I
again began to think the steer would
surely get him.
Then / heard some swift words in
Spanish, and shifting my gaze, saw
Alvitro, our vanquero. He was dane
ing In the open door of the chute.
waving a red bandanna scornfully.
Antoine hooked his legs over the
crosspiece and hung at rest while the
steer charged the new tormentor.
Alvitro darted back into the chute.
and while he baited the steer from
the top of the barrier, Antoine leaped
down, sped across the floor, and
slammed and fastened the gate.
The Christmas rush had to be per-
mitted to go by default that year;
but the soreness of our defeat was
forgotten before Prout could use his
thrown-out knee and Schmidt recov-
cred from doubly broken arm and
bruises almost innumerable. When
the crew finally. got into harness
again, nothing in that slaughter
house or in that end of town was too
good for the rOustabout Antoine. -
Youths Companion.