The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-05-25

| q fellow l wasn't Of much account, COM
ing from New England town, where
| IL we take ride now and then on some
old carriage horse, it's as much as we
do. OF course, began riding as soon
IS I got to Los Pueblos, because II l
didn't there was little else to do; but
| could no more sit in a saddle all day
and keep up with Pablo and his vague
ros than l could fly. Besides, l was
sight to laugh at even when I was do
ing my best-bouncing up and down
like n churn-handle, swaying from one
side to the other. and quite often go
ing head-frst over my horses ears to
the ground. The vaqueros used to laugh
at and make fun of me behind my
back, from morning till night, and.
although Pablo's ideas of a Spanish
gentleman's conduct made him act rs
if he never noticed my awkward
ness, yet | could see that he despised
me for not being able to do what every
child ought, as he looked at II. All
this used to grind me terribly. boys.
! can tell you.
ION my side, didn't think we'll of
! Pablo. l was greatly surprised when
l found that he could scarcely read
Ia word of his own language-not SO
much as l could after having studied
Spanish a single month-and that he
actually didn't know the meaning OF
the Latin prayers he repeated every day;
and, what was worse, didn't care to.
He was more ignorant of arithmetic
than the youngest boy in the grammar
school, and couldn't add up four or
five numbers without using counters,
to save his life. But what took me
aback most was that he didn't seem
to know that he knew nothing, or to
want to be anything different from
what he was then-had no ambition,
in short.
"Here we boys are, each with his
plans for the future-Fred wants to be
a lawyer, Charley business man, and
I an engineer; but such ideas never
entered Pablo's head. don't believe
he ever once thought even whether he
/ would continue herding cattle all his
life, but just went on doing 1t without
thinking anything at all.
$50. you see, Pablo and had con-
tempt for each other, and after awhile
we kept apart as entirely rs we could.
lie was very kind and hospitable,
though. and always took care that I
got the best of everything, and didn't
run into danger, which l was very like
ly to do because of hy habit Of taking
long walks about the country alone.
"This was another thing Pablo
couldn't understand-why any sensible
person should ever walk step when
he could Just as well ride, and especial
ly why he should enjoy doing 1t. be-
lieve he used to think me little out
of mind when he saw me starting out
for o ten or fiftecn-mile tramp; and,
indeed, 1t wasn't exactly q wise thing
on my part, for I ran more or less risk
every time went, on account OF the
cattle, and particularly one old bull.
called Eel Sacudidor' (the 'thrower' or
'tossero.
"This bull had killed several horses,
and severely injured two or three
vaqueros; but Don Moreno wouldn't
hear of his being killed and even re-
fused to let them saw off his horns.
This was because the bull was pure
Spanish, like the don, who seemed to
think that miserable, half-breed Mexi-
cans ought to feel highly honored II
a real old Spanish bull found any pleas
ure in goring them.
"The animal generally pastured In q
certain place at some distance from the
house; yet you never could tell when
he might take fancy to go charging
all over the ranch, attacking everything
that came in his way; for, though bulls
arc not always savage, they have crazy
spells. during which they seem to en-
joy doing mischief, and would rather
kill man than not.
"One morning l was going through
long, deep ravine-a favorite walk OF
mine-when l heard sort Of puf1ing
noise, and a great rattling Of gravel.
LOOKING up, WHdt sHouiu DEC ous ia
Sacudidor coming around bend about
30 yards in front of me, head down.
tail up, and evidently just as full OF
ugliness as he could hold. Good gra-
cious, what q savage brute he looked!
And what place that was to meet him
in! The walls Of the ravine went up
almost perpendicularly, and. being OF
onglomerate-earth and gravel mixed
ltogether-a monkey couldn't have
climbed them, while the path wasn't
more than six feet wide, II as. much,
and right in the middle Of It the bull
was coming down upon me at a quick
trot.
Boys, to say that I was frightened
Il nothing. If anybody's hair ever
actually stands on end, mine did then;
and every drop Of blood in me seemed
turned into pins and needles, was so
terrified I hadn't weapon Of any
sort, not even a knife-though that
didn't matter, for nothing short OF a
heavy rifle would have saved me, and
perhaps that wouldn't.
| "Eortunately I had sufficient pres-