Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1902-03-06
SAINT Nafa ) BEACON.
THETAMING OF SATAN.
CONTINUED from first page. J

trick and crook OF the business and
was past master in tbs art Of giving
aspiring broncho riders lift in the
world.
Ike put in about an hour OF good.
solid work In an endeavor to catch
old Satan. He was an energetic,
persistent 'cuss' and so was old
Satan, who could dodge the rope
with marvellous cunning. Jarvis
tried hard and had the horses about
crazy with excitement before the
boys came to bis aid, but somehow
his rope never seemed to fly straight.
or 10 would get tangled around his
legs and trip him. Several times he
caught the wrong horse. Whatever
he might be as a rider, he certainly
was not an expert with a rope, and
his antics afforded much amusement
for the boys who had caught their
string and were standing around
watching him.
To q friendly offer by one of the
boys TO catch his horse for him, Ike
replied: Nav, I'm going 10 try
just one more throw. l think I'll
get him next time.
BY some back handed fling he did
actually catch his horse the next
throw and straitened up as proud as
peacock.
After breakfast, when Ike brought
out his gunny sack containing his
saddle, and prepared TO saddle old
Satan, every galoot around camp,
even 10 the cook, had business in
that immediate vicinity. When he
dumped out his saddle and they saw
what sort of a rig he had, some of
the kinder-hearted ones took pity on
him and attempted to dissuade him
from using it, Offering him a good
saddle.
why, that 'henskin' of yourn
ain Z ut to ride mess wagon, let
alone bronx, said one.
Nope, he replied TO their kind
offers. I've rid this yere old post
age stamp good many years. an it
still sticks. I'd feel kinder lost in
one Of them big saddles
BY dint of much coaxing and ex-
ertion he got old Satan saddled and
prepared to mount. Diving into his
sack he produced wicked-looking
pair Of Mexican spurs, with murder
GUS rowels an inch in diameter.
His good nature and innocent
mien had by this time gained for
him the good will Of the camp, and
some OF the boys felt really sorry
for him and thought that it was lit
tie short OF manslaughter to allow
this poor country jake to continue
further with the joke. Big Bill
Williams, the biggest-hearted fell
low in the crew, tried to tell him
what kind Of proposition he was
up against and to keep him from
crawling the maneater. But Ike
would pay no heed and insisted that
he was not going to give up $50 a
month job without having try.
When he tried to mount, old Satan
backed OF and circled around. al
lowing Ike to get no closer than
near enough to catch the stirrup in
his hand. Occasionally he got one
foot up to the stirrup and hoped
around like crow after the horse,
who backed away with his ears laid
back and nasty look in his rolling
eyes. Several times the horse gave
plunge and tried 10 break away,
but the lanky Missourian managed
tn hang on, though ofttimes he was
near losing his feet. The entire
crew was now gathered around in
nndisguised enjoyment, watching
the circus.
II you can ride as well as you can
rope you are all right, wasa jeering
remark that brought steely CLINT
TO Ike S eyes and caused tighten
ing OF the lines about his mouth that
bespoke differentiation to do or die.
Why don Z you walk up straddle
of him and sit DOWN.
Try the other side; mebbe he's a
left-handed horse
Did your Missouri horses act like
THAR
Don't you wish You were back in
Missouri blowing corn?' And kim
dred remarks were showered upon
the poor fellow 5 head as he followed
the vicious animal around, some
times hopping with one foot in the
stirrup or being dragged by the
bride reins. That this man was NO
mol and knew how 10 avoid getting
hurt, despite his seeming awkward
ness was evident. and that he had
grit was also plainly to be seen.
Paying no attention 10 the jeers of
his comrades, who were getting i'm
patient waiting, as they could find
no further excuse for tarrying, Ike
seemed suddenly to conclude that he
had fooled around long enonoh "