Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 June 1884 — It Made Him Suspicious. [ARTICLE]

It Made Him Suspicious.

“You never rode a genuine bucking mustang, did you?” inquired a gentleman who had just returned from a Western trip. “Of course not Yau ought to indulge in the luxury. It iai a luxury to an Eastern man, because therfe ate so few who can, or have any of it. It is hilarious and delightfully sensational in the extreme. I tried it white I was up at Blackhawk, about 30 miles up among the mountains west of Denver. I wouldn’t take $lO for my experience, and you can bet your sweet life money wouldn’t tempt me to experience it again. You see the boys wanted to show me about the hills and mountains, and in order to givh me the full benefit it was decided that we go horseback. Well, the boys are satisfied that I got a full benefit, anyway. Now, I always thought I was a good judge of horse-flesh. lam in any other section of the country than out there. The rare atmosphere of that country makes a man lose all confidence in his judgment, especially if he has relied upon it as to distance, and started out oh what he thought was a half an hour’s walk, to find that to make the distance, in twenty-four hours, with a good team of horses, would be making rapid time. Well, as deceptive as your judgment may be in distances, it is not, under any circumstances, to be depended upon to pass an opinion, mental or otherwise, on a horse. Why, hang it, an Eastern man hasn’t any confidence left to depend on after a week’s sojourn in that country. When the boys brought the horses around in front of the hotel, I couldn’t help but notice one of the lot, which seemed born to lead funeral processions, or else given to deep thought on things other than those which a horse is supposed to think about. All thought of racing, jumping, and squealing, which seemed to occupy the minds of his half-dozen fellow-horses, didn’t seem to have any place in his_ brain. No, he was not of that order. I heard one of the boys call him ‘ Deacon,’ and that settled it. That was the horse I would ride. I got onto him, and he started off all right; but, now I come to think about it, there was an unusual interest taken in me and that horse the moment I said I would ride him. We had gone, may ho, half a block, when we began to canter. I then noticed that my horse had something on his mind; or. as it now seems, on his -back, which he seemed to want to be relieved of; but, before T’could determine what to do about it, I had been about four feet up in the air, landed again in the saddle, began to see comets by the million, was up in the air again, landed again, and bit my tongue, and then the darned beast seemed to have an idea that I wanted him to waltz. I never took such a whirl in all my born days. He waltzed around about a dozen times, and then made a most peculiar movement—jumped off all four feet, landed in the road with his feet drawn together, and his back humped up worse than a camei’s. I didn’t land in the saddle this time, as before, but somehow—-I don’t exactly remember how it was done—l found myself sitting in the road. I think I must have sunk the back of my pants about two feet right into the solid earth, so unexpected was the meeting. When I fully realized that I had changed base, I turned to look for my horse, and there he stood, with his nose within a foot of me, looking as solemn and uninterested as a Chinese laundryman. What about my companions? Well, they were all doubled up with cramps, I should judge by their looks; but by the noise they made, I think they must have seen something funny to laugh at. I wasn’t discouraged, but I don’t believe I’ll ever have another attack of dyspepsia. If ever a man’s stomach gets out o’ kilter, a bucking horse will shake everyback into place. Well, I was bound to ride that horse or die in the attempt. I remounted, and before I was fairly seated in the saddle away he went licketylane, my coat-tails sticking out so you could play chess on them if you could have kept up with us, when he came to a ditch. This he jumped, then he went over a fence into a man’s barn-yard, about a mile from where we started, and dumped me again by suddenly stopping without giving me notice of hrs intentions. Now you know as well as I that that was taking advantage of me, a stranger; and, not being used to the customs of the country, I went right on over the horse’s head, and lit on the ground in such a peculiar manner as to fresco my face and rake every button off my vest. That settled it. I didn’t want to ride horseback any more that day, and ever after that I was as suspicious of every sober-looking horse or pious-looking mule that I met in Colorado. Why, a pious-looking man couldn’t enjoy my company. I was so darned ’fraid he’d get excited and buck and do some damage I couldn’t be agreeable.” When asked if he would recommend horseback riding as an exercise, he said: “Walk if you are able; if not, don’t ride.”— Pick’s Sun.