Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1892-01-25
SAVED BY A PONY.
Remarkable Display OF Animal
Intelligence.
IT, Lives or Two Little Girls Saved In =
Miraculous Manner by Their Sem
sIble Four-Footod
Friend.

In the ncighborhood q few miles east
of this place, says Goliad (Tcx.) cor
respondent of the st. Louis Globe DEM
ocrat, n Mexican pony is the hero Of the
hour at this writing. The pony, which
is n very small one, was bought by n
farmer, james Lester, several years
ago, and has since then been the con-
slant companion of the Lester children
They have ridden San Jose, rolled over
him, and pulled his ears and tail, and
have always considered him as one of
the family. When the children went on
any expedition where they didn't care
TO ride San Jose generally went along
anyhow rs naturally as though he had
been pet dog; and on the few occa-
sions when his liberty was restricted
and he was tied up by the head while
the children went visiting, he sung mel
ancholy hee-haws until the family were
only too glad to turn him loose. One
day not long since, however, three of
the children went on n nutting eXpe-
dition, and the two little girls rode
San Jose, while the brother
walked beside him. Arrived Mt the
point where nuts were most plcnti-
full. San Jose was turned loose to
wander about and Craze Mt his will
until the time should como for return
ing home. The children worked stead
lily for several hours. md then the boy
went on to q trco some distance away,
leaving his sisters to rest where they
were. He was fully out of sight. and
the little girls were walking about,
side by side, exploring the ground to see
II any nuts had been left. Suddenly al
most beneath their feet sounded an
ominous whirr. and there was the coil
OF hugo ratticsnnl1e with his
wicked head reared from the midst
and drawn slightly back, ready to
strike. Neither child moved an inch.
Each said aftcrwartl thut she could not
have moved-that she felt rs if she
were frozen stiff. But suddenly, while
the deadly head went waving buck and
forth, there was quick trample of
boots, rush through the bushes, and
San Jose loapcd into the ring. With
his four little sharp hoofs brought to-
gcther he shot up into the mir, landed
square on the snakes coil, and was off
again before the wicked head could
strike. Tho Interruption. had released
the frightened children from the rat
tiers iatlucncc, and they ran n short
distance away and stopped to witness
the fight, The rather was wounded,
bnt In an instant it resumed it's coil and
rs offensive attitude. and the children
began to think it was all over with
poor San Jose. hut no. He came
again with that sudden spring with oil
four of the little hoofs straight upon the
snakes body, and this time the body
was cut half in two in one place and
was wounded In several others. The
snake writhcd and twisted. on6 in the
midst of its contortions bit itself again
and again. There was mo- moro fight III
it., 1t tried TO crawl away, but San
Jose lcapcd upon it and trampled over
It until it lay quivcFing upon the
ground San Jose was still doubtful
about it, and paved it over with one
forefoot, after which he smelled it over
carefully. Being thoroughly satisfied
that it was dead, he shook his head
iauntily. sung mclodious solo. anu
went on grazing.