The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1909-01-15
By BUFFALO RKNL
oopxraxr, noe BY wtlIIA,xF.cour

hardened took the longer trips. which
naturally brought them larger pay.
This was not an easy job for four.
teen-year-old boy. But stuck to 1t In
spite Of aching bones and tired head,
For the first three months ! had no
mishaps began to think the talk OF
danger was all bosh. Then as ! was
galloping around curve on d hillside
TRAN one day l rode flush up to lev
eled pistol. The man behind II told me
to throw up my hands. obeyed
There is no use arguing with loaded
pistol. Frontiersmen In those days
shot to kill. The road agent dismount.
ed and walked up TO me 10 take my
saddlebags. | tried 10 look scared
and harmless. He lowered his re-
volver as he reached for the bags
Just then whirled my pony around
The little horses plunge Knocked the
man of his feet, and stray kick from
one Of the iron shod hoofs grazed the
fellows head. knocking him senseless.
Having no further interest in him, j
was glad enough TO make ny escape.
Here Is a further adventure OF i'm
port:
One day I galloped mp to relay
station and found no relief pony wait
Ing for me. Not soul was In sight
But / heard men yelling and shooting
down by the corral back Of the station.
jumped or. rifle in one hand and my
twenty pound pouches in the other.
and made for the trees that hid the
corral from the trail thought from
the noise that there must be an Indian
raid there at least.
I reached the little clearing above
the corral In time TO see gigantic
buffalo bull charge through bunch Of
cattle and rush on toward the door
yard OF the station. Four or five men
were yelling at the top Of their lungs
aud blazing away at him with guns
and reyolvers. But II any Of the shots
reached the brute they only served TO
madden him all the more. II was no
business OF mine. so ! stood there
laughing at their excitement. But all
al once stopped laughing and turned
sick Mt what saw.
There. near the door OF the cabin.
playing with big wooden doll. sat n
little girl perhaps three years old. She
wore little red cloak. and the bright
BIT Of color had caught the mad buf.
falo's attention. Down at the uncon'
scious playing baby charged the great
furious brute. The men saw her peril
Just when did. and they fired wildly
and came forward at a dead run. Blu,
they were too far away.
A woman ran screaming out OF the
house and rushed toward the child
She had no weapon Of any kind and
probably couldn't have used one II she
had had. But | suppose mother love
made her forget the horrible peril and
she wanted 10 die With her little girl
Women are sometimes Drawer. ! think
than men. especially where their chm
dren are concerned.
1 The buffa,o was not fifteen yard
away from the child when brough
my rife lnstinctively 20 my shoulder
wouldn't give myself time 70 tiinl
what must happen n should miss
II was one 81 those times when a maj
must not fall In his aim.
Just then the baby looked up an'
saw the murdcrous brute. She ciappc'
both hands ard gave n squeai OF dc
light. She probably thought the beas
was some new sort Of playmate.
As she called out iirrd. The bu.
falo's leys seemed 20 tuck themselve
up under him. The impetus Of hi
rush cnrricd him along the ground hi
ten feet. and he came 70 stop witt
bis head not six inches from the littl
girls knee. stone dead
Then after the men had pounded N
on the back tin yrs sore the child
mother insisted on kissing me. How
healthy fourteen.year-old boy doe
loathe 20 be kissed.
Although among the youngest OF th
couricfs. seemed 70 have filed I'll
bill and was promoted. rs was john,
Fry. 10 $3.50 per month. but 20 NOR,
dangerous route.
My age nj the time Of riding III
pony express VIII naturally create n
tentlon and possibly surprise from %
readers u the present day. as ID
youth at that age IN the wesi-frof
fourteen 70 sixteen was III many r,
spects a man from the time he coui
shoulder q rife or Gre n pistol. wit
al mans responsibility. bar yoiias
OF course suppose In the centers Q
manufacture. indoor work Or IN mine
u Is necessary to protect children Of
Ger the child labor law. But the cot
,lltioBs were such on the frontier tina
the boy acquired an early experience,
and both the Iyiian boys and IN
white boys nc the age " fourteen q
fifteen were ranked IN every way q
factors 10 be accounted for on any o.
casions that arose demanding energ,
stamina and pluck.
Hundreds Of other boys nj that tim
, we're In the same class ar myscl
, ready. willing and able TO do and dsI
. -lItfls men