Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1854-10-07

"'S We S"iHS W uU' uSihahuSu VI lHt
Colonel.
Draw lots which of US two shall lear
into the ravine.'
II was In fact the sole means Of resolv
ing the difficulty. There are neverthe
less some precautions To take said tho
Colonel. 'Ile who shall be con1emnet
by the lot shall retire backwards. Ii viii
be but feeble chance Of escape for hlm
admit; but in shor', it is chance. anl
especially one in favor Of the winner
You cling not to life then!' cried
out, terrified at the sang .frOid with which
this proposition was put TO me.
! 1 cling 10 life more than yourself,
sharply replied the Colonel, for | have Q
mortal outrage TO nvenge. But time is
slipping away. Are you ready 10 proceed
to draw the last lottery at which one Of
us will ever assist
How were we 10 proceed to this draw
ing by Io'? BY means of the wet liug ar,
like infants, or by head and tail, like the
school boys' Both ways were impracti.
CABLE. Our hands imprudently stretched
out over the heads Of our horses, might
cause them to give a fearful start
Should we toss up piece of coin, the
night was too dark for us to distinguish
which side fell upwards. The Colonel
belhought himself Of an expedienl OF
which never should have dreamed.
'Lissen 10 me. ..Cap,ain,' said the Colo.
mel TO whom | mad communicated my per-
plexities; Il have another way. The
Terror of which our horses feel makes
them draw every moment burning
breath. The first of us two whose horse
shall neigh
'Wins!' | hastily exclaimed
'Not so---ahall be the loser. | know
you are q counrymen, aud as such you
can do whatever y II plelse with your
horse. As TO myself, who but last year
wore gov. of a theological student,
fear your equestrian prowess. You may
be alb e to mike your horse neigh-to
hinder him from doing So is very differ
ent matter
We waited in decd and anxious silence
until The voice of one of oar horses should
break forth. Tho ST ence lasted for n
minule-for an age! Ii was my horse
who ighed first. The Colonel gave no
external manfes. atoms of his Joy, but no
doubt he thanked Cod to the very bottom
OF his soul.
You will allow me minute to make
my peace with heaveh? | said to the
Colonel, with f,lIering voice.
'WiIl five minu'es be sufficient
1T will, replied. The Colonel pull.
ed out his wa ch. | addressed towards
the heavens, brilliant white stars, which
though | was looking up to for the last
time, an intense and Il burning prayer.
1T is time,' said The Colonel.
answered nothing, and with firm
hand gathered up the Bride of my horse,
and drew it within my fingers, which
we're agilated with nervous treamor
Yet one moment more said to the
Colonel, for have need Of all my cool,
ness TO carry into execution the fearful
manoevre which l am about to commence
Granted replied Gardino.
My ]ucation, as have told you, had
been in The country. My childhood, and
part of my earliest youth, had almost been
passed on horseback. may say with
out ho'sering myself, that if there was
any one in the world capable Of executingl
the equestrion feat, it was myself. raj.
lied myself with an almost supernatura
effort. and succeeded in recovering my en-
tire self possession in the face of death.
Take it at the worst, had already braved
it two often to be any longer alarmed at
it. From that ins.ant dared to hope
afreSh.
As soon as my horse felt for the first
time since my rencontre with the Colonel
the bit COMPRISING his mouth | perceived
that he trembled beneath me. | strength.
ened myself firmly on my stirrups, 10
make the terrified animal understand that
his matter no longer trembled. l held
him up with the bride on the names, us
every good horseman does in a dangerous
passage. and,o with the bride, the body
and the spur together, succeeded in back
ing him a few PAGES. His head was
already greater distance from that of
the horse of the Colonel, who encouraged
me all he could with his voice. This
dune, left the poor trembling brute, who
obeyed me in spite Of his terror, repose
for a few moments and then recommended
the same manoeuvre. All Of sudden,
| felt his hind legs give way under me-
A horrible shudder ran through my whole
frame. Iclosed my eyes as if to roll to
the bottom OF the abyss, and gave to
my body violent impulse on the side
next to hacienda, the surface of which of.
fered not single turf of weeds to check
by descent. This sudden movement
joined 10 the desperate struggle of my
horse was the salvation of my life. He
had sprung up again on his legs, whick
seemed ready to fall from under him, SO
desperately did I feel them tremble.
! had succeeded in reaching between