The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1874-01-06

1
Lake Superior. We called out, "Hol
on, jim p' which he dill with the pert
|nacity of crcls rider. He was evi
: IDENTITY badly scared, aud as he cam
Iaround he presented an image as pale a
jdeath At each successive round she in
creased her speed till she flew off at
i tangent with fearful velocity, and took
Il hee-line for the fy.stomp.
4 Sheridan $ eride,as he dashed down tn,
.lpike from Winchester on his flamins
.tcharger, was nothing to the feats of tht
'fRat Catcher. We called to jim to dis
Imount, but he, being slightly acquainted
with the laws OF momentum, decided te
Hrun the chances. Withthe zenith of hi
afstose pipe pointed fair to.the wind, ant
/ Iiis hands deeply grasped in the name, III
sald to lier with the grip of miser.--
.fssds gisls shfieked as they elainberet
on the fence, while tae Rat Catche
darted down the valley with all the wild
fury aud neetness of Byron's Mazeppa
1 As she neared the swamp she cleared i
at single bound and instantly disappear
led | followed in her wake, and was
tupon the site of their disappearance as
qaick as the utmost speed of old Bally
fcould carry me- When l arrived upon
] the spot all that remained visible of the
/ RAJ Catcher or her rider was horses
tail and pair of boots that protruded
Ifrom miserable looking hole jamned
ia the thorn bush. called to jim to
know if he was alive or much hurt; he
said he didn't know, that the colt was
Sdown, and that they were both fast, and
Iif she succeeded in raising he never ex'
pected to escape aiive;, his suspense
imust have been awful 's
began to peer round to fnd some
ssmeans of relieving him, and procured a
3stont fence-rail, and by the aid of the
3boys, who had now arrived,we cautious
3iy poked one end through the brush JUS
above their heads aud by swinging or
Ethe other end we succeeded in etfeciina
Fan opening jim squailed like wild
lcat as the Rat Catcher,in raising, pressed
Thin upwards into the thorn-bush. Ii
ferier to extricate herself she threw hel
weight backward, wien Jim's suspenders
fgsye way aud his head and arms with hi
enlire suit, except his pants aud boots
were completely baggea iihis long white
Eshirt, that louked like a stuffed pillow
Pip, aud the Rat Catcher ana her rider
Erblled off into the swamp The col
Bounded away and sought refuge by an
lother inlet, and Jim was LEFT founderins
tin the mud. The girls had arrived IL
EDreashless suspense,exoecting to see jim
Ia manglei corpse, in time TO see hin
[emerge from the mire. He was com
Epietely hlindfolded and nearly smother
Fed; when from the tattered and muddy
Isack that hung over his head droppe,
this dilapidated stove-pipe, as completely
Eaemohshed as if it had dropped through
b wool picker. His pants: unsupported
Hwere trailing in the mud at his feet jim
ilAthis dreadful predlcament, resemble,
4 sxkinnsd eel, or vanqldshed gladiase
i returning froassa ..syfsssssight Tae giril
appeared to he as badly frightened a
though they had seen an apparition.-
i The shock was greater than their mod
esty could withstand, aud they beat
hasty retreat. We, in all possible haste
succeeded in returning the sack owe
Jim's head. to give him daylight and ;
little wind. When he saw the girls h
withered aud wilted down, and said
j.'Curse the Rat Catcher! This will b.
the last time that shall ever attempt tt
ride fool colt. 80
We didn't break the colt, but We brok
Jim from peering round after the girl:
in our. neighborhood. / believe he re
ceived no serious physical injury; hi
greatest Getriment was that Of his shir
and stove pipe hat, which was an entir
loss We ofien laughed when We though
of his appe trance in the mud hole, bl
we kept the thing as shady from the Ole
man as we would have kept the secrets
had we heen initiated into the Mysti,
| Oorder. of Thousand and One,