Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1909-11-25

! the DundlO.
"'Where did he go?' says me
brother.
81 glanced back at him, an he was
standin', wild-eyed, with the gun
p'inted at the small of me back.
handed him a wipe in the jaw, just
to let him know | was directly for
ninst him, an thin, systematic like,
we inspected that prairie for miles
around. There wasn't whisker left
be which that buffalo could be
traced. We even looked in the holes
left be the prairie dogs, but he wasn't
there.
"'Where did he go?' says me broth
er again.
Me lad says I, If l knew where
he wint,' says, that's where I'd go
look for him., says l.
after an hours search me brother
an me found the boss. He was lynn
down with his tongue hangin' out
about foot an a half like he'd
ct blanket an hadn't swallyed the
tail end of it. The pillow was druv
into the ground right up to the muz-
zle. That's what stopped him. So
we made a melancholious procession
back home to the dug-out, me thankin'
the Lord that there hadn't been any
occasion to fire that gun, an prepared
to take oath that there wasn't buff
falo in the state of Kansas.
GAS we got near the dug-out, we
brother stopped.
Listen says he.
81 did. Did yer ever hear an ele-
waited train runnin' through boiler
factory just as a crockery store col
lapsed on top of it? Well. that's what
was happenin' in the dug-out, judgin'
be the external evidence of me
ears.
1--WE have a caller says to me
brother.
THANK the Lord says he. Even
if It's thief says he, well have
some one to talk to-
"'Hold the hoss,' says l. I'll go in
an find out what's the matter says.
II opened the door, which was
latched on the outside, and whit In.
Faith, the innards of that dug-out
looked like a cyclone had bin playin'
hide-an' seek in it, AS l stood won
derin whether | should go into the
back where the main ruction was,
saw an elephant or a locomotive or
somethin' comm toward me, an made
giniral grab at it. | got what came
to hand, not havin' time to select a
place to take holt. 1t was buffalo
an he whit through the front door
with me swingin' on to his tail, out
into the sunlight of the prairie.
Don't shoot l shouted to me
brother as We came out. Don't shoot,
l says. L have him, or he has me,
don't know which yet says l.
AN we whit out of there, hell bint
for election, me standin' out straight
behind with me legs futtering in the
breeze for all the world like a signal
flag on the back of an express train
put me foot down once as l started
an the next time 1t touched the
ground 1t was a mile an three-Quar
tiers away, over in the next county
Yer know that train that runs from
New York to Chicago in twinty
hours? Well. that buffalo could have
given ii sixteen hours start an arruy
simultaneous with it.
I'VE had gone seven miles before
caught me breath. l know 1t was
seven miles because had only taken
four steps. Be this time was sayin
to meself: Sunset l was sayin'
'yer're wanderin' in strange lands
was sayin', an it's up to you to stop,
| was sayin', before yer run into the
Atlantic ocean, l was sayin'.
AN thinkin' of leavin' me brother
out there in Kansas, lonesomer thar
ever, almost brung tears to me eyes
| was that sympathetic. l didn't dare
to let go. If l had I'd "a ripped a hole
In Kansas that wouldn't have Dir
filled to this day, was travelin thai
fast. Thin me diplomacy came to me
rescue. l would be conciliatory with
the buffalo.
$50, Bossie,' says l. Lie down
Towser,' l says. Whoa, mule
says. Pretty pussy says. soft an
soothin' like. Polly want cracker?
l says.
"Bein diplomatic while hangin' or
to the tail of buffalo, an travelin
twinty-one miles a second, more o
less, is one of the most tryin' thing,
ever have attimpted. Besides,
didn't know how to address buffab
proper. / never before regretted m
lack Of knowledge of the languages.
1T was about this time in me fiigh
that l began to twist. Talk abou
twistin' the tail of the British lion
had the American buffalo's tai
tied in a double bow knot in a minute
Every twist l put in added to tn,
buffalo's speed, an the faster he win
the twisteder l got. Thin l grew
desprit.
"'Gee, haw, Buck says /.
AN he bucked. | whit sailin' ava,
from that buffalo like swally on tn,
wing, an sat down all In a bunch
on me left ear. Some tin or fifteer
years later, or might have bin onl,
half an hour, woke up. Me brothel
had druv up with the wagon an wal
shovelin' me into II In pieces, as 4
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