Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1851-01-09

uoISe, take the red mackinaw from my SADDLE
aud display it over the 'nopals.'
i | had come to this resolution when all at once
my eye rested upon a clay colored line in the
; prairie, about hundred yards beyond the poin
where the animals were feeding 1t was evident
lly break in the surface of the plain-a buffalo
road, perhaps the bed of an arroyo. In ethe
case, the very shelter wanted, and the game was
approaching it step by step as they fed. The ques
tion now was, could reach this hollow in time
and giving up the plan of spreading my blanket
| resolved to make the attempt Creeping back
out ofthe thicket, and leaving my horse where
had tied him, ran alongside of the ridge towards
the point where noticed it was depressed to the
prairie level. On reaching this point, to my sur
prise l found myself on the bank of broad arro-
20, whose waters ran slowly over bed of sand
and gypsum. The banks were low, no, over three
feet above the surface, except where the ridge i'm.
pigned upon the stream Here there was bigh
bluff. and hurryng down to its base, entered the
channel and commenced wad;ng upward. AS
had anticipated, soon reached bend, where the
stream after running parallel to the RIDGE struck
upon huge rock, and sweeping round to the
looked cautiously over the bank. The antelopes
had approached within fifty yards of the arroyo,
but still quietly cropping the grass; and once more
bending back proceeded up the stream. The
bed of the arroyo was soft and yielding, and / was
compelled to lift my feet with caution, lest their
snlashing might disturb the game. After weary
drag Of several hundred yards | came to an arte
mesia bush which grew solitary upon the top Of
the bank must be high enough thought I.
clutched nv rife firmly, bringing it to the level
then slowly raised myself and looked through
the leaves of the artemesa. | was in the right
spot, and sighting the heart of the buck l fired.
He leaped three feet from the ground, and fell
back again lifeless lump.
was about to rush forward and secure nv
prize, when | observed the doe (nstead of bound
ing away, as expected) run up to her fallen part
ner, and press her tapering nose to his body
She was not more than twenty yards from me,
and | could painly see that her look was one of
inquiry and bewilderment. All at once she SEEM
ed to comprehend the fatal truth, and throwing
back her head commenced uttering the most pit
eous cries, at the same time running in circles a.
round the dead body of her mate.
stood watering between..t two minds My first
intention was to load and kill the deer, but her
strange and plaintive cries, entered my heart and
completely disarming me Of all hostile feeling
nay, more. began to feel remorse for what | had
already done. Had ! dfeampt of Witnessing a
spectacle so painful as the one before me, should
never have left the trail. Jerked bull' for a
month"; and half rations at that, would have been
happiness to what | endured as ! listened and
looked upon this strange scene. But the mis-
chief was now DONE : / have worse than killed
her, thought sit will be best to despatch her at
once, and IN this way relieve her of all pain
Actuated by the principles of common, but to
her fatal, humanity, rested the butt of my rife
and reloaded. With guilty look and faltering
hand raised the piece and fired. My hand was
steady enough to do the work. When the somke
foated aside, could see the little creature bleed
ing upon the grass her head resting upon the body
of her murdered mate
shouldered my rifle and was about to move
forward, when to my astOnshn,ent ] found my
self held by the feet, and firmly as if my boots
had been screwed in a rice /! | made an effort to
raise my legs but could neither raise one nor the
other another effort more violent was equally un-
successful--a third more desperate, and losing
my balance. fell back with splash into the wa
ter. Half sufocated, | endeavored to recover my
upright position. This easily accomplished, as
my knees were already below the surface of sand,
and, in fact, now bent with difficulty. On my feet
again, what could doi I was still fast as before
could neither move forward nor backwards to
he right or lelt-and became sensible that was
gradually going down deeper and deeper Then
he fearful truth flashed upon mel scds sinking
n quicksand!
feeling Of horror ran through me. / renew
ID my efforts with the energy OF desperation. l
,ent to one side, then to the other almost pulling
ny legs from their sockets, but my feet-I could
lot move them an inch The soft, clingy sand, /,
llready oyertopped my horseskin boots, wedging
hem around my Leg SO that yanly endeavored
o draw them forth; and could feel that was
'iIll sinking, slowly but surely, as though some
'orrd monster was leisurly dragging me down.
ward The very thought was horror, and / cried
aloud for help. To whom There was no ore
within mles-no living thing. Yes the neigh
u my horse answered me from the hill, mocking
ny despair. @
| bent forward as we'll as my constrained posi-.
ion would allow, and with phrenzed fingers,
ommenced tearing up the sand. could barely
ouch my feet the little hollow was able TO :,