Morning journal and courier., 1890-05-20
COMMUNICATIONS.
Niba and Pinto.

To the editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 Such good comrades as they were; those two, Nibs and Pinto. With similarity of tastes and congenial dispositions they were staunch friends, although only horses. Side by eide they had travelled over the danger ous mountain roads or, following each other, had carefully picked their way over the still mora dangerous mountain trails. With one accord they drank from the cool, sparkling streams, rejecting with unerring instincs those containing arsenic, alum, or other minerals, although equally limpid and cool.
 Nibs had reputation. In all the Rocky Mountains no horse had more enviable one than had he. Born among the Ute tribe, he bore their mark, notch in the top of each ear. You may think this detracted from his beauty; on the contrary, 1t gave rather piquant style to his otherwise somewhat stolid countenance.
 He was so true and tgqsty his master used to call him Old Reliable.sAAnd so intensely respectable, too. Why he was covered with responsibility like garment. It glistened in every shade of his glossy coat, and bristled In every hair of his long, flowing tail. Mining claims had been named in homer of him.
 Pinto also had reputation, but of dif- ferent kind. Attenuated and foot-sore he came to us a homeless wanderer over the
 mountains. We took him in and cared fer him, bathing his poor feet with healing lo- tions, and soon he was as sleek and glossy as Nibs himself.
 He had been with us some time and we had learned to like him very much indeed
 when heard his history. He had been turno1 ourov from tho Eilvopfny, otohlnn ou too dangerous horse to use, being of the worst buokers In the mountains. No man, however daring, was willing to risk his life by riding him over the frightful mountain passes. was the first lady he had ever ried, and the only person who dared ride him.
 must confess this made me a little nervous, and I rode him with some trepida- tion, watching him closely for some time af- ter, but failed to discover any wtokedness in him. Kind treatment and loving words had won him.
 Early last September Pinto came to grief. The horses had been allowed to wander at will one day, as they were so fond of doing, feeding on the short green herbage that GOV: cred the mountain side. As they did not come up to the stable ct night, as was their usual custom, the 'roust- about was sent in search of them, but they were not found un-. til the following night.
 In rocky defle of the narrow canyon, surrounded by bristling crags and overhang- ing mountain peaks, a wild and almost inac. cessible spot, standing beside railroad them. With a feeble little whinny Pinto welcomed us. But oh, how changed! Bruis- ed, cut and bleeding-his glossy plumpness gone, hardly knew him. Nibs, with head caressingly near, stood beside him, expressing in dumb language, do not doubt, his earn est sympathy.
 The blood-bespattered bridge told the story and gave evidence of a long and fearful struggle. A party of men had found him that morning hanging head downward from the bridge. one front foot just touching the l ground, and went to his relief, good Samari- 1 tans that they were. Nibs was keeping
 faithful watch beside him.
 The night was growing dark and the stars
 were coming out one by one in the narrow
 strip of sky overhead, although the light | still fingered on the higher peaks, when we
 led Nibs away. shall not soon forget the
 mourHful neigh of poor Pinto, nor the an- swering one of Nibs, as we slowly went up l the mountain; repeated at intervals and l growing fainter as the distance increased be- l tween them.
 That pitiful call rang in my ears all night, | and the thought of that suffering horse in the lonely canyon drove sleep from my pil- 1 low.
 Contrary to our expectations, Pinto seemed
 brighter the next morning and it was decided 1 to give him chance for his life. It was ! several days before he could be taken to the | village for treatment. l One night as I stood watching the sum- light, warm and golden on the distant noun
 tains, different world from the dim chill twilight that envelopsd me, saw Pinto
 slowly and laboriously coming up the noun
 tain, stopping often to rest. With joyful
 neigh he reached the stable. Sick and feeble
 as he yet was, he had come up over the rough trail to find the trail he loved so we'll.
 If you should travel around the circle this
 summer you would pass over the road known
 as the Rainbow route, which Is the highest 1 railroad in the United States. The scenery on the route is surprisingly grand and won- derful-the wonder and admiration of the many tourists that travel over it. l As you pass the mine, which is also a
 station of the road you may see horse l quietly feeding near. As the whistle of the
 locomotive is heard and the train rolls by,
 he may lift his head and gaze calmly at you
 as if screeohing engines and rushing trains were the most common occurrences in those mountain wilds, then go on quietly feeding
 as before. By the air of proud proprietor. ship he has you will recognize him at a
 glance. It is Nibs. Pinto has gone to a lower l altitude to recuperate.
 | D.