Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1896-12-16
WeyI,r's Buck ng Pom es.
Their Use by the Spaniards May Result in
Cuban Independence.

Their Use by the Spaniards May Result il
Cuban Independence.
A shipment of Texas horses for tn
use of the Spanish cavalry in Cuba lef
here Saturday en- route to Havana
There will be great fun in Cuba tn
day the Spanish cavalry mount thos'
horses and prepare to take the field 70
their country's cause. The unbrok
Texas horse, such as those which hav
been purchased by the Spanish gov
ernment, is a horse unto himself ant
different from any other of his tribe
He can, when in a rebellious mood
climb higher into the air and com,
down harder, sitter and with more diff
ferent KINDS of jol.. ts- the inexperi
enced rider on his back than any othe
animal on the face of the earth. TX
maintain a perfect connection with hin
requires long acquaintance with ant
thorough knowledge of his aerial gym
nastics, which are as remarkable a.
they are diversified, together with thu
ability, acquired only after much prac
tice and many bruises, to keep pace
with his contortions.
A Texas horse shat never had a rope
on him but once in lis wild and roam
ing career, and that when a fantastic
brand were scared into his right hip
is bucker both by nature and inclina
tion. Some are known as ''sun buck
ers,: and they stand at the head of the
class. the envy of the rest of the herd
These animals can elevate themselves
sufficient distance above the ground
to enable them to flush their stomachf
in the face of the sun, reverse ends in
an atmospheric waltz and then, with
hoofs altogether like a bunch of grapes
hit the bosom of mother earth and pro
duce shock which is occasionally
equalled by the explosion of a keg OF
giant powder.
This is the ''sun bucker's" method o1
parting with his rider, and it is gen
orally attended with distressing, if not
fatal, resultst to the latter, but there
are other Texas horses which have 8
different way of saying au revoir. They
merely leap into the air, stiff and al
full length, and while at the summit
of their flight bring their heels and
heads together after the fashion o1
closing jack knife and shake them
selves with the nervous force of a wet
dog shedding water. This perform
ance, which is invariably executed be
tween earth and sky, is very effective
and many a promising young fellow
from the effete East, ambitious to be
come cowboy, has been plunged sc
deep into the blossoming prairie that
the task of excavating a grave was
spared his mourning comrades.
As we have before remarked, there
is going to be great deal of fun in
Cuba when the herd from Texas is
landed in Havana. The horses. being
native born Americans, sympathize
with the insurgents and can be depend
ed upon to entertain the troopers OF
Spain with star performance, and We
violate no confidence in saying thai
before these intelligent animals have
exhausted their repertoire the flower
of Alfonso's cavalry will be scattered
over a broad expanse of territory an6
there will be an urgent demand for ad
ditional hospital accommodations. The
field on which the Texan horses oper
ate will look as though hostile armies
had engaged in fierce contention. The
dead and wounded will lie in heaps
and for miles the ground will be strewr
with hats, boots, carbines, swords, pis
tolls, false teeth, spaulettes, canteens
| field glasses and garlic. But this il
not all. From the surrounding mil
lions the delighted followers of Macet
will shout: Cuba libre Viva cabalIt
de Texa"
| Once the connection is made between
| the Spanish trooper and the Texa
horse Cuban independence is assured
and the star of a new republic will
blaze in the armament of nations
New Orleans States.