Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-12-11


!. Onward We pushed, over hill aud va
: ley, across the streams aud ravinei
in headlong flight, pursuars and pul
sued.
Fl The timber which marked th
camp grew more and more distinct
now for a moment more concealed b,
intervening hills, aud again, as W
/ aeW2over their SUBMITS, rising near
er and clearer to view. My hors,
was rapidly failing-great fakes 0
foam flew from his mouth. Covered
with mud and drenched with sweat
be still, however, toiled gallantly on
ward, spurning the sod of the prai
rie with his flying hoofs. But ths
goal was nearly won. Oh, If BIZ
held bis pace little loBgerl The
tifeless mustangs of the Indians. nc
match for bis. feet limbs in a short
stretch, exhibited their wonderful
powers of endurance. Onward they
swept. after Us with undiminished
speed, their unshorn names and
sweeping tails, mingling with the
flowing drapery of the wild riders
flying out upon the Wind.
The timber banks OF the aLittle
Blue, " which had so eagerly longed
for, bad. for some moments been con-
,cealeG bysa long but gently swelling
ascent, the summit Of which | Was ap-
preaching. If from here the white
wagons of our camp should be visi-
bic oyer the upiDterrupting plain, j
should yet reach them. ;.;....,. -, !.
But, oh! if another of these inter.
minable ridges should. intervene! =
My poor horse was ON his last legs.
But to perish in sight Of safety, to
be taken in Yiew4of the camp by these
implacable. sayages! Mybrain teeln-
ed with these maddcning doubts as
] neared the spot, which was to- de-
eide my fate, aud / trsnbled with
eagerness for the view which might
eonsign me to despair. -
i neared sethe summit; another
bound and we went oTery and flying
with .faltering steps down long in,
elination which swept t7away in gentle
undulations, to the longed for timber,
still about mile ahead. i. strained
my eyes for indications Of comrades;
anu, on! rapture unspeakable, far
away, but directly before me, at the
base Of, the long dark line Of cotton
wood, in full view of the painting fu-
gitiye, doomed up the white circle Of
ntS~and wagon tops-dearer to my
gaze than to the deseri-worn
pilgrim the lofty minarets and mar,
bic palaces of Eastern story. 4
A shout Of triumph an3 exulta-
ton burst from my lips aa | discoy-i
cred the welcome scene and recog-
nizeds the. gate of my deliveranco.
looked back One after another Of
the savages came bounding over the
ridge pressing on With the,Sild fury
Of disappointed rage. But their
practiced eyes were not SLOW to dis
cover my refuge, and one after au-
other pulled up. his painting steed !
and gazed with malgnity after their
victim. he@ i
But was saved; Covered With
foam and sweat, my gallant preserv-
err burst into the camp, and, as i
sprang from the saddle into the midst
Of my startled com, ddes. with o
groau Of exhaustion be sank quivcr-
Ing. to the. earth. The faithful crea-
ture bad teiisd TO thes last; he had
done his best, bis powers were ex-I
hausted, aud yielding at last to ut.
ter plostra!ion, he stretched bis wea-
ry Embs upon the. isward, and i
tbought that the last race Of my gall
liant grey was run. How / nursed
him through the long night, how !
covered him with my own share Of
and Supplied him carefully
and cautiously with gfass and water,
how / tfudged along on foot day af-'|
ter day for the next two weeks, and
cherished him like a little child, i
have not time to tell; but although
many a mile be carried me in after
days over those dreaty deserts, ana
many. a lime brought me alongside
the flying buffalo in his mad career,
yet neyer, Gid he run an eight mile
steeple-chass against the Geld, With,
Fifty untamed coursefs Of the desert
for bis competitors, and fifty painted
warriors yelling in his rear. 5
"Short calls are BEST" as the Fly
said when he lit on tha hot stove.