The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1886-03-09


had clmped near The forks of the
Platte, and Was ar0fstl Just 10 daylight
hy footsteps araundmt Aher listening
for moment fyli sar that they were
the footsteps oi horses, They seemed D.
he circiing around ua NOT at 4 cauier-
not at lrgi. but az b 'eelcrasn rNalk.
1t was ueil fhat ihalS .iftd ms horse
IN thorough menn9, teg never saw
him SO excited He tuggtd ana pnllei
"a his lariat, stood up q. hi- bind legs,
ncighed and snortcd, paved and pranc-
cd, and it was bis actions that gave me
n clue to the identity If my visitors.
They were Wild horses!
Had they been Indian ponies my
trained horse would have remained as
dumb and silent rs a post Indeed, In
dians would not have approached me In
that manner.
| remained vpry quiet, hoping tho
horses would remain In sight until day
light, which would give me good view
Of them. had 20 wait Tor full hour,
but when the light grew stronger the
spectacle was one TO make mans blood
tiRgle. The circle had boon enlarged
until Il was half mile across, and my
little camp was center Every horse,
and there were l29 Of them, stood with
his head TO this center, and soldiers
could not have taken position on the
skimish line in more precise order
pitied my own animal. He stood
with tho lariat drawn taut, and trembled
In every limb, and he was as wet with
sweat as il had galloped him twenty
miles. ! realized how he must long to
break away and join the wild roycrs. and
forever end his drudgery.
Jared not raise 10 my feet for fear OF
alarming the drove but, nevertheless, ]
had clear view Of each horse. Most Of
them were magnificent animals Manes
down on their shoulders and tails on the
grass They were Of various cOlors, and
they ranged In age from the ycarling
colt up TO the veterans Of 20 years old.
The bays predominatcd, but every color
was present.
We had been observing each other
about ten minutes, when jet-hlack
stallion. who was the leader of the herd,
gave n snort, threw up his heels into Tho
air, and broke or at q gallop followed
by the drove in single file. They ran IN
a true circle. and they made tho circle.
iise .aos helafe SlojplnR laen. s
anay n signal flVmA 10 leuden ghc cir
ele lruke aud the horses wheeled iato
q kng, q tiggle ll aNilA
lstalsi hjtas teuid nul ave daI. Vi M
tor thmlghi st hfst That llne nasais
to ehHrge tne bit at i slgnalit l1asle
left whee and gsslepeA straight ols 81.
the plain for n mile Then It broke. as
slnned the shape Of triangle, and re-
turned, when the leader was within pis.
FOL shot he wheeled about and the horses
formed square, with the four-year-olds
in the center. They galloped on for
mile, broke again, and returned in two
ranks.
had an almost irresistible desire 10
Kill the leader with bullet. Indeed, |
reached for my rifle with that intent.
but then came the reflection that II would
be little short of murder. Such another
perfect horse had never seen. His
black coat shone like silk, his limbs and
body We're perfection, and he had the
speed and bottom Of 4 raec-lIorse. Not
n halt was made for full hour. and
then Il was only preparatory to taking Il
swift departure. The maneuver was d
circle at slow trOt, and each horse
whinnied in a coaxing manner to my
own steed. Poor Seliml lie struggled
in the most frantic manner to break
loose, and when finding all his efforts Of
no avail be threw himself down on the
grass and actually groaned his lisap-
p0intmcnt
! rose up and then waved my blanket.
Instead Of rushing of III alright, as /
expected. The leader of The band deliber-
atcly approached ms few rods and
stood and snorted and paved q II send
ing forth 4 challenge. Then | set up a
shouting. waved the blanket some more.
and he took his place at the head, form
ed the baud 1t company front, and
they went offat a gaIlop aud maintain-
ed It as long as could See tile waving
line. Detroit Free fns2.
aw------~-