The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-03-08

between wild and domestic life. Our
horse was agile and smart as the
terms GO, but the sorrel had the sup
pleness of a panther. As boxers feint
for an opening, SO these horses skir-
mIshed for an advantage They ap-
preached until their noses almost met,
and then reared up with shrill neighs,
struck at each other, and came down
to wheel and kick. The iron shoes OF
our horse hit nothing but air, but we
heard the double thud of the sorrer S
hind feet as he sent them home. They
ran off to wheel and come together
again and repeat the same tactics. and
again our horse got the worst of it.
He was headstrong. high-strung
beast and his temper was now up.
When he wheeled the third time he
came back with rush, screaming out
in his anger. The sorrel turned end
for end like a flash to use his heels, but
our champion lodged the kicks and
seized him by the shoulder with his
teeth. There was a terrific struggle
before the hold was broken, and then
they backed into each other and kicked
with all fury for few seconds. Every
hoof hit something solid. but the iron
shoes of our horse scored point in his
favor. When they separated we could
see that the sorrel had been badly used,
especially.about the legs.
When the horses wheeled for the
third time, both were bent on mischief.
As they came together they reared up
like dogs and struck at each other, and
for five minutes they were scarcely off
their hind feet. Some hard blows were
exchanged. and our horse had the best
of the round. Indeed, when the sorrel
wheeled and ran away he had his head
down and he seemed to acknowledge
defeat. He ran off about twenty rods
before wheeling, and as he stood for a
moment Hooked at him through field
glass which one of the men haIded me.
His ears lay fiat, his eyes looked blood
shot, and there was bloody foam on his
lips. He had been severely handled,
but was by no means defeated. In
deed, he had run away for the moment
to adopt new tactics. When he moved
up again he was the picture of ferocity.
He came at full speed, reared, and
struck right and left, and the second
blow knocked our horse fiat on the
ground. 1t was Knockout blow
The victor stood over him for a mo-
ment, watching for a movement, but
as none was made he joined the herd.
and all went off at a gallop. 1t was
five minutes before our horse staggered
to his feet, and he wanted no more
fighting. He had three bad bites about
the shoulders, and his legs were
skinned in dozen places, and it was a
week before he got his spirit back.
Two or three times during the next
ten days / saw lone wild horses, and |
one of the old hunters with us was
asked for an explanation. He said
they were "rogues "-stallions which |
had been driven from the herd in dis
grace-and that they were always con-
sidered ugly and dangerous. He had
known of them attacking single
horseman, but the presence of a large
party like ours would of course frighten
them of. Two days after this ex-
PLANTATION we were strung out for three
miles along the river, on the march
and survey. Something was lost by
IN officer, and one of the troopers was
sent back to recover it. Ten minutes
ater the article supposed to be lost
vas found in one of the ambulances,
md l was sent back to notify the
rooper. He had galloped back to
lamp, a distance of two miles, and
vas searching around on foot when l
Irrived in sight l was about to fire a
hot to attract his attention, when
rom the cottonwood grove beyond the
amp horse came charging out. He
vas rogue" and bent on mischief.
The soldiers horse was grazing, and
he soldier had his eyes on the ground,
nd was so astonished by the sudden
harge of the rogue that 1 made no
move to stop him or to warn the
rooper. Indeed, a warning could
ave hardly reached him in time. His {
ack was to the approaching horse,
nd the rogue seized him in his teeth
y hold between the shoulders and
ragged him twenty rods before fling I
10 him to one side. Then he started i
DR. the cavalry horse, which stood /
18th head pfacing him. and 1 got my ]
evolver out and spurred forward. /;
l was yet a quarter of mile away |
hen the rogue reached his second V
ictim. He ran at full speed, t
18th ears back and lips parted to v
now his teeth, and the sight was too q
luch for the domestic animal He v
as on the point of turning to fly d
hen the other collided with him. O
was as if 4 locomotive had struck d
i'm. He went down in heap and f
'lled over and over four or five times p
efore he brought up. while the rogue a
'ok half circle to bear down upon v
lie trooper again. The man was on t
S feet and limping of. but he would k
ave been goner had / been farther Il
way. l rode across the rogue's path o
I'd opened fire on him, and after I
taking his head in an ugly way he a
alloped into the grove and disap- h
Jared. The troopers horse did not a
EN- to have suffered any by the
ock, but soon after noon laid down
Id died. The man was actually cry
6 when l rode up to him, although fl
, had taken hand in several Indian @,