Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1843-07-22

uers IOr larletonS immediate return.
The morn had just begun 10 dappe with
its struggling beams the Eastern sky,
when solitary horsemnn was seen TO en-
erge from the deep shadows of the forest,
and to urge his dropping and draggIed
steed towards the nearest ouiposts Of the
British encampment. Both showed evil
dent signs of a ragged road, through tan.
gled thicket and deep morass, while the
spent look of the weary horse, and the
parched lip and bloodshot eye of the III
der, told that they had not tarried by the
way. That horseman was The messenger
of CORVALLIS, and the narrator in after
days of the following incident:
As soon (suys the old Tory as came
in view of the British lines, | fastened 10
deliver myself up to the nearest patrol, in.
forming him that | was the bearer of impor-
tant dispatches from Lord CORVALLIS to
Tarleton. The guard was Immediately
called out, the commander OF which, taxi
ing me in charge, carried me at once to
Tarleton's marque. A servant informed
him Of my arrival, and returned immedi-
ately with the answer that his master
would see me after while, and that in
the mean time | was to await his pleasure
where | then was. The servant was
grave and sedaie looking Englishman, be.
tween 80 and go years of age, and inform
ed me tina: he had known Col. Tarleton
from his earliest youth, having lived for
many years in the family of his father, a
worthy clergyman, at whose particular re.
quest he had followed the Colonel TO this
country, with the view that, if overtaken
by disease and suffering in his headlong
career, he might have some one near him
who had known him ere the pranksome
mischief of the boy had hardened into the
sterner vices of the man. ale was al
ways wild, blade friend" (said the old
many sand many heart-ache has he Civ.
en- us all, but he mend in time, hope"
Just then my attention was attracted by the
violent plungings of a horse, which two
stout grooms, one on each side were en-
deavoring TO lead towards the spot where
we were standing. He was large and
powerful brute, beautifully formed, and
black us a crow, with an eye that seemed
actually to blaze with rage, at the re-
straint which was put upon him. His
progress was one, continued hound, at
times swinging the grooms ciepr from The
earth, as lightly as though they were but
tasses hung on TO the huge Spanish bit,
so that with difficulty they escaped being
trampled under foot. asked the mean.
ing of the scene, and was informed that
the horse was one that Tarleton had heard
Of as being magnificent animal, but one
manageable; and SO delight
ed was he with 'he description, that he
sent all the way down into Moore Coun-
ty, where his owner resided, and purchas-
ed him at the extravagant price Of one
hundred guineas; and that, moreover, he
was about to ride him that morning.
"Ride hint" said !, "why one had as well
try to back streak of lightning 1.-THE
brute will certainly be the death of him."
"Never fear for him." said may compan-
ion; "never fear for him, his time has not
come YET" BY this time the horse had
been brought up to where we were; the
curtain of the Marque was pushed aside
and my attention was drawn from the
savage Stud, to rivet itselfupon his daunt-
less rider. And a picture of a man ne
was. Rather below the middle hight, and
with q face almost feminently beautiful,
Tarleton possessed form that was per-
feet model of manly strength and vigor.-
Without particle of superauous flesh, his
rounded limbs and full broad chest seemed
moulded from iron, yet at the same time
displaying all The elasticity which usually
elegance Of proportion. His
dress (strange as it may appear) was
Jacket and breeches of white linen, fitted
to his form with the utmost exaciness.-I
Boots of russell leather we're half way up
the leg, the broad tops ofwhich were turn
ed down, and the heels garnished with
spurs of an immense size and length oil
rowel. On his head was low crowned
hat, curiously formed from the snow white
feathers OF the Swan; and in his hand he
carried a heavy scourge, with shot well
twisted into its knotted lash. Alter look.
ing round for a moment or two, as though
TO command the attention of all, he ad-
vanced to the side of the horse, and dis.
daining the use of the stirrup, with one
bound threw himself into the saddle, al
the same time calling on the grooms to let
him 60. For an instant the animal seem
ed paralyzed; then, with perfect yell oil
rage, bounded into the air like stricken
deer.
The struggle for the mastery had COM
succeeded bound with the
rapidity OF thought; every device which IFS
animal instinct could teach was resorted
TO by the maddened brute to shake of IFS
burthen-but in vain. Its
ruthless rider proved irresistible-and,