Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-04


having an abiding faith I'm his ability 70
manage anything In the shape or sem ,
blance OF horse. So, amid suppressed
excitement, the performance began anu
| during the first part OF the programme
there was nothing 10 add to II save .ne
| yells OF the Indians as they cavor'eu
| about in a grotesquo war dance, ana NOT
| until the bronchos and mustangs WERE
| let out from the corral was the auoience
| on the tiptoe OF expectancy, tor hIs'
| among them all. towering as a KING
among the medium sized western horses
was the big. black stallion lie Diapie
| Hardly had he emerged from the corrai
| before Buffalo Bill threw weh-uireS.eu
| lasso over his beautifully-arcned heSh.
This so surprised him that for moment
he halted in his tracks, when was IL
fatal moment for him, for before he
could realize what was happening one
of the cowboys had strapped bride on
him. and. try as he would. he could not
shake Il off This first part was simple,
indeed. TO what followed in the saddling.
For nearly an hour he resisted this Sc
cond indignIty. and the whole audience
gave n sigh of relief when the final cinches
were nut In the straps and lie Diab!e was
ready for his rider
Then came the question of who was
his rider to be? Every man In the COM
bination wanted the honor Of riding that
big black stin," as they called him, and
IL was finally settled that the only fair
way would be to decide by cutting cards,
so a pack of cards was soon produced,
and the cuts were made in full view or
the audience. A cowboy whose name
was Turner won the choice. and without
a moments delay. and with face full
of satisfaction and determination. he APP
preached his antagonist, and when suf-
ficiently near, with a graceful spring he
lighted squarely in the saddle.
For a moment the horse did not quite
realize what this weight on his back
meant, but In another moment he had
determined to be rid OF II, and with
great spring in the air and frightened
snort, he began one of the greatest ex-
hibitions of buck jumping that Mr. Cody
himself said he had ever witnessed. For
nearly 200 yards he bounded apparently
occasionally only touching the ground,
with back bumped, head between his fore
legs, and with legs as stiff as iron, still
his hated rider had not been removed.
Now, with an effort born of desperation,
he would be free of him, so lowering his
head, he started on q mad race around
the great enclosure. After several times
circling it at his greatest speed. he sud
denly stopped in his tracks and made |
an immense jump off TO his left
This was followed by more buck jumps |
and more desperate efforts at dislodge- |
ment. Although his rider had not budged |
a hairs breadth from his seat, and was |
as confident of victory as ever. he rea-
lized that this was no common horse, |
and he also realized that the training -e- |
ceived on the plains of Texas from his |!
boyhood was standing him now in good /
stead
After an hours struggle with the rider /
the horse began to show signs of dis
tress-only slight however yet enough
TO make Turner sure that after the fight /
he himself would be the master Drawing
at this time a large Colts revolver from
his belt he opened a fusillade of shots,
which had the desired effect of throwing
the horse into a frenzy and thus firing
him out all the more. This was not truly
apparent, however. until the rider stopped
him in front of the grandstand and beck
oned one of the other boys to get up
behind him. For awhile even then he
seemed TO have regsined his lost energy,
for again he bucked and jumped and fran
tically endeavored to throw his double
burden, but without avail, and when,
after a struggle royal for nearly two
hours, he was refined up in front OF the
he was vanqulshed horse,
md he knew II. The enthusiasm of the
audience was immense. and every one
oned in a cheer for the fearless rider,
Who. pale and bleeding from his nostrils
rom the terrible strain, acknowledged
heir salutes in true cowboy fashion by
simple wave Of the hand.
The victory was a complete one, and
10 one grumbled at paying his wagers.
ceiling that the exhibition Of horseman- ,
hip was well worth what was lost. The
Jockey Club made Mr.. Cody present OF
4e Diable, and for some time he was
araded daily at the performances The
Paris papers of the following day took
ccasion to say that no finer feat Of
orsemanship had ever been witnessed,
nd that as a rough rider the cowboy had !
OF his equal. {