134 FOUR-FOOTED AMERICANS 



all, live wild in the Yellowstone Park. A linndred 

 more are scattered here and there in kind captivity, 

 where they may live for some time, but lose their type 

 and spirits like the captive Indians. Now you may 

 travel the plains from New Mexico north and see no 

 other trace of the Buffalo than a weather-beaten skull, 

 — tlie perch for a burrowing Owl, or tlie retreat of the 

 other king, the Rattlesnake. 



"As the Buffalo vanished, the Indian as a freeman 

 vanished also ; his wild l)eef is gone and he is given 

 rations in begrudged charity. Once both Buffalo and 

 Indian might have been developed to useful citizens ; 

 now, if Ave succeed in preserving eitlier race, it will be 

 only as captives. The kingdom of each is destroyed, 

 and the people of this land are not blameless." 



" It's a very sad story, and I'm afraid the left-over 

 Buffaloes won't like it very well even in the new Zool- 

 ogy Garden," said Dodo, attacking the word bravely, 

 but missing it. '' Any sort of land with a fence 

 around it nuist seem crampy for them. I'm very glad, 

 anyhow, that I saw tliose at the circus." 



"I'm sorry for the Indians and the Buffaloes both," 

 said Rap, solemnly, after a long pause wlien every one 

 sat silently looking at the fire; "but I s'pose if wliite 

 people wanted the land, it had to be because of wliat tlie 

 first selectman calls ' progress ' ! " 



The elder people lauglied heartily at this, and Nat 

 said, " I don't see what he has to do with Indians and 

 Buffaloes ; lie's old Mr. Hodder down by the bridge, 

 and he's never been anywhere." 



"Perhaps not," said Olive, "but I know what Rap 

 means. This is the way it happened. You know 



