The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1918-08-15
BLINDFOLDNG A FIGHTER
How an Employee of Texas Cattle Ranch Saved
Himself from an Angry Steer
By Hugh F. Grinstead, in Youths Companion


No cattle close about here!"
Vance muttered. Il can see every
foot of ground. I'll just cut across
this little corner and save half a
mile of hard walking.''
He crawled between the barbed
wires, and. with his eyes on yuc-
ca stalk away to the south west, he
set off across the open prairie.
He was more than three quarters
of the way to the other fence, when
he noticed just ahead of him a de.
preston in the prairie-a little gull
ly that ran at right angles to his
course. Four or five wabbly posts,
the remains of a corral, stood a lit
tie way down the ravine, near some
clumps of low mesquite. None of
it had been visible from the fence.
In little while he reached the
gully. As he started to cross it he
heard a loud WHOOF! at his left
and saw spotted steer dash from
behind bush, where it had been
horning at the loose earth of the
low bank. The frightened animal
ran little way and stopped. For
an instant Vance was startled; but
when the beast stopped, he ran a
few yards toward it, yelling and
shaking the bag of rattling tools.
It was then that the vicious brute
seemed to recognize him as an an
emy. Instead of retreating, it bow
ed it's neck and beloved. Vance
looked round for some place of re-
treat. The fence was fully two
hundred yards away, and there was
not tree of any considerable size
In sight. Then his eye fell on the
posts of the old corral, and, fur
lively watching the angry steer, he
backed away toward the nearest
one.
Emboldened by the retreat of
the man, the steer took a step for
ward; then, as Vance turned and
ran at his utmost speed toward the
post, the brute came after him at a
numbering trot.
Vance had selected the biggest
post in the group; it was about five
feet high. With a scrambling
spring he gained the top, and drew
his legs up as far as he could get
them. Then he turned and took a
good. look at his assailant.
The steer stopped twenty or thir-
ty feet from the post, and with
bloodshot eyes stood glaring at
Vance. The repair man had heard
the cowboys speak of ''alkalied''
and ''locoed" cattle, and he guessed
that this must be one of the crazy
beasts.
Hoping to frighten the animal
away, Vance opened the jute bag
that he still held clutched in his
hand. and threw first the oil can,
then some of the bolts, and finally
one of the wrenches. The brute
merely shook it's head at most of
the missiles; but when the heavy
wrench struck it in the ribs, it gave
a great below and charged
straight toward its tormentor.
Vance clutched the post with
both hands and gripped it with his
knees; but when the steer struck
the post with it's head and should
ers the impact almost threw him
to the ground.
Instantly the animal backed off
few yards and made another
charge. The insecure post leaned
dangerously, and Vance saw that a
third thrust would bring it to the
ground.
As the beast came laundering
toward him the third time, Vance
leaned over as far as he dared and
shook the empty gunny sack at
one side. The furious animal
lunged toward the offending rag,
and missed the post. Again, as
the brute turned, the bag was