The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1896-06-02
ON THE PLAINS.

number of officers were amusing them
selves with games, races, shooting and
boxing.
Suddenly an Indian mounted upon a
splendid stallion was seen galloping to-
ward them along the bank Of the Ar
kansas, close to the edge of the stream.
He checked the smoking animal near
the group, which soon gathered around
him, admiring both horse and horse
man. He had caught the beast only two
days before upon the prairie, where ii
was roaming in native wildness, and
he was riding, as he said, toward the
settlements in order to barter it for the
commodities with which the savage had
once been unacquainted, but which now
are indispensable to him.
"Whatl To the settlements?' cried a
captain of dragons named Brown
"You are going to the settlements, Ko-
libri? What would the people there do
with such noble animal? Come here,
Indian. will buy him Of you. but you
must first shoot me an antelope from
his back without losing your seat. If
you can do that, | will give you the
half of what you ask and my gun into
the bargain. y
A smile Of mockery played over the
Indians lips as he listened to these con-
ditions. Lose his seatl The thought was
an insult
Let the longknife, he replied,
ride this mustang only a single time
before that skin that is spread out yon-
der, and if he does not then kiss his
mother will try what 1 can do upon
the skin that covers the live animal 2
"GoodP' cried the bystanders, and
Brown, with a laugh, accepted the In
dams challenge.
The Indian beckoned to one of the
soldiers to step forward and directed
him to hold the horses head, while, in
spite Of his kicking and plunging, he
put saddle and bride upon the animal
In the meanwhile Brown, who was
an excellent horseman. having satisfied
himself that everything was in order,
grasped the bride and leaped into the
saddle.
The Indian at once set the snorting
beast at liberty, and it bounded away
like the wind, leaping and plunging as
if resolved to unseat its rider. But the
bride was i'll the hands Of a master 1t
was, in truth, a charming spectacle to
see the prudence, tirmness and dexterity
with which the captain initiated the
noble but FESTIVE animal into the mys-
-
fire had somewhat abated and before he
touched it with the spur, he rode it
slowly and quietly back and forth across
the prairie, and Kolibri watched with
admiring satisfaction.
im After having ridden the horse around
intI wide circle Captain Brown gallop-
ed back toward the spectators and then
turned the animals head suddenly and
sharply toward the frame pointed out
by the Indian, upon which hung fresh
and still bleeding buffalo skin A slight
elevation of the soil as yet prevented
the horse from seeing it, but he, doubt
less, scented it, for he stopped short,
snorting and stamping, and drew in his
finely arched neck But horseman like
Brown cared but little for the fear of
the foaming stallion A slight touch Of
the spur sent him leaping furiously for
ward, and at the third bound he found
himself close and directly before the OBJ
ject of his terror.
For moment cloud of dust hid
man and horse When it disappeared,
Captain Brown was seen as firmly seat
ed in the saddle as ever.
Laughing, he galloped back to his
comrades and gave the bride into the
hands of the Indian.
'"The savage has acquired good idea
of your Workmanship, captain, F" said
one of the officers. He was astonished
to see you manage the beast so we'll "
''Yet it is singular, " replied Brown,
"that so shrewd an Indian does not
seem to understand how to anticipate
che movements of his horse as well as a
white man. ALI he thinks of is to guide
and restrain his beast, to keep his seat
and to shoot game from the back of the
animal when at full speed, while per-
haps at the very moment that he leans
to one side for this purpose the horse
starts toward the other, and then he is
almost sure to be thrown.
81 do not quite comprehend, said
the officer, who had but lately been
transferred to the distant western re-
gions.
Well, = said Brown, "when, for ex-
ample, you bend sidewise from the sad
die to take aim at any object while
riding at full speed and the horse
SHES toward the other side or leaps
backward, it is pretty plain that man
and horse must part. =
but how do you explain that? do
not understand
A sudden exclamation from Kolibri
Interrupted this grave dissertation. He
was pointing toward the horizon. The
officers had scarcely looked in the direc-
ton toward which his arm was extend
ed when the joyous cry, 'Buffaloesl'
echoed from mouth to mouth.
"It is impossible, y cried Captain
Brown. by heaven, it can't bel So
near, at this season? My horse here,
my ladl Glorious! And, in fact, the
cloud of dust yonder is almost too thick
for a band Of traders. What say you to
it, KolibriP"
The warrior had in the meanwhile
removed the saddle and bride from his
animal, and before replying he leaped
upon its back and gazed attentively
across the prairie.
"Speak, Indian, speak, What sees
Kolibri?"
"He sees Captain Browns gun in his
wigwam and buffalo meat before sun
down.
Away, thenr' exclaimed Brown,
springing quickly into the saddle.
The Indian slackened the bride to
his wild horse, and Captain Brown,
who was admirably mounted, spurred
closely upon the traces of the chief.
Followed by the remaining officers,
they soon reached the herd, which, on
perceiving their assailants, at once took
to flight. The horses gained upon them,
however. Kolibri seemed at first to have
selected a fat young COW for his victim,
but from feeling of pride he scorned
the easy prey and spurred furiously
after the leader of the buffaloes, an
enormous bull. By thus aiming at the
head of the herd he caused the beasts to
dispense in wild confusion over the
plain, and the chase became scattered
But in the midst Of this disorder Kohl
bri still pursued the victim that he had
selected He spurred his steed along its
TANKS, waiting for favorable opportu-
nifty to shoot Three times he had, In
dinnwise. refrained. seeking a sure and