Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 274, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 November 1920 — TREED BY CATTLE [ARTICLE]

TREED BY CATTLE

U owa Damn Tranin • “RY® Been iragiu, > t — Ooifs Imprtuoalty Got Mia Little Cem- - ptaiona Into Trouble Which Near-ly-Had Serious Ending. ' "%■ * L~ ' During my early childhood at the old homestead in niinois, writes a contributor, my older sister, Lois, my brother, Marton, and myself, in company with a neighbor girt. Martha Wilson, had many interesting experiences in rambling through the woods not far from our tfouse. ; We were accompanied on one trip by our faithful dog. Old Bull, as we always called him. While we waded through the tangle of. vines, rosebushes and other shrubbery, Old Bull raced through the woods Rn quest of rabbits and other game. Finally, treeing a squirrel, he-made the woods resound with his eager barks. Some cattle grazing on the billside raised their heads and started out to investigate. Others joined them, and when they saw the dog they all made a rush for him, Old Bull bolted for the cemetery that we had entered out of curiosity and, leaping the fence, took refuge with us. My sister. Lots, scolded him and would have quieted him, but Martha kept sicking him at them.He needed very little encouragement, and his constant barking and the bawling of the cattle attracted the attention of qU the other cattle, and they came galloping up to join In the fray. As the fence did not appear very strong, Martha and Lois decided that ’we bad better try to slip out at the opposite side of the cemetery.»This plan might have worked successfully if I had been older, but 1 was only five years old and very badly frightened. Old Bull followed us, barking as he went, and the cattle were close behind. We had gone only a short distance from the cemetery when the whole drove came plunging and bawling after us. Fortunately, there was a fallen tree In which we took refuge, but as it was only a few feet from the ground we were safe only as long as Old Bull could hold them at bay. Martha and Marion topt sicking him at the cattle, while Ldfe tried to quiet me. The noise of the dog and of th 6 cattle threw me into ti paroxysm of terror. The cattle, standing all about us, would bellow and bawl, toss their horns and paw up the ground. Suddenly one .made a lunge for the dog. and he ran back under our fallen tree, and the cattle moved in a little closer. Then the dog redoubled his efforts dashed frantically at the cattle, first in one direction, then tn another. But Old Bull was becoming exhausted, and t£e cattle were gradually closing in. They acted more like wild beasts than domesticated cattle. Even Martha was frightened, although she was too brave to cry. The maddened animals would soon toss us on their horns and trample us underfoot Desperately the dog made, his last rush and then dropped back under our tree exhausted. The cattle were rushing tn upon us with loud bellows when a farmer heard the- deafening-noise and came running toward &s. Be seized a big club and, caiHiSg UP his two dogs, drove the caittji' back to a, safe distance. •- - ' * Marfin and Lois had almost to carry me, for I prostrated from the fright and the noise. ' Old Bull,* after a "good drink of water, crept under the welcome shade of an old apple tree, and our mothers welcomed us with open arms when they saw our disheveled appearance. —Youth’s Companion.