Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-04-23
ROMANCE OF THE ROAD
How Goodness and Nerve Prevented
an Ugly Accident

How Goodness and Nerve Prevented
an Ugly Accident
From the Mobile Register, April IA.
On Thursday evening last, a
valued friend of ours, who acquired
some very bad habits while he be-
longed TO the ''late rebellious" foot
cavalry, was indulging the worst of
them TO excess. He was taking
solitary and very long walk out
Government street, Rescio quid
medttonS nugoram. When about
two miles from the city his cogita-
tions were rudely broken in upon
by the irregular clatter of iron-shod
hoofs, and, the old soldier instinct
coming up instantly, he turned to
see the trouble in the rear. Down
the straight stretch of road behind,
came q stout bay horse at full run,
evidently much terrified, and per-
fectly regardless of the small hands
that tugged necessarily at the bit
he had mastered and held fast in
his teeth. On the back ofthe fright
ened and unmanageable brute sat
young lady, fragile and womanly,
but perfectly self-possessed, and
keeping her seat with the ease and
naturalness that belong only to
finished horse woman. Some little
distance behind, her escort cavalier
followed at a gallop, either unable
to overtake her, or fearful of still
further frightening her maddened
horse.
With a second glance our friend
had taken in the whole situation,
had arranged his plan, and prepared
for action. Over his arm be had
slung a cape with bright red lining;
with great presence of mind he
threw this into the ditch at the
roadside, lest the color should
further alarm the now perfectly I'M
governable beast. Then he stepped
full into the road, bFaced himself
for the coming shock, and waited.
The lady, too, arranged to meet the
shock. A thought paler, perhaps;
sitting firm in the saddle, with the
easy, strengthful grace that is born,
not made; and perfectly free from
all appearance of feal-she braced
herself afresh against the taut reins,
and with a single glance told him
that she was ready.
All this was the work of Sec
ond. On rushes the horse with the
speed of an engine, spurning the
dirt behind his heels with the force
of a catapult Nearer he comes
still nearer,-he closes the gap, and
is abreast of the waiting man.
There is sudden spring, pair of
nervous hands have elutched the
near rein with a deliberately true
| grip, a rushing plunge,-a whirl-
ing, dizzy sense,-and our friend
loses all consciousness in darkness.
After moment he opens his eyes,
giddily rises from the ground, and
finds the lately maddened horse still
and trembling before him. The
Jump for the bit had been true. The
| force of the beasts onward rush had
borne him on, hurled him in the air,
and then struck him senseless to the
ground. But he had accomplished
the task he had set himself, and had
saved perhaps a horrible catastro-
phe; for the lady still kept her seat,
and, without even drawing a longer
breath than usual, most gracefully
thanked our somewhat bewildered
friend gave him the most pleasant
of mods, and rode off with her now
recovered escort, leaving the other
with much dust in his hair, and the
Renaissance of wonderful smile
in his brain. To this moment-fron
all that we can gather about his tall
about tive are all in doubt as tC
whether our friend most admire:
the wonderful nerve and coolLess
the splendid Workmanship, or tn,
bewitcbing smile ofthe fair incog.