Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1893-02-22


elders were keen to get quit Of the
long, tedious rides, he added, avail,
wall; let Alf go t'day, ell Their rest
kin take turn about afterwards"
With a whoop Of delight, Alf
sprang into the saddle, and an hour
later left Binley with the mail.
II misdoubt eff Paw Hatley haint
made a mistake in changin' onto
them wild boys" muttered the old
post -master as he saw the reckless
manner in which he started off.
"But its Paw as is responsible"
and he dismissed the subject from
his mind.
Hatley owned several wicked
looking bronchos, but the mail SER
vice devolved on two in particular.
Wig and Wag the boys called them,
and they were the widest, most vi
cious of the lot.
Alf thought Wig had never be-
haved SO abominably as the first day
he carried the mail. His arms ach-
ed worse from keeping him under
control, when he reached Clovis,
than if he had hoed corn all day.
On the return trip Wigs fleetness
alone saved him from an encounter
with an enormous grizzly, and when
it came time to start out Thursday
he was well content to see Ken in
the saddle.
Wag acted little better than Wig
had done, and Ken came home Fri
day night quite used up, and sick of
the business. Cor set off in the
widest spirits the next Monday
morning, Ham giving him a bit of
advice he had not condescended to
bestow on the other. lads.
Don't hold Wig in; give the Vi
cious little brute his head, and run
him as if the old Nick was after you
every chance you get for the first
five miles"
With smiling nod the boy was
off, and again the old man at the
Office had occasion to comment on
paws" folly in trusting such wild
lads.
| Remembering his brother advice,
Cor dashed Wig into a wild run
whenever the open nature of the
ground permitted; consequently he
reached Clovis a little past noon
without much WEAKNESS. He had
not been that far from home for a
long time, and enjoyed his stay in
the big town immensely, starting
for home the next morning in good
season.
Just as he reached the edge OF
the town, however, Wig cast shoe
and knowing:it would be folly to &c
on without it, he returned, only tc
find the only smith the place afford
ed was absent and would not be
back till near noon. Cor waited
with what patience he could, but
it was past noon ere he again SET
out for home.
The way for several miles was SC
rough and broken Wig could only
pick his way at a slow walk, and
the boy thought he had never
known him to behave so viciously
taxing Cor's muscle and patience to
make him behave at all nationally
| At length the trail led into a deep,
narrow canon, whose bottom was
ankle deep with soft sand washed
down from the mountains by cen.
turies of rain. Here it was Wigs
delight to plod leisurely along, with
dropping head and an air of martyr.
like meekness. He had been un.
usually ugly the last mile, but the
instant he struck the soft sand all
the life went out Of his movements
and he dropped his head for his us.
ual dreamy saunter. But Cor's pa.
tience was exhausted, and letting
out blood curding yell he laid the
whip across the broncho's shoulders
Surprised, Wig broke into mad
run, and the lad kept him at it till
he painted for breath, and slackened
from sheer WEAKNESS. Then slip.
ping from his back, Cor walked be.
side him until they emerged once
more into open ground. Then he
remounted and Wig again set off in
the long, swinging lope which was
his natural gait.
) 1t had clouded up since noon, and
being late in the fall, would be dark
early. It was four o'clock and there
was still ten miles to be gone over,
There was one stretch of forest
ahead that Cor thought of uneasily
oo bo urood tha WILLING WIG FOR