The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1868-07-18

: trapper, and listened with almost breath
f less attention while he related the fol
, low story:
You see, he began, was trappin.
along the Yellowstone some years ago
and made the business pay. | had ;
good pile of skins, and began to max,
arrangements to return TO the States
when [ had a terrible adventure.
Zone day | was about ten miles taaa
my hut, and when noon came | sat down
to eat my dinner, which consisted O
bears meat and dried yenison. n
horse was tied to tree near by, eating
oats. Suddenly [ heard yell tla:
brought he to my feet, and looking to
the north, | bcheld about twenty Co.
manches sweeping down on me at full
| gallop. | ran to my horse, mouute1 him
and struck out for home. Id not have
much the start, and [ soon saw that tie
red devils were gaining on me. So I
stuck my spurs luto the side of my mus
tang, and he went bounding over the
prairie. l knew that he was worthy
the name Of horse, therefore | had no
fear that they would catch me. But
still they gained on me, and [ saw that
the foremost was within rife shct.
had learned to fire on my horse, so
dropped the reins over the pommel Of my
saddle and fired at the foremost pursuer.
He threw up his hands and fell from his
steed, which dashed away without a
rider, The party stopped a moment,
but | reloaded and went on | saw them
again in motion, and ere long | was in
shooting distance, I fired and emptied
another saddle, but it did not stop them
they came On faster than before. I
fired twice, and two more Comanches
were stretched on the praire lifeless. I
had but one charge left, and | deter
mined to keep for the last moment. All
at once heard the sound of rushing
waters, and it smote upon my ear as my
death knell. l was rapidly nearing
Dead Mans Gulch,' and my brain
whirled at the thought.
This gulch was large opening III
the earth, mad perhaps by an earth
quake. 1t was three miles in length,
and about twenty feet wide / guess it
was a. hundred feet deep, and stream
ran among the rocks at the bottom. Two
of my countrymen had tried to leap the
chasm with their horses, when chased
by the Comanches, but failed. No Won
der thatd shuddered as I neared the
chasm, for death was likely; but sooner
than be captured, I would try to leap
the chasm though persisted in the at
tempt. On | went, and my dusky foes
saw where was going, for they yelled
like demons. The sound of rushing
water grew more distinct, and by rising
in my stirrups could see the yuwning
chasln, and few rods more would de-
eide my fate, The Indians came on,
aud | decided to use my last shot. l
fired, and their leader fell from his horse.
| threw my rifle away, for l did not wish
to cucumber my steeI, and again sent
the spurs into his bleeding sides. I
neared the gulch, and as my noble steed
prepagd for the leap, l closed my eyes
to meet the death thought was at hand.
| felt myself borne throug gh the air, and
then a shock. I opened my eyes and
saw that my brave horse had leaped the
chasm and was clamberiug to his feet
| jumped from the saddle and assisted
him to rise. cried like child, and
showered kisses upon the dumb but
brave animal that had saved ME from
the bottom of the Dead Mans Gulch.'
" l gave my horse rest, and went on
my journey. met my friends, Jake
Simms and Pete Peters, who would
hardly believe me when 1 told them of
my fearful leap. They told ME that my
hair was white, and when | looked into
the mirror found that they had told
the truth. I may live many years, but
| never want to try that leap again. My
faithful horse is still with me, and is
now IN the hosts stable; and all the
wealth of Goleonda would not purchase
him, for he saved me from frightful
death in Dead Mans Gulch.',
-~--~-~-~-~.--@~.~~-~-~~ ....
SEVERE SARcAsM-John Baker, of
Illinois, lately proposed that whenever
Democrat had not more than 1000
majority he should be considered defeat
ed, and his Radical opponent be allowed
his seat. MG. Pollard, Radical, of Yer
mont, hearing the suggestion, proposed
to amend by declaring that whenever
State did not give over 10000 Demo
cratic majority, the entire Radical ticket /
should be declared elected. Such re-
marks show how utterly dfsgusted these
gentlemen are with the action of their
own party in the conduct of contested
election cases. ssr.s-
! A book-peddler, who has been in
Troy about two weeks, trying to sell the
= ~, Grant, has given up in
despair: He se)azzuzsI I have been a
book-agent for nun5e ssars and
have never before failed 70 - akss
full in their sale. But the Life Of Grant
won't sell. Nobody cares for Grant.
His own party rejects his Life with in
difference, ana IN many instances With
contempt ts
TIE & III --~~~~---------z Bs---~~~---~--~---
No MIXED ScHooLs.-Forney, in
yesterdays Chronicle, endorses the re-
commendation of the new Mayor of
Washington that the two races shall not
be put in the same schools in that city.
t55 aszE S-------- : -s--9s -s--------99Sss5
A man in Cincinnati once advertised
for a wife, and the next day hereceived
letters from twenty-seven husbands, say
ing he might have theirs. 5ss.'
--o~o~-~-..-s0s-s-r@r-o-o-"-@
There is. said to be, a;great similarity
between vain young lady and a confirmed
drunkard, in that neither Of them can ever
ret enauph of the olass.