The Mountain Stage.

Henry M. Hoyt, Jr. The Pacific Monthly, December, 1908.

 

PITCHIN’ on the precipice, sluggin’ through the sand,
(Got ‘em runnin’ easy now, holdin’ with one hand);
Playin’ with the chinkin’ bits, pullin’ on the load—
That’s the way to bring ‘er out,
String ‘er out,
Swing ‘er out,
With all the hosses goin’ fine, a-tearin’ down the road!

Sloppin’ in to take the ford, splashin’ through the water,
(Almost lost a leader here, when an eddy caught ‘er);
Mired up above the hubs—givin’ ‘em the lash—
That’s the way to swing ‘er up,
Bring ‘er up,
Fling ‘er up.
With whip a-snappin’ round their ears, an’ leanin’ from the dash!

Slewin’ roun’ the mountain-side, bangin’ on the boulders,
(Hear the creakin’ collars strain, hard aginst their shoulders);
Sparks a-flyin’ from their feet, dust-clouds in our wake—
That ‘s the way to string ‘er in,
Fling ‘er in,
Swing ‘er in,
With double wraps aroun’ my hands, and both feet on the brake!