Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1869-04-21

4 Il L
sliding door, and swung my hat and
shoutedf hoping to attract some
2 Dreakman's attention. The train was
l laundering along at full speed, and
: none saw or heard me. / knew her
: stupOr would rot last long. 4 slight
| quiVeTing of the lip, an occasional
f spasm running through the frame
told me too plainly that the stage OF
frenzy would soon begin. My God,
L exclaimed in despair, as | shut the
! TdOOr and turned toward her, must
see you die, Gulnare, when an open
ing of vein would save you? Have
, you born me, my pet, through all
these years of peril, the icy chill OF
winter, the heat and torment of sum-
mer, and all the thronging dangers OF
hundred bloody battles, only to die
torn by fierce agOnies, when so near a
peaceful home?
but little time was given me to
mourn. My life was soon to be in
peril, and l must summon up the
utmost power of eye and limb to
escape the violence of my frenzied
mare. Did you ever see q mad horse
when his madness is on him. Take
your stand with me in that car, and
you shall see what suffering a dumb
creature can endure before it dies. In
no malady does a horse suffer more
than in phrenitis, or inflammation of
the brain. Possibly in severe cases of
collie, probably in rabies in its fiercest
form, pain is equally intense. These
three are the most agOnizing of all the
diseases to which the nOblest of ami
mails is exposed. Had my pistols
been with me, / should then and
there, with whatever strength Heaven
granted, taken my companions life,
that she might be spared the suffering
which was soon to rack and wiring
her sensitive frame. A horse labor
ing under an attack of phrenitis is rs
/ violent as horse can be. He is not
/ ierociOus as is one in fit of rabies.
He may kill his master, but he does
1t without design. There is in him
no desire of mischief for its own sake,
or cruel cunning, no stratagem and
malice. \ rabid horse is conscious in
every act and motion. He recognizes
the man he destroys. There is in
him an insane desire to XIII. Not so
with the phrenetie horse. He is un-
conscious in his violence. He sees
and recognizes no one. There is no
method or purpose in his madness.
| He kills without knowing il.
T Il knew what was coming. / could
not jump out, that would be certain
( death. must abide in the ear, and
take my chance of life. The car was
fortunately high, long and roomy. /
took my position in front of my horse,
watching, and ready to spring. Sud
denly her lids, which were closed,
came open with a snap, as if an cleo
I tric shock had passed through her,
and the eyes, wild in their brightness,
stared directly at me. And what eyes
I they were! The membrane grew red
and redder until it was of the color OF
blood, standing out in frightful con-
trast with the transparency of the
eornea. The pupil gradually diIated
until it seemed about to burst, out of
| the socket. The nOstrils, which had
been sudden and mOtiOnless, quivered,
swelled, and glowed. The respiration
became short, quick and gasping
J The limp and dropping ears stiffened
and stood erect, prieked sharply for
ward, as if TO catch the slightest
/ sound. Spasms, as the car swerved
and vibrated, ran along her frame.
| More hOrrid than all, the lips slowly
contracted, and the white, sharp
edged teeth stood uncovered, giving
an indescribable look of ferOcity to
the partially opened mouth. The
car suddenly reeled as il dashed
around curve, swayin her almost
of her feet, and as eontOrtiOn shook
her, she recovered herself, and, rear
ing upward as high as the car permit
ted. plunged directly at me. l was
expecting the movement, and lodged.
Then followed exhibitions of pain
which pray God 1 may never see
again. Time and again did she dash
herself upon the floor, and roll over
and over, lashing out with her feet in
all directions. Pausing a moment.
she would stretch her body to its ex-
treme length, and, lying upon her
side, pound the floor with her head as |
if it were a-maul. Then like a flash !
she would leap to her feet, and whirl |
round and round until from very gid |
dIness she would stagger and fall. !
She would lay hold of the straw with |
her teeth, and shake it as a dog shakes |
a struggling woOdehuek; then DASH |
ing it from her mouth, she would |
seize hold of her own sides, and rend /
herself. Springing up, she would \
rush against the end of the car, fall /
ing all in a heap from the violence of |
the conclusion. For some fifteen 4
minutes without intermissiOn the 1
frenzy lasted. was nearly exhaust /
ed My efforts to avoid her mad 4
rUshes, the terrible tension of my
nervous system produced by the
spectacle of such exquisite and pro-
lOnged suffering, were weakening me
beyond what should have thought ii
possible an hour before for anything to
weaken me. In fact, Ifeltmy strength
leaving me. \ terror such as never
yet felt was taking possession of my
mind. l siekened at the sight before
me, and at the thought of ag0nies vet
to come. My God,' / exclaimed,
must be killed by my own horse in
this miserable carp Even as / spoke
the end came. The mare raised her
self until her shoulder touched the
roof, then dashed her body upon the
floor with violence which Threaten
ed the stout frame beneath her. /
leaned, painting and exhausted against
the side Of the car. Gulnare did not
stir. She lay mOtionless, her breath
coming and going in lessOned respi-
ratiOns. / tottered toward her, and,
As stood before her, my ear detected
a low gurgling sound. I cannot de-
scribe the feeling that followed. Joy
and grief eOntended within me. i Z
knew the meaning of that sound.
Gulnare, in her frenZied violence, had
broken blOOd-vessel, and was bleed
ing internally. Pain and life were
passing away together. Iknelt down
by her side. laid my head upon her
and sobbed aloud. Her
body moved little beneath me. !
erawled forward and lifted her beauti-
full head into my lap. o, for one more
sign Of recognition before she died.
| smOOthed the tangled masses of her
name. i wiped, with a fragment of
my coat, torn in the struggle, the
blood which OOZed from her nOstrils.
/ called her by name. My desire was
granted. Ina moment Gulnare OPEN
ed her eyes. The redness of frenzy
had passed out of them. She saw
and recognized me. / spoke again.
Her eve lighted a moment with the
old and intelligent look of love. Her
ear moved. Her nostril quivered ,
slightly as she stTove TO neigh. The
effort was in vain. Her love was
greater than her strength. She NOV
ed her head little, as if she would be
nearer me, looked once more with her !
clear eyes into my face, breathed
II.