The Placer herald., 1873-03-22
1HE MEXICAN PLUG.
BY MARK TWAIN.

inahsb'p, outside OF circus, as these pic
turesquey-clad Mexicans, Califomians, and
Mexcauized Americans displayed in Carson
streets every day. How they rode! Lean
ing just gently forward out of the ,,erpendic-
ular, easy and nonchalant with br ad ,loucl,-
hat swinging above their head, tl,sy swep,
through the town like the wind!
The next moment they were only sail
ing puff Of dust on the far desert. If they
trot'ed they sat up galantly and gracefully
and seemed "a part of he horse did not go
jlggering up and down after the silly Miss
Nancy fashion of the riding schools. had
quickly learned to tell horse from COW
and was full of anxiety to learn more. was
resolved to buy horse.
While the thought was ranking in my
mind, the auctioneer came skurying through
the plaza on black beast that had as many
humps and corners on him rs dronedary
and was necessarily uncomely; but he was
going, going, at twentytwol horse, saddle
and bride at twenty-five dollars, gentlemen p
and | could hardly resist.
man whom | did not know Che turned
out to be the auctoneers br ,'her) noticed
The wistful look i'll my eye, and observed
that that was very remarkable horse to be
going at such price; and added that the
saddle alone was worth the money 1t was
Spanish saddle, with ponderous tapidaros.
and furnished with tue unganly sole-lea,her
covering with tie unspeable name. said
| had half a notion to bid. Then this keen
eyed person appeared to me to be "takns
my measure" but dismissed the suspicion
when he spoke, for his manner was full of
guileless candor and ruthfulnes. Said he:
81 know that horse-know him well
lou are a stranger, take it, and so you
might think he was an American horse, may
be, but assure you he is not. He is moth.
ing Of the kind; but--excuse my speaking
in low voice, other people being near-he
is, without the shadow of a doubt, Genu-
inc Mexican PIug!
| did not know what Genuine Mexican
Plug was, but there was something about
this mans way of saying it, that made me
swear inwardly thai would own Genuine
Mexican Plug, or die.
H1las he any olhcr-er advantages?' |
inquired, suppressing what eagerneas
could
He hooked his forcfnger in the pocket of
my army shirt, led m, to one side, and
brea'hed in my ear impressivey these
words:
'lIe can out-buck anything in Americar
Going, going, going - at hceniy-four
dollars and Il half, gen"
"Twentyseven! shouted in frenzy
"And Sold" said the auctioneer, and
passed over the Genuine Mexican Plug to
me.
] could scarcely contain my exultation.
paid the money. and put the animal in
neighboring liverystable to dine and rest
himself.
IT. the afternoon brought the creature into
the plazl, and certain citizens held him by
the head, and others by the tail, while
mounted him. AS soon as they let go, he
placed all his feet in a bunch together, low
cred his back, and then suddenly arched il
upward and shot me straight into the air a
matter of three or four feet. | came as
straight down again, lit in the saddle, wen
instantly up again, came down almost on the
higl, pommel, shot up again, and came down
on the horses's back-all in the space of three
or four seconds Then he rose and stood
almost straight up on his hind feet, and |,
clasping his lean neck desperately, slid back
into the saddle, and held on. He came down
and Immediately hoisted his heels into the
air, delivered vicious kick at the sky, and
stood on his fore feet. And then he came
down once more, and began the original ex-
ercse of shooting me straight up again. The
third time went up | heard IA stranger say:
"Oh, don't he buck thought
While was up, somebody struck the
horse sounding thwack with leaihen
strap, and when arrived again, the Genuine
Mexican Plug was not there. A Californian
youth chased him up and caught him, and
asked if he might have a ride. | granted
him that luxury. He mounted the Genuine,
got lifted into the air once, but sent his 81 ur-
home as he descended, and the horse started
away like telegram. He scared over three
fences like bird, and disappeared down the
road toward the Wasboe Valley.
sat down on a stone with sigh, and by
natural impulse one of my hands sough
my forehead and the other the base of my
stomach | believe | never appreciated til
then the poverty Of the human machinery
for still needed a hand or two to place
somewhere. Pen cannot describe how was
joted up Imagination cannot conceive how
disiointed was-how internally, externally
and universally ] was unsettled, mixed up,
and ruptured. There was a sympathetic
crowd around me, though.
One elderly-looking comforter said
"Stranger, you've been taken in. Ev-
erybody in camp knows that horse. Any
child, any Iniun could have told you that
he d buck he is the very worst devil to buck
on the continent of America. You hear me
I'm Curry. Old Curry. Old Abe Curry.
And moreover, he is simon-pure, out-and-
out, genuine, Mexican plug, and an unco'n-
mon mean one at that, too. Why, you
turnip, if you had laid low and kept dark,
there's chances to buy an American horse for
mighty little more than you paid for thai