The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-09-20
INDIAN HORSE RACE.
An Exciting scene Witnessed on the plains
"A Reliable stake Holder

An Exciting scene Witnessed on the Plain,
"A Reliable stake Holder.
An elderly Indian of great dignity Of
presence steps into the ring. and with
q graceful movement throws his lono
red blanket to the ground and drops
on his knees before it. to receive the
wagers of such as desire to make them
Men walk up and throw in silver
dollars and every sort of personal
property imaginable. A Winchester
rifle and large nickel-plated Colts
revolver are laid on the grass near
me by cowboy and an Indian and
then each goes away. 1t was a wager
and / thought they might we'll have
confidence in their stakeholder
mother earth. Two ponies, tied head
and head, were led aside and left
horse against horse. No excitement
seemed to prevail. Near me a little
half-Mexican Comanche boy began to
disrobe until he stood clad only in
shirt and breech-cloth. His father
addressed some whispering admoni-
tions and then led up roam pony.
prancing with Impotence and evil
IDENTIFY fully conscious of the work cut
out for him that day. With a bound
the little fellow landed on the neck of
the pony only half way up, but his
toes caught on the upper muscles of
the pony's leg. and like a monkey he
clambered up and was in his seat. The
pony was as bare as wild horse, ex-
cept for bride, and Hoped away with
his graceful little rider sitting like a.
rock. No. not like rock, but limp
and unconcerned, and as full of the
motion of the horse as the horses tail
or any other part of him.
A Kiowa with loose hair and great
coarse face broke away from the group
and galloped up the prairie until he
stopped at what was to be the starting
point, at the usual distance of
1.-TWO arrow flights and a pitch"
He was followed by half
dozen ponies at an easy lope,
bearing their half-naksd jockeys. The
Indian spectators sat about on their
ponies as unmoved in countenance as
oysters. being natural gamblers, and
stoical as such should be, while the
cowboys whispered among themselves.
That's the bay stallion there"
said one man to me. as he pointed to
racer, land he's never been beaten.
It's his walk-over, and I've got my
gun up on him with an Injun."
1t was to be a flying start, and they
jockeyed a good deal and could not
seem to get off. But presently puff
of smoke came from the rifle held
aloft by the Kiowa starter, and his
horse reared. The report reached us,
and with scurry the five ponies came
away from the scratch, followed by a.
cloud of dust. The quirts flew through
the air at every jump. The ponies
punched and battered away at name
less rate, for the quarter-race pony is
quick of stride. Nearer and nearer
they came. the riders lying low on
their horses neck, whipping and KY
yi-yi-ing. The dust in their wake
swept backward and upward. and with
rush they came over the scratch,
with the roam pony ahead, and my
little Mexican fellow holding his quirt
aloft, and his little eyes swapping with
the nervous excitement of the great
event. He had beaten the invincible
bay stallion, the pride of this Conan
che tribe. and as he rode back to his
father his face had the settled calm
which nothing could penetrate. and
which beftted his dignity as a young
runner.-Frederic Remington, in Cen
turV