Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-06-11
A Grand sight ON the Plains

nad camped near Tue lorhs vi the
Platte, and was aroused just at day
light by footsteps around me. After
listening for moment felt sure that
they were the footsteps of horses. They
seemed to be circling around me-not
at canter-not at trot, but at mod
crate walk. 1t was well that | had Sc
cured my horse in thorough manner,
for | never saw him 80 excited. He
tugged and pulled at his lariat, stood
up OH his hind legs, neighed and snorted
and paved and pranced, and it was his
action that gave me clue to the identi-
ty of my visitors.
They were wild horses.
Had they been Indian ponies my
trained horse would have remained as
dumb and silent as post. Indeed, In
diaDs would not have approached me in
that manner.
remained very quiet, hoping the
horses would remain in sight until day.
light should give me good view of
them. / had to wait for full hour, but
when the light grew strong the specta-
Gle was one to make mans blood tin
gle. The circle had been enlarged un-
til it was half mile across, and my lit
tie camp was the center. Every horse,
and there were 120 Of them, stood with
his head to the center, and soldiers
could not have taken positions on the
skrmish line in more precise order.
pitied my own animal. He stood
with the lariat drawn taut and trembled
i'm every limb, and he was as wet with
sweat as if had gallOped him twenty
miles. | realized how he must long to
break away and join the wild rovers
and forever end his drudgery.
dared not Iaise to my feet for fear
of alarming the drove, but, neverthe-
less, had clear view of each horse.
Most of them were magnificent animals.
Names down on their shoulders and
tails on the grass. They were of vari-
GUS colors, and they ranged in age from
the yearling colt up to veterans proba-
bly, twenty years old. The bays pre-
dominated. but every color was pres
ent.
We had been observing each other
about ten minutes, when jet black
stallion, who was the leader ofthe herd,
gave snort, threw up his heels into the
air and broke of at a gallop, followed
by the drove in single file. They ran
in true circle, and they made the cir
cult five times before stopping. Then,
at another signal from the leader, the
circle broke and the horses wheeled into
a long, single line, or company 'front.'"
Troop horses could not have done bet
ter. / thought at first the line meant
to charge me, but. at signal it made
left wheel and galloped straight of on
the plain for mile. Then it broke,
assumed the shape of a triangle and re-
turned. When the leader was within
pistol-shot he wheeled out and the
horses formed in a square, with the four
yearlings in the center. They gal
loped off for mile or so, broke again
and returned in two ranks.
had an almost irresistible desire to
kill the leader with bullet. Indeed, 1
reached for my rifle with that intent,
but then came the reflection that it
would be little short Of murder. Such
another perfect horse l had never seen.
His black coat shone like silk, his limbs
and body were perfection, and he had
the speed and bottom Of race horse.
Not halt was made for full hour, and
then it was only preparatory to taking
a swift departure. The last msneuver
was circle at slow trot, and each
horse whinned in a coaxing manner to
my own steed. Poor Selim. He strug-
gled in the most frantic manner to
break loose, and when finding all his
efforts of no avail he threw himself
down on the grass and actually groaned
his disappointment.
l rose up and then waved my blanket.
Instead Of rushing off in alright as l
expected, the leader of the band delib-
erately approached me few rods and
stood and snortej and paved as IL send
ing forth a challenge. Then l set up a
shouting, waved the blanket some more,
and he took his place at the head, formed
the band at company 'front.'" and they
went off at gallop and maintained it
rs long as could see the waving line.
A Kansas man is saving wood iE the
Navy Yard at Washington. Tins the
unexpected happens. He went there