The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-05
MIGUEL'S RIDE.


Juan Lopez settled his feet in hia stirrups
and gnllopsd away. \ days rids through
saQobrush and cactus, to the great Rancho
Santa Anity, for the Rrape-pioking.
His two motherless little boys watched
until there was only a cloud of dust rising
above the ohaparral, and that, at last, was
lost in the arroyo.
Miguel, brown-faced and sturdy was four
years older than the delicate Felipe. They
were used to being left a~lons-these little
ones-nnd in a few days Mateo would come
down from the city. Good Mateo, who was
SO jolly. Felipe was always better and
brighter when Mateo was there to sing his
funny songs and toll his funny stories.
The days passed-Monday, Tuesday and
Wednesday, Mnteo did not come. Alas!
for Mateo. One night when the red wine
ragged in his hot blood he struck y man
down, and fought like a wild beast when
officers bound him. Then outraged justice
spoke, and for ninety days his swarthy face
yellowed and grew haagard behind prison
bars.
Felips grew very bad, parchsd with foyer
and gnawed and bitten by sharp pains. He
pushed away the tortillas that Miguel had
cooked with suob care, and cried night and
day for water.
A vaquero passing, stopped for 4 drink
from ths ola, and said, in awkward Span :
ish: Get him q Doctor and some medicine,
or he will die and then clattered away.
"A doctor and medicine'-Miguel knew
how much doctors charged to visit that
out-of-the-way place. Many times he had
heard his father groan over she great OK.
paid who saves life. and it costs so much to
die. He looked into the thin pocketbook-
only = few small pieces Of silver. Who're
could he get money? His gaze wandered
around the poor adobe house. No inspira-
tion in the bare walls. Two gaunt dogs.
with hind legs preposterously long. prowled
about the Gmooth-swept yard. No money
in those vagabond creatures.
A little way from the house, in a shabby
corral, stood Chispa-dear old Chispa. A
year ago . dealer had come up from below
with a band of horses. One was sick and
had been kicked and badly hurt. The sorry
beast WAS about to have his suffsrings end
ed by a meroiful bullet, when the man, see-
ing the two little boys, presented the horse
to them with exaggerated kindness. Under
worked with such a will that the poor beast
lived and, with hating step. carried the
two boys many long miles.
A rush of tears burned Migusl's eyes with
q sudden start. Chispa must be sold. Ac-
customed to act for himself, his plans were
00SA ANAAs AAc lO v IA VA
and where to ind the DOCTORS office, for he
had been there with his father, and per-
haps he would see Iateo; So. in the twi-
light of the dawn, whom the stars were
growing palo, he left Felipe in a stupor,
which he thought sleep, and started on his
long ride.
The day had been dull at the horse mar
ket on the outskirts of the CITY. Afew
mon loitered idly about. A newsboy, with
aspirations turfward, strolled in and ex-
nmined. with the eye Of a Jockey, a horse
tied to the fence:
Say, look at the little areaser kid and
Maud S." he suddenly called out, and
burst into a loud laugh, a. Miguel, faint |
from hunger and loss Of sleep. rode
slowly in.
"Hello, sonny! Where 70 goin' with chat
Minguel shook his head.
N aavvy. heh? CANT talk United
States?' He winked at his companions. |
We'll have some fun with him. and then
turned him over to Old Man to jabber
with. Where's Old Man. anyway.
Old Manuel was in the barn sleeping the
sleep OF the n~ightwatch whose morning
dram had been unusually strong, all un-
aware OF tho tragedy going on in the yard.
Bring me that bottle off'n the shelf in
the corner, Jim-the n with tho skull and
Miguel. stood mutely by, his heart torn
with anxiety about Felipe. and sick with
the thought of parting with Chispa.
The bottle had been brought, and, undor
the pretext OF examining the horse, the man
lifted its name and poured a few drops OF
oil on its neck. With a frantic plunge, the
poor brute reared and pranoed, while the
bystanders feigned terror aud amazemsnt.
When the paroxysm was over, they gath |
cred nearer with SOLEMN shakes of the head,
and one man, whose sols knowledge of
Spanish consisted of a few oaths, exclaimed:
1.-THE devil!"
Miguel looked at him in horror. Had the
evil one taken possession of their pet? With
his whole heart he prayed to all the saints
he could remember for help.
The horse had been walked around the
yard. His tormentor again slyly tipped the
bottle, and Chisps kicked and threw him
solf on the ground in n frenzy. Tho crowd
grew larger as the joke went around, and
the smothered laughter broke into shouts
and coarse jests.
Miguel grew deathly white and shook like
a leaf. Even in his hopeless ignorancs he
felt Ill his heart that these jeering men
were doing %something to bewitch poor
C~hispa-and Felipe dying alone! A little
longer he stood, his lips twitching. and
then, with q wild burst of denunciation. he
boy and threw himself on Chispa's back.
With his foot he struck the hand that held
the bottle, spilling the contents on the
blanket. He dashed out of the yard, pur-
6ued by the shouts OF the men.
Tbs proprietor came in then from his
luncheon.
Whats up?" he asked.
"Only a joke on a Mexican kid. A few
drops OF croton on an old nag"
Miguel tried to turn Chispa rtowardsthe
Office. but his trembling hand was
too weak to guide the frightened horse. He
dashed through the streets, the cries of the
people, the changing car bells and the bark
Ing dogs driving him utterly mad.
On and on to the river, thundsring over
She bridge, the foam tieing from his mouth
knd tbs boy clinginQ with both arms around
his neck. The houses were fewer and the
way rougher now. Here were deep cuts
md there the road had been built over
gullies. Chispa stumbled, then re-
gained hia footing, but his strength was
we'll nigh spout.
Ihoy reached \ spot where the road was
banked high. with toles growing at its foot.
The oil had sonked through the blanket
ana touched the back of tho to, tured
beast. Again he reared, and the hands that
ciasped his neck let 60 their hold. Miguel
pltched headlong Town the steep bank, and
ghiloped on alone. for his little
master Ivy with his life crushed out and his
troubled heart still.
All day Felipe called in vain, growing
weaker and weaker as night came on.
"Mlguel-Agua--ARua,n he muttered;
out only tho piercing wall of the coyote fell
lpon tho air. Miguel lay among the toles
With his face nptutned to tho gtara.
"Miguel--MiR-," and tho black ewes
dashed wide open, bnt the name dropped :