Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-12-23
THE FEAT OF THE "CALICO" PONY.
BY FRANKLIN wELLES CALKINs.

On the long route of the pony eX-
press there were no more perilous bits
OF trail than those which lay ON either
side of the station at Lapeer's. This
North Platte country was middle
ground common to Pawnee, Sioux,
Cheyenne, Ute, Arapaho and Kioway
Hither all these came to chase the
buffalo, to steal horses, or to fight
the white men or one another; and
here the adventurer, of whatever
sort, carried his life in his hand.
One day there came to Lapeers, from
the western mountains, Sandy Van
SAINT, formerly mule whacker for
freighting outfit, young, stunted in
growth and short in one leg His saw
ings consisted of an enormous mule
and three Nez Perce ponies, one of
which was a "calico of a picturesque
ness not to pass without remark. The
genuine calico pony is usually of but
two colors, a ground of white with
liberal markings of red or black; but
Sandy's animal had all three colors
laid on very promiscuously.
Sandy desired above all things to Sc
cure place as an express rider, and
he asked for a relay at Lapeer's. When
for answer the boss pinned a playing
card upon his shooting post Sandys
countenance fell He had failed in
that test before. Hoping against hope,
he mounted his steadiest animal and
trotted several times past the mark.
He failed to hit the post. In the
words of BLUE Bob" the station
horse wrangler,- that mule whacker
couldn't hit the mule he rode on"
But Sandy, not desiring to ride far
ther toward the tame east, rested from
his travel at Lapeer's. His stock ran
with Blue Bob's bunch and without
comment, until the wrangler came in
to supper one evening, with wrath in
his powder stained vlsage.
Say, mule whack," he said, "if you
don't tie out those pintoes of yours,
I'll sure roll your bunch into the
Platte"
Been tryin' to rope 'em, Bob?" San
q asked, with a good natured twinkle
ii his eye.
"I'll sure rope that fea-bitten calico
Ct yours, and I'll sure ride him to-
morrow" Blue Bob announced in a
peat, which greatly tickled the men at
i.apeers.
"Sure?" asked Sandy tantalizingly.
Sure" declared the wrangler, his
.ce flushing under it's pits of blue.
he 10
ton boss, Jim Devine, his three gun
I lien and Sandy sat upon corral fence
and enjoyed themselves. The fun be-
gan inside the corral, but was soon
transferred to the open.
At Bobs first confident throw the
calico pony dropped its head between
its knees and lodged with the facility
of weasel. Bob ran wider loop, and
| approached until he could almost lay
hand upon the pony's flank. The
calico stood with it's ears laid back.
The wrangler poised his moose and
made a quick jump forward. When
his rope struck the ground the calico
pony was behind him. Then, while
shout of laughter went up from the
onlookers that painted" pony leaped
the high corral fence with the ease of
a cat going over chair.
Blue Bob mounted the swiftest ami
NAL in his bunch and gave chase. Much
| to his astonishment the calico pony
made no attempt to run away. 1t now
had plenty of room for lodging, and
wheeled about the corral in erratic cir
cles, darting ahead, leaping sidewise,
or stopping short, as the nature of
Bob's throw demanded In a dozen
casts Bob's moose did not once fall
upon the pony.
Who taught the pinto such tricks?''
Bob demanded of the men on the
fence, when at last he acknowledged
defeat.
"Nez Perces-best horse trainers in
the world, l reckon" said Jim Devine
Sandy nodded. That's what" he
said.
Them others are just as bad" ad-
mitted Bob to Sandy, as they walked
back to the station. 81 don't see the
use in such as that"
IL Was SOME Weeks before blue BOL
saw and admitted the wisdom of Nez
Perce training. In the meantime San
dy's ponies continued to run with the
bunch, and when he wished to ride
the calico the wrangler had only tc
call to it, as Sandy had taught him
In the cultural accents of it's former
Nez Perce owner-"Ksok, Ksok
Ksok."
One day at noon the men at La
peers watched an east bound expires!
rider race down long north slope
with cloud of horsemen at his heels
The gun men were about to dash t.
his rescue when the Indians turned
back. The rider came up badly hur
and reeling in his saddle.
THE Cheyennes have done up then
skinners," he managed to calculate
and then he tainted and was carried in
The "skinners" alluded to were
camp of buffalo hide hunters, whom th
Indians had killed and scalped be
side his trail.