The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-12
FATE OF A BLUE RAT.
PONY THAT MADE MATTERS LIVE
LY ON THE I&LONDIKE TRAIL.

Hamilton, b. c., Letter in Chicago Inter
Ocean.
Even in the Klondike life is not alto
gether simple, nor always free from guile.
Were proof of the truth needed it might
be found in the history of our experience
with the Blue Rat.
We came to know him through our need
of a pony. We had two serviceable pack
horses but we needed a little pony to run
along behind and carry the tent and few
little traps like that.
A citizen Of Quesnelle possessed such a
steed. This citizen was German, and
had a hairlip and a most seductive gen
tleness of voice. His name was Dppy,
and gladly make him historical He sold
me the Blue Rat and gave me a chance
to study new type of horse.
Herr Dippy ("Dutch Dippy'O was not a
Washington Irving sort of Dutcnman; Re
conformed rather to the modern New
York tradesman. He was small, candid,
and smooth, very smooth Of speech. Tie
said; Yes, the pony is gentle. He can
be rode or packed, but you better lead him
for day or two till he gets quiet"
1 did not see the pony till the morning
we hit the long trail" on the west side
of the Fraser river but my side partner
had reported him to be nice little
pony, round and fat and gentle" On that
l rested In The morning Mr.. Dippy join
ed us at the ferry. He held horse by the
rope and waited around TO finish the trade.
1 presumed he intended to cross and de-
liver the pony which was in corral on
the west side, but he lisped OUT hurried
excuse. "The ferry is not coming back
for to-day; and So"
Well, l paid him the money on the
strength of my side partners report be-
sides il was Hobson's choice.
Mr.. Dippy took the $25 eagerly and van
ished into obscurity. We passed TO the
wild side of the Fraser and entered upon
a long and intimate study of the Blue
Rat. He shucked out of The log stable
smooth, round, 1.-the bodied little cayuse
of a blue-gray color. He looked like a
child's toy, but seemed sturdy and of good
condition. His fore-top was banged"
and he had the air of mischievous reso-
lutte boy. His eyes were big and black,
and he studied us with tranquil but in
curing gaze as we put the pack saddle on
him. He was very small.
He's not large, but he's gentle little
chap said l, to ease my partner of his
dismay over the pony's surprising small
ness
Il believe he shrunk during the night"
replied my partner. HE seemed two sizes
bigger yesterday"
We packed him with 100 pounds of our
food We put a small bag of oats on top
and dashed it all on with rope, while the
pony dozed peacefully. Once or twice I
thought l saw his ears cross; one laid
back, the other set forward-bad signs
but 1t was done so quickly l could not be
sure of it.
We packed the other horses while the
blue pony stood resting one hind leg, his
eyes dreaming.
1 flung the canvas cover over the bay
peck horse. something took place.
1 heard a bang, a clatter, a rafting of
hoofs. peered around the bay and saw
the blue pony performing some of the
most finished, vigorous and varied buck
ing it has ever been given me to witness.
He all but threw somersaults He stood
on his ears He bumped up his back till
he looked like a lean cat on a graveyard
fence. He stood on his toe calks and spun
like a weather vane on a livery stable
and when the pack exploded and the sad
die slipped under his belly he kicked it to
pieces by using both hind hoofs as gently
as man would stroke his beard.
After calming the other horses faced
my partner solemnly
ooh, by the way, partner, where did you
get that nice, quiet little blue pony of
yours?"
Partner smiled sheepishly. 1.-THE little
divn. Buffalo Bill ought to have that
pony"
well, now" said I. restraining my
laughter, the thing TO do is to put that
pack on so it will stay. That pony VIII
try the same thing again, sure"
We packed him again with great care
His big innocent black eyes shining under
his bang were little more alert, but they
showed neither fear nor rage. We roped
him in every conceivable way, and at last
We dared him to do his pretiiest
He did it. All that had gone before was
merely preparatory, a blood-warming so
to cay; the real thing now took place He
stood up on his hind legs and shot into
the air, alighting on his four feet as if to
pierce the earth He whirled like a howl
ing dervish, gruntng, snoring, unseeing,
and almost unseen in nimbus of dust
strap ends and pine needles. His whirling
undid him. We seized the rope, and Just
as the pack again SID under his feet we
SET shoulder to the rope and threw him
He came TO earth with q thud, his legs
whirling uselessly in the air. He resem-
bled beetle in molasses. We sat upon his
head and discussed him.
He is a wonder" said my partner
He Is a DEVIL I panied.
We packed him again with infinite pains.
ana when he began bucking we threw him
again and tried to kill him. We were get
ting irritated. We threw him hard and
drew his hind legs up to his head till he
grunted. When he was permitted to rise
ne looked meek and small and tired aud
we We're both a little remorseful We re-
arranged the pack-it was some encour-
agement to know he had not bucked il en-
urely off-and by blindholding him we got
him started on the trail behind the train.
suppose that simple-hearted Dutch
man is looking at us from across the
river" said I to partner, but no matter.
we are victorious"
This singular thing I noticed in the Blue
Rat. His eye did not roll nor his ears fan
back. He was neither scared nor angry.
lie stu looked like a rogush, determined
boy he was alert, watchful, but not vi
cious. He seemed not to take our stern
measures in bad part He regarded it as
a fair contract, apparently, and coneid-
ered mat we had won. True, he had lost
both hair and skin by getting tangled in
the rope, but he laid up nothing against
us and as he followed meekly along be-