The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-03-19
THE WHITE MARE.

Montana, is the Blackfoot Indian Agency.
A high stockade of split logs standing on |
end, deeply sunk in the earth, encloses
about two acres of ground. Heavy gates |
opening 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, COW
cred with earth, are scattered along the
stockade. A couple of sand hill cranes
stood expectantly at the well, waiting pa
tiently for thirsty man to draw water.
A white tailed deer, with broad, blue
ribbon on her neck, walked daintily
arounl. Her cool, black muzzle, studded
with drops of dew, brilliant in the slant
ing rays of the morning sun, was slyly
thrust into my hand, giving me a slight
shock of surprise. By the stables was
cow moose, standing so awkwardly with
crooked legs and bumped back and the
pendulous lip which Mark Twain calls
1.-THE Hapsburg," that her very ugliness
excited my pity. moose caif-her
miniature in ugliness-stood stupidity at
her side. Standing at the wall, facing
the grand Rocky Mountain range, drew
a bucket OF water. Drinking deeply, re-
pulsing the while the advances of the fe-
male crane with my moccasined foot,
got the reward of all men who reject the
advances of the tender sex, and was soon
engaged in repelling furious attack on
me by the long g-legged twain. The attack
was fierce. Their long, hard bills
cfashed viciously rs they scornfully
scolded me, and L was on the point of
beating disgraceful retreat when |
heard:
"Ho, Frank! come have mouthfull of
whiskyp'
Recognizing the voice, gladly left the
cranes in undlsputed possession Of the
water bucket, and walked across the pa
rade to the store of the fur company.
Bidding Burr "Good morning." de-
clined the whisky on grounds unneces-
sary to state; yet the barrel had yellow
head, and-and-well, I knew the tap. l
sat and talked to Burr, who was in charge
of this extensive store, and before break
fast he went over it with me. A curious
stock. Everything you could not find in
an Eastern country store was here. AS
we walked he explained the business to
me. Aluring? Not at all. He, looking
at his watch, said
ave have yet time before breakfast to
look at my mare"
The sudden change in the expression
of the voice, the softening of the eyes,
as this hard Indian trader spoke of his
horse, excited my curiosity, and l went
with him. He took me to a low log
stable, the chinks carefully mudded, the
carefully fitted, so as to exclude the buff
falo gnats in season. A few short, heavy
chains extending from post to post, kept
the horse in and the other animals out.
With breast pushing against the top
most chain, with her handsome broad
head thrust ont and her alert ears cooked
forward, stood snow-white mare. She
was looking at the moose with a sur
prised expression on her face, as much as
to say: "Well, you have not grown hand
somer during the night" Burr whstled,
and with a joyful neigh the mare turned
her head toward him and bade him well
come. The greeting between animal and
man was almost tender. The mare
rubbed her nose gently against his
her delicate neck. Unlocking the chains,
they dropped. Burr walked toward the
well. The mare, with dainty steps,
arched neck and fiecking tail, followed
behind him, or caressingly 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, uncon-
scious 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
sinking into the shallow vessel. All
across the parade on the return to the
stable the love scene was sre-enacted. AS
they passed me, the mare showed her
aversion to stranger by laying back her
ears and thrusting out her white-toothed
muZzle toward me in vicious manner,
causing me to step hastily back. They
pass into 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 in. 1 heard him pour the grain |
into the feed-box; 1 heard him speak TO |
the mare as his ''dear girl" and L heard |
him-kiss herl
A singular gentleness had come over |
this hard man, steeled to human suffering |
and woe. He sat at the breakfast table, |
silently thinking, with his antelope |
steaks and trout untasted before him. |
Watching the softened face, wondered |
what was the story. So l asked:
Burr, why do you love that white }
mare?"
1AC iOOhSu dC anu, Will d |
sad smile, replied:
Tonight, after the men are in bed, |
will tell you the story. Eat, my boy, then |
clear out and fish or hunt. You will find |
some fool hens in the big willow thicket |
about five miles below here. / saw some |
the other day. Shoot some. Tonight |
we will have FEAST and l will open my |
two last bottles of sherry, and we will |
talk"
His face hardened. The cold, deadly /
look returned to the gray eye, and our /
breakfast was soon finished.
ShoulderIng my rifle, l stepped out of |
the stockade, and slowly walked down
the valley. On the distant hilsdes ante
lopes grazed; down the valley before me |
1 could see a few deer running for cover
to the willows by the stream. Now and |
then grouse rose before me and flew
rapidly away. Resisting all temptation
to shoot at anything, l walked steadily /
on. Climbing hill. sat on a red rock
and musingly gazed at the vast plains to /
the northeast, at the foothills of the |
range and at the rugged. rocky range be-
yond. l love the Rocky Mountains, and
never tire of their face. wasted hours
in looking and in thinking of the many
tales I had hearetsef the range. When |
the sun was high :fBsve mel started for /
the willows. There ] nearly shot the /
heads off of six grouse. Then, jointing
a light trout pole, Etwhipped the clear