Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1868-11-10
A NARROW ESCAPE.

along on foot In pra1r1e not lar from
the st. Bernard. My path wound
along i'll serpentine course, bordered
on either side by the rank prairie grasq,
with here and there clumpo stunted
trees, denoting some water or lower
spot on the broad green expanse. which
scr, Ell as an occa> ioaal she,tei or WA
tering place for some small bovine fam
lily. The living scud of simmer clouds
some what obscl red the sun ID sent
the shadows chasing each other across
the limitles5 Wild with all that beauty
Of light aud shade S m9ci admired by
tue lovers OF the picturesque aud the
cooling breeze almost always prevailing
in the prairie rendered the heat less OPP
pressive than one would expect. In
the distance herds of cattle were brows-
ing the rich mosquitoes yet Twas aware
of the sometimes belligerent nature of
ihos.' semi wild animals on their native
pastures Suddenly there sprang from
the tall grass, Il few yards before me, II
large brindled bull. He began to paw
the earth aud exhibited nnmistakablc
signs that lis blood was up. The brin-
dies attitude became more menacing as
| advanced, and | was within few pl-
ces of him when he lowered his head
for the attack, and attempted to draw
my revolver. It was too late. Before
I had time to use my weapon he had
sprung upon me and bore me to the
earth In the shock ] dropped my re,
yolyer Fortunately for me, although
his horns were long and keen, they
were wide apart and thus he had me
fastened down--his sharp horns stick
ing into the earth on either side of me.
[ seized his horns as the only alterna-
tive, and attempted to hold him. Now
the struggle commenced in earnest
His hot breath in my face almost sufo-
Gated me. Still / held to his, horns
with all my strength, hoping that
he would tire of the contest and leave
me. He drew me further from my
weapon of defence ; finally breaking
loose from me, he retired few steps
[ was afraid to move. There he stood
lashing his tail against his sides, paw
ing the earth, his red nostrils disten-
ded, and his eyes glazing like balls of
fire. He looked to me the very imper-
sonation of the fiend of darkness him
self. He again bowed his head, one
deep thunder-like roar came from him
and again he was upon me. As before,
his horn struck each side of me and
vas held to the earth Again I seized
his horns and he pushed me slowly to
words the spot where the contest had
commenced 1 by this time, was al
most exhausted, The bull, too, was
somewhat fatigued. At last he broke
loose from my hold and backed off II
few yards to renew the combat. / felt
that l should be unable to endure so
unequal fight much longer. l looked
around and found that we were near
the place where the bull had made the
first charge. My hat which / lost in
the first outset, was lying near me, and
fortunately but few feet from it lay
! my revolver. 1t was my last hope of
life. With all my remaining strength
1 sprung for and grasped my pistol,
just as the bull had gathered himself
for another attack On he came more
enraged than ever. His eyes seemed
to emit sparks of fire as he rushed to-
wards me. / had no time for rehec-
ton, but presented my revolver, and
when he was within five feet of me |
fred / struck him in the curl in the
forehead. He fell forward dead bull 4,
and his heavy carcass in its fall nearly
crushed my right leg, and almost
smothered me. With difficulty extri-
Gated myself, but it was some time be-
fore was able to stand. When I was
so far recovered as to crawl away, saw
a few hundred yards from me lone
tree, the friendly shelter of which / at
once sought the rays of the now verti
cal sun. When I reached the tree,
there sat very composedly among its
sheltering branches native herdsman.
lasso in hand, who had been a disinter-
ested spectator of the unequal contest
from first to last
SeA- The Board of Chosen Freehol-
ders met to-day. The petition of the