Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1851-11-26

| UuIHIuS oiCatA' uC AtoC Va NS WV "AoSS
horse shall neigh
Il0II ~. - j0DSf / Know MA
you are couia MAN, md such as can dc
whatever you please with your horse. As fol
myself who but last year wore the gown Of {
theological student, fear your equestrian pow
ers. You may be able to make your horse neigh
to hinder him from doing SO is very differ
ent matter
We waited in deep and anxious silence until
the voice of one Of our horses should break
forth. This silence lasted for minute-for an
age! 1t was my horse who neighed the first
The Colonel gave no external manifestation Of
Joy. but no doubt he thanked God to the very
bottom of his soul.
"You will low me minute to make my
peace with heaven" l said to the Colonel
with failing voice.
"Will five minutes be sufficient
1t will replied.
The Colonel drew out his watch ! address.
sed towards the heavens, brilliant with stars
which l was looking up to for the last time, an
int,n e and burning prayer.
1t is time said the Colonel.
Yet one moment more said to the Colo
mel, for have need of al my GOODNESS, to car
ry into execution the fearful maneuvre which
l am about to commence.
"Granted' replied Garduno
My education, as had told you. had been in
the country. My childhood, and part of my
earliest YOUTH had almost been passed on
horseback. may say without fatterlng my
self, that if there was any one in the world ca
pable of executing this equestrian feet, it was
myself. l rallied myself with an almost super.
natural effort, and succeeded in recovering NV
entire selfpossession in the very face of death
Take it at the worst, had always braved it
too often to be any longer alarmed at it. From
that instant dared to hope afresh
As soon as my horse felt, for the first tine
since my recontre with the Colonel, the bi,
COMPRISING his mouth. I perceived that he
trembIed beneath me l strengthened myself
in the stirrups. to make the terrified animal un.
derstand that his master no longer trembled -
| held up with the bride and the hams, as every
good horseman does in dangerous passage
and, with the bride, the body and the spur
together, succeeded in backing HIM few PAGES
His head was already greater distance from
that of the horse of the Colonel. who encourag-
ed me all he could with his voice. This done
let the poor trembling brute who oheyed me
in spite of his terror, repose himself for few
moment>-and then recommended the same
manGnvre. All on sudden felt his hind legs
give way under me. | closed my eyes as if
abont to roll to the bottom of the abyss, and
gave my body violent impulse on the side
next to the hacienda, the surface of which Of
fered not single projection, not single tuft
of weeds to check my descent. This sudden
movement joined to the desperate struggles Of
my horse, was the salvation of my life He had
sprung up again on his legs, which seemed
ready to fall from under him, SO desperately did
l feel them tremble.
had succeeded in reaching, between the
brink OF the precpice and the wall of the bnl
ding. spot some few inches broader. A few
more would have enabled me to turn round. but
to attempt it here would have been fatal, and |
dared not venture. l sought to resume nv
backward progress step by step. Twice the
morse threw himself upon his hind legs. and
fell down in the same spot. 1t was in vain to
urge him anew, either with voice. bride, or
spur; the animal obstlnate'y refused to take a
single step in the rear. Nevertheless, did not
feel my courage yet exhausted. for had no
desire to die. One last and solitary chance of
safety suddenly appeared to me like fash of
light, and resolved to employ it. Through
the fastenings of my boot, and in reach of my
hand, was passed a sharp and keen knife,
which drew from its sheath. With my left
hand began carcssing the name Of my horse
all the while letting him hear my voice. The
poor animal replied to my caress by plain
tive neighing: then. not to alarm him abruptly,
my hand followed by little 4 little the curve of
his nervous neck. and finally rested upon the
spot where the last Of the vertabra unites itself
with craneum. The horse trembled but calm
cd him with my voice. When i felt his very
life, so to speak. palpita'e in his brain beneath
my fingers, leaned over towards the wall, nv
feet gently slid from the sirrups, and with one
vigorous blow buried the blade of my point.
ed knife in the seat Of the vital principle The
animal fell as if thunderstorm, without sin
gle motion; snd. for myself, with my knees al
most as high as my chin, found myself on
horseback across a corpse. was saved! l
uttered triumphant cry, which was responded
to by the Colonel, and which the abyss echo
eG with hollow sound, as if it felt that its
prey had escaped from it. quilted the sad
die, sat myself down between the wall and the
body of my horse. and vigorously pushed with
my feet against the carcass of the wretched ami
NAL, which rolled down into the abyss. l then
arose, and cared in a few bounds the distance
which separated the place where was from
the plain and under the irresistible reaction
of the terror which had so long repressed, /
sunk in swoon upon the ground. When
re-opeued my eyes the Colonel was by my
side.
o..l4. Il 4 !. l.