Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1892-04-23
SUMMARY JUSTICE.
Tho Close Call OF q Supposed
uOrse-Thiof

Prominently placed in the center of
a tcstoon of rifles, knives and cartridge |
belts in the smolsing-roon of my friend
Lawrence, there is light walking
boot, with which IS connected story
worth relating. The boot of itself
would never attract more than passing
attention, and that only because of its
peculiar position. OF the worth of the
incident connected with it ! will let
you Judge for yourself. Hero is the
way Lawrence told it to me:
you'll rcncm bcr took walking
trip along the western border of Texas
last wear. know you characterized
it as one of my outlandish fads at the
time Maybe it was; but ! had
splendid trip and could only look back
on it with the plcasantcst rccollcc-
tions had it not been for one occur
renee which ended in my nearly losing
my life.
pcr one night and was sitting before .
big fire with my briar-root between
my teeth. that there w:s tramplipg
in the uudc- thrush on the trail below
me and a man of about my own size
rode up on the back OF magnificent
black horse. lie was leading another
horse by a cow rope but it was an
s,rodc The latter had made me cnvi-
GUS as soon as clappcd eyes on it. 1t
was coal black. as | have said, and
set it down as an exceptional animal.
The rider pulled up just in front OF
the fire and then ! saw that the black
horse had been cruelty ridden. The
blood vas still dripping from his sides.
where the long -owels of the Mexican
spurs had worn through the skin. The
mau in the saddle didn't seem to notice
it. however. and coolly swung himself
off his horses back and stallsed up to
the fire.
"'Evening, stranger he said, any
'icctions to my stopping n bit and taliin'
bitc?'
II hadn't any. was glad to sec
anvoue. lie tied the horses heads to-
retber and fastened them with q lariat
to pin. By and by his eye caught
the CLINT on the lock of fine Winchcs-
ter which belonged to me.
"'Nicc gun, that o yourn,' he re-
marked. Want to trade"
".Well, hadn't thought of it,
said. somewhat taken aback by the
suddcnuess of the proposition. What
Ior?'
BLACK horse, there he replied
Jerking his thumb toward that animal
Give him to you for the rifle Iriht
nscd M. but'll come round all right
Been ridin' him hard. Couldn't stop
Had to make the roundup in time
andll have to push on now with Other
one. What do YOU say-is it go?'
"It didn't take me long to decide
though l should have hcsitated, having
trampcd through the country for quit
a while and knowing the people ant
their character and ways SO we'll Bu
my mad desire to get possession OF th'
black horse stilled whatever mlsGiv
irps Imay have had; and Eve minute
later was standing by the fire holdi1i
the picket rope of my new acquisition
and my late companion had riddel
away, carrying the rifle with him
THE next morning | made an earl
start. I hadn't anything to carry be
vond n light havcrsacS and my Colts,
and the way the black horse got Owe
the ground delighted my heart Ir
something of n horscman,, as 20
know. and pride myself that ! know
Micro of t1csh' when | see it. Well. tn
black moro than fulfilled my expecta
tions. He was an easy rider and carrie
himself in grand style.
~ ran down into little hollow Il
ward noon, and seeing level stretc
of turf ahead Of me-that is, level to
that gopher-holcd country put tn
black mt it and made him fairly dane
down the level
He was getting heated to his wor
and, in spite of his previous har
usage. was making the groung fly fro
,,dcr his hoofs, when suddenly thel
was n veil to stop from clump
bushes at one side Then n ball viii
tied over my head and three horseme'
one after another, burst from the u
3ergrowth aud ssde for me at fu
speed