The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1897-08-05

BREAKING Il BR0NCHO.
BY ARTHUR PATTERSON.

TT WAS early in the afternoon of a
warn day in August, and business
was to begin in a few minutes. | stood
on the box of an old lumber wagon,
peeping into the corral of Col. Jensen,
a breeder of horses in New Mexico.
Col. Jenson's foreman stood beside me
in the Wagon and half a dozen cowboys
were perched on the stable roof oppo-
site. Below us was the corral, an in
closure about so yards square, and in
the corral was che horse which was to
receive it's first lesson in obedience this
day.
| was very skeptical as to the inter-
est Of the event. The broncho was not
very big, nor very beautiful. He only
stood 10 hands and was lightly
built-anything but a formidable beast
u look at, the only distinctive points
about him being a Roman nose and a
restless eye.
| could o help remarking upon his
mild appearance to Ezekiel Yates, the
foreman. Ezekiel was a short, bow
legged man, with a wizened, clean
shaven face, sharp as IA weaseFs, ROUND
as. an oak apple, and nearly as brown.
When I made my observation in the Dig
nified one of assurance natural to a
man who had only been out west four
weeks, Ezekiel's bright little eyes
cleaned with amusement.
Quiet? That is so. 1t is a way OF ev-
cry species of devil in this country. You
would get inside the gate, would ye, to
improve your acquaintance with him?
| dessay you would. Nay, nay, 10 not
hold back. would not spoil the chance
of a man ,findin' d short road to Heaven
for a gold dollar, as long as he tells 'em
that he hoisted himself. See here; a
grizzly-do We know what a grizzly is?
= well, a grizzly with his head singed is
a safer c%ritter to interview by about IA
mile and a half than an unbroken bron-
cho at loose ends in a corral"
| ~coughed and subsidized. No doubt
Ezekiel was chatting me. Was there not
a grin upon the face of every man on
the stable roof? Still, ! did not go into
the corral and refrained from ventur-
ing another opinion upon the quail
ties of the horse. After a pause Ezekiel
said, ~mournfully: Il he'd counted upon
putting this job through myself; but
the boss blocked me. He said we'd
worked together too many years for me
to take chances. Mebbe he's right
But it is tough to see another man step
in-ain't it?"
murmured a polite assent, and then
racked my brain to discover his mean
ing, for l had been told by Jensen that
no better rough rider lived than Ezekiel
Yates. At last, in desperation, l haz-
arded a question. A smile of ineffable
contempt came into the face of the lit
tie man, and he swore softly to him
self. Finally he answered.: What dew
they teach folk where you come from?
III try again. This broncho will be
broke to-day or killed. Two boys have
tried; one was laid out in ten minutes
with his chest like an apple pudding
COS the pony danced on him. The other
, stuck to ii longer, but were chucked at
last, and his skull fattened agin the
paling there like a bit of soft lead. Now
We see the chances. It's a job for an old
hand, and even a man who knows may
be tripped by such a demon. So the
boss sent for Joe Startling to make it
sure, slapped down double stakes, $50,
and there the matter lays"
l began to feel a little excited.
Ezekiel was in earnest, and his words
were suggestive. And now, to set ali
doubts at rest, u horseman, whom / rec
ognized as the person in question, trot-
ted in from the west, and in o very
short time appeared with Col. Jensen.
stripped to shirt and trousers, and
ready for the fray.
l had heard Of Joe Startling. He was
one of the widest characters in the set
Element; a daredevil, reckless Gus
toner, the nero and god Of lawless men,
and the ~dread-except when wanted
of all settlers fond OF peace and proper
ty. We left our places and | was intro
duced to the famous Joe, whom /
found to be a slender, long-limbed per-
sonage, with sandy beard and keen
eyes, a modest, unassuming name
and very sparing OF speech. / noticed
that Jensen. the burliest and most jov-
ial Of men, treated Joe with difference
which struck me as odd until l learnt
from actual observation what kind of
business this man had agreed to under
take.
The broncho colt was interested blythe
proximity Of a powerful roam mare held
by Joe, and now came close up to the
gate and shifted at us. Joe observed the
animal attentiveiy.
How many hev tried him kunnel?'