74 RARE POLITENESS. 



had challenged the whole party, and there wte no one stout-hearted enongb 

 to accept it. 



Here was a chance for a full display of his bravery and skill. Ever 

 Bince we h?.d reached the buffalo range, his p*oud spirit had yearned to be- 

 come the death of some one of these terrible iionsters, that he might relate 

 the deed of perilous exploit to wondering posterity, and incite the rising 

 generation to emulate his noble achievement. 



But, alas, for the fadeless laurels he might otherwise have won, in an 

 evil hour liis rilie had been sacrificed for the extermination of a huge, 

 venomous serpent. He did the deed at one fell blow ; — brave, but unfortu 

 ,nate ! Yet he had one consolation amid his troubles, — no victory is ever 

 gained willioui. some loss to the conquerors. 



Still, he needed his gun, for without it how was he to avenge the foul 'ii- 

 Bult the fav^ge beast of the prairie was even now hurUng in the very face of 

 the shrin.king crowd ? Something must be done. 



With Uv3i-.e cogitations, an idea struck him, — he could borrow a rifle ; 

 so, advancing- to a comrade, he exclaimed : 



"Do lend me your rifle one minute !" 



" Yes, Jim," was the ready reply. " But see you don't break it over the 

 first paltry little snake you come across !" 



"That's a lie. 'Twas a big rattle-snake I broke mine over. 'Twasn't 

 a y^icry little snake !" 



Thus, vindicating his assaulted reputation, he took the gun and hastened 

 to prostrate the impudent barbarian inviting attack. 



Jim looked at the buil, and the bull looked at Jim, — shaking his head, and 

 throwing the loose sand irum beneath him high into the air with his feet, 

 and goring the ground with his horns of burnished ebony. If the creature 

 had looked terrible before, he now looked fourlbid more so, in Jim's estima- 

 tion. 



Tiiinkin'^- caution the parent of safety, our hero was unwilling to venture 

 further, and so, prostrating himself at full length behind a clustre of 

 absinth; (s'ge,) he planted his battery, having his high-crovimed hat for a 

 rest, and blazed away at the bull's head. 



The Jiaidened wretch stood the shot wichout flinching. Looking for a 

 moment ex ths spot from whence the strange salute liad proceeded, and 

 again shaking his head and snorting with scorn, he wheeled and slowly 

 trotted ofl'. 



Eager to get a secoua trial to finish the work so nobly begun, our hero 

 commenced pursuit. Seeing him advancing, the bull thought it time to 

 show his heels, and in a few minutes was lost in the distance. 



The courageous Nimrod now, for the first time, bethought him of Mb 

 hat, which, in the ardor of his bold charge, he had left at the spot chosen 

 as his stand to huri death and destruction to the naughty bull. He 

 hastened to regain it — but no hat could be found ; — the winds had borne it 

 far away over the prairie, to be worne out in search of a wearer, and tho 

 unlucky bravo, hatless, rejoined the caravan. 



Here the truth at once flashed upon the minds of the waggish clique^ 

 that had hitlierto proved his sore annoyance, and they began anew : 



" Now that beats me, clear out ! How came you to give the bull yow 

 bat and leave yourself bare-headed ? That's another wrinkte I'' 



