The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-21

/ pSSA ICAulnS out ali winter anu - q
little wild. He's satisfied now. Well
have no more trouble with him."
Every time looked back at the poor,
flrmbled little chap, my heart tingled
with pity and remorse. I'VE were too
rough 1 said. I'VE must be more
gentle
Yes. he's nervous and scary; we
must be careful not to give him sud
den start"
An hour later. as we were going down
a steep and slippery hill, the Rat saw
his chance. He passed into another
SpaSm, opening and shutting like a
self-acting jack knife: he bounded into
| the midst of the peaceful pack horses,
scattering them to right and to left in
terror
He turned and came up the hill to
get another start. Partner took a turn
on q stump. and all unmindful of it the
Rat whirled and made a mighty. spring.
| He reached the end of the rope, and his
handspring became a vaulting somer-
sault He lay,unable to rises patting the
wind, breathing heavily. Such annoy
ing energy I have never seen We were
nov mad. muddy and very resolute. We
held him down till he lay quite still.
| ANY Well-considered, properly bred
animal would have been ground to
! bonedust by such wonderful acrobatic
movements. He was skinned IN Fle or
, two places, the hair was scraped from
his nose his tongue bled, but all these
were mere scratches. When we repack-
ed him he, walked off comparatively I'M
! hurt
The Two days following he went along
like a faithful dog. Every time I
| looked behind 1 could see the sturdy
little chap trotting along His head
hung low, his actions were meek and
loyal. For a week he continued thus.
] Partner became attached to him, and
] began once mOrerto make excuses cfor
him. He will never troubleaus again, -
! he said.
Rain came Transforming the trail
into a series of bottomless pits and
greasy inclines. and we Were forced to
lay in camp two days. TIE Blue Rat
stuffed himself on Dea-vine and bunch
] grass, and on the third day pitched
with undiminished vigor. This settled
| his cate.
/ l made up my mind to sell him. Once
I had determined upon his motives
could not afford TO bother with him
any more. He delayed US with his
morning antics. and made us 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 1 selected my pur-
chaser. He was Missourian from
Butte. He knew all there was to be
known about trails, horses, gold, poll
! tics, and a 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
drawing 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 I sauntered care
lessly over to his tent. I edged around
by talking of the weather, the trail and
so on. and at last l said:
Wed leave you behind if it weren't
for our blue colt. He delays u.s."
How SOP"
"Oh, he pitches
Pitches. does hep" He smiled. I'D
mighty soon take that out of him if I
had him.
u suppose an experienced man like
you could do it, but we are unused to
these wild horses. I'd like to sell him
TO some man who knew all about such
animals. He's a fine pony, strong as a
| lion, but he's a terrible bueker. I never
saw his equal"
He smiled again, indulgently. Lets
take look at him"
The pony had filed his hay basket
and looked as innocent as a worsted
Kitten.
Nice little Teller, shore thing" said
the Missourian, as he patted the Rat.
He's young and coltish. Whatll you
take for him ?"
Now, see here, stranger, am a fair
man. 1 don't want to deceive anyone.
That pony is a. wonder. He can out
buck any horse west OF the Selkirk
range"
The old mans eyes were very aggra-
waiting. He needs an old hand. that's
I all. Why, / could Shoulder the little
cuss whilst he was a-pitchin' his dam
dest. What'll you take for him?"
''Fll throw off IS and you take the
rope; but, stranger, he is the worst
He refused to listen. He took the
pony AS the Rat followed him off he
looked so small, so sleepy, SO round and
gentle, you would have said, There
goes a man With a pony for his little
girls
We laid off a day at Tchincut lake.
We needed rest anyway and it was
safer to let the man from Butte go on.
| had made every. provision against
complaint on the B1issourian's part, but
at the same time one can't be too care
full
There were no returning footsteps
on the long trail. but a few days later
1 overlook the man from Indiana, who
HaQ' DSSn Se6-SdNlIlS DelNh anu 4Oi III
on the trail, now ahead, now behind.
He had laid off a half day.
He approached me with curious
look on his face
stranger, what kind of beast did
you put off on that Teller from Butte?"
"A mighty strong, capable little horse.
Why?'
well, say, I was just a-passing his
camp yesterday morning, when the
thing took place. always was lucky
about such"
What happened?" queried I.
Il don't wish any mans barn to burn,
strangers, nor his horse TO take fail
outen him, but when anything does go
on / like to see it. You see he had just
drawed the last knot on the pack and
as 1 came up he said, Hows this for
a $40 pony?' said pretty good. Who'd
you get him off of"
"a couple of tenderfeet,' he says
who couldn't handle him. Why, he's
gentle as a dog, then he slaps the pony
on the rurnp. The little devil lit out
both hind feet and took the old man on
both knees and knocked him down over
a pack-saddle into the mud. Then he
turned loose, that pony did, stranger.
I have saw horses buck a plenty. Mex
lean bronks, wild cayuses in Montana,
and all kinds o. beasts in California,
but never seen the beats of that blue
pony He shore was bucker from
Battle creek The Butte man lay there
a. cussin and a groanin, his two knees
in his fists. whilst a trail of flour an