American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-10-31
A HARD RIDE.

HARD RIDE.
BY MRS. ANDERSON.
A HARD ride and strange one you
will say, am sure, but | assure you the
story is quite true, for | know the little
rider myself and know him now that he
is man, and one of the oldest and most
respected inhabitants of il f1ourishing
Western city.
There was nothing little Jamie Brown
loved so well as old Daisy, the pet COW
Every morning he babe her gOod-by be-
fore she left for the days feed in the
woods, and every night he welcomed her
home.
Early one midsummer's day, without
waiting to eat his breakfast, he ran as
usual to the barn-yard and found her
ladyshiD lying in one corner. He
where himself ON her back, tlinging
his arms around her neck, but had
hardly bestowed upon her one good hug
when, without one "word of warning, y
she sprang up with a bound and joined
the drove of COWS that were just then
passing. Clinging tight to her neck the
boy was in the way of "A free ride much
against his will, for Daisy's friends had
the start, and she ran as fast as she
could; Jamie, afraid to get off, chung. still
tighter, calling in vain for help, and was
carried long way. When at last the
old COWS stopped to eat of the grass and
drink at the spring the memory of the
stories of children lost forever in those
wild woods filled him with terror, and
fearing that old Daisy might leave him
alone he did not dare to jump down; he
forgot his hunger and kept the closer to
old Daisy's back, who whisked her tail
against his legs, never seeming to mind
him any more than she did one of the
big flies that =were constantly buzZing
about.
In the meantime what hubbub at
Mr.. Browns The breakfast was cold
and untouched ON the table; such call
ing and hunting and searching in proba
hours time the whole town knew
that Jamie was missing. Every
one came to help find him. chill
drcn neglected to go to school,
for the lost child was IL general favor
lite, and the faces of old and young grew
long as the day passed on and no signs
or tidings came to throw the least light
upon his most unaccountablc disappear
ance. The men dragged the river; the
women, followed by his distracted
mother, examined cisterns and wells,
more than fearing sad fate for the little
fellow.
Jamie, child that he was, knew as well
as if he had been there all the trouble at
home; and when he thought Of his dear
grief he was half mind to try
and find his way back, running the risk
of never finding his way home or of being
discovered by wild beasts or carried into
by the Indians. These were
not childish fears, the result of foolish,
tales to be laughed
at as unreasonable, for this hap
pencd years ago, in the city of
Buffalo, when it was only small
and its most elegant suburban
residences were wigwams, and the yells
and war-whoops of the savagcs resoundcd
where YOU now hear sounded the Shrill
of the locomotive; Jamie was
sensible as well as timid and did not
The only chance he had to obtain any
thing to eat was when old Daisy, with
out any intention of doing il kind act,
stopped to Craze near some raspberry
bushes; he could manage to hold on with
one hand and gather some ripe fruit with
the other.
As the day wore on, and the heat be
came uncomfortable, the cattle waded
into the river; and Jamie's heart sank
within him when he saw old Daisy fol-
lowing where many of them were already
standing, some more than half-covercd
with water Here was ii new, unlocked
for danger; the current was swift; it
made him dizzy to look down into the
water, and the cows steps were unsteady
on the stony, irregular bottom.
Through that long summer day
Jamie was not forgotten Tor one mo
mcnt at home. No one tended his
fathers shop or cared whether pins
worth was sold or not; no one
minded that his mothers bread dough,
grown too light and airy to stay within
bounds, was running all over the kitchen
floor What mattercd it if the beds were
unmade the dishes unwashed? the light
was gone out of their hearts, tho JOY
from their nome, perhaps never to re-
turn. Their only child might even then
be suffering more than they could bear to
hink of, for the men who had been scour
ing the woods all day had come back and
brought no tidings of the lost child
enough, none in all their
search had CHANGED to go to the spot
where Daisy was walking leisurely
farther and farther into the deep water.
annie, dizzy-hcaGul, faint and weary,
nad hardly strength to hold on
The sun was down far in the west
when we gathered, grown people and
one and all, at Mr.. Browns.
There was no need of asking IL question;
and answered when we looked into
he tear-stained face of his mother
md saw the sad, discouraged
ook of his father. But not one was
disposed to give up. The women went
to work to prepare without delay SUB
5tantial supper for the men and put them
Ip provisions for the night, and some OF
he men and larger boys were chosen to
prepare pine torches, Others to gather
together ammunition and firearms,
needed not only to defend themselves
against hostile Indians and dangerous
Wild beasts. but TO give the signal agreed
lpon of one gun if they discovered any
races of the lost child, two if found,
.hree if safe
Our plans were all laid, and we were
to carry them out when we
noticed the cows coming home.
Poor Jamiem said Mr.. Brown, wiring
ng her hands and bursting into II fresh
Hood of tears, he will never see old
Daisy again"
She is not there said one of the
men.
at does not natter said Mr.. Brown,
= ! could not milk her if she was"