The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-11-30

piolOl, anu llSlelcu. Liz PCftSA NV ASNl
my window rustled. The horses moved
about SO restlessly that heard but little
of the conversation, but that little found
of personal interest to myself.
| give, as nearly as l can remember,
the fragments of dialogue between my
host and the man whom | recognized as
the elder of my two robbers.
| "When did he Gomez"
wall. the sun might have been about
four hours
"Has his horse give OUT"
| tailed to hear the answer, but was
| tempted to shout out, mo"
Gray coat, buckskin breeches." Only
dress.)
"Going to Mariposa at seven i'll the
morning"
II guess wouldn't round here"
| A low muttered soliloquy in Spanish
wound up with a growl.
mo, Antoine, not within mile of the
place"
''Sta buen"
Out of the compressed tumble Of the
final sentence l got but the one word,
''buckshot' The Spaniards mounted and
the sound of their spurs and horses hoofs
soon died away in the north, and lay for
half an hour revolving all sorts of plans.
The safest course seemed to slip out in
the darkness, and fly on foot to the NOUN
tains, abandoning my good Kaweah but
| thought of his noble run, and it seemed
to me so wrong to turn my back on him,
that | resolved to unite our fate. | rose
cautiously, and, holding my watch up to
the moon found that Il O'clock had Just
passed then taking from my pocket five
dollar gold piece, laid it upon the stand
by my bed, and in my stocking feet, with
my clothes in my hands, started noiseless-
ly for the Carol. A fierce bull dog, who
had shown no disposition to make friends
with me. bounded from the open door OF
the proprietor to my side. Instead of tear
ing me, as had expected, he licked my
hands and fawned about my feet.
Reaching the corral gate, | dreaded
opening it at once, remembering the rusty
hinges, SO hing my cloth upon an up
per bar of the fence. and. cautiously lift
ing the latch. began to push back the gate,
inch by inch, an operation which required
me eight or ten minutes; then | walked
up to Kaweah and patted him. His man
ger was empty; he had picked up the last
kernel of barley. The creatures manner
was full OF curiosity, rs if he had never
been approached in the night before. Sup
pressing his ordinary whinnying. he pre-
served a motionless, statue-like silence |
was in terror least by a neigh, or some
nervous movement, he should awaken the
sleeping proprietor and expose my plan
The corral and the open square were
half covered with lose s.ones; when |
thought of the catter of kaweah's shoes
| ,,(+
again meditated running off on foot. I'M
til the idea struck me of mullling the iron
feet. Ordinarily kaweah would not allow
me TO lift his fore feet at all. The two
blacksmiths who shod him had done so 1t
the peril of their lives. and whenever |
had attempted to pick up his hind feet he
had warned me away by dangerous
stamps; so | approached him very timid-
ly, and was surprised TO find that he al
lowed me to lift all four of his feet with
out the slightest objection. AS stopped
down he nosed me over, and nibbled
playtully at my hat In constant dread
lest he should make some noise, hurried
to mutlle his fore feet with my trousers
and shirt, and then, with rather more care
TO tie upon his hind feet my coat and
drawers.
Knowing nothing of the country ahead
OF me, and fearing that | might again
have to run for it, determined at all cost
to water him. Cropping about the corral
and barn, and ut last finding a bucket,
and descending through the darkness to
the stream, | brought him full draught
which he swallowed eagerly. when | tied
my shoes on the saddle pommel aud led
the horse slowly out of the corral gate,
holding him firmly by the bit, and feeling
his nervous breath pour out upon my
hand.
When we had walked perhaps a quarter
Of Il mile. stopped and listened All
was quiet, the landscape lying bright and
distinct in full moonlight. | unbound the
wrappings, shook from them as much
dust as possible, dressed myself and then
mounting, started norlltward on the Mari
posa trail with cooked pistol.
In soft dust we travelled noiselessly for
a mile or So passing from open country
into groves OF oak and thickets of chap
parral
Without warning l suddenly came up
on n smouldering fire close by the trail,
and in the shadow deserted two sleeping
forms, one stretched on his back snoring
heavily, the other lying upon his tace,
pillowins his head upon folded arms.
held my pistol aimed ut one Of the
wretches and rode by without waking
them, ending kaweah in the thickest dust.
1t keyed me up to Il high pitch | turn
ed around in the saddle, leaving Kaweah
to follow the trail, and kept my eyes
riveted on the sleeping forms until they
We're lost IN the distance, and then felt
safe.
We galloped over many miles of trail
enjoying II sunrise, and came at last to
Mariposa, where ] deposited my gold,
and then went to bed and made up my
lost sleep.
CALIFORNIA; latest curiosity is a rooster
with Two sets OF legs-one on his back
When he is weary OF standing in his natu-
raj position, it is gravely asserted, he
turns complete somersault and walks
OIL upside down, and when he takes Il
drink he Immediately turns over, so as to
swallow it more easily. But it is IN tree
fight that ne shows to greatest advantage.
For he is aterrible fighter and when thus
diverting himself looks like revolving
wheel, turning somersaults necessarily,
and kicking in every direction.
An lrIShman, who was very near sipht-