Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1858-02-20

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chance to distinguish himself
Indians on the route were provok
lngly friendly, and he had but little
hope Of finding a grizzly bear tc
throttle, as Sampson did the lion
10 head and lead a stampede was
bis only chance for distinction
Here was danger, and of course, to
brave it successfully, would add
another sprig Of glory to his already
lmperlehable wreath. lie felt that
he was the man for the occasion
he was the Ceur de Lion of the
.carty, and must maintain the honor
and dignity Of bis position by CON
slant deeds of arms" Sternly
yet secretly, he formed his high re-
sol"es. He would do it, lie would
lead the wild stampede; he would
head the furious column in its mid
night drive across the wide prairie.
And bis fiery soul painted for the
occasion, and fretted in his pent-up
bosom like an imprisoned bird. He
had a splendid mare, racer, (how
fortunate !! -"White Surrey would
have been nothing in comparison to
her on such a field. As she cuts an
important figure in the pith Of my
story, | will describe her briefly
She was a beautiful animal, we'll
llmbed and propcrtioned, a jet black
with coat as smooth and glossy as
a raven s wing. "Cap" almost wor-
shipped her. She was the apple of
his eye, the idol of his heart, the
pride of his affections. He had a
banquet cloak made for fear that
the cool night winds of the prairie
might 'visit her too roughly" and
q linnen ''undress" to shield her
from the afectionate glances of old
Sol at midday; and the boys Of
the camp declared that be took half
his rations of bacon to grease her
heels, to prevent the mud from stick
ing to them. "Cap' had given her
the name Of ''Telegraph," as an in
dication ofhis opinion of her match.
less speed. He had golden visions
Of his immense winnings with her
when he reached San 'Sisco,' as he
called it.
We crossed Kansas River late
in the evening, and camped out in
the prairie, a few hundred yards
from the bank Of the river. Soon
afte~ dark storm arose, with in
cessant lightning,t the most vivid and
dazzling | ever beheld. One mo-
ment all around seemed perfect
blaze Of light, if you stood in an at
mosphere of flame; the next, and
like Kirk Alloway, "a was dark, -
pitch dark--painfully dark. The
wind blew almost a hurricane.-|
" hen the storm was at it's zenith,
news came to the camp from the
1erdsmcn, that the cattle We're stam-
oeding. "Cap" sprang to his feet,
'addled Telegraph in nervous haste
mounted, and rode swiftly away. !
Out in the prairie, about half a
nile from the timber which skirted
he banks of the river, there was a
arge cottonwood stump. The tree
lad stood alone, and being unable
o resist the fury of a hurricane, had
>een blown down, its wood used by |
migrants, leaving the stump laying
ideways, with its roots .upturned.
t lay on the side of a gentle hill,
It the foot Of which, a small stream
f water crept sluggishly through |
he black alluvial soil, forming a
marsh ofsome twenty feet in width,
which could not be crossed, even in
daylight, without danger Of miring.
"Cap" rode on until be came
within fifty yards Of this stump,
'hen vivid flash oflightning sud
emily revealed it to him. He saw
but an instant, and in the excited
tate of his mind, he fancied it to
'e a yoke of very. wild oxen, be-
onging to the company, and which
'e supposed were now leading the
tampede:
No time to vaste-not for an in
tant for reflection single touch
rom his spurs, and the gallant mare
ut the opposing wind like shaft
rom cross-bow, his object being
. get in the lead: and, as he saw