Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1898-11-16


rearranged the pack-it was some en-
couragement to know he had not
bucked it entirely off-aud by blind
folding him we got him started on the
trail behind the train.
'I suppose that simple-hearted
Drtchman 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 fall back. He was neither
scared nor angry. He still looked
like roguish,. determined boy. He
was alert, watchful, but not vicious.
He seemed not to take our stern meas
ures in bad part He regarded it as a
fair contract, apparently, and consid-
cred that we had won. True, he had
lost both hair aud skin by getting tam
gledin therope, but he laid up nothing
against us, and as he followed meek
Il along behind, my partner dared to
say:
'He's all right now. I presume he
has been running out nil winter and is
a little wild. He's satisfied now.
Well have no more trouble with him. !"
Every time 1 looked back at the
poor, humbled little chap, my heart
tingled with pity and remorse. 'We
were too rough" I said. 'We must
be more gentle"
eyes, he's nervous and scary. We
must be careful not to give him a sud-
den start"
An hour later, Us we were going
down a steep and slippery hill, the
Rat saw his chance. He passed into
another spasm, opening ind shutting
like self-acting jack-knfe. He bound
ed into the midst of the peaceful pack
horses, scattering them to right and
left III terror.
He turned and came up the hill to
get another start. Partner took q
turn on stamp, and all unminuful of
it the Rat whirled and made a mighty
spring. He reached the end of the
rope and his handspring became q
vaulting somersault. He lay unable
storise,s spattinge ethesewind, breathing
heavily. Such annoying energy 1
have never seen. We were now 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 wondrous acrobatic
movements. He was skinned in one
or two places, his hair was scraped
from his nose, his tongue bled, but all
these were mere scratches. When we
repacked him he walked off compara-
lively unhurt.
The two days following he went
along like faithful dog. Every time
i looked behind I could see the sturdy
little chap trotting along. His head
hung low, and his actions were meek
and loyal. For week he continued
thus. Partner became attached to
him and began once more to make ex
cuses for him. ''He will never make
us trouble again" he said
Rain came, Transforming the trail
into q series of bottomless pits and
greasy inclines and we were forced to
lay in camp two days. The Blue Rat
stuffed himself on pea-vine and bunch
grass, and on the third day pitched"
with undiminished vigor. This settled
his fate.
I made up my mind to sell him.
Once 1 had determined upon his mo-
tives I 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 I selected my pur-
chaser. He was Missourian from
Butte. He knew all there was to be
known about trails, horses, gold, poll
tics, and few other things. He con-
sidered all the other men on the trail
merely tenderfeet out for a picnic.
Each time he passed us he had some
.drawling remark indicating his sur
prise that we should be still able to-
move. Him 1 selected to become the
owner of the Rat
I laid for him. When he had eaten
his supper one night sauntered care
lessly over to his tent. I 'edged
around" by talking Of the weather, the
trail, and so Oh, and at last I said:
"We'd leave you tonight if it weren't
for the blue colt. He delays us"
"How so?"
80, he pitches. :"
"Pitches, does he?" He smiled.
"I'd mighty soon take that out of him
if I had him. -
''I suppose all 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 knows about such
animals. He's fine pony, strong as
a lion, but he's terrible bucker. I
never saw his equal"
He smiled again indulgently. 'Let's
take look at him.
Ihe pony had ulleu his nay DaskeG
and looked as innocent MS worsted
kitten.
: 'sNice little feller, shore thing"
said the Missourian, as he patted the
Rat. '.He's young and coltish.
What'll you take for him?"
"Now, see here, stranger. / am a
fair man. don't want to deceive any
one. That pony is wonder. He
can outbuck any horse west of Sell
kirk range. F."
The old mans eyes were very ag-
gravating. "He needs an old hand,
that's all. Why, I could shoulder the
little kid whilst he was a-pitchin' his
blamedest. What'll you take for him?"
"I'd throw off S., and you take the
rope; but, stranger, he's 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 wonld have said,