Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-01-05
match . be ridden- under saddla and

or bareback"
Saddle, Ireckon; aint no man livin'
cud sit steer two minutes bareback;
skins too loose"
"Bridlesp"
"We-e-ll-ll, no; more fun 'ithout, l
reckon. Might tie piece O. rope to
the horns to hold on by"
"Spursp"
"0f course; want the thing lively,
you know"
So the arrangements were made, and
on the appointed morning we all gath
cred to see the ''dooel.
Charley had caught ''line-bacI1'-
dark red with streak of white down
the back-bone-and Bob, a ''magpie,"
or black and white spotted.
Both were as wild as deer, and fierce
as hawks. By the use OF lariats the
steers were stretched and the sad
dies, each provided with an extra
cinche, or broad horse-hair girth, were
put on; one cinche passing around the
chest and the other around the body
| just behind the fore-legs. Both cinches
were drawn as tight as possible, and
both animals were blindfolded, and led
out on the plain where fair start
might be had.
The riders took their places by the
sides of their respective steeds, wait
ing for the word to mount and ride.
"Are you ready"
'Yes."
| Then gon'
In the same breath, the lariats were
freed from the horns, the blindfolds
were snatched off, and the riders
vaulted into their saddles, Bob on the
line-back. and Charley on the magpie.
For minute, both the animals
seemed dazed at the sudden change
from darkness to light, till the riders
touched them with the spurs, and
shrieked 'Hoop-la-a! va-ca-a!" Then
they both started, the line-back hori-
zontally, striking down the valley at
the top of its speed, and the magpie
vertically, doing some straight up-and-
down jumping and plunging, that
would have done credit to the most
vicious buclking broncho.
AS / was Charley's referee, stayed
to watch the antics of the magpie,
while Little set off at full speed to
turn the line-back, that we might not
lose that part of the sport. 1t was
hot chase, but Little finally overlook
and headed him back in our direction.
Meanwhile, each rider was yelling at
the top of his voice, and touching up
his vicious and already maddened ami
NAL.
AS the line-back came racing down
on us, the magpie caught sight of him,
and, ceasing his bucking, dropped
head, and, with a below of rage,
rushed straight for the ineomer, who,
nothing loath, accepted the challenges;
and, with an answering below of def
ance lowered his horns, and put on an
additional burst of speed. In vain the
riders tugged and hauled at the rope
bridles-they mightas we'll have tried to
hold a ''rogue-elephant" with strand
of sewing silk! In vain the rest of us
Judge, referees and spectators dashed
forward to prevent the collision-we
were too late. The shock was terrific.
The two riders were hurled into each
others arms, as if launched from a
catapult, with .'thud!' that followed
the crash of their colliding steeds as
the ''spatp of ball against the tar
get follows the report of the gun.
AS Charley was the heavier weight,
his momentum overcame that Of Bob,
and clasped affectionately in each
others arms, they shot backward over
line-backs tail, and rolled over and
over in the dust, an involved tangle of
waving legs and arms! We rushed to
pick them up, while the two
chargers, their pugnacity complete-
ly knocked out of them by
the resounding impact, drew apart,
gazed stupidity at each for moment,
and then, with frightened low,
numbered away across the valley.
When the two Jockeys" had been
picked up and busted off, we were able
to ascertain the extent OF their in
juries. One of Bob's front teeth was
gone and his nose was bleeding.
Charley had several square inches of
skin rasped off his forehead, and
tremendous bump over one eye. Each
had the breath pretty well knocked out
of him.
Leaving them in my hands for sur
gical aid, the rest of the boys set of
hastily after the fugitive steeds.
Brought back painting and sullen, the
rivals plucl1ily insisted on riding out
the match; but John. as Judge, decided
that inasmuch as the steeds were evil
IDENTIFY unfit for further duty that day,
it should be decided drawn game;
and that the two contestants should
each be given medal of sole-leather,
and be hereafter known as The Tyin
CbampiORs aud BinoBstaE Rough riders
ofthe stSrrd La Sal.-H 2. U9ord, il
Youths Companion
Mick. according to the New
York San, is corruption of Mike, in
its turn nickname for Michael. A
''mick' is a rowdy, tough; we pre-
sumo the name was first applied
by some man, who, having in mind
particular ne'er-do-well Michael, lik-
ened his new acquaintance to him,