Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-29

hurdles and bitches, and with the air sharp and
raw. Perrie, the winner-now am going to
paralyze you-made the course in fifty-eight
minutes, and there were lots Of fellows right
behind him. Well, Perrie was, Of course the
great lion of the country, but the Engiishmen
did not kick the man who came in last. No sir
they patted him on the back and told him he
was plucky for staying in the race at all and
said that he'd be sure to do better next year
Then the next day they took him around and
proudly introduced him as Mr.. Jones, you
you know In this place that poor fellow
would never have been heard of.
THE ENGLISH woRKINaMAN.
"Another funny thing" the major went on,
as he moved back from the fire little, sis the
way the laborers work. We waste a good deal
OF sympathy on them, but you ought to see
them at work on the bitches and the roads,
carrying bricks and mortar and doing all sorts
OF things: They start in at o'clock and work
until g. Then they stop work and go to pub
lie house, where they get a bitter beer. At 9
they begin again and work until /, when they
stop for another hour and take another bitter
beer, and at 2 start in on the last stretch quit
ting at s."
CALL TO DINNER.
Just at this point voice from the interior
announced dinner, and the majors face relaxed
into smile as he rose from the rocker and fol-
lowed Mr.. Lafferty into the dining-room.
Here, too, England was discussed and rivalled
the meal in the majo attention. Through the
windows lot of General Beale's horses could
be seen, huddled under the apple trees near the
house, with their heads turned away from the
storm, and their ears dropping in melancholy
way. Several Of these animals, Mr.. Lafferty
explained, were capable Of making two-forty
gait. They are often used in teams around the
farm. Under the caves of a shed three guinea
hens sat IN row and two ducks stood in front
OF them and nodded A few chickens stepped
daintily through the mud and occasionally cat
ran across the yard with its fur soaked The
apples had all fallen from the trees, which were
almost bare, and the low hanging clouds gave
the finishing touch to the dreary scene. But
inside the air was warm and cordial, and Major
Burke's running commentary kept his listeners
In good humor.
THE COWBOYS QUARTERS.
After dinner Mr.. Lafferty led the way down
into the basement, where the five cowboys are
quartered who are to help Buck Taylor take
care Of the stock this winter. They-except-
ing the man who was watching the buffaloes-
were chatting with some of the farm hands,
and the air was blue with smoke. In another
room down the corridor the saddles, ropes and
halters belonging to the show are stored. The
saddles, upward of a hundred, are strung on
three poles placed across the room. All of
cowboy ties his lasso when he goes in quest of
game. One of these pommels Is as broad as a
dinner plate. The Mexicans, some one said,
often play monte on such pommel when they
have nothing else to do.
Then Mr.. Lafferty led the way into the yard,
where the mud was several inches deep. I'm
mediately upon his appearance a Maltese kit
ten rubbed against his legs. Then he gave
CALL and half dozen more cats appeared, fol-
lowed by others in another minute. He has
only twenty-eight of these animals, he says.
The finest of the stock of the farm was under
shelter. One of the stations, Leopard is we'll
known as one of the Arabian pair presented to
Gen. Grant by the sultan Of Turkey. He now
belongs to Gen. Beale. Horse after horse was
shown. This one had a 2:20 record, that 2:30,
that one had a colt which made mile in
2:5O; another was the mother of a famous
flyer, and so on-each horse with a great long
pedigree, that rolled out of Mr.. Lafferty's
throat as easily as though it were the alphabet.
In one of the stalls was little colt named Jack
Shepard, which was left an orphan at the tender
age of two months. He and Mr.. Lafferty had
wrestling match, which resulted in the colts
fall. He lay as peaceful and innocent as
lamb. but suddenly his hind hoof began to
tw1tch and creep upward, and then the door
was hastily shut and bolted.
THE DEADwooD COACH.
The four black mules that draw the Dead
wood coach have separate stalls. Their great
long necks were poked over the partitions,
their wing-like ears were trained outward and
their enormous eyes were winkingly fastened
on their visitors as they entered. After a
minutes gazing they whisked their heads back
and fell to biting each others necks. Mr.
Lafferty has California C-spring four-in-
hand coach which he is going to lend the cow
boys. They will hitch the mules to it some
day and astonish the town.
BUCK GETS HOME AGAIN.
10 %har lo1lx Al
and the mules were looking at him, a peculiar
halloo was heard outside and Mr.. Lafferty went
out to open the gate for the king of the Cow
boys, who had just arrived in his buggy. He
soon broke for the house, for he said that he
was lin his dude rig" and could not stand the
rain and mud. There is a good deal of him.
up and down there are feet and inches of
cowboy, and all around there are about two
hundred and thirty pounds Of Taylor. It seems
farce to call him q cowboy" His long
black hair was tied back, out of the way, and
he looked uncomfortable in his ''dude rig"
When he heard that dinner had been served he
strobe upstairs to his room and soon reappeared
with the queer-loOking vessel covered with
wicker work that the major had discovered in
the morning, and a can Of maple syrup. Come
| and do your duty, john" he called, and the
major advanced to the onslaught like a man.
II guess l have stretched my hat a httle,"
said Taylor, as he folded himself up in a
rocking-chair. Il have been down to Alexan-
dria to register. Say, John, we must try to get
| these seven votes in on the 9Th
All of the cowboys are ardent democrats and
have been figuring on q chance to vote for
some days. One of them is a Mexican, but he
is democrat. Many amusing political discus
sions take place between the COWBOYS and the
negro farm hands. They are very persuasive
in their arguments.
STAMPEDE.
After a while Buck, thawed by the fire and by
the mysterious contents of the wicker-cov-
cred vessel, told about the experience he had
with the stock the day he landed them from
the train at College Station.
They stampeded," he said, ''and scared the
natives almost TO death. We run 'em a couple
of miles, with two old horses leading 'em, until
we got all but the leaders corralled off into a
field. left the other men to round 'em up
and Lit out for the leaders. They were a
good start ahead of me, and l chased 'em
over miles. At last I got within reach Of one
and hooked him around the neck with my rope.
That threw him and the other jumped along
I for about hundred yards, and then. finding
that he was alone, stopped. After looking at
US for a minute he came walking back, and /
captured him easily"
II suppose that that was an easy way to get
them over from the railroad" innocently re-
marked the reporter.
''Oh, yes" was the reply, with wink at the
major, that would have been an easy way if
| they hadn't been running in the wrong direc-
tion," and the king of the cowboys laughed