The Winslow mail., 1909-12-25

an looked again. The prairie was
still there-but not hide nor hair of
the buffalo
Where did he go? says me
brother
Il glanced back at him, an he was
standin wild-eyed, with the gun
pinted at the small of me back. I
handed him wipe in the jaw, just
TO let him know I was directly for
ninst him, an thin, systematic like.
we inspected that prairie for miles
around There wasn't whisker left
he which that buffalo could be
traced. We even looked in the holes
left he the prairie dogs, hut he wasn't
there
Where did he go?' says me broth
er again.
Me lad says l, if l knew where
he wint ] says, that's where Id go
look for him, says |.
After an hours search me brother
an, me found the hoss. lie was lyin
down with his tongue hangin' out
/ about foot an half like he'd
ct blanket an hadn't swallyed the
tail end of it. The plow was druv
into tho 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 a buf
fafO in tho cfafo of Eo0SoS
! AS We got near the dug-out, we
brother stopped.
Listen, says he.
u did. Did yer ever hear an ele
waited train runnin through a 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.
I'VE have a caller says l 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. III go in
an find out what's the matter, | says
II opened the door, which was
latched on the outside, and wint in
Faith, the innards of that dug-out
looked like cyclone had bin playin'
i hide-an' seek in it. As | stood Won
derin' whether | should go into the
back where the main ruction was, |
saw an elephant or locomotive or
somethin' comm toward me, an made
a giniral grab at it. | got what came
to hand, not havin' time to select a
/ place to take holt. 1t was a buffalo,
an he wint through the front door
with me swingin' on to his tail, out
/ into the sunlight of the prairie.
Don't shoot I shouted to me
brother as we came out. Don't shoot.
/ | says. I have him, or he has me, |
don't know which yet says l.
An we wint out of there, hell bint
| for election, me standin' out straight
/ behind with me legs fiuttering in the
! breeze for all the world like a signal
/ flag on the back of an express train
| put me foot down once as | started
an the next time it touched the
!
/ ters 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 it sixteen hours start an arruv
simultaneous with it,
1--WE had gone seven miles before |
caught me breath. | know it was
seven miles because | had only taken
four steps. Be this time | was sayin
to meself: Sunset 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, | was sayin'.
AN thinkin' of leavin' me brother
out there in Kansas, lonesomer than
ever, almost brupg tears to me eyes,
was that sympathetic | didn't dare
to let go. If had I'd "a ripped a hole
in Kansas that wouldn't have bin
/ filed to this day, | was travelin that
I fast. Thin me diplomacy came to NE
rescue. | would be conciliatory with
the buffalo.
/ So, Bessie, says |. Lie down.
Towser,' says Whoa, mule
says. Pretty pussy | says, soft an
soothin' like. Polly want a cracker?
| says.
"Bein diplomatic while hangin' on
to the tail of buffalo, an travelin
twinty-one miles a second, more or
less, is one of the most tryin' things
ever have attimpted Besides,
didn't know how to address a buffalo
proper | never before regretted me
lack of knowledge Of the languages.
1T was about this time in me flight
that | began to twist. Talk about
twistin' the tail of the British lion;
had the American buffalo's tail
tied in a double bow knot in a minute
Every twist put in added to the
1 buffalo's speed, an the faster he wint
the twisteder I got. Thin | grew
desprit.
Gee, haw, Buck says l.
An he bucked. | wint sailin' away
from that buffalo like a swally on the
wing, an sat down all in bunch