The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1908-09-04
THE
PANCHO.
By HERBERT COOLIDGE.

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Every Mexican mule learns to bulge
his sides and hold his breath when
the cinch is being frightened; every
Mexican horseman knows how to
fasten the saddle securely despite
these efforts.
But the Expansionist Pancho had
foiled them all, unless, indeed, we
except his master, Don Alvitro, with
his occasional clumsy triumphs. Pan
cho was an animal of wonderful pow
ers of Inhalation, and his glossy black
sides once inflated were as infexible
as the hickory slaves of molasses
hogs-head.
Don Alvitro, by secret process cx-
tending over four days, could adjust
a saddle to stay 1t was then his Gus
tom to leave the Expansionist sad
died until he could sell him to some
stranger, who, a few days later, was
willing to sell him back to the rascal
try who would buy him-at a ire
mendous discount was Alvitro's
eighteenth victim, also the last, for
turned the animal over to my lit
tie nephew, who rode him bareback.
What a boy does not find out about
mule is not worth knowing; and /
was not much surprised when my
brothers son announced that he had
discovered system for saddling Pan
cho.
Upon the present of a spry mus
tang, the youngster gladly relinruish-
ed his claim on my mule; and for the
first time in his life Pancho utilized
his marvellous powers of inhalation
for the good of man.
In the years of faithful service that
followed / had many inducements
to part with Pancho,-among them
was handsome cash offer from Don
Alvitro,-ibut firmly retained him I'M
til the hot summer day that ! met
tall stranger on a road through the
foothills near the Mexican border.
He was afoot He wanted to know
how far it was to water; also if
would give him few swallows from
my canteen.
While~I was plucking at the knot
which fastened that article to the
saddle, l withdrew my eyes from the
appealing gaze of the thirsty stranger,
and moment later looked up to find
myself covered with big nickel-plat-
ed revolver.
Get off that mule! / want him."
Evidently" thought 1, "the time
has come when the Expansionist Pan
cho and l must part"
A little later it developed that
and my revolver and thousand dol
lars of my employers money must
also part. / anticipated dificulty in
making my employers and others be-
lieve that the parting was really
necessary, and yet as l stared at the
hard visage behind the scintillating
revolver, it seemed to me that my
conduct was not irrational.
Clearly l cogitated. as with up
stretched arms obeyed the strangers
curt command to back off ten steps
this Is a gloomy situation-and with
no silver lining
Then the robber hooked a stirrup
over the saddlezhorn preparatory to
recinching and felt unspeakably
better. Pancho seemed relieved. too,
when the latigo was loosened; and.
as his new master lifted the saddle
back from his Nithers. carefully
spraddled and braced his stout legs.
and filled his black skin with one
of his wonderful inhalations.
This was nothing % my friend, the
robber. He put his foot against the
cinch-ring and pulled. easily at first.
then until he was red in the face, at
the long latigo. Finally he made fast,
satisfied, apparently, with having ex-
erted all his strength and taken all
the stretch out of the saddle rigging
1t would be easy. he doubtless assured
himself, to dismount a mile or so
down the road and recinch the mule
when the bruteNwas off his guard and
a trifle winded.
But knew that Pancho was never
off his guard when man dismounted,
and never too much winded for sue
cessful expansion. Instead of start
ing back to San Diego as I was or
dered by the stranger on pain of
death to do. l. turned and followed
him-the moment he disappeared round
turn of the road.
I peered out from behind a rock at
that turn just in time to see the
Expansionist perform a familiar an
tic. Pancho's nerves were absolute
ly stable except when there was a
two-inch air-space under his girth.
Then the falling OF leaf or the chirp
OF an insect would cause him to lurch
1zinInntl1z sidautisa I.nckv the rider