Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-01-10
n. II hung poised for one instant a

hoop. It hung poised for one instant
few feet before the horses head, vibrat-
ing in the air, keeping its circle perfect,
waiting for the vaquero's pull to tighten
about that proud neck and those SWELL
ing shoulders.
Hurrah!
Through it went the black.
With one brave bound he dashed
through the open loop. He touched only
to spurn its vain assault with his hind
most hoof.
"Hurrah" cried.
"Hurrah t is," shouted Gerrian.
Jose dragged in his spurned lasso.
The black, with elated head and tail
waving like banner, sprang forward,
closed in with the caballada; they part
ed for his passage, he took his leader
ship, and presently was lost with his
suite over the swells of the prairie.
"Mucho malicho!" cried Gerrian to
Jose, not knowing that his California
Spanish was interpreting Hamlet. He
ought to hev druv 'em straight to cor
raj But l don't feel so sharp set on
lettia yer hev that black after that
shine. Regular circus, only thar never
was no SIGH seen in no circus! You'll
never ride him, allowin he's cotched, no
more'n you'll ride alligator"
Meantime, Looping on, we had come In
sight of the corral. There, to orr great
surprise, the whole band Of horses had
voluntarily entered. They were putting
| their heads together as the manner OF
social horses is and going through kiss
ing maneuvres in little knots, which
presently were broken up by the heels
of some i'll hammered or jealous brother.
They were very probably discussing the
blacks act of horsemanship, as men
after the ballet discuss the first en-
trechat 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
| distance.
Don't send in Josef" said l to Ger
rain. "Only let him keep of the horses,
so that | shall not be kicked, and | will
try my hand on the black alone"
"I'll hev 'em all turned out except the
black devil, and then you ken go in
and take your own resk with him.
Akkee JOSEF" continued the ranchero,
"fwarer toethose Dayher hel diabIo"
Jose drove the herd out Of the staked
| Enclosure. The black showed no special
disposition to follow. He trotted about
at his ease shutting at the stakes and
| bars.
Ientered alone. Presently he began
! to repeat the scene Of our first meeting
I - mi ~
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 a good hours
work, | persuaded him to accept hal
ter. Then by gentle seductions | in
! duced him to start and accompany me
! homeward.
Gerrian and the Mexican looked on In
| great wonderment.
"Praps that is the best way" said
the modern patriarch, "ef a man has
got patience LOCKER here, stranger,
amt you terrible fellow among wo-
men?"
| confessed my want OF experience.
"Well, you Will be when your time
comes. | allowed from seeing you
handle that thar boss that you had got
your hand in on women-they is the
wrst devils TO tame | ever seed"
| had made my arrangements to start
| 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 gauntlet 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 has not to-
| day.
Meantime one Of my ardent partners
| from San Francisco arrived TO take my
place at the mine.
II don't think that quartz looks
quite so goldly as il did at a distance"
said he.
"Well," said old Gerriaq, who had
come over TO take possession OF his
share OF our bargain; sit is whter'n
| it's yaller. 1t does look about as bad off
| fur Slugs as the cellar Of an Indiana
bank. But | b'leeve in luck, and luck
| is olluZ comm at me with its head down
aud both eyes shet. I'm goan to shove
| bullocks down this here hole, or the
price OF bullOcks, until | make IL pay"
Ny wooiRg OF the black occupied all
my leasure during my last few days.
! Every day a circle OF Pixies collected to
see my management. | hope they took
lessons in the law OF kindness. The
horse was well known throughout the
country, and my bargain with Gerrian
was doised 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 IL was only by his
good pleasure that was permitted on
| his back and that he endured saddle
| and bride; as 10 spur and whip, they
were not thought Of by either. He did
not obey, but consented. | exercised
no coutrol. We were Of one mind. We
became a Centaur. l 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, tangi-
BILE result of two long, workaday years,
dragged out in that dreary spot among
the Pixies, with nothing in view except
barren hillsides ravaged by mines, and
the unbeautiful shanties OF miners as
rough as the landscape.
Don Fulano, horse that would not
sell, was my profit for the sternest and
toughest work OF my life! looked at
him and looked at the mine, that pile Of
pretty pebbles, that pile OF bogus ore,
and | did not regret my bargain. l
never have regretted it. my kingdom
for a horse"-so much Of kingdom as
7 had had Fiyen