Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-07

stinate, but all yielded save one, who ap-
peared to be obdurate. His rider pulled
steadily on the rein. The horses head
came around to the edge of the blanket,
whore the saddle pommel should have been.
and still the animal refused to fall
He'll get him down or break his neck"
remarked Col Henry, grimly. Then the
man prevailed over the beast, and down
went both together. Rise was the sud
den command. and every horse scrambled
UP. but before 1t was on its feet its rider
was on it's back.
"A horse should be made to lie down as
soon as he Is broken remarked Frederick
Remington. 1T does more than anything
else to teach him that man is his master"
The troopers were then allowed to do
they pleased, and the antics they cut up
were remarkable as they were indescriba-
BILE. They performed tricks without num-
Der, to the delight and wonderment OF the
beaux and bellies in the gallery and the
novices on the platform.
A COlored Troop.
And then Col. Henry blew a little whistle
and troop F galloped off as troop h Of the
ninth cavalry. with Lieut.. Perry at their
head to drill them. came cantering in. The
thirty-two soldiers composing this body
are all colored men, who have seen the
hardest kind Of service among the In
dams on the frontier, and they were greet
ed with applause as they lined out on the
lAA vain AhciI uISk movement showed
the marvellous training of the horses and
their wonderful suppleness. The whole
troop moved forward at a slow walk and
halted. Then every horse. at an order
OF Perry, commenced to step slowly back
ward. Back, back, back they went, pre-
serving as even a line as though line
had been run along to touch their noses.
Then there was wheeling by fours and
Fights and platoons, where horses acted
as pivots for the others to turn on. There
was mounting and dismounting, like troop
had performed, and then came q re-
uaarkable movement. The troop lined out
from the lower corner of the hall obliquely
to the center. Lieut.. Perry gave the COM
mand:
Left turn, backward"
The horse In the corner stood motionless.
The others up the line backed at such q
regulated pace that when the entire troop
was backed up against the wall and facing
the auditors motion ceased throughout it at
the moment halt" was commanded.
Now, where did Perry get that, / Won
der?" calculated Col. Henry. These boys
are always thinking up something new to
spring on US"
AS he was speaking the line Of horses
broke into a run and came laundering
down as IL to annihilate the lookers-on, yet
within a foot Of the platform they were
stopped short There was jumping over the
hurdles by fours, Fights. platoons, and last
ly the entire troop took the jump in full
front. Lieut.. Perry gave an order, Form
square"
Col. Henry looked amused "Who ever
heard Of cavalry forming a square?" he re-
marked In playful criticism to MIR. Reming-
ton. However. you have doubtless noticed
by this time that this drill Is not altogether
according to tactics"
When the square was formed another
command was given and the troop strung
out at rapid trot taking a circle that
gradually narrowed until q spiral Of horses
was formed like huge brown and blue
dotted watch spring. At another command
the leader Of the troop changed his direc-
ton, those who came after him following
suit. and very interesting and intricate fig
ures. which would have made the officers
social fortune II he should introduce them
In a german. were the result. The order to
liz down was carried out with success SIM
liar to that of troop F. and then the COM
mand AT will'' was entered into with much
zest by the troopers. There were mock
combats between couples, who tried to pull
each other off their horses, and other play
full exhibitions. in which men and horses
displayed their agility and capabilities, but
the most interest was centered in the buck
jumping which was INDUCED In at the
main entrance A spring board was ar
ranged and a horse placed in front of it. A
trooper would run out, jump from this
spring board, strike his head on the horses
back and go over. Before the jumping ceas-
ed four horses were side by side, and a
small circus was being held by the troopers
who successfully cleared them several
times
What kind of soldiers do the colored men
make?' inquired Frederic Remington
THE best In the country" responded Col
Henry, with emphasis. They don't get
drunk, they obey their orders, are tractable
and are proud Of their uniform"
Other Troops Exhibited.
Then he sounded his whistle. and troop X
gave place to troop A Of the first cavalry,
which was drilled by Lieut.. Lands. The
same remarkable evolutions that were per-
fnr "a hxy bafr
were gone through with by the soldiers of
this splendid body with equal precision
grace and daring, and at the end Of twenty
minutes they gave place to troop H of the
eighth cavalry, under command of Lieut.
Steele. To the surprise of every one of the
the men came in astride of
saddles, with their feet in stirrups This
was disappointing. When the others had
performed such amazing feats Of horseman-
ship without saddles or stirrups it seemed
to the spectators mighty easy for the new
corners to do them with saddles to sit on
and stirrups to steady them. But this SEN
liment was short-lived. Lieut.. Steele gave
the command, Raise saddles" and as the
furniture was lifted it was seen that not a
single saddle was provided with a girth,
some OF the spectators had had experiences
with broken saddle-girths In their own
and they wondered what was
going to happen to the troopers when their
saddles slipped. But a trooper in troop H
never lets this occur. His seat is too frm
and 1t was to illustrate this fact that the
gtrths were discarded. They performed
every feat their saddleiess comrades had ac-
before including the hurdle
jumping and lying down and charging with
mighty yells at an imaginary foe, and rush
ing back in mimic disorder to rally after a
repulse. Then came a wonderful
performance. Two men were riding each of
sixteen horses. when the order was given
10 them to change places. The men in the
saddles grabbed those behind them, and
vice versa; there was writhing Of arms
and legs, and then the men who had been
a moment before holding the reins were
seated behind the saddles, while those ar
ticles were bestridden by their companions
This was the last wonder of the many won
ders of the day. and after the troop had
dashed out of the hall to a resounding roar
Of approval, an amusing contest took place
between the packers of the four troops. to
see which group could securely place their
pack upon their pack mule the quickest.
The packers of troop H finished the job, APP
pareutly, In about ten seconds, but the pack
came to pieces after the animal had gal
loped out of the building.
After the exhibition Frederic Remington
was asked II any Of the cavalry in foreign
armies were superior or equal to the Amer
lean cavalry in its performance.
The foreign cavalries do not attempt any
drills of this Sort" he remarked, thought
fully. Il never saw better riding in my life
than I did today. Probably 1 may say 1t
was good deal better than anything I
have met in my experience. The Cossacks,
OF course, have great regulations. but they
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