Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1899-12-28
JOHN OSKlSON'S STORY.
Vinita Fair Grounds in the
Writer'S Fancy.

The Century Magazines prize
for the best short story submitted
by a college graduate in 1899, was
awarded to John NJ. Oskison, OF
Leland Stanford University, whose
home is in the Indian Territory,
and whose blood is partly Indian
"Only the Master Shall Praise" is
its title; and one of its scenes is a
description of a ride on a bucking
mule:
Out of a knot of excited men
Hammer went straight to the wait
ing, restless mule. With a mock
air of bravado he struck the ex-
cited mule across the flank with
his sombrero, after roughly seizing
the reins. No one who has not
learned by experience how to
mount a plunging horse can un-
derstand how Hammer lifted him
self out of the chaos of rearing
mule and struggling attendants in
to the saddle before he signed to
the men to turn the animal loose.
When the mule found itself free
to act there was a momentary
pause. Then began the short,
nasty jumps straight into the air,
with The animals back bowed, its
legs stiff, and its head lowered. 1t
was the first powerful effort of the
angered beast, made with devilish
confidence. Hammer was scarcely
shaken by these first straight
jumps, but then began the twist
ing series. which is the second ex-
pedient of bucking animal. A
high jump into the air, with a
seemingly impossible twist TO the
side, landed the mule with its head
turned almost half round. Before
the rider caught his breath another
jump and another half turn were
made. These are the motions
which makes a broncho busters
life shorter. Hammer was bleeding
at the nose in half a minute. The
twisting jumps were continued un-
til the strength Of the mule was
almost exhausted, and as yet only
the hat of the puncher had been
dislodged A short pause follow
ed, during which the mule changed
its tactics, and Hammer thwacked
its sweaty neck with his open
hand. The next motion was a sud-
den rearing by the mule. As il
rose on its hind legs the rider
yanked fercely on the reins, and,
slipping to the ground on one side,
allowed the brute TO fall on its
back. The saddle-horn buried it.
self in the earth, and the mules
hoofs beat the air a moment before e
it scrambled to its feet.
Hammer was cooler than the
mule now, and swung himself back
into the saddle with the first long
leap of the desperate animal. This
was the easy part of the trial for
the rider, aud the spectacular part
for the world. The mule ran
straight away for the opposite
fence of the fair grounds with
long, lunging jumps, rising
and pitching forward with the
speed of a racing yacht. Hammer
brought his craft about before it
sailed into the fence, and beat it
fore and aft with a fOurishing
hand. He was wild with triumph
now, his hair blowing in the wind.
He leaned forward as in a race,
urging the thoroughly tired and
conquered mule straight for the
crowd. A particularly vicious dig
with the spurs made the beast
plunge into the scattering knot of
spectators and rise to a four-barred
gate. At the opposite side of the
track no fence barred its way, and
it ran, frightened and quivering,
under the awning of a lemonade
vender's stand, scattering glasses
and confections TO The winds, and
wrecking the stand. Hammer slow
ly dismounted, stroked the sweaiy
flank of the subdued mule, then
turning and picking up an unbro-
ken bottle of sofa, proposed a
toast "to our gentle old family
buggy hoss!"
GULA0ER-