The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-05-27
A "TENDERFOOT'S EXPERIENCE
WITH A COMANCHE PONY.

The one thing, however, in which the
tenderfoot is most likely to miss connec-
tions and run away behind the schedule
is ''the mounting o wild steed of the
plains" There is an immense amount
of uncertainty in this procedure, though
there is not the slightest trace of uncer-
tainity in the steed-all Westerners
know Just exactly what the average ami
mails will do. Last Monday very nice
young fellow, who had arrived just the
day before from Boston, set out to pur-
chase a pony. He went to one or two
corrals without being suited, but finally
in the third he found just the animal he
desired. The man told him that it was
a Comanche pony, and the quietest little
brute that ever struck the plains, but
despite all the arguments and recommen-
dations of the owner, the young man was
determined to try the animal before pur-
chasing, and SO while he donned pair
of spurs, four men and two good sized
boys saddled the Comanche pony and
held him within the corral. The young
man was a graduate of the swell Boston
riding school, and his bosom swelled
somewhat with pride as he reflected on
the lessons in grace and skill he would
now give the border rnffians who we're
coDgregated about. As he came out into
the corral he noticed two men getting
behind the pump, and three more crawl
ing up on the roof of the shed in the
corner. He said nothing, but thought
it odd Then he placed his left foot in
the stirrup and vaulted airily and grace
fully into the saddle, while the four men
and two good-sized boys let go the pony
and turned and fed at the top of their
speed.
Airly and gracefully the young man
vaulted into the saddle, and almost in
stantly he ascended airily and gracefully
into the blue ether above. There was
puzzled expression, as of surprise and
thought, flashed across his face, and as
he again struck the saddle and for the
second time wandered upwards, he had
an uncomfortable look about him, as
though he would like to ask some ques-
tons, but couldn't. Into the saddle again
and then into the atmosphere with whlrr
and a rush, that made the two men be-
hind the pump shudder. Up, up, he
went. He could see the roof of the
Grand Central and could readily distin-
guish the new court house III Golden
The view was grand and extended, but
he didn't seem thoroughly satisfied, and
he looked troubled, and as though he
wished he was absent. Then he began
to descend, and about the time he was
due in the saddle, he struck the ground,
and Knocked his boots about his neck,
and drove his spinal column four inches
into his brain, They shoveled him up,
and took him to his hotel, and the next
day, Tuesday, he was sewn up in can
vas sack, and shipped back to his home
in Massachusetts, It was his first buck
ing, and probably his last. He said,
when he first returned to coEciOusness,
that lie had often heard of the surprising
agility of Western ponies, but he hadn't
known until now that they were fed on
dynamite and nitro glycerine and oper-
ated by two hundred cell battery.
This is but one experience in many,
and the new-c conner who invests in pony
had better exercise considerable canton,
and, even at an increased expenditure,
get an animal with sufficient American
blood in him to deprive hin of his natur-
al pure cussedness, and act as a sort Of
check on a wild tendency to buck
Dap1-ar