Courier Democrat., 1904-12-08

eye than l cared to see. Altogether. l
did no, draw toward him. Nor did he
to me. apparently. For Us l took him
by the bride he snorted and sidled
about with grea, swif1ness and stood
facing me with his feet planted firmly
in front of him as if prepared to re-
ject overtures OF any kind soever. I
tried to approach him with soothing
words. but he persistently backed away
until we stood looking at each other
at the utmost distance Of his out
stretched neck and my outstretched
arm.
At this point Jack came to my assist
ance. got the pony by the other side Of
the bride and held him fast till got
into position to mount. Taking firm
grip Of the horn Of the Mexican saddle,
threw my leg over his back The
next instant was flying over his head.
Ny only emotion was one Of surprise.
the thing was so unexpected. had
fancied myself fair rider, having had
experience OF farmers colts Of divers
kinds, but this was something quite
new. The half breed stood looking on.
mildly interested; Jack was smiling.
but the boy was grinning with delight.
I'll take the httle beast" said Jack
But the grinning boy braced me up and
replied as careIessly as my shaking
voice would allow:
"Oh. guess I'll manage him." and
once more got into position. But NO
sooner had got into the saddle than
the pony sprang straight up into the
air and lit With his back curved into a
bow. his four legs gathered together
and so absolutely rigid that the shock
made my teeth rattle. 1t was my frst
experience OF "bucking." Then the lit
tie brute went seriously to work TO get
rid Of the rustiing. tapping thing on
his back. he would back steadily for
some seconds. then. With two or three
forward plunges. he would stop as If
shot and spring straight into the upper
air. lighting with back curved and legs
rigid as iron. Then he would walk on
his hind legs for few steps then
throw himself with amazing rapidity
to one side and again proceed to buck
W4lA N1@CQS OA14SsSuCC.
Stick to him. yelled Jack through
shouts of lsughter. You'll make him
sick before long,
I remember thinking that unless his
insides We're somewhat more delicately
organized than his external appearance
would lead one to suppose the chances
were that the little brute would be the
last to succumb to sickness. To make
matters worse. wilder jump than
ordinary threw my cape up over my
head, so that was in complete dark
ness. And now he had me at his mercy,
and he knew no pity. He kicked and
plunged and reared and bucked. now
on his front legs, now on his hind legs.
often on his knees. while in darkness
could only cling to the horn of the sad
die
At last in one Of the CLEANS Of light
that penetrated the folds of my envel
oping cape. found that the horn had
slipped to bis side 50 the next time he
cane to his knees threw myself off.
I am anxious to make this point clear.
for from the expression Of triumph on
the face of the grinning boy and his
encousiums OF the pony gathered that
be scored a win for the cayuse. With
out pause that little brute continued
for some seconds to buck and plunge
even after my dismounting as il he
We're some piece OF mechanism that
must run down before it could stop.
By this time ! was sick enough and
badly shaken in my nerve, but the tr;-