St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1888-09-22
"A ROGUE" HORSE.
An Adventure with Q Savage and
Dangerous Animal.

fortune happened to the boys Of tn,
country town where the writer resides
in the return home. after an absence
Of many years, Of a quaint old char
acter named Darius Starbuck, who lef
the place when q young man. and ha,
ever since been rowing about in the fal
Southwest. mostly in Western Texas
New Mexico and Arizona. He is /,
capital story-teller. has . great stocl
of adventures. and for several weeks b,
has spent many of his evenings in Civ
ing some OF his experiences while h<
has been absent from his native town
The most Of his stories are account.
Of adventures with the Apaches and
with panthers. '.jaygers" 0aglars),
bears and Mexican bandits. But som:
of Starbuck's adventures were not o
this common variety; they had . spice
of novelty.
Half dozen of us had been listen.
Ing to him one evening recently. when
come one Of the party inquired which
he considered the most dangerous wild
animal in the region where he had
lived, or what creature he stood mos,
in dread of, when out alone ON the
plains or among the mountains.
''Wal. boys" replied Darius. ''the
jayger and the yaller bear sometimes
turns loose on man in them parts.
But the beast that came the nighes,
6nishin' me up and the one I got to
dread most Of all. was q rogue"
"A rog,,ss What's thats" We asked.
"a rogue hoss. That's q stallion
that has fit with others and has got
driv Outen the herd. For out that
way. there are or used to ba big herds
Of wild hosses. and every herd has a
head-hOss that rules over that partic.
ular drove, and runs out every thing
that he takes a notion agin.
There were awful fights sometimes,
between rival head-hosses. At times
one would kill the other outright;
and they were often badly SCARED up
from fighting. The defeated one, II
he wasn't killed. had to get out and
try his luck in some other herd, and if
he got whipped out repeatedly. he was
Obliged to live alone by himself
0utcast.
THAT soured his temper. He would
grow sulky, morose and sly. and some
times got savage and appeared to hate
the sight Of every living thing. In
stead of ranging openly on tho plains,
he would lurk In the timber near the
creeks and rivers. and become more
like beast Of prey than hoss-
The first rogue I ever fell in with.
was on one of the upper tributaries Of
the Rio Grande. l was on nv way
across the country to Santa Fe, and
had campcd alone one afternoon. in .
q bolt Of cottonwood which extended
TO. a mile or more along the water
course. Iwss. riding. 1t that time. a
very good saddle hoss. and after hob
bling him out, got water from the
creek and set about kindling q flre to
make tea l was STOPPING over, and
In the very act think, of striking the
match, when heard a crash in the
timber and had just time to jump up
and face about. when l saw a magnif-
cent great calico -colored hoss rushing
upon me. not twenty PAGES away, COM
ing at full spring! A more ferocious-
looking animal It would be difficult to
imagine! His eyes were bloodshot, his
ears laid back. his long, yellow teeth
exposed. while his heavy name rose
mp. like . hedge-row along his craned-
Out neck.
Il took one look at him. and then
jumped for my rife which had set up
against tree few steps away. But
before l could reach It, the hoss was 80
close upon me that l had to change my
course and run for another tree. I
thought could dodge away from him;
but never saw y hoss SO quick-mO-
toned before or since! His nose was
reaching round that cottonwood trunk
for me by the time got behind it! l
ran for another, and he almost nabbed
me before got to it!
There was NO other troe beyond
one within fifty or sixty feet; but had
20 run again, and before could get to
. tree he was down on me- ssith q
wicked sQueal, and grabbed me BY the
shoulder like tiger, blowing his foam
all over me! In an instant I Was
twiched on my feet and dr.Seod
along through the brush and grass.
Never in my life have experienced