Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1911-07-13

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complete failure almost a flasco, 81
the other Pacific road. a keen riVa'
LOT his road.
There was but brief time to ar
range necessary preliminaries such
as securing guide and needed ser
wants. As Bowen was not personally
acquainted with any Of the buffalo
! hunters along his line he was In
! considerable trepidation Of mind al
Ito Just what to do or who to secure
for guide from the railway station
i Ito the field where the buffalo herd
, was grazing. But trusting to luck
the train was switched onto siding
at Carson and Bowen began search
flor q trustworthy person who could
, or would lead the party to shooting
grounds.
y Meeting unexpectedly an acquaint-
, lance, live stock shipper and patron
: Iof his road, who was for the time
, at Carson buying buffalo meat foT
, eastern shipment, Superintendent
Bowen at once essayed to draft him
, Into service as guide for the royal
hunting party. In vain the meat buy
Ter protested that he had with him on
lily the rough, plain, blood and grease
stained clothes, SLOUGH hat and cow
hide boots, averring that he would
feel abashed to appear In any rela-
. |tion or connection with the ducal
|party dressed in gorgeous, furlined
dress, and the brilliantly uniformed
larmy officers and the well dressed
attaches OF the encourage. Besides
he told Bowen that he could only get
la mount of harness-marked work
Il mule rugged out in an old saddle
and blind bride.
| AN these excuses weighed little
lin the estimation Of Bowen who felt
himself desperately in need OF q
guide, in fact such was positive
necessity to Bowen's plans and am
bitions, 1. e., to afford the ducal
Iparty a successful buffalo hunt. Gen
eral Sheridan had, before leaving
Denver, ordered BY wire two car loads
Iof cavalry horses and two car loafss
of army wagons, camp equipage and
all needed accountrements, to be for
warded from Fort Ellis, one hnn-
Idred miles east Of Carson. The
horses were all required for the
Ihunteds and accompanying officers,
attendants and servants.
The following morning when all
were ready, the party OF hunters
started out southeast from the sta
ton, the old mule-mounted guide two
or three hundred yards in the lead,
as grotesque figure as one could
we'll imagine and affording a striking
contrast to the gaily caparlsonei
steeds and elegantly dressed party
who followed in double file headed
by the Grand Duke and the high
Russian Official by his side, who rank
ed almost as our secretary Of state,
both wearing the tall, viZorless fur
toga peculiar to Russians, followed
next by General Sheridan and the
long, yellow-haired Col. Custer, then
followed by subordinates In rank OF
both nations, the rear being brought
up by the camp and commissary
wagons.
Viewing the whole procession that
bright sunshiny morning, including
the crduely accourtered guide, one
would reverse the oft quoted saying
from the sublime to the ridiculous
After travelling about three miles
It was noticed that the guide had
flushed small band Of antelope,
which, true to their habit, dashed
off, but not in a straight line but
curving, describing fourth of cir
Gle and fetching up suddenly in q
bunch, stopped to gaze at the guide
who had dismounted and levelling
his borrowed buffalo hunters fine
rifle, fired at distance Of two-thirds
Of mile, striking the center ante
lope square between the eyes which
Of course turned 1t head over heels,
dead, whilst the balance Of the band
scampered away over the plains.
Before the contact was made with
the buffalo the Grand Duke witnessed
the old guide repeat his shot at an
other band Of antelope, the last time
breaking the neck Of the center ante
lope at even a greater distance. Such
Workmanship astonished the Grand
Duke and he was unstinted in his
compliments and expressions of praise
to the old guide, saying that he had
never witnessed such marksmanship
at such distances. But the ubiquitous
Colonel Custer assured the Grand