Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1852-11-25
The Moonlight Ride.

4 A number OF years ago, a gentle
man in Clydesdale offered me stu
ation as head groom, which ! accept
ed. He had one horse which va
kept in stable by himself, and Was
without exception, the ugliest ans
most savage animal of bis kind | ha'
ever seen. There was not singl
point ola strong or fast horse abou
him. e e was as black as charcoal
be was d AIMED Satan, and richly di(
no deserF e the name. He would q,
at you, like a dog, with his teeth
attempt to beat you down with hi
fore-leet; aud strike round D corne
at you with his hind ones. He hac
beaten off all therough-riderss grooms
and jockeys ir that part Of th . coun
ny.
/ After being in the place for 4 few
days, l was asked by the gentlema n
IF / thought could Ike anything
of Satan. 1 replied that if he beal
me, he would be the first horse which
had eyer done so; but still consid'
cred him to be far the most savage
had ever seen
TRY him tomorrow atone 0 clock,
said he, rs he turned to go away; q
will have few friends with me tc
see how you succeed"
/ determined, however, to Try him
that night, and without any witness
es to see whether ! suceeededor not
My room was over the stables, and
as the moon did not rise till eleven
O'Clock, threw myself upon the bed
clothes, ana contrary to nay intention
fell asleep. When l awoke, it was
twelve, the moon was shining bright
~, and rendering everything az visl-
bic as it were day.
l went down to the stable with a
Bride prepared for the purpo Sc, and
a heavily-loaded whip IN my hand. =
l knew that it would be impossible to
saddle him; and, indeed ! would be
safer on his bareback, in the event
of throwing himself down. | opened
the stable-d6or gently, and there he
was prone on his side, his legs and
neck stretched out, as l had often
seen horses lying after sore fatigue.
I clapped my knee upon his head,
loosed the collar that bound him, slip
ped the bit into his mouth, buckled
the throat-band, raised his feet, and
backed him out, and leaped upon his
back before he had time to get his
eyes wide on ened. But open them
how he did, and that with o ven
geance; he paved, and struck the
walls with his fore-fect, till the fire
flashed froIa the stones; and then be
reared till be fell back u pom the pave
|ment. / was prepared for this, and
Slipped of him as he went down, and
then leaped on him again as he rose.
/ had not as yet touched him with
whip, bride or spur; bit now | gave
him the curb and the spur at the
same instant. he gave one mad
bound, and then went off at ratio
lhat completely eclipsed the speed Of
The feetest horse | had ever ridden.
lie could not trot, but bis gallop was
tnapproachable, and consisted in a
succession Of leaps, performed with a
precision, velo city, and strength, abb
solutely beWilderlng-
/ He fairly overturned ell ny pre-
eoaceived actions of a fast horse. On
be thundered, till We came under the
Shadow of a fir-wood, and then, wheth-
Or out Of mischief or dread of the
bark ness, he halted instantaneous
His fore-leet SO close together that
H GU might have put them into buck
1t. Owing to the depression of his
Ehoulder8-for he had no more with
srs than an ass-the way that he
Eerked down his head, and the sud-
HennAss of the stop, a monkey, al
though he had been holding 7on With
his teeth, must have been unseated-
For me, l was pitched along over MS
head, but aiighted upon a spot SO
soft and messy, that it looked as If
some kind hand had purposely pre-
pared it for me. Had | been in the
least stunned, or unable to gain my
feet, that instant he would have torn
me to pieces With his teeth, and beat
en- my manglsd body into the earth
with his hools. But at once sprang
to my feet, and faced him. ] could
have escaped by leaping into the
wood; but my blood was up, my ban