Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1874-12-23
The Pitching Horse.

tue TuCnihu uorso.
The Galveston Ns,ss contains the fol-
lowing unique chapter OF equine expert
ence:
The pitching h rse Is an exotic in the
East. Texas 10 his country, his habitat.
his home. On her prairies only grow
the juicy grasses that nourish the pitch
ING propensity in perennial vigor. He
has never yet formed taste for corn and
oats. To see him quietly feeding and
laying up material for future usefulness,
you wouldn't dream OF his wonderful en-
pabilities. He has sluggish. hangdog
look. l say hangdog for the sake OF
euphony; I never knew how to hang n
dog. have seen him kick one into sau-
sases. but he didn't hang 'em up after
ward. lie had good reasons for II, l
have no doubt: but he didn't mention
them at the time. There IL no music
in his soul. He has pitch enough, but
lacks tone. lie indulges in mons OF
those sweet courtesies and domestic on
dearments which characterize the Arab
barb when confined in the stalls OF the
booksellers. lie can be bought for $50
without any trouble. but IL Is dangerous
TO try him any cheaper. Sanguine gen.
tlemen who attempt II arc generally
raised BY willing hands out oi the miro
and perplsxities Of this life. and trans
formed into oak scorns. The transfor-
nation Is interesting 10 q disciple OF
Pythasoras. but to the party chiefly esn-
eernei. tho elevation is lacking in the
elements Of true grandeur. IL IL no
trouble. though. TO borrow one. You
can borrow one to ride week. y month.
six months-if you should live that
long. When first came to Texas l ne
gotiated, with difficulty. the loan OF a
spotted animal named '.Dovnsy. be-
ing assured by his nas,er that he was
as gentle an q mich COW. This was q
figurativs expression, which II would
have been well for me IL had called ON
him 10 explain. But II seemed so ab-
surd for a human being In boots 20 re-
auirs a gsntler steed than q mich COW
that refrainei.
He did look gentle. His ears hung
loosely about very unintsllectual fore
head, his legs were built even from the
ground up. and his fetlocks were four
inches lsng. These marks were sure
evidences Of q tame-like spirit when
found in the horse OF my native land.
I mounted him without hesitation, and
dismsuntsd in the same way. AZ soon
as got comfortably seated in the sad
ole, he Strengthened his ears and
DREW A LONG BRxAru.
/ Jid not know what this meant. but
found out Afterwards. lie did not mean
10 let me ride him without vigorous
protest. II he had only taken the
trouble 10 inform me, in any language
that understood. what he wanted. l
would have saved him some erertion.
But half the trouble in the world is
oceasioned by people not understanding
each other. lie went up like balloon;
he came down like an aerolite. 1 started
10 say like a thunderbolt. but saw that
would not do. There IL some elasticity
about thnnderbolt, but Downey's legs
were as stiff NJ the manners Of an Eng
lish tourist In Texas. tried to dis.
mount, but before could get my right
foot out Of the stirrup he went mp again.
When he came down this time tbs jar
was awful beyond description.
/ do not know what IL u to be struck
by lightning: but do not dread II now
like / used to. There might be some
thing new in tho filing up. but the
general outlines Of the feeling would be
familiar to me. The jar did not hurt
"Downey. for he kept going up and
coming down faster than corsd count;
and every time he struck tho ground hc
bellowed like a bull. This was the only
point of resemblance that, from trst to
last. 1 discovered between him and q
milch COW. II was not striking TO be
sure, but as corroborative. TO limited
extent, Of my friends testimony. II was.
on the whole gratifying TO my feelings.
Ny first thought-was that the great want
Of Texas was railroads. My next. that
the animal was dementsd. i then won
dsrsd how I ever could have bean fool
enough to get ON him. anyhow; and I
finally resolved that II I ever got down
alive, l would first kill "Downsy and
then his master. II I could Get tho drop
on him.
BY this time blood was streaming from
my nose, mouth. ears and eyes. Mean
tim. the man for whose blood I was
,h;rs,,ng wa, .uryevinc me with curios-
ity. but without emotion. He was used
TO il. So was Downey." I was the
only orc OF the party for whom the pro-
c.odincs possessed
raE CHARM on SovELrr.
Iwould have been thrown sooner had
il not been for my saddle-a genuine
Texas saddle. The Texas saddle is a
wonderful structure, which has grown
out Of the necessities Of the country.
A rider with even a moderate degree Of
coolnsss cannot be thrown out Of 1t even
by horse with an immoderais degree OF
pitch.
AT last "powney stopped for breath;
Ifelt IL to be the supreme moment, and
with admirable presence OF mind at
tsnipt..l To roll of sideways. He dis