Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-10-07

fore was merely preparatory, a
blood warming, so to say; the real
thing now took place. He stood mp
on his hind legs aud shot into the
air, alightIDg on his four feet as If
10 pierce the earth. He whirleG
like a bowling dervish, grnn.ing,
snorting, unseelng and almost un'
seen, IN a nimbus of dust, strap
ends and pine needles.
His whirling undId him. We
seized the rope and just as the
pack again slid under his ieet We
set shoulder to the rope aud threw
him. He came to earth with a
rhud, bis legs wbirling uselessly in
the air. He resonbled beetle IN
molasSes.
We sat upon his head and dis
cussed him.
He Is il woader,' said my part
ner.
lie is a fend,' painted.
We packed him again with IN
finite pans, aud when he began
bucklng we threw blm again aud
tried to kill him. We were getting
irrltated. We threw him hard aud
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 re-
morSelul. We IearIauged the pick
it was some encouragement TO
know be bad not backed it entirely
ofl-and by bllnd.fO Idlug him We
got him started on the trail be-
hind tne train.
4 suppose that simple-hearted
Dutch hman is looking at rs from
across the river said to partner,
'but no matter: we are Victorious
This singular thing noticed in
the Biue Rat. His eyes did not
roll nor his ears fall back. He vas
neither Scraed nor angry. lie still
looked like a rOguish, determined
boy. lie was alert, watchtul, bu
not vicious. He seemed not 10
take our stern measures IN bad
part. He regarded 1t as az a falr
contract, apparently, and cOnsid-
cred that we had won. True, he
had lost both hair and skin 10y
getting tangled in the rope, but he
laid unOthing az ainst Us, and as be
followed meekly along behind, my
partner dared to say:
He's all right now. | presume
he has been running ont all winter
aud Is II little Wild. He's satisfied
now. Wen nave no more trouble
with him.
Every time looked back at the
poor, humbled little chap, my
heart tngled with pity aud re-
morse. 'We must be more gentle
Yes. he's nervous aud scary.
We must be carefhl not to give
him sudden start
An hour late, as we we're going
down a steep aud slippery hill' the
Rat saw his chance. He passed
into another spssm, opening ana
shutting like self acting jack
knife. He bounded inrO the midSt
OF the peaceful pack horses, scatter
ing them to right and left IN terror.
He turned and came up the hlll
to get another start. Partner took
a turn Oh a stump, and all unminI'
ful of It the Rat whlrled and made
a mighty spring. He reached an
end of the rope and his handspring
became a vauting somersault. lie
Law, unable TO rise, spatting the
wind, breathing heavily. Such
anuo, Ing energy have never seen.
We were now mad, muddy an
very resOluie. We held him down
till he lay qmle still.
Any cOnslderated, properly |
bred animal would have been
ground to bOnedust by such wOH.
drous acrobatic movements, He
was skinned in one or two places,
his hair was scraped fro m his nose
his tongue bled, but all these were
mere scratches. When we replck-
ed him he walked oil comparative
/, unhutt.
The two days following he went |
along like faithful dog. Every |
time / looked behind / could see /
The sturdy little chap trotting |
along. His head hang loo, and
his actions we're meek aud loyal. |
For a week he continued thus.
Pt':ner became attached to him
aid began once more to make ex.
cnses for him. lie will never
make us trouble again. he said.