The San Francisco call., 1905-03-12

IN the bullpen one night with II wish
the Injuns would Jump this ranch!"
You do?' said Charley. well. durn
your hide for that wish! What's got
into you to make you wish that?"
"Aw!" said Oscar. twitching around
on his stool I'm sick and tired, Of not
being able to say anything. If the
Sioux got up could do something"
"Oh, that's it." retorted Charles.
'sWell, Oscar, far's I can see. If It's
necessary to have war party Of In
juns whoopin' an yellin' an crow
hoppin' an maxim fancywork out Of
people to give you the proper start
afore your gal. It'd be jes' as well for
you to stay single the res of your days
The results wouldn't justify the trou-
ble."
Afterward Oscar told me in private
that Charley was an old stiff, and he
didn't believe he'd make a chest at a
yrasshopper II the latter spuked up
any. That wronged old Charley. But
Oscar must be excused-he was a sin
gulariy unhappy man.
To come back to what happened. Os-
car that morning had the care OF Ger
onimo, a coal-black, man-eating stall
lion. q brute as utterly devoid OF fear
as Of docility. A tiger kills to eat, and
occasionally for the fun of 1t; that
horse killed out of ferocity and hate OF
every living thing.
A fearful beast Is a bad horse. One
really has more chance against a tiger.
Geronimo stood seventeen hands high
and weighed over 1900 pounds. When
he reared on his hind legs and came
for you screaming, his teeth swapping
like bear traps, his black name flying.
a man seemed puny antagonist, in
deed. One blow from those front hoofs
and your troubles were over. Once
down, he'd trample, bite and kick you
until your own mother would hesitate
to claim the pile Of rags and Jelly he
left He had served two men so al
ready; nothing but his matchless
beauty saved his life.
Nowhere could one find a better ex-
ample of hell-beautiful than when he
tore around his corral In a tantrun.
as 1.-the and graceful as a black pan
ther, His name stood on end; his eyes
and nostrils were Of a color; the mus
. cles looked to be bursting through the
silken gloom Of his coat. His swift
ness was something incredible He
\ caught and most horribly killed Jim
Baxter's hound before the latter could
get out of the corral-and a bearhound
is a pretty agile animal. We had to tie
Jim. or he'd made an end OF Geronimo.
He left the ranch right after that The
loss of his dog broke him all up.
We fed and watered Geronimo with a
pitchfork, and in terror them for his
J slyness and cunning were on a par
J with his other pleasant peculiarities.
One of the poor devils he killed entered
the stable all unsuspecting. Geronimo
J had broken his chains and stood close
against the wall of his stall In the
darkness. waiting. The man came
within reach. Suddenly a black mass
{ of flesh flashed in the air above him.
coming down with all four hoofs-and
| that's enough of that story.
A nice pet was Geronimo. An excel
lent decoration for a gentleman's sta
J ble-stuffedl
Well. Oscar turned him out this
\ morning, and then he, Steve and I went
{ for hay. AS it was toward the last of
winter all the near stacks had been
I used up. and we had to haul from
} Kennedy's bottom, eight miles awav.
When we started the air was stilI and
( frozen, with deep, biting cold un-
( usual to Dakota; the sort that searches
you and steals all the heat you own
J We were numb by the time we reached
\ the stack and glad enough TO have
warm work to do. We fell to 1t with
rush for that reason. and because a