San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-02-05
the swells of the prairie.

ought to hev druv 'em straight to corral
But don't feel so sharp set on lettin yer
hev that black after that shine. Regular
circus, only thar never was no SIGH seen
in no circus! You'll never ride him, al
lowin he's cotched, no more'n you'll ride
a alligator"
Meantime, Looping on, we had come in
sight of the corral. There, to our great
surprise, the whole band of horses had
voluntarily entered. They were putting
their heads together as the manner of So
cial horses is and going through kissing
maneuvers in little knots, which pres
emily were broken up by the heels of
some ill hammered or jealous brother.
They were very probably discussing the
blacks act of horsemanship, as men after
the ballet discuss the first entrechat of
the danseuse.
We rode up and fastened our horses.
The black was within the corral paving
the ground, neighing and whinnying.
His companions kept at respectful dis
lance.
"Don't send in JOSEF said to Ger
rian. "Only let him keep off the horses,
so that shall not be kicked, and will
try my hand at the black alone"
'Tll hev 'em all turned out except
that black devil, and then you ken go in
and take your own resk with him. Akkee
JOSEF continued the ranchero, "fwarer
toethosel Dayher hel diablo!'
Jose drove the herd out of the staked
inclosure. The black showed no spe-
cial disposition to follow. He trotted
about at his ease snuffing at the stakes
and bars.
l entered alone. Presently he began
to repeat the scene # our first meeting
on the prairie. 1t was not many min
utes before we were good friends. He
would bear my caresses and my arm
about his neck and that was all for an
hour. At last, after good hours work,
l persuaded him to accept halter.
Then by gentle seductions l induced him
to start and accompany me homeward.
Gerrian and the Mexican looked on in
great wonderment. re-
''Praps that is the best way" said tho
modern patriarch, ''ef a man has got
patience. LOCKER here, stranger, amt
you terrible fellow among women"
confessed my want of experience.
"Well, you will be when your time
comes. 1 allowed from seeing you handle
that thar boss that you had got your hand
in on women-they is the wust devils to
tame ever seed"
had made my arrangements to sta ri
about the first of September with the
Sacramento mail riders, brace of jolly
dogs, brave fellows, who, with their
scalps as well secured as might be, ran
the gantlet every alternate month to
| Salt Lake. That was long before the
days of coaches. No pony express was
dreamed of. A trip across the plains
without escort or caravan had still some
elements of heroism, if it have not today.
Meantime one of my ardent partners
from San Francisco arrived to take my
place at the mine.
81 don't think that quartz looks quite
so goldy as it did at distance" said he.
"Well," said old Gerrian, who had
come over to take possession of his share
of our bargain; sit is whiter'n it's yaller.
1t does look about as bad off fur slugs as
the cellar of an Indiana bank. But
bleeve in luck, and luck is olluz comm
at me with its head down and both eyes
shet. I'm goan to shove bullocks down
this here hole, or the price of bullocks,
until make it pay"
Ny wooing of the black occupied all
my leisure during my last few days.
Every day a circle of Pixies collected to
see my management. l hope they took
lessons in the law Of kindness. The
horse was well known throughout the
country, and my bargain with Gerrian
was noised abroad.
The black would tolerate no one but
me-. With me he established as close a
brotherhood as can be between man and
beast He gave me to understand, by
playful protest, that it was only by his
good pleasure that | was permitted on
his back and that he endured saddle and
bride; as to spur and whip, they were
not thought of by either. He did not
obey, but consented. l exercised no con-
troll. We were of one mind. We became
Centaur. loved that horse as have
loved nothing else yet, except the other
personages with whom and for whom he
acted in this history.
named him Don Fulano.
had put my mine into him. He rep
resented to me the whole visible, tangible
result of two long, workaday years, drag
ged out in that dreary spot among the
Pixies, with nothing in view except barren
hillsides ravaged by mines, and the I'M
beautiful shanties of miners as rough as
the landscape.
Don Enlann q hOrSa that NUOnld not