CHAPTER XI 

 " COLTS 



On glancing through these Journal scraps I can 

 well see that from them the impression may be 

 gathered that Valley life is destitute of social joys, 

 as also unacquainted with that intensive culture of 

 Amusement per se, that not-a-moment-unprovided- 

 with-diversion programme, deemed by the many 

 necessary to existence. This lamentable state of 

 affairs does not apply to our condition. But one 

 cannot be a good ranchwoman and many other kinds 

 of a woman all in the same breath, and, I must also 

 confess that, unless shelved (and bored) by illness, 

 I have been able to occupy and even amuse myself 

 sufficiently without hunting things wherewith "to 

 pass away the time." In the Valley my ranch, my 

 household and its human (or other) contents, the 

 healthseekers and a few chosen friends made time 

 appear as a rather valuable commodity. 



And there was certainly one diversion which 

 never palled, and that was the training of colts. 

 Mine are sent out into the world absolutely fearless, 

 and every horseman knows what that means and 

 how tiresome a shying horse can be. Further, no 

 colt of mine has ever failed to pull true, no matter 

 how trying the circumstances. Of course I was ex- 

 ceedingly lucky in my helpers, first a neighbor boy 



