Year: 1873

btIOuB HOTnb OI Une DuHHlOeS nave Il
splintered appearance at the apices.
Then there was long, steady push, in
which every tendon of the huge bodies
was strained to the uttermost Then
there way strategic easing off, then a
sudden, gladiatorial thrust, which
pressed the huge heads to the ground
in an even balance of strength.


Neither beast dared relax a muscle or
retreat an inch, for fear Of that fatal
charge upon the flank, or that danger
eus twist of the neck, which means de-
feat.


And now the cows returned and
looked complacently on, and the very
calves began to shake their heads in
the first vague instinct of the com
batativeness inspired by the battle of
the bulls. And the young lordlings of
the herd distended their nostrils and
elevated their tails, but forbore any
interference. 1t was duel a pOltrance.
A momentary relaxation Of the tremen-
dous strain only resulted in the shaggy
heads coming togetheragain with dull
thump, and a renewal of the dogged
pushing which might have moved a
freight-train. 1t was matter of lungs
and endurance, and the white iroth be-
gan to drop in long tenacious strings
from their lips, and the red eyes to
glare dimly through what seemed
clots of blood. I could hear the la
bored breathing where lay, and see
the tendons stand out across the thighs
and along the thick necks.


But this dead set of strength could
not last always. Every moment Of time
was telling disastrously upon the shorter
wind and decaying strength of the old
crusader, who still fought for the loves
of his youth. His foot slipped, and
the intelligence Of this slight disaster
seemed to reach his antagonist quicker
than flash of light. No gladiator
ever urged his advantage more sud-
denly. There was huge lunge, a
sound of horns slipping upon each
other, spring forward, and the horn
of the younger bull had made a raking
upward stroke through his antagonists
flank. The fight now became brisk.
Again and again the old one turned and
tried to make the old stand of head to
head, and as often his more active an
tagonist caught him behind the shoulder.
With the red agony of defeat in his eye,
and the blood trickling from the long
wounds in his fanks, he still refused to
be conquered. With failing strength
and limbs which refused any longer to
serve him, he finally stood at bay, with
open mouth and hanging tongue, un-
able to fight and disdaining to retreat
His antagonist pushed him, and he
yielded doggedly. He made no attempt
to shield his flank, and pitifully en-
dured all that came. The original plan
of nOn-interference was abandoned, and |
the young lords gathered round him
and snorted and shook their heads, and |
gave him an occasional dig in the ribs


vav of espressing their contempt
- ~. "5e COWS came and snuficl at |
~ illi' ip- spitefui feminine
him, aaa indulge manner
butts an~ 'ralked away 3
implied that they na1 ,'-ave regarusd
him as a disagreeable old muh. and Jhey |
were glad he finally understood their
heartfelt sentiments in regard to him.


Through all this the old fellow stood |
unresisting, whipped, but still obsti-
nate. Gradually they all left him to
himself, and the herd wandered furth her
away. He did not even look around
he was probably forced at last to accept
his sentence of banishment, and go and
live as long as he could alone, and fight
his last fight with the coyotes, and die.


Bat that calf came out to see him
again. say that calf, because it seemed
to me the same that had brought on this
last unpleasantness, though for that
matter they are all alike. The calf
came and arched its back and paved,
and elevated its nine-inch tail in front
of him, and gave him to understand by
the plainest kind of language that it
held itself in readiness to give him a
most terrible drubbing, if he had not
already had enough. 1t was comical to
see him initiate the actions of his
seniors, while the poor old bull lid not
so much as look at him. But his calf
ship was inclined to push matters, and
finally made pass which placed his
foolish head with considerable thump
against the soft part of the old mans
nose. Then he stood moment with
the air of having hurt himself a little,
and toddled off to his mother.


The old one did not move an inch,
and seemed hardly to notice this baby
ish persecution. But suspect it broke
his heart. He wandered limping and
slowly down towards the sedge, and
lay there forgetful of the long army
musket beside me, regretting that there
had been no one else there to bet with
during the battle, or to stand up like a
man and confirm this story afterwards.
The sun rose high over the prairie, the
wind veered, there was sudden panic,
and the herd vanished beyond the hills,
leaving me to plod back to camp. -
Kansas Magazine.


-
A VALUABLE DRAFTING INSTRUMENT.
Josiah Lyman of Lenox has lately
perfected an ingenious and accurate
mathematical instrument, after Is years