Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-09-01

w NC Ahoucu Win Inc spirit OF the &C.
casion, for he held his head high and
pranced little so as to show off Sans
craftsmanship.
The time went by with the usual talk,
laughter and devotion to the inner man,
and when the people had in a measure
recovered from the torpor incident to
q hearty picnic meal some one proposed
q horse race. A dozen young fellows
at once came forward, eager to show
off the speed of their horses and their
own skill. With them came Sam Walk
er, but he was greeted with shouts of
derision.
do you think that old crowbait of
yours can run?" asked one scornful
youth; he might do for slow race, but
he won't be in it with those horses"
"Never you mind" answered Sam;
"Ojo can run. There isn't horse in
the country that can beat him when
he's after wild steer"
He'll fall over with you and spoil
your looks" jeered another.
''No, he won't. He never does that
except in the morning when I am start
ing out. Go ahead and get ready. ojo
and / are right in this" and Sam took
his place with determined air that ST.
fenced the incredulous.
"Now, boys" said the starter, "each
of you stand by this horse with hand
on the reins while count three, and
when ! say mount jump on and ride
as fast as you can"
AT the given word every man was in
his saddle and off like flash, with the
exception of Sam. who found, too late,
that he had reckoned without Ojo Blan-
CO. As Sam leaped into the saddle Ojo
stiffened himself, and, as the other
horses darted away, he rose majestical-
ly on his hind legs and subsidized over
backward, rolling Sam, Sunday clothes
and all in the dusty road. For a mo-
ment Ojo lay there, granting derisively,
then he struggled to his feet and stood
regarding his crestfallen master out of
the corner of his CLASSY eye. Amid
roars of laughter from the men and
ordinations of dismay from the wom-
en- Sam picked himself up, swearing
heartily under his breath the while.
and vowing to get even with that con-
founded horse if he broke his own neck.
All the rest of the day he was unusual
ly distracted, paying little attention TO
the unmercifgul chatting of his COM
panions, which, as general thing, he
was quick to return with interest. They
concluded that the public humiliation
had made him morose, and so let him
alone; but he was merely revolving in
his mind various schemes of vengeance
on Ojo Blanco.
Boys" he said, the next morning, as
half dozen of them were saddling to
go in search of cattle. inject me on the
bluff by the river at noon to-day, if you
want to see some fun. I'm going TO
break this horse of his cussedness, if ]
have to break his neck to do it"
OF course the boys were more than
ready to see fun, and at the specified
time they met on the bluff. At this
point the bank of the river rose in a
sheer wall 40 feet high, and at its foot
the water was about six feet deep, but
shallower on the other side. To the
edge of this precipice Sam led the I'M
suspecting Ojo, turned him with his
tail to the river and proceeded to adjust
the old saddle which he had thoughtful
ly provided.
Oio stood there, his eyes half closed
and his mind far away, probably dream
ing of home and an extra large ration
of ground barley. when he was brought
rudely back to earth by vicious jerk
on the cinch that surrounded his di-
gestive apparatus. Another jerk, and
another, till it seemed TO the startled
and indignant Ojo that his precious
vital organs were compressed by an
iron band. Never before had his cinch
been touched with other than a rever-
ent hand, and it had always been laid
gently around his form and moderately
frightened. All the pride of 0jo's nature
rose in rebellion at the indignity Of
fered him. and, blind with rage, and not
noticing that his master had not mount
ed. he reared and threw himself vicious
iy backward.
Those present say that there was
look of intense surprise on Ojo Blanco's
countenance as he fell through space,
and it is quite safe to surmise that be
was surprised when. instead of landing
comfortably ON solid ground, he felt
himself whizzing through the air with
dizzying rapidity. his dignified form re-
volving like a cartwheel the while, to
alight at last with tremendous splash
in pond Of very wet water.
The breathless watchers on the elm
above affirm that Ojo tried to cheat him.
self with the belief that all was as usual
by living motionless for time -Now,ii
is one thing to lie on dry land and shoot
glances of defiance at your enemies,
and it is quite another thing to do 1t
under six feet of water. as Ojo soon
found. Snorting with wrath and dis
may, he struggled to his feet and
waded to the bank on the other side,
where he turned and regarded his per
secutors with keen reproach.