American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-01-06
" Mark Twain" and "Genuine Mex.
lean Plug:

The Chicago Tribune publishes a Synop-
sis of Mark Twain's' new lecture, re
Gently delivered in that city, in which thelec-
turer gives an account of his experiences
in Nevada. The following incident is re
lated as having occurred while he was so
jOurning at Carson City;
Everybody rode horseback in that town
never saw such magnificent horscman-
ship as that displayed in Carson streets
every day, and ! did envy them, though
was not much of a hOrseman But | had
soon learned to tell horse from COW
laughter, and was burning with impa-
thence to learn more. | was determined
10 have horse and ride myself. Whilst
this thought was ranking in my mind,
the auctionecr came securing through the
plaza on black beast, that was bumped
like dromedary and fcarfully homcly.
He was goiAg at twenty, twenty-five
two dollars, for horse, saddle and bride. "
\ man standing near me-whom I
didn't know-bu who turned out to he
The auctioneer's brother, noticed the wist-
tul look in my eve, and observed that that
Was remarkable horse to Inc going at
such price, let alone the saddle and bri-
die. | said had half IA notion to bid.
Now" he says, II know that horse. |
know him well. You are stranger, take
II. You might think he is an American
horse, but he is not anything of the kind.
lie Is a Mexican plug-thats what he is
genuine Mexican plug but there was
something else about that mans way of
saying IT that made me Just determine
that | would own a genuine Mexican plug
If 1t took every cent had And said,
Has he any other advantages" He
hooked his iOretinger in the pocket of my
army shirt, and led me to one side, and
uttered, Ssh! don't say a word He can
outbuck any horse in America: he can
outbuck any horse in the world. Laugh
ter Just then the auCtioneer came along.
Twenty-four, twenty-four dollars. for
the horse, saddle and bride" said,
Twenty-sevenr "Seldm laughter
took the genuine Mexican plug, paid
for him, put him in 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 laughter he put all his feet in a bunch
together, LEI his back sag down, and then
he arched il up laughter suddenly
llaughterl and shot me one hundred and
NAEhA9 sdlho EltdN ldNHlllIll anu i came
down again, straight down and lighted
in the saddle, and went up again. And
when / came down the next time / lit on
his neck, and seized him, and Slid back
into the saddle and held on. Then be
raised himself straight up in the air on his
hind feet, and just stepped around Ike a
member Of Congress lconvulsive laugh
teri, and then he came down and went up
the other way, and just walked around on
his hands, Just a. a schoolbOv would
Then he came down on all fours again
with the same old process Of shooting me
up in the air, and the third time I went
up heard man say 20. don't De buck
loud laughter So that was "huckinr-
] was very glad to know H. Not that
was enjoying il, but then ] had bc,n TAX
ing general sort Of interest in it laugh
teri, and had naturally desired 10 know
what the name Of il wa And whilst ]
was up somebody hit the horse a whsck
with a strap, and when I cot so-yn again
the genuine bucker was gone fRoars Of
laughter
At this point Of the interesting scene. a
kind-hearied stranger came 20 the rider
told him that he had been taken in ~
planned the mysterious terms. an, gave
him the comforting information that anv-
body in town could have told him All
about the horse if De had inquired.