The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-09-03
D0NAI n 1OWR1FDS SI()RY Back in Prison VII!
FOXY
GRANDPA

SAM going to ride Paloma
"A again this year, Don
Poncho?" I asked the Spanish
guide in charge Of the horses on
the ranch where I was visiting
in California.
Isl, senor," answered the gal
liant old Spaniard, whose ances-
tors had at one time owned q
great part of that country, re-
ceiving it as a grant from the
Spanish king, when Slain owned
that beautiful part of America.
'That's fine" said. i like
Paloma. He Is a fine horse and
COED on these mountain trails"
"He is good horse" said DON
Poncho. Goodness life! He 90
everywhere a goat go. Just give
him his head on hard trail and
he will carry you safely"
/ was just about to ride out
of the corral when the Don called
me back.
Foxy Grandpa" said he.
Don't go near the. buffaloes.
Paloma, he no like them. One
charged him once and he fright
ened. But nothing else brighten
Paloma. He like his name
Dove"
And Paloma was as gentle as
a dove, although he was a great
big strong horse which could
carry up and down the steepest
trails without stumbling once.
He. was a pretty horse, too. They
called him q buckskin-he was
just the color of coffee, when you
put a lot of cream in 1t. How
did like to ride over those noun.
tains on Paloma and hear the
clinking of the silver trappings
on his bride, which long ago
had been the pride Of some old
Navajo chief.
Whenever I stopped, Paloma
turned his head around and
looked at me as il to say:
Foxy Grandpa, are you hay'
ing a nice rider"
''Paloma, you're a good horse
and you're taking me on a fine
ride. You're such sensible
horse, too, Paloma. When the
bees sting you, you don't go
crazy but keep your head even
then. You'll have three Jumps OF
sugar when we get home"
So on this day I am telling
you about, Paloma took me for
a long ride. rode over noun
tain back of the ranch and across
a ridge and down into a canyon
where there was a. beautiful
stream.
Paloma stopped In the middle
of the stream and swished his
nose around in the water and
had a feeling that he was laugh
ing at me when he splashed
water on my best London riding
boots.
Then / started up out of the
canyon and headed up noun.
tain which would lead me out In
front of the ranch. Because
wanted to stop on the top of the
mountain and look down at the
Pacific to see the red sun drop
into her quiet waters.
So up we started. Several times
I stopped Paloma to let him
blow. because YOU see am no
featherweight and / often feel
sorry for the faithful horse as
he carries me up steep gradse.
l went a little further and
then PaIoma stopped of his own
accord. That was funny. He had
never done that before.
Whats the trouble?" asked
Paloma, but Paloma only shifted
and trembled a little.
1 couldn't imagine what the
trouble was and tried to urge
him on. But my %Paloma-my
beautiful sensible Paloma was as
stubborn as a mule! / argued
and / prodded Paloma with my
heels. But it didn't work. Final
ly Paloma quietly and politely
turned his head. Down the metn-
tain he started and took me
right down to the stream!
l looked up as we started down
and then knew what the trou.
bic was. For just over the brow
OF the big hill / saw the great
heads of five buffaloes appear
and then their awkward shout
ders. Paloma had smelt the buff
faloes before he saw them and
he wasn't going to take me or
himself into any danger.
/ gave Paloma six Jumps OF
sugar that night when we got
back to the ranch.