Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1891-02-17


stirrups at the same moment and swept
the moose once round his head. 4 quick
turn of the mare, a cloud of dust and a
heavy fall, and then the colt was on the
ground, half choked and helpless Down
went the bars again and the three chosen
men rushed in. Two at once sat down in
a firm and unconcerned manner upon the
head of the fallen one, while Joe and Eze-
kiel Yates proceeded to strap upon his
back saddle and bride brought in by
the latter. This operation was a delicate
one, for the PROSTATE colt struggled and
lashed out desperately But the men
seemed utterly Indifferent to the prospect
of being kicked into eternity, and accom-
plished their work in a very few minutes
Joe tightened his belt.
'Git, boys"
Away they went, scurrying across the
corral and through the gate like rabbits to
hole, the mare having trotted out before
this of her own accord.
watched Joe breathlessly. The bron-
co, free now of lasso and men, lay still a
moment, then raised his head and sneezed.
Two seconds passed; he did not move, but
sneezed again. Was he hurt. Not he.
Now, with a sound like the scream of a
maniac, he leaped to his feet in one bound
and spun round open-mouthed to find the
man and seize him in his teeth. But Joe
was not to be caught, and when the dust
raised by the colts quick movement had
subsided We saw him firmly planted in the
saddle, as if he meant to stay.
Ezekiel rejoined me now and laid a hand
upon my shoulder.
eyer have 'em before We, lad. Two
devils. Which is the stickiest: All,
ah-h, bet on the man this time.
cannot give just idea in pen and ink
of the excitement of the scene.
The little horse with wild eye and a
| big head was now a fiend incarnate. He
| was not trying to rid himself of his rider
so much as to destroy him. His eyes
| glowed like live Goals, and at intervals he
| repeated his shrill scream of rsge-s
1 challenge to the man. His first move
ment, when he felt the pressure of Joe's
| limbs, was to rear erect and attempt to
| throw himself backward A blow be-
| tween the ears with the butt end of a
| quirt CMexican riding whip brought him
| quickly down again. Then he arched his
| back like an angry cat, gathered his feet
under him and ''let fly''-as 1 never saw
a horse buck before or since. The strain
| upon the girths of the saddle was tremen.
| dous, but they We're new and bore it well
| while the rider. resting lightly in his stir
rups, held his balance with beautiful skill
and GOODNESS, and throughout every twist
and turn and jump of the bronco kept 4
firm grip upon the bride, which he wound
round the horn of the saddle as sailors Sc
cure rope to Delaying pin. The buck
ing continued without respite for several
minutes, and ended by the horse rearing {
second time, and in this instance overbal
ancing himself and falling heavily back
| ward
Trick number one" mutter, Ezekiel
1 I II
| cried out, expecting to see Joe crushed bI
the fall He had slipped aside in time
however, and was on his feet in moment
The colt was unhurt also. and, rolling owe
the ground, set Joe dancing this way an,
that to escape his heels. Another momen
passed and then the bronco was upon hi
feet again, and for the second time tn
man just saved his life by extreme agility
More kicking now ensued, and clouds o
dust rose up, which made it very difficul
to see exactly what was happening. Al
at once / heard Ezekiel give exclama
ton and swear deep and vigorous oath
and presently saw that one of the girths
the thinner of the two, had split across
The dangling ends at the bronco's side
seemed to infuriate him, and his leaps anC
kicks sensibly increased. Now came
sharp click on either side of me, and Colo
mel Jenson spoke.
''Draw, boys, and cover him. We mus
not lose another life. Fire when l Civ,
the word, every one"
| There was a quick movement on the sta
Bile roof, and ten revOlvers flashed out o
| their sheaths and ten fingers were presse,
upon the trigger, waiting for the word.
1t was death struggle now. If ther
were flaw in the remaining girth, if stra
or buckle failed, the saddle would go an
Joe be at the bronco's mercy, unless thes
pistols did their work in time. But th
girth held gallantly, and at last the bronc
began to tire and we began to breath
again. 1 could see Joe clearly now. Tn
signs OF battle had begun to appear. II
was one mass of dirt from top to toe
His right arm had received q deep gasl
either from the colts teeth or heels, an
was smeared with blood from elbow
wrist. His face was pale and worn, hi
head bent weariiy, as if he were in pair
but his eyes were clear and yigilant. an
he sat the enemy as firmly as ever. l b,
gan to hope that the worst part of th
struggle was over, for Joe had gained
tighter hold upon the bride and the bro1
} co.'s head was well drawn in, as if he wei
yielding to control. He paced backward
. slowly, until he touched one side of tt
corral, and there he stood a moment pan
: ing as if exhausted.
, Now a new phase in the struggle began
All this time Joe had played passi,
part, allowing the bronco to take hi
I | where he would and how he would. fee
l ing at the bride now and then, but witt
out making any determined attempt
check his mad frolics. At this poin
q however, he suddenly seemed to wake int
life and action. He drew in the bridl
: with a powerful wrench, twisted the brol
co.'s head from the wall of the corral, an
Q then, for the first time, drove in his spul
with will. The answer was a violent
of bucking, and expected every momeI
g to see the second girth split. 1t heiC
however, and the bucking presently subs
ded. But there was to be no rest nov
: In went the spurs again, and away wei
!, the bronco, capering, twisting, splnnir
round this way and that, leaping, kickin
rearing, as actively as ever. The san
> after each bout Joe's head bent lower ov
o his saddle bow, and look of wearine
Il and pallor crept into his face very paint
o to see But he never faltered, and
II length the time came when the touch
, the spur drove the colt round the corr
e instead of into the air, and We began
i feel that an end would come some tim
Once Joe even stopped to stroke the foaI
It fecked neck of the pony caressingly; al
' as he did so the animal stood still,
u ears pricked forward, his eyes free fro
a vicious devilment Soon after this, VIII
20 the colt had been guided right round t
l. corral without bucking once, Joe turn
re to look at us and spoke for the first tin
y His voice was so weak and faint that
% made me start.
i ''Hen do. Drop the bars"
T. There was q rush and scramble of co
TT 1 49, tI,ar ta al -.