The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-11-13
RIDING A BUCKING MULE.
A sPuncher's" Adventure Described by a
Story Teller.

A "Puncher's" Adventure Described by a
Story Teller.
The Century Magazine prize
for the best short story submit
ted 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 scense is a
description of a ride on a buck
ing mule.
Out of a knot of excited men
Hammer went straight to the
waiting, restless mule. With a
mock air of bravado he struck
the excited mule across the flank
with his sombrero, after rough
ly selling the reins. No one
who has not learned by expert
ence how to mount a plunging
horse can understand how Han
ner lifted himself out of the
chaos of rearing mule and strug-
Cling attendants into the saddle
before he signed to the men to
turn the animal loose.
When the mule found himself
free to act there was a momen'
tary pause. Then began the
short, nasty jumps straight in
to the air, with the animals
back bowed, it's legs stiff and its
head lowered. 1t was the first
powerful effort of the angered
beast, made with devilish conf
dence. Hammer was scarcely
shaken by these first straight
jumps; but then began the
twisting series, which is the
second expedient Of a bucking
animal. A high jump into the
air, with a seemingly impossible
twist to the side, landed the
mule with it's head turned al
most half round. Before the
rider caught his breath another
jump and another half turn>were
made. These are the motions
that make a bronco-buster's life
shorter. Hammer was bleeding
at the nose in half minute.
The twisting jumps were con
tinued until the strength Of the
mule was almost exhausted, and
as yet only the hat of the punch
er' had been dislodged. A short
pausd followed, during which
the mule changed it's tactics, and
Hammer thwacked it's sweaty
neck with his open hand. The
next motion was a sudden rear
inc by the mule. AS it rose on
the reins, and, slipping to the
ground on one side, allowed the
brute to fall on it's back. The
saddlehorn buried itself in the
earth, and the mules hoofs beat
the air a moment before it scram-
bled to it's feet.
Hammer was cooler than the
mule now, and flung 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, and 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 aracing 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 plunged
into the scattering knot of spec
tators and rise to a four barred
gate. At the opposite side of
the track no fence barred it's
way, and it ran frightened and
quivering under the awning of a
lemonade vendors stand. Han
ner slowly dismounted, strohed
the sweaty flank of the subdued
mule, then turning and picking
up an unbroken bottle of soda,
proposed a toast. ''to our gen
tie old family buggy hoss."