Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-02-09

Let him break it, then, says the boss
for he was no slouch on hoss himself
and set 'cm deep, FOR an old man ''Al
right says /; 'Lishlnin' goes Now
this hess Lighlnin' was crazy
Crazy" said Pete. "a hoss gray
Nine Got
Yes crazy. A regular rayin maniac
Of q hoss, ii ever there was one. lie
was afraid o his own shadow, and every.
thing else but COW OF = steer. But he
WAS good one to 60. and he could stop
At full speed, and turn quicker than a
flash. But you couldn't git near him, II
he WAS biudedi nor git off o him without
danger, il he could see you. IL sou put
any bits in his mouth he would rare up
and TALL back with his rider. But put a
blackamoor on him. saddle. mount. start
up wild steer, and Lighlnin' would
follow him lyin', and stay with him,
over anything and every thing, till the
steer was lassoed and Let co ag'in. That's
the sort O. boss Lighlnin' was! lie had
ies that one sensible pint about him
what they call a minny-maniac. | reckon.
Yes, an inverted one said the old
man.
II knew for SUI that hell would pop,
if | went up in the brush, and rock, and
gulohes with Lighlnin' but there was no
snow to go back on it; cause il | didn't
90. the old man would look AT me rs il
was WELLER dog, and Jest take the hoes
and go along by himself. lie was good
old man, but little hard. Wal. got
ready with my boss and lass iope and
canteen o. water. As was putin my
foot in the siirrup. says TO the boss
Solong. If you don't Sc me ag'in soon,
you can jest say I'm struck by LighInin'.
= 1t wont be The fusl hoss I've lost-wilh
4 man on him. he hollered after me. as
lii the saddle and throwca up the binder
| felt in my bones what he meant. but |
was nyin' away rs fast rs one hoss could
make Sine with one man. Il might be
Joke, but The boss want much on The
joke. | was hoi-ightin' hot. Hang
yeu and your fool hoss - says |, griffin
my Teeth, and sendiu' the rowels into
poor Lightnin'. You'd ought 10 seen him
go-seen him jest git up and git, like 4
skeared cat Ii was like ridin' a wild
eagle through thunder storm. I'm mol.
and never was. 10 my notion. one o that
Kind that stays hot long, when I'm in the
wrong So ! soon minded that il was
not the critters fault. lie hadn't said or
done notbiu' more'n usual, afore | tickled
him with the dew. claws. Then was
sorry. Whoa, boy-poor old boy " says
|, pallin' him on the neck. I might jest
as well pat tie smoke.slac Of locomo.
tive, Scomin down TO Truckee with .
broken brake on o creased rail-. lie was
no family hoss Ior a picnic II hadnt
been headed up bill, Id been gone
fawn skin over The first reef O. rock
croppin's.
So long as he was on the up grade, and
not among the sciaggy timber OF the
foot hills, had little OF the bulge on
aim; but we were headin' right straight
FOR The meanest lot o brush. timber and
bowlders in the whole range, and it would
be mighty short time, if somelhin' didn't
break, before we'd be into it. Into the
brush we went. on ground little if any
Thin on the down grade-away went my
canteen. like bright lallin' star. | got
good By glimpse jest as a lot o dry
twigs took me across the isce and eyes
out went the light-ou went the hoss,
jumpin' right and left. round trees and
over brush. maxim The bluejay birds skirr
out with wall and squawk from their
homes in the trees. On and on went that
palpitalin' devil under me, while ! was
tryin' TO git the bark and pine spills out
OF my eyes. 1t WAS heavy work tor both
Of us; but Il begun TO tell on the crazy
broneho, and he slowed down little. as
If he was about 10 let up and stop. !
begun to git my eyes open ag'in. and
could see far enough ahead. by glimpses
through the trees, to know that we were
coming near the cattle. l sabbed The
boss. and knowed well that he would
soon git his second wind and then good
by, Sam. if he go! near steer that would
run. We struck spot where the trees
were only few. on smooth ground. |
reached out my hand TO his ears, and
dropped the binder over his eyes. OF
course, he made two or three crooked
Jumps. and stopped sliff legged as four.
legged wash bench. % u-p-h says l. as
| dropped off; i wish | was at home :. y
Yah. and py tam, would gone home
yoost as straight as shinkle :" said Pete.
Wal, rubbed my eyes, and prospected
my beauty ior damages pretty bad
scratches, buE no great injury. CanIeen
gone, land no water-sinch loose, and hoss
in foam. You know what sineh is,
du you. Pete"
Yah Dat pig pelly.pandt, maidI out
nit hairs and two iron rinks.
"Jesl so. Wal, 1 rested minute no
use restin long, for knowcd he'll was
bilin' in that hoss-and sinched him up
tight. Mounted. lifted the binder,