The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-23
4 WILD HORSE,
But tho Feat was Accomplished With
Much Diiloulty and
Danger.
Two Mon Start out to Capture
Him for a $1,000
Purse.
One OF Them Came Near Dsing Drowned
but They Managed to get Their
Animal.

one Of Them Came Near Dsing Drowned
but They Managed to get Their
Animal.
One OF the most terrific experiences ever
known in Central Kansas was related a few
days ago by Dick mRman, o of Okla
homs, but who was stopping hers looking
after some real estate, says an Abilene, Kan.
correspondent of the st. Louis Globe DEM
oorat. Dick was a hunter. and also one Of
the original cowboys of the famous Texas
and Kansas cattle trails. and knows almost
every foot Of the soil between the Brazos
and Smoky Hill rivers.
"'Twas along in the '70s.'' said he to a
little party, including the writer, when We
had come up from the feeding grounds with
a big herd of cattle. We had sold 'om
mighty we'll, and the boss give us drivers
an extra week to rest mp before going back
to tho ranch. We. of course, had a fine
time and were a great while in getting rid
Of the little pile Of money we got whom we
wers paid Of. In fact, / was pretty nigh
busted myself, and Was oursinR my luck
with the pastoboards when a chance come
to got even.
"A man came into town one night With u
terrible story Of seeing the ghost Of q horse
careerinR over the prairie. He said it flew
by him like IN engine, and tho poor fellow
was about scared to death. In a day or two
II was seen again. This time it was by day
light. aud the rich cattleman who saw it
said it was the handsomest piece OF horse
flesh hc had ever laid eyes on, and he was
from Kentucky, too. He offered $1,000 to
the chap who'd capture the horse alive and
sound, and my chum Nat n I started out
in the morning to see if we couldn't win the
prize.
1--WE followed the river about eight miles
to where the Solomon river makes q juno
tion with it, and then went up on q blum to
take bearings. Finally we separated and
went up a little canyon along the Solomon.
I followed it about eighty rods, when |
came to a narrow pass and saw beyond that
a pretty Enclosure, nearly circular and Gov
cred with grass. And in there WAS the
white horse. He was a beauty, as white as
milk and with name that was down to his
knees, while his tail swept the ground. He
had beautiful action, too, and being all
alone was prancing and paving the ground
AZ il in play. How he could have got there
was a wonder, for there were no Wild horses
nearer that Fort Reno in those days. lie
might have wandered away from the nero
and got lost, but there was no other e1-
PLANTATION that seemed reasonable.
when he saw me he stopped prancing
ana glared at me frightened like, stamping
earth with his f~orefoot like . sheep that's
scared. The place he was in was . kind OF
4 oul-ds-sac. and l stood ut the entrance
with the river on the right. watched him
a minute and then. taking my lariat from
the saddle, l tied one end to a sapling and,
standing on the ground. sent my pony in to
scare the wild horse. The pony, with the
big saddle, was a strengthening object
enough. and the horse ran from him in
fright. After taking one or two turns
around the circle he set out s%traightfor me,
and l knew tho tug of war was coming.
with queer little jumps no came toward
me, and then. amin faster and raster,
prepared for a rush between me and the
side of the canyon. coiled the lariat and
was ready to let IL fly.
"As the horse came nearer I swung the
rawhide rope round my head and, sending
it through the air, it uncurled just right
ing name As he came to the end the sap
ling couldn't no more hold him than a
thread, and it was iorked out, catching me
in the limbs, and both Of us went whirling
along the canyon after the mad and fright
ened beast. 1t would have been all day
WlUA IN IL LILY VI AhNA JNse SASN
come in sight and, throwing up his hands,
checked the critters race. The horse
whirled and came back on his tracks be-
fore I could get on my feet. | yelled at the
top of my voice. and he just reared up on
his hind legs until he seemed to stand
straight in air. In a pickle az l was !
couldn't help admiring tbs creature, and !
think still it WAS the handsomest picture 1
ever saw out of doors. Wall, tho horse
came down on his four feet again and made
a lunge toward me, and then. Is | lodged.
jumped straight off the ten-foot bank into
this river. hadn't prepared for shat move.
and being all tangled up SO in tho lariat |
didn't hardly know what to do. Before !
could do anything, and before Nat could
get to me 1 was jerksd into the
hard to keep my head above water. Steady
and fast the horse swan straight for y
little island in the middle of the stream.
The minute he struck the beach ho stopped
and stood shaking his white name at me.
The current was mighty swift and l
body sprawl out on the water n hung on
the rope hoping Nat would have sense
enough to help me out. | didn't know
where he was, and was too scared and be-
wildered to look around.
But Nat wasn't asleep. and in a minute
I saw him crossing tho stream above OH his
pony. He touched the upper end of the
island, and leavinR bis ayuse he crept
steady and slow toward the horse that was
holding me. Strange the creature didn't
hear or smell him, but probably his atten-
ton was too much taken up. Nat finally
got up on q stump of q tree, and tying his
lariat as I had done mine, only to a heavier
tree, he made ready to throw it.
"Mebbe [ wasn't glad to see something
done! The lariat he'd got 80 tangled
around me that / couldn't stir easy, and it
WAS 4 question OF minutes whom I'd drown
if l staid there.
But Mats aim was good, and the loop
came down on the horses head right above
mine, and as it struck the horse rushed
sidewise, pulling me out Of the water.
I'm a minute Nat WAS by my side and had
pulled me ont OF the coils of the rope, and
then we put our weight on the thing to
choke the horse down. 1t wasn't a very
long job, and in few minutes he was pant
ing for breath. Then we roped him well
and started to get him to town. Nat had
his pony, but mine had skipped for the viii
lags. It was after dark when wo got him
across the water to dry land, and almost
morning whom the ornery critter could DO
pushed and drove and led to The city. We
put him in one of the cattle pens, leaving
the rope around his mock, and hunted up
the cattleman who wanted him. He was as
good a. his word and gave us 5000 apiece
for our work. He had the creature. tanned
and broken n sold him for twice tho
money III an eastern city. >
Electric Bitters.
This ranadv in haNn,nipu % wall known