The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1909-10-20
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our arms in the store veranda at
Mulga Plains, and peered into the
gathering darkness. A rush of hoofs
came down the paddock, and the
clang of a slip rail dropped in place
told us that the black boy had yard
ed the horses.
ais it worth it?" asked Hammond,
the bookkeeper, jingling his snaf-
fie against the veranda post, the
winds rising-it's going to rain
It'll be a rotten show any way-is 1t
worth riding ten miles in the dark
for?"
"Oh, come on, Hammond; no slack
ing, you promised to come!" So We
rallied him through the dark.
In the end we all went to catch
our horses, David Wilson, the over
seer; Hammond, myself and Hughie
and Albert-two of the boundary rid
ers.
So dark it was that the piebald
mare struck the gate with her sEoul-
der before HuGhie realized that he
was near it; we rode through and
followed Davie in single file as he
picked up the tract on old Mosquito.
The clouds parted little, and thin
wisp of moon showed above the river
timber. Davie shook Mosquito into
canter.
We could hear Hammond grum-
bling behind us as his old mare STUN
bled in the wheel tracts, but our lead
MI an hitT N fr
song; he had an eye like a hawk,
and the perfect confidence in his
horse that exists only between the
superb horseman and his mount; be-
hind him we struggled along, trust
ing to luck. At last far ahead a
light twinkled, another and another,
and the township doomed before us.
The lighted verandas of the hotels
were black with people.
quite crowd" said Davie, cheer
fly, tapping his pipe bowl on the
pommel of his saddle.
We drew rein in front of Donald
sons, and some one shouted from
the veranda, Here come the Mulga
boys"
We stabbed our horses under a
brush shed behind the hotel, and
cianked along the boards in our trail
ing spurs to mingle in the crowd and
drink success to Grimthrope's Buck
jump Show.
The walls of Donaldson's bar were
plastered with posters of magnifi-
cent black horse, bucking furlously
beneath wiry horseman, who smiled
down upon the barroom loafers, hat
in hand. Under this picture was
written:
STEAM ENGINE.
s10 to the Man Who Can Sit Him
For Two Minutes in
Naked Saddle.
In little knots of two and three the
bushmen stood and drained their
glasses, and everywhere the talk was
of Grimthrope and his horses.
II saw the show up in Rockhamp-
ton last year." said Daily Stevens,
the drover, land, take it from me,
the black horse can buck; he threw
four our best men one after the 9TH
er; there isn't chap in this Lachlan
Country that could follow him for
two bucks, and my moneys ready to
back what say!"
Nov then, you Mulga boys" said
some one, take him up; he's only
talking; those show horses are only
tricky; man who can ride can do
what he likes with EN-"
Some of 'em can buck, some of
'em can't" said Hughie, with wise
shake of his head. II want to see
this horse first"
We'll, let's get down to The show, "
said Dave, linking his arm in mine;
.~come along, Billy"
In the township a steady stream
of people was pouring into the large
tent erected on a vacant piece of land
below Loughran's Hotel. AS we paid
our money at the door gust of wind
shook the canvas, and few heavy
drops began to fall.
Our party took seats together, and
presently the show began. The first
part of the program consisted of some
clever high Jumping by two gray
horses, and some trick riding by
Grimthrope's men; one of these
dressed as clown did some clever
tumbling off bucking pony, falling
OF in every conceivable attitude, and
always in perfect safety, at once gain
ing the good opinion of the crowd
This was followed by clever exhi-
bftion Of stock whip cracking and
lasso throwing; then there was an
Interval of ten minutes before the i'm
portant work of the evening began
the challenge riding of Grim
thrope's buckjumpers.
A sturdy little roam horse was led
fnto the. ring, and Grimthrope came
forward and announced that ore OF
his men would ride the horse, no.
torious buckjumper from the Film
ders River, and that afterward s5
would be given to any man in the
audience who would remain on his
back for two minutes. A murmul
Of approval greeted this sporting of.
der, and the crowd settled down tc
watch while the half-caste rider sad.