Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1872-02-08
Mark Twain's Horse Trade in
Nevada.

In recent recture on Nevada, de-
livered in Chicago, Mark Twain told
of ''horse trade that he made there.
He spent considerable time at Carson
City.
Everybody rode horseback in that
town. l never saw such magnificent
horsemanship as that displayed in
Carson street every day, and did
envy them, though was not much of
a horseman. But | had soon learned
to tell horse from a COW, and was
burning with impatience TO learn more
was determined to have horse
and ride myself Whilst this thought
was ranking in my mind, the auction
eer came securing thro' the plaza on
black beast, that was bumped like
dromedary, and fearful homely. He
was going at twenty, twenty two-two
dollars for horse, saddle and bridle."
A man standing near me-whom
didn't know, but who turned out to he
the auctioneer's brother-noticed the
wistful look in my eye, and observed
that that was remarkable horse to be
going at such price, let alone the
saddle and bride. l said had half
notion to bid. ''Now," he says, Il
know that horse. I know him we'll.
You are a stranger, l take it. You
might think he is an American horse,
but he is not anything of the kind. He
is q Mexican plug-that's what he is
"a genuine Mexican plug" but there
was something else about that man S
way of saying it, that made me just
determine that I would own q genuine
Mexican plug-if it took every cent
had And l said: HAS he any other
advantages. He hooked his finger in
the pocket of his army shirt, and led
me to one side and uttered: Ssh !!
any horse in America; he can out
buck any horse in the world" Jnst
then the auctioneer came along,
Twenty four, twenty four dollars for
the horse, saddle and bridle," I said /:
s'Twenty-seven.'' e'Sold.''
1 took the genuine Mexican plug,
paid for him, put him in the livery
stable, let him get something to eat and
get rested, and then in the afternoon /
brought him out in the plaza, and some
of the citizens held him by the head,
and others held him down to the earth
by the tail, and [ got on him. And as
soon as those people let go be put all
his feet in a bunch together, let his
back sag down, and then he arched il
suddenly, and shot me up one hundred
and eighty yards, and 1 came dowr
again. straight down, and lighted il
the saddle-and went up again. Ant
when I came down the next time l Ii
upon his neck, and seized him, ant
slid back into the saddle, and held on
Then he raised himself straight in tn
airon his hind feet, and stepped 'roun'
like member of Congress, and the
he came down and went up the othe
| way and walked around on his hand
- jnst as a school-boy would. Then b
came down on all fours again with th
same old process of shooting me u
in the air again, but the third time
went up heard man say, "Oh, don
> he buck - So that was "bucking."
! was very glad to know it. Not tlIf
, I was enjoying it, but then had bee
: taking a general sort of interest in
and had naturally desired to kno
what the name of it was. And Will
/ was up some one hit the horse
WnacK WITH SCFap- ana Wnen L Sr
down again the genuine bucker ws
gone.
4 At this point of the interesting seen
|, kind hearted stranger came to tt
D rider told him that he had been take
in, explained the mysterious term
and gave him the comforting informs
ton that any body in town could hay
y told him all about the horse if he hs
inquired.