The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1880-03-20
THE WHITE MARE.
A Sketch of the Montana Border.

northern montana, is Tue Dlaekloot
Indian Agency. A. high stockade of
split logs standing on end, deeply
sunk in the earth, encloses about two
acres of ground. Heavy gates open
ing outward sway harshly on great
hinges. They keep the Indians out
o. nights. A well of water is in the
center of the enclosure. Low log
buildings, covered with earth, are
scattered along the stockade. A
couple of sandhill cranes stood ex
pectantly at the well, waiting pa
tiently for thirsty man to draw wa
ter. A white-tailed deer, with a
broad, blue ribbon on her neck,
walked daintily around. Her cool,
black muzzle, studded with drops of
dew, brilliant in the slanting rays of
the morning sun, was slyly thrust in
to my hand, giving me slight shock
of surprise. BY the stables was a
COW moose, standing so awkwardly
with crooked legs and bumped back
and the pendulous lip which Mark
Twain calls "the Hapsburg, that her
very ugliness excited my pity. A
moose calf-her miniature in ugli
ness-stood stupidity at her side.
Standing at the wall, facing the
grand Rocky Mountain range, drew
bucket of water Drinking deeply,
repulsing the while the advances, of
the female crane with my moccaeined
foot, l got the reward of all men who
reject the advances of the tender sex,
and was soon engaged in repelling a
furious attack on me 10y the long
legged twain. The attack was fierce.
Their long, hard bills clashed vicious
ly as they scornfully scolded me, and
l was on the point of beating dis
graceful retreat, when / heard:
"Ho, Frank, come have q mouth
full of whiskyr'
Recognizing the voice, I gladly left
the the cranes in indisputed posses
sion of the water bucket, and walked
across the parade to the store of the
fur company.
Bidding Burr GOOD morning" l
declined the whisky on grounds un-
necessary to state; yet the barrel bad
yellow head, and-and-well. I
knew the tap. / sat and talked to
Burr, who was in charge of this ex-
tensive store, and before breakfast
he went over it with me. A curious
stock. Every thing You could not
find in an eastern country store was
here. AS we walked he explained
the business to me. Alluring? Not
at all. He, looking at his watch,
said:
eve have yet time before break
fast to look at my mare"
The sudden change in the expires
sion Of the voice, the softening of the
ewes. as this hard Indian trader
spoke of his horse, excited my curl
osity. and l went with him. He took
me to low log stable, the chinks
carefully mudded, the open shutter
and door well made and carefully fit
ted so as to exclude the buffalo
onats in season. A few short, heavy
Chains, extending from post to post,
kent the horse in and the other ami
mails out.
With breast pushing against the
topmost chain, with her handsome
broad head thrust out and alert ears
cooked forward, stood snowwhite
mare. She was looking at the moose
with surprised expression on her
face. as much as to say: "Well, you
have not grown handsomer during
the night" Burr whistled, and with
n joyful neigh the mare turned her
head toward him and babe him wei
come. The greeting between man
and animal was almost tender. The
mare rubbed her nose gently against
his breast, and the man stood softly
stroking her delicate neck. Unlock
ing the chains, they dropped. Burr
walked toward tlfe we'll. The mare,
with dainty steps, archcd neck, and
decking tail, followed behind him, or
carcssingly advanced to his side,
rubbed her body against his, as
though the mere contact with the
man were grateful to her. His arm,
it seemed to me, instinctively raised
and dropped across her neck.
The two walked on together, I'M
conscious of any incongruity. A
bucket of water stood at the well.
The high bred creature smelt of it,
and, detecting my previous presence
disdainfully refused to drink after
me. Emptying the bucket, Burr drew
another, and of this the mare drank
slowly, her white face gradually sink
ing into the shallow vessel. All
across the parade on the return to
the stable the love scene was re-en-
acted. AS they passed me, the mare
showed her aversion to stranger by
having back her ears and thrusting
out her white-toothed muzzle toward
me in vicious manner, causing me
to step hastily back. They pass in
to the darkness of the stable. Burr
| comes out with bucket, puts up the
topmost chain, and goes after barley.
The mare with outstretched head
looks after him with kind eyes.
| Again she saw me, and with wide
opened mouth reached around the
post to pay me the attention of her
( dislike. Returning to the stable with
full bucket of barley, Burr passed
n 1 l.. q H. s,,t.>