The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1892-12-15
SOME HORSE STORIES.

OOME HUKSE SIURlES.
Cow Bill Hardy Escaped to Pres
colt.
Is 1t possible for q man to confine
himself strictly to the truth when
Speaking upon the feats of his horse?
1t is said the Arabian horse seller never
pretends to show off the quality of his
animals, but brings them to market
rough and shaggy; nor does he ever
condesceDd to dwell on their merits. It
Is enough. he thinks, for the purchaser
TO know his animal is of pure stock,
Tor it would be decrying their good
qualities to vaunt their praises like q
common huckster. But that is only
from commercial standpoint. No
doubt the Arab sheiks speak much
about their horses, and, perhaps, un-
Willingly tell long stories which have
tinge of the romance about their
grand achievements
The Afghans are probably the most
lnveterate horse liars in the world.
They have the most marvellous tales at
their tongue tips about the extraordi.
nary strength of their stout built cobs.
They boast little of their speed, for
that would be useless, as their form
would stamp the speaker as q In.
matte; but when it comes to STRENGTH
and endurance the willy AFGHAN
will swear by his beard, Allah and all
the prophets that no horse lives which
can equal bis animals.
"Sallib'" said an elderly gentleman
70 me in praise of his stud, 'they are
strong-so strong that if one of nv
horses kicked an English horse when
they are drawn up in close order on
parade his leg would go clean through
the English horse and kill the next"
Nov, come; that's too much to be-
- lieve."
Oh, yes, you say SO; but you have
never seen my animals kick"
The argument was unanswerable.
cowboys In this country are the most
awful fbbcrs about their horses. and
their tales of buck humping show them
TO De men OF a peculiar and inventive
genius No animal, to them, has the
slightest value unless he is possessed OF
every vice which horseflesh could DOS.
slOly be heir to. He must be a man.
eater, a bolter, bucker and so Zero.
clous as to endanger the life or lives OF
entire communities. When gathered
around the campfire after long DAYS
rlde with cattle man could hardly be-
leve those faithful beasts, hobbled and
calmly munching grass, were such in
carnations of deviltry. To an ordinary
Individual they showed more intelli
gence than their riders, and certainly
knew their business better.
From the many horses Indians own
1t would be thought they loved them,
but l don't believe there exists a race
more cruel to their stock than the
average Indian. They seem to have no
appreciative qualities. Very careful
that they do not overwork themselves.
the human brutes heap on their ami
mails every cruelty. They overload
them; starve them; ride, them furious
"; spur them viciously. 1t matters
not whether their poor beasts are sore.
backed or not, on goes saddle, and
the wretched animal is dashed or
spurred into long continuous gallon.
There is not whit of difference be-
tween the Indians of Oregon or those
ON the Colorado desert. They are equal
~ cruel.
AS for placing value upon their ami.
mails. they do not, for it is not uncom-
mon for them to ride one to death, and
not the slightest conjunction is felt at
the untimely decease. 1t is only when
you want to purchase a pony that it
has fictitious value. What, part
with that horse? No, it would be i'm
possible. 1t is SO valuable and such
accounts are given of its speed that
one is inclined to ask whether these
people know about stop watches. The
Modoc Indians placed an extraordinary
price on their beasts, but the Cahuillas
could give their northern brethren sew
eral pointers. It is ludicrous to ask
them what they would take for their
wretched stock, whose sole sustenance
tor nine months out of the year is dry
sagebrush, for it must be understood
that under no condition could an In
dian think it proper to feed his horses.
Some do raise alfalfa, it is true, but it
Is never cut and stored. They will un-
blushingly ask seventy-five dollars and
eighty dollars for nag that would be
lear at five dollars
Perhaps it is the fault of the whites
Tor their exalted ideas, for the few
Americans on the desert entertain
Ereat opinions of their horses. The
ancient, one-eyed, spawned nag, whose
sge would approach to almost one
hundred years, has been accredited
with such exuberance of spirit in the
oucking, boiling, racing line that he
Is approached until the beauty of his
architecture bursts into view with
greatest caution. One sight, however,
llspels any illusion that may have
been entertained, and yet his proud
Possessor speaks of him and shows him
off as very Nancy Hanks.
Not long ago 1 was travelling be-
tween Salton and Palm Springs, when
IN the smoking-room of the Pullman
the subject of -horsehesh came up'
There were several gentlemen from
Arizona present whose tales were GER
sainly as strong and as long-winded as
heir horses, but Mr.. Carpenter, of
Yuma, had the best horse stories to
ell 4 +s e -
He listened patiently to the Others
md finally impatiently broke in:
well, gentlemen, that's very good,
but Know q horse which can beat any
aorse in the whole territory" s. {
The other gentlemen from Arizona
looked ,astonished. It was excusable,
lor some of the feats performed by
E sheir horses were certainly remark
s''You know c. G. Beach, Of Phoenix,
" guess said Mr.. Carpenter-turning
dtably upon his hearers. Several
Encw Mr.. Beach and expressed un-
; sounded admiration for the gentleman.
Wall, he's got horse ON alfalfa
khirh he wouldn't SELF for one million
loilnrs. = -.
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