St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-04-19
How the Creole Pony Works.

How the Creole Pony Works.
A GOOD STORY IN WHICH AN IMMIGRANT
FIGURES.
"Well, it's SO, for pa said so" were the
words caught by newspaper MAJ who
was prowling around cur city few days
ago. How easy it is for the average boy
to quote what "pa" says. Good or bad, 1t
goes. and he sticks to it because pa says
it's SO.
Johnny Jimply was writing to one of
his playmates living in the cold regions OF
the North, and after growing eloquent in
his boyish way over the delightful country
of Southwest Louisiana, and giving some
of the Incidents and accidents OF Lake
Charles winter life, he abruptly went of,
boy like, into family matters, and would
have made bad break if his mother had
not from early childhood taught him to
show up copy before placing it in the
mails. The whole truth of Jimplys story
cannot be told in nutshell, so to begin
with we will have to go back about three
winters.
1t will be remembered by many that
about three winters ago the first winter
tourists of any consequence came to South
west Louisiana, and number stopped at
Lake Charles, some boarding, others taking
rooms or renting houses. After spending
the first winter and procuring taste of
the climate, it was not at all hard for
them to renew their visit the next winter ];
in fact, some of them did not 60 back when
summer came on, and even suggested this
as good summer as winter resort.
Jimply, as the story goes, was one of the
fortunates, or unfortunates, who went
North in the summer After spending
the second winter it was decided by the
family to have a cory Southern home
where the family could come and enjoy
the invigorating gulf breeze in winter.
This being settled, the family decided to
have buggy and horse, so they could en-
joy riding around through the prairie.
The next day Jimply's pa went around to
Capt. IS (who, by the way, has always
been quite favorite with the Northern
people), and after the usual jokes and
look among the Captains large stock of
buggies, one was found of size and price
to fit the family, and purchase was made.
The next thing in order was to procure
horse that would fit the buggy. This was
rather hard undertaking. but Captain
Jimply finally made purchase of one of
the Creole variety, for the enormous sum
of twenty dollars. The buggy was rolled
out from the shed, the Creole was backed
up between the shafts, and by means of
punch the harness was soon reduced to
fitting dimensions. Then came the tug of
wal. s'First four forward" change
overall hands around"-'setto your
partner" Swing corners" up Kirby
street, straight shoot to the prairie.
"Now you're SAFE let FER have the lines"
There was nothing unusual in this, and
the whole affair attracted the attention of
perhaps only dozen men, but Captain
Jimply was very much affected. s'Let 'er
60" Yes, he seemed bent on getting
away and out of sight as quickly as pos
sible. Kirby street was soon left in the
distance, and the great open prairie where
now stands the Lake Charles College. and
around which are many miles Of streets
graded, was soon the seat of action unseen
by eye save the sleek Creole cows. One
hour passed, and to use Capt. Jimply' 8 own
words, SIT seemed like day." The same
unbroken gait, good gallop, held to
circle of large dimensions by stiff bit and
a tight rein. Toward nightfall mind as
usual, mastered the situation. The Cap
tain says toward nightfall he suddenly be-
came conscious of the fact that the pre-
tended driver needed breaking as much as
the horse, and as he became conscious of
the fact before the horse did, he became
master of the situation, and never did
man drive more proudly the finest steed in
Iowa than he did as he turned down Pujo
street in search of home.
The family met the Captain at the gate
and demonstrated with him for bringing
such looking animal home, but he hnd
just passed through trying ordeal. He
told the family he felt like they did about
it. He wouldn't have old Judge -, of
-, to see him driving that sheep around
through the streets for fifty dollars. 'tBut
femme tell you, Sooky, this Creole pony
didn't cost me but twenty dollars, and he
can gallop all day in the buggy and never
get tired; and then the best part Of it is
that when we go home in June we can just
turn her out on the prairie, and there she
will stay till we come back next fall and
won't cost as red cent
There was great deal of economy ia
this while the family would be North and
a promise of great deal of comfort while
here So the decision was finally made
by the whole family that the proper thing
Hdu D6oH ions, anu annie was tak6n Into
the family as q kind of pet.
In course Of time June arrived, and the
family, after giving Fannie good feed of
oats, which they had taught her to eat,
turned her out on the prairie and then
took their departure for their Northern
home. The winter being warm, the fam
lily remained until past mid-winter before
to their Southern home. They
did return, however, and found to their
surprise they were the owners of two
horses instead of one. Fannie had fine
colt following her over the prairie, and it
IS this latter clause that the young Jimply |
wished so much to relate to his little friend |
up North, but which was cut short by |
examination of the letter. Never
mind, but it viii get there just the same
The american.
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