The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-10-12
1.-THE BLUE RAT"
a Ix1o,aeliIxe 1lr,isoelo.
NY u,NLiS oAnLASp.

the rope and threw him. lie came to
earth with thud, his legs whirling
uselessly in the mir. lie resemblcd u
beetle in molnsses.
We sat upon his head and discussed
him.
"He is a wonder" said my partner.
''He is n flend." pnnted.
We packed him again with infinite
pains, and when he began bucking
We threw him again and tried to kill
him. We were getting irritnted. We
threw him hard and drew his hind
legs up to his head until he grunted.
When he was permitted to rise he
looked meek and small and tired, and
we were both little remorseful. We
reerrnnged the pack-it was some en-
couragement TO know he had not
bucked it entirely on-nnd by blind
folding him we got him started on the
trail behind the train.
II suppose that simple. hearted
Dutchman Is looking at us from across
the river" said to partner, "but no
matter; We arc Victorious"
This singular thing | noticed in the
Blue Rat. His eye did not roll nor
his ears fall back. He was neither
scared nor angry. lie still looked
like roguish, determined boy. He
was alert, watchful, but not vicious.
He seemed not to take our stern meas
ures in bad part. lie regarded it as
fair contract, apparently, aud consid-
cred that we had won. True, he had
lost both hair and skin by getting tan
gled in the rope, but he laid up nothing
against us, and as he followed meek
ly along behind, my partner dared to
say:
Hes all right now. presume he
has been running ont all winter and is
little wild. He's satisfied now.
Wen have no more trouble with him"
| Every time i looked back at the
poor, humbled little chap, my heart
tingled with pity and remorse. ave
were too rough" said. "We must
be more gentle"
"Yes, he's nervous and scary. We
must be careful not to give him q sud
den start"
An hour later, as we were going
down steep and slippery hill, the
Kat saw his chance. He passed into
another spnsm, opening and shutting
like self-acting jack-knfe. He bound
ed into the midst of the peaceful pack
horses, scattering them to right and
left in terror.
He turned and came up the hill to
got another start. Partner took n
turn on stump, and all unmindful of
1t the Rat whirled and made mighty
spring. He reached the end of the
rope and his handspring became q
vaulting somersault. He lay, unable
to rise, sratting the wind, breathing
heavily. Such annoying energy /
have never seen. We were now mad,
muddy and very resolute. We held
him down till he lay quite still.
Amy well-considered, properly bred
animal would have been ground to
bonedust by such wondrous acrobatic
movements. He was skinned in one
or two places, his hair was scraped
from his nose, his tongue bled, but all
these were mere scratches. When we
repaoked him he walked off com para
lively unhurt.
The two days following he went
along like faithful dog. Every time
l locked behind I could see the sturdy
little chap kotting along. His head
hung low, and his actions were meek
and loyal. For week he continued
thus. Partner became attached to
him and began once more to make ex-
cuses for him. ''He will never mako
MS trouble again." he said.
Rain came, transforming the trail
into series of bottomless pits and
greasy inclines and we were forced to
lay in camp two days. The Blue Rat
stuffed himself on pea-vine and bunch
grass, and on the third day "pitched"
with undiminished vigor. This settled
his fate.
l made up my mind to sell him.
Onco l had determined upon his mo-
tives / could not afford to bother with
him any more. He delayed us with
his morning antics, and made lis the
amusement of the outfits which over
took and passed us by reason Of our
interesting sessions with the Blue
Rat.
He must go and selected my pur-
chaser. He was q Missourian from
Butte. He knew all there was to be
known about trails, horses, gold, poll
tics, and few other things. He con-
sidered all the other men on the trail
merely tenderfeet out for picnic.
Each time he passed us he had some
drawling remark indicating his sur
prise that We should be still able to
move. Him selected to become the
owner OF the Rat.
laid for him. When he had eaten
his supper one night sauntered care
lessly over to his tent. ''edged
around" by talking of the weather, the
trail, and SO on, and at last I said:
"We'd leave you tonight If it weren't
for the blue colt. He delays u.s."
''How so?"