The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-01-04
VOL. XIII.
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 Lapeer's, from
the western mc-ains. Sandy Van
SAINT. formerly mule whacker for a
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 calico of a picturesque
less not to pass without remark. The
genuine calico pony is usually Of but
two colerS ground Of white with
liberal markings of red or black; but
SSandSs animal had all three colors
saa", on very prOmlScuOuSly.
u Sandy desired above all things to Sc
cure place as sn express rider. and
he asked for reIay at Lapeer's. When
for answer the boss pinned a playing
card upon his shooting post Sandy s
countenance fell. He had failed in
that test before Hoping against hope,
he mounted his steadiest animal ana
trotted several times past the mark.
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.
fs"Say, mule whack," he said, If you
! don't tie out those pintoes of yours,
Ill sure roll your bunch into the
Platte"
Been tryin' to rope em, Bob?' San
dy asked, with good natured twinkle
in his eye.
It'll sure rope that aea-bitten calico
ok yours, and I'll sure ride him to-
Borrow" Blue Bob announced in a
Nat, which greatly tickled the men at
Lapeer's.
'Sure?" asked Sandy tantalizingly
Sure" declared the wrangler, his
face flushing under its pits of blue:
The next morning at sunrise the sta
lion boss, jim Devine, his three gun
men and Sandy sat upon corral fence
and enjoyed themselves. The fun be-
gan inside the corral, but was soon
transferred to the open.
At Dob's first confident throw the
calico pony dropped Its head between
its knees and lodged with the facility
II . weasel. Bob ran q wider loop. and
l6rroaahed until he could almost lay
l4nd upon the pony's flank. The
calico stood with its ears laid back.
The wrangler poised his moose and
node q quick jump forward When
NJ rope struck the ground the calico
pony was behind him. Then, while
a shout Of laughter went up from the
onlookers thar 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 establishment the calico pony
made no attempt to run away. 1t now
mad 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
l3ob's throw demanded. In dozen
casts Bob's moose did not once fall
upon the pony
"WLo 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 s'That's what" he
eaid
Them others are just as bad ad-
pitted Bob to Sandy, as they walked
back to the station. Il dont>see the
use in such as that
1t was some weeks before Blue Bob
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 to
call to 1t. as Sandy had taught him,
in the cultural. accents of It's former
Mex Perce owner-"Ksok. Ksok,
Ksok.
One day at noon the men at La
peers watched an east bound express
rider race down a long north slope
with a cloud of horsemen at his heels.
The gun men were about to dash to
his rescue, when the Indians turned
hack. The rider came up badly hurt
and reeling in his saddle.
The Cheyennes have done up them
ekinners." he managed TO ejacula;e
and then he tainted and vas carried in.
The 'skinners'' alluded 10 were
camp OF buffalo hide hunters, whom the
Indians had. killed and scalped BE-
side his trail
c. u 4. I,