The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-11-02
THE MOONLIGHT RIDE,
OR, THE VICTORY OVER SATAN.

OR, THE VICTORY OVER SATAN.
y number OF years ago, a gentleman in
ClydcSllalc offered me situation as head
groom, which | accepted. He had one
horse, which was kept in stable by him
S,lf, and was, without exception, the
ucliest and most savage animal Of his kind
had ever seen. There was not single
point Of strong or fast horse about
him. lie was ms black aS charcoal he
was named Satan, aud richly did he de-
S.rvc the maine. lie would fly at You,
like dog, with his teeth; attempt to beat
you doNn with his fore feet, and strike
round corner at Won with his hind ones.
lie lad beaten otf all the rough riders,
:ruons, amd jockeys in that part of the
r"aHt;y.
After being in the place fnr few days
wa- asked 10y the gentleman if thought
| could uInAr any thing Unt ui Satan. |
t,p'icl that il Lr lat me, hc would be-
IA, o,lv ii,r<' which had ever done so :;
but Sti, ] considered him To be by FAR the
INST >a,ag had cvrr seen. Try him
ta-m"frew, at aHe n'einrk, said he, rs he
tuned t. 30 away +" will have u few
ri, u,l> with me t. see how YOU Snrcccd." "
| i tcrminrd. howrvrr, t. try him that
EIGHT, and without any witness IL See
AhrtEr succeeded or not. My room
AaS aver the >iab',. aud n the moon did
rui l>c till ,lcv,n "ciuck, threw myS, II
. uIun III" h,.c,utii :, and contrary Ia MY
ntcn'ion, iyjl asleep. When aw"kr it
was twelve, the moon Wa> shiuing bright
\. aud icnHelInS everything H. visible aS
1t it were day.
went down To- the Stable witA bride
rr ,a'"c inr the uro-c, a',d a a,ily-
lua led NLip ia my hatId. knew that it
WCu,d To- Jap i>>'h.e to saddle him an!,
indeed, sIouil b. SAFER on his bare back i,
u thr,v,Itoth hi, thrnNing himself down.
| OPENED the stable d1nr gently, aud there
he was prone on lis side, his legs AMI
neyk stretched ont, a> | have often Stcn
ho;s, : lling after sore fatigue. | clapprtl
nv knee upon his head, looSed the caIlar
! that bound linn. Slipped the hit into his
,lou;h, hncklcd the throat band. raised
aim to Ii> feet, backed him out, aud
icup,d npnn his back, before he had time
to get his eyes right open Il. But open
them now he did, and that with II ven
scaucc he paved and struck the walls
with his fprr.irct, till the fire flashed from
the stones; and then he reared till he fell
right back upon the pavement. was
prepared for this, and slipped off him as
he went down, and then lcaped on him
again as he rose. had not as yet touched
him with whip. bride, or spur. But
now gave him the curb and the spurs at
the same instant. lie gave one mad
bound, and then went off at rate that
completely eclip.cd the speed Of the ilrrtcSt
animal ! had ever ridden. lie could not
trOt, but his galiop was unapproachablc,
and consisted in a succession Of leaps,
performed with precision, velocity, and
strength, absolutely bewildcring.
lie fairly overturned all my precon-
| ceivcd notions Of fast horse. On he
thundercd, till we came under the shadow
Of iir-wood, and then, whether out oi
mischief or dread of the darkness, he halt
cd instantancously, his f0retect SO close
together that you might have put them
into bucket. Owing to the depression
of his shoulders he had no more with
ers than an aSS-the way he had jerkcd
down his head, and the SuddenncSS of the
stop, monkey, although he had been
holding ON with his teeth, must have been
unSeatcd. For me, | was pitched long
way over his head. but alightcd upon a
spot so messy. that it looked HS If some
kind hand had prepared it for me. Had
| been in the slightest degree stunned. or
unable to regain my feet, that instant he
would have torn me to pieces with his
feet, and beaten my manglcd body intn
the earth with his hooiS. But | at once
Sprang to my feet aud faced him. could
have escaped by leaping into the wood
but my blood was up, my brain clear, and
INV heart gave not one extra pulSatloh
There he stood upon his hind.lcgS, nearly
upright, beating the mir with his f"ryttet,
his mouth open, his upper lip curlcd, his
under one drawn, his large white teeth
glancing like ivory in the moonlight. AS
soon as he saw me upon my feet, he gave
a veil such as never heard from horse
before. save once, and which believe is
never ELECTED from that animal, except
when under the domination Of rage or fear
This unearthly cry reused every living
thing within hearing. An army oi rocks
startled from their encampmcnt in tn,
wood. circlcd and wheeled between us and
the moon, shading her light, and filling
the midnight air with their dlSc0rtan'
screams. This attracted the attention oI
Satan, and bringing his iore'fect to th'
ground, he PricKId up his rHrS uurt. his
tened. sprang forward, Stized him hy
the manr, and vaulted upon his back
As | stopped forward to gather up th'
r,ins. which were dangling from his head
he caugh; me by the cuff Of the jacket =
luckily it was hut the cuff! - and tore II
up to my shoulder Instantly he Scizct
me again; hut this time he succeeded rath'
or better, having small portion OF tn
skin and flesh Of my thigh between ms
teeth. The intense pain occasi"ned oy
the hite, or rather bruiSe, Of horse
mouth, cal. only be properly Judged by
those who have frltit was the maddei
of the two now; aud Of all animals. an en-
ragged man is the most fearless. CAV,
him a blow between the ears with the END
of the whip; and he went down at once
stunned and senSeless, with his legs dou
hled up under him, and his nose buried ii
the ground. drew his fore.legs from un
der him, that he might rise the more rcadl
", aud then dashed him into life. Ill
turned his head slowly Eound, and locke,
at the, aud then saw that the savage
glare Of his eye was nearly quenchrd, ant
| shot ;c I cOuld follOw M the advantage
had gained, should ultimately be thu