The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-09-11
TIE WILD HORSE.


Tiny had encamped for the night, and were
smoking their pipes around the camp fire.
'Yark, did We ever see the white HeaP!"
NO; don't know what you mean"
Did We ever hear of HING
NO: / never did. What is itF
He's the greatest critter that goes on four
le2s, and this is his 'stampin' ground for the
present. / may as well commence at the
b.:innin':
the White Heads horse-an' such a
horse that we must him ter take him in
Thar never was his equal yet. He's faster
than an antelope stronger than BUTLER, kin
fight like painter, an is es cunnin' Is "A COON
Thar never was a corral that could keep him,
nor a lariat strong enough to hold him.
Well, We say. s'pose he is all this, what thenf
jest this: To-day l met a hunter who he'd
seen him within n very short time. He said
he sure the Indians he went with he'd
been follerin' ON for days, an only wanted
n good chance ter run Off the stock l kinder
feel he amt fur away, an think well see
him tonight sure shootin'.
The frst time l see the White Head was
about two years ago. This crr is his ran;yc,
rather the range of the band of Cheyennes
he belongs to, and we war camped right over
on tibet cluster of hills The horses and mules
was all picketed by the creek, en- he'd gone
to look up an antelope l see grain Off the
north'ard, when down from gully come "A
horse, trottin' along quiet as kitten, so ter
speak, and maxim for the others. He was a
beautiful sorr,,l all over, 'cept his head, that
pure white. His tail and name streancd
behind him Us he moved, and his round body
and taperin' legs locked made fur GO He
war a reg lar beauty, an no mistake.
Every little while Inc stopped ter nose the
ground, and noticed hc he'd somcthin' trail
IN behind him, but | couldn't make it out, l
80 tux up watchin' the beast himself,
the hull time IA pintn fur the stock. Finally
he got among 'eIn an commenced maxim
friends, PAWN and rlayin' about
Everybody ran out ter see him, and one
feIer tried ter ketch him with "a lsso; but
tibet wouldn't work nohow. Then, when ne
got the horses an mules all prancin about
he gave loud neigh. like "a trumpet, and
commenced ter bite and kick at the thing
tied ter his tail, an every kick sounded like
big bass drum, an scared the stock 50 that iii
five minutes they all stainie,ied, with him
fOlierin', neishin' and kickin' the article behind
him mt every jump.
"IIe raced 'eru away il a cloud of dust, an
we never got hide nor hair ON EN- back; hut
s.se the feathers IF the Chcycnnts rsin' be
hind the ridge, cluse tn EN-, and knew then
that the hull affair {, ~; lar trick, and
they had actiily trained the white headed
horse ter help cm es hr did. What dyer think
now, pardner.
"Another time laid for him ON purpose,
an hid a Mexican whar he could use his lasso.
Then, by an by, Ton" come the hOr5e, an
mixed with the stock. The Mexican let him
come up till he had dead sure thing, and
then let go. The lassso flew straight
arrow, an settled ON his withers.
The minute he felt it he gave a jump, and
then looked about ter see whar it como from.
Then, when he spsd the Mexican he went
for him, ketched him by the small of the back
i'm his teeth raised him clear of the ground,
shook him, an then threw him down
with two ribs broken. He seemed ter think
"a minute then, fer he jest laid back his ears,
stretched his neck and started as ii he war
shot out of gun
THE hide snapped across his chest
with a twang like n harp string, the loose end
went flying like old cotton rope in the wind
an away he sailed in IA cloud Of dust, till the
distance swalered him But that Mexican
sworc he would rather meet the devil than
the White Head"
About three-quaTters of an hour BEFORE sun
down the hunters, seeing that all was quiet i'll
camp, started upon their horses tn rccnnnoitcr
the plains near them.
Finally, having Travelled i'll nearly all dircc-
tons, they resolved to water horses in the
Einwa creek, Close at hand and so turned
TIN animals helds t.iithey. y heavy cotton
wo"l timber grew close down to the water
plum and "boy elder"
y little saI,ibar ran out into the stream
AMI upon its wet surface Bill noticed the
fresh hoofmarks of n horse. They were re
smarkably small and round, seemingly pos
sessed Of a character of their own, that showed
that their owner must have stepped like a
deer.
Both men busiiy engaged noting
the strange trail, they never thought of look
H.
threw up his head and sent forth shrill
neigh each man hooked instantly, ami there
right before their eyes, was Il sight that made
them spe,,hl,>s with wonder.
On the opposite bank not sixty yards away
stood tho maker of the footm;trkS-the far
famed White Heat
The sunlight came playing through the
trees, AMI burned his sorrel coat like
molten gold. The graceful body, round and
smooth, expanded where the vast launches
AMI ,loping shoulders st into il III welded
masses of binding muscle, that stretched To
the deer like limbs, with their clean knees
ami hooks, each le, strung like harp, with
cords Of steel to the ivory bone. His flowing
mane and tail SEEMED alive with motion, rs
il impatient Ia la waving backward in the
strong wind 81 his racing gallop. Though he
stood like II bronze, with only the trumpet
nostrils working Ia catch the air, the small
bead, white even Ia the eyes, turned over his
shoulder tn survey the intruders who hal dis
turt-si his watering place.
Thus Ia stool, grand in his bcauty-a peer
less horse
Awhile the, Sazoi, and then the hunters
hand stole slowly tn his waist The deadly
revolver came forth, rose tn the level and
Inn;inllcSs, covered the throhbing heart
One touch and his life would be- gone Yet
no report broke upon the air. There stood
the hnrsa', kecnly alive Ia his ianger-nay,
even challenging il, for thc ears laid them
selves slowly hack, the eyes began To shine
Slowly rs it hal risen, the weapon dropped
while its owners voice broke the silence
No use, Toi-e; l can't kill him"
At the white mans voice the Whit, Head
moved away without taking his eyes from
the men. He never looked u his STEPS vet
they found their WAY iIrrIin.rIy nnlnrlr, th.,