Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1854-07-27


prairie, and just as ! expected, tt
whole land we covered with waite
and looked like a big pond. ] coul
see it shining clear across to the oti
er side Of the opening As luc
would have it, could just get
glimpse of the trees on the far sid
of the prairie. There was a big clum
of cypress trees that | could Sc
plain enough; ] knew this was clos
to my neighbor's shanty, SO | gav
:. my creature the switch, and strucl
right for it. AS left the timbe
! the mare was up to her hips Q
course l expected a good deal 9
heavy wading, but | bad no idea tn
water would get much higher; ther
lis where | made my mistake hat
not got moro than couple of mile
out, when | discovered tfe Eater ri
sing fapidly, for noticed the mar,
was getting deeper aud deeper. j
was no use turning back now.
would lose the mare to a dead Ger
tainty, if did not succeed in making
the high ground; so / spoke 10 The
creature to do her best aud keep on
The poor beast did not need any
whipping-she knew as we'll as my
self there was danger, and she was
doing her best and no msfa ke.-
Still the water rose, and kept rising
until it came clear up to her sholl'
ders. l began to feel frightened it
earnest. We were not more than
half way across, and | thought if il
rose much more we would have tC
swim for it. / was not far astray
about that. The minute after il
seemed to deepen suddenly, as il
there were a hollow in the prairie. !
heard the mare give loud 'gonl,
and then go down till was up TO
the waist. She rose again the next
minute, but could tell from the
smooth riding that she was off the
bottom. She was swimming, and
no mistake.
'Atfrst / thought of heading her
back to the shanty, and drew her
round with that intent; but turn her
which way ! would, found she could
no longer touch bottom. | guess,
stranger, ! was9in a. quandary about
then. / began.to think that both
my own and my mares time. had
come in earnest, for | had 10 idea
that the creature could ever swim to
the other side, especially with me on
her back, and particularly as at that
time my ribs were heavier than the,
now are. was not much under two
hundred at the time, and that no
light weight, | reckon. Well, vas
about reckoning up. | got to think
ing about Mary and the children, aud
the old shanty in the Mississippi, and
a heap of things that ! had left un-
settled, and that now came into my
mind to trouble me. The mare Was
still plunging ahead; but | observed
she was sinking deeper and deeper.
and fast losing her strength aud |.
knew she could not hold out mach
longer. / thoughr at this time That
if got off her back, and took held
of her tail, she uligbt manage a III
tie better. Sol tipped backwards
over her hips, and elqng to the long
hair. 1t did do some good for she
swan higher; but We got mighty
slow through the water, and ! iia't
but little hopfs We should rsacn
land.
Il was towed in this way about a
quarter of mile, when sried some
thing floating On the water little
aheatl. It had grown considerably
darker; but there was still light
enough to show me that the thing
was log. An idea now entere my
head that might save myself by ta-
king to the log The niare FR.uid
then have a better chance for herself;
and, maybe, when easea Of dragging
me, who was keeping her back, she
might make footing somewhere. 30
| waited till she got little closer,
and then, letting go of her tail, !
clasped the log, and craMled on tois-
The mare swan on, apparently WITH
out missing me- saw her disappear
through the darkness; but ] did not
as much as say good bye to her.
for / was afraid tina tiny voice inlgsit
bring her back again, and sher might
strike the log with her booss.and
s,shammel' it about. So | layqalet,
and let her have her own way. a