The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-17
RANCHER7IA, RACING
VIM. M, Bristol

lum, where Sand Canyon yemerges. from
the mountains, a little Indian settlement
nestles among the bushy hills. It's people
are remnant of 'flfe' aSerranos, with
smattering from the Coahuilas and other
tribes. Some years ago the government
reserved for them square mile-first
making sure, however, that these hills
were not good enough for white folk.
Every self-respecting Indian Of mature
wears at the rancheria owns at least one
pony, one white shirt and one dog. They
are not only Americans by birth and
lineage, but even fly the Stars and Stripes
from sycamore sapling on every festal
occasion. The younger generation mani
tests its patriotism by ndulging in base
ball An occasional days labor Tor some
fruit grower brings the means to supply
their Simple needs; and, if contentment
is riches. they are wealthy.
Whatever may have been primary cause
and ceremonial of their annual fiesta. it is
now a reflection of the sports of the ,,bi-j
uuitous pale-face. Each September ADDS
a new feature. This time it was bicycle
not one of the modern STYLE but an OLD
high wheeler. Pedals it once had, but
nothing now remained save their shanks.
1t was presented to one OF the Indians py
| a sinister white mantle gilt being
prompted by that same philanthropy
which has Supplied the vanishing race
with defective firearms and bad vaccine,
| virus. ~
Just how to operate the p ., q. with with
out pedals f n may , nays io Jose ",
the topogrspny Of the reservation at once
sncee5tcd Not that Joe had ever seen
soiler-coaster; for the only kind of coast
! ing practiced in that sunny locality is
'slab-sliding that is, riding a pine slab
| down grassy hill.
Joe lived with his father, Jose Zalvi-
| dea ST., in whitewashed adobe a little
way up the slope the sire q widower the
son bachelor. The young man was not
without ideas. nor yet without an ideal.
over at san Gorgonio dwe.t hlack-ey
maiden whose name, as AngliciZed at
| the Government school, was Louisa.
Joe knew that she would be at the
fiesta. He had heard of tournaments
where the victor crowns the Queen of
Love and Beauty. Ii he could distin-
guish himself during the carniv val it
might improve the chances of br ngine
abode.
The day of the Fiesta came at last.
Captan Manuel. assste 10y the younger
Indians, had constructe wide-sprcad-
ing canopy OF sycamore boughs over the.
rand.stand, ana .tOld Glory" watged on
the breeze. a dozen ponies picketed on
tine hil-sides, and three worn vehicles i'll
the lee of the captain S domic.le told that
some had come rom atar. Two or three
impromtu horse races bcgu!ed the morn
ing. while Pete Conejo fingered his ac-
| Gordon with grim nerSavcrLnct.
| he program ne was to be formally
opened at ten O'clock by Monte salcz in 4
duwnhill dash on his luckskin bHoncU'
! against the iield the course being jrOnl
| tn clenega down the. winding @yvle0fls
+, ad. past the grand stand, to the wash;
distance about six, hundreds yaris. The9
| L. ~,
Understood not to he hofs flesh. 1t could
/ MT b. Old Charl, on his. blue donkey
! Tor this unique pair stood III review Just
! back of tie ling rope which elftbncdG
/ the race-iracA where it passed the gland-
8 stand Neihc = could it be, y4Aniuniaf
( l. rgo, the sl<inter. for he stood by, the
donkey. iaultlessly clad III blue overdlls
! ami Il swallow !9arr coat Of an uncertain
yer cd. 5hsH fft
! AT the hrur, Monte was directed to
| proceed to the cicncga, where he wouli
: find HIS contestant. 1t was none other
than joe already mounted on his wheel,
I which was curbed by his younger brother.
AT a signal the RI commenced. For
: fifty yards it EN- ri that the buckskin
must win. The spurs had no substitute
withs the wheelman. He had only TO
guitle-and wait. AT the turn of the roads
! the grade increased: the bicycle was gain
/ Ing momentum. Joe had 'en over the
course before. On he went. his speed i'll
! creasing as the square root Of distance.
! He would catch the buckskin at the grand
stand, and pass him in the remaining
] fifty yards. His hat was gone and his
black hair stood out behind at slight
! upward angle. One foot pointed toward
! the asylum. the other toward the sea.
| AS they neared the grand stand he was
! Just on the heels of the buckskin; and a
! great yell went up as it was seen that the
two would come abreast between the
! lines of spectators.
But the buckskin hid once been over
taken by a runaway in San Demanding.
| glimpse of Joe's wheel and the sinful
taneous terrific yell were too much for
him. With Il mighty snort he SHE'D
against one of Captain Manuels cotton
woods with such force that he was thrown
backward and down in the race track.
| His rider described an upward curve
! through the low branches, and alighted
disastrously. Then Joes phantom wheel
arrived. Joe went higher and farther
than the machine did. The latter's small
wheel knocked old Charley from his
donkey. and the backbone" hooked
across the burro's back.
| Those who are intimate with the burro
know that under certain CIRCUMSTANCES he
can snort louder, run faster, buck quicker
and kick harder than any horse So now
pedal-shanks caught Largo's spike-tailed
( coat in such wise that Largo unavoidably
followed the. burro. Finding that he
could not well run. he. bucked; then he
kicked. Largo had managed to slip off
one sleeve of tho coat3and in a second
more would have been free; but the bur-
ro's first kick carried away several spokes
of the large, wheel 4TSand by one
of those strange NJ accidents which
never happen twice, bis hind leg took the
place of Largo's arm in the EN- PITY sleeve.
What occurred during the next thirty Sec
onds cannot be clearlysstated but burro,
bicycle and Largowenton with the course.
Then Largo became xdfsengagedi and the
burro, bicycle and coat continued, till they
were presently lost in distance landsdust.
We left Joe in the air, but of course he
did not stay there In fact, he fell into
the very arms of Louisa; and EN- hraced
the opportunity-ands the ldamsel whom
he led willing captive to Inspect the
adobe, over which1she agreed to preside.
Land of Sunshine. lss..,.> I.
Il --.--7-7.T7- 7 n ~ ,a7-.Sss