Middletown transcript., 1896-04-04
ONLY a PAINTED PONY.
But It Caused Row That Rated as an
Indian 0nfbrcsssr-

But Il Caussd Row That Rated as an
Indian Outbreak. 4ssss~
An amusing incident occurred at
one Of the military posts in the far
west, the chief actors in which were
q Chinaman, several cowboys, Indi-
ans and q soldier or two. Tho post
was quite close to the quarters of the
Indian agent, who ranked as major,
and the officers Of the regiment and
the officials of the agency were
friendly, interchanges Of hospitality
frequent, not only among the mas
ters, but among the men. The regi-
ment possessed a heather Chinese
cook, who was given to visiting a
brother Celestial who superintended
the culinary arrangements of the
agent, and one night the dwellers at
the agency were nightly surprised
to see Wun Lung come oantering
over from the post to pay his regu-
lar weekly visit to Gee Wo.
The sight Of Chinaman on pony
back was SO rare as to attract much
attention, and the fact that the po-
ny In question was a little milk and
white oayuse caused the devil to en-
ter into an Irishman who put In his
time serving the agent and playing
practical jokes. Soon the oayuse was
safely housed, and within q very
few moments after the gentlemen
from the Flowery Kingdom were
seeking the golden sunlight Of the
pipe dream. That was Pats time,
and, taking a pot Of black paint, he
proceeded to invest the pony with
series Of stripes which would have
made the half bred zebra In South
Africa turn green with envy. In tho
the Chinaman set out for
the stable, but when he reached It
and viewed the striped oayuse hia
expression indicated that he rather
questioned the quality of the brand
of pipe goods proffered him the |
night before.
In the meantime Pat, taking ad-
vantage of superstition existing |
among the Indians, had told them |
that the striped pony had come to |
hem at last, and was, In fact, In |
5he stable at that very moment
The chief, a dozen bucks and twice
as many squaws, at once set out for
he agency stable and appeared on
he scene just as the Chinaman was
standing at the stable door and won
lering whether he was asleep or
wake.
With much majesty the chief en-
cred the stable and united the pony
nd essayed to lead him away to
he sacrifice. With q yell that dis
ounted anything ever credited in
pera, song, story or reality, and
uiokly brought his oountryman to
lis aid, the heather Chinese sailed
nto the equally heathen Indian
hief, and in a trice the two were
oubled up together, the liberated
ony making the best of his way
omeward with his head between
is heels, to escape the dozen or SO
opes that we're cast at his retreat
lg form. L
The two wearers of pigtails were
citing the worst of it very decided
I, when Pat appeared on the scene,
nd by o good deal Of persuasion, 9
oupled with the exercise of some .
odily strength, succeeded in sepa-
ating the com batants.
Next morning the papers had q
are heads over press dispatches |
esoriptive of great Indian out c
reak, and the secretary of the inte- I
or wired that forenoon for full de- 8
ills. A total denial was, of course, '
ltered, and when Pat had put In {
70 days in the guardhouse as a Y
'nalty for his hilarity the whole 0
oident was forgotten. Neverthe- !,
IS something like hundredweight :,
the national archives at Washing
n contained the official correspond
ICE relating to Pats painted pony.