River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-02-12

"Dick," they called back as they were
driving off, "a cool twelve hundred
apiece; throw out your old she'll and join
the hunt
The driver mumbled something, bui
the whisky had thickened his speech SO
that it was unnteligible to me.
IL he did attempt to move the coffin, ]
was lost.
They kept within hailing distance for
the length Of some three or ioui miles,
Dick smashing the heavy wagon along at
a stunning gait; aud expected every
moment my shell would be ostled out
BY and by there was shout off to
the right; "tally no" as if the hunts.
men had sighted the quarry. Nothing
but an unwarrantable amount Of liquor
could have influenced them to conduct
themselves as they did, for no sooner had
they called out from the right than Dick
came to sudden halt, leaped from the
seat, and ran off towards those who were
hallooing.
For one instant my heart stopped beat
ing at the thought of the hazard | was
about to run. The next moment sprang
from the coffin to the ground. A few
lightning.like strokes, and had severed
the traces and tie hold-backs of the
harness.
The whole scene is wildly pictured in
my mind the moon.lighted prairie, the
little ravine toward which the renegades
were dashing, the wagon standing in the
trail; then the rafting of the falling
thills reached the ears of the party, and
With wild shout they turned toward me-
! was on the horses back, but boldly de.
fined by the moonlight. There was the
sharp report of two rifles. felt sting
in my foot, another in my shoulder, but
the horse was unframed, and the race Of
life began.
One disadvantage for me was the alb.
sence of saddle, but was riding for
life, and | held my steed between my
knees, and took the broad trail with the
fury of tornado. But the issue would
rest mostly with the horses. | knew
nothing of the one which rode; knew
nothing Of those that were pursuing me,
excepting my cwn white.faced mare. She
could run like an antelope and out-wind
hurricane.
On and on my steed, desperately spur
red with the point Of my knife, bore
ahead, actually causing rue TO gasp for
breath; and not two hundred yards in
the rear rode my would-be murderers.
On the rolling prairie now. and my an
imal took the decliyites with a plunge,
and the elevations with sure, fierce
stride-across the brawling ford--but
crack came another rife echo, and again
a stream Of fire seemed to strike my
shoulder, They were closing in--closing
up. could make cut only two horse
men following. One Of these had dis
charged his rifle at me, the other knew
was held in rest for them to come just a
few yards nearer.
A momentay dizziness Topped me over
upon my horses neck. The ruifians
yelled triumphantly behind, but dis.
tant echo brought me up, and giving my
poor beast singing blow, 1 emitted the
wild, long, fierce yell of the border rang
ers, and sped on again but my horse
had that peculiar squirm now and then
in his gait that told me he was ia tering.
Again that echo reached me, swelling
out on the rising wind-it was the shrill
squeal of the fife and the rum-diddle-
did-e-um dunno um-dum Of infantry -
turning from some expedition to Fort
l.. Again sent out that long. wild
border yell, and knew by the quicker
breathing Of the fife, and the rapid pulls.
ing of the drum, that the soldiers had
broken into the ''double-quick in heed of
my cry.
A parting shot fired at random, and the
two despCradoes turned but one Of them
at least, was not done with. / called
my horse with peculiar whistle; ! re-
peated and repeated it, and then heard
him crashing again in pursuit, while his
rider shouted and dashed him, and tried
to pull him around the other way. For a
brief time the desperate wreStled with
the animal, dashed, goaded, and roared at
her. but my incessant, jerky whistle kept
her mind and head toward me. He only
gave up the frutless struggle and Ieaped
from her back when a squad of infantry
dashed over bllowy swell Of the prairie
and rushed down toward US at that
steady, measured run which is so effect.
i've in contrast with a disorderly gait.
'It's Wolf, boys" | exclaimed, as they
came up with me-for knew bis voice.
had no need to tell them that there was
price set upon his head, as it had been
clearly proved that he had stirred up the
savages to commit more than one mas
sacre Of the settlers; and a dozen Of
them. utiering yell Of fury, started in
pursuit while the others, noticing my
swaying about on the animal which |
rode, began to think that | had found
something serious in my race forl life. In
fact, the plain was rising and falling and
shutting about so that II took great
amount Of nerve and equipoiso to sit as |
ought. They got me into Fort Laramie,
however, with ubcle's promissory notes
all safe in my breast pocket, while my
boot full Of blood. and the calling flesh
wounds in my shoulder, accounted for
the odd manguyerings Of the plain while
| was on horseback.
After brief but desperate conflict,
Bill Wolf was bror yht in and passed over
to the proper officers "to have and 10
hold until there should be meted out TO
him the measure he had given others.
CAPTAIN CARNEs.
Boys Composition on the Cort.
A goat is longer than a pig, and gives