The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-09-22
4 LIFE IN PERIL.
BY s. EEADE BRocKToN.

/ By s. EEADE BRUChLoN-
Mays the slip 'twixt the cup anC
lip.n To the veriication Of that ole
adage | owe the fact of my rEistenc'
being prolonged to the present time
instead of having been cut short CT
some fifteen years ago.
10 the wear 1851, | then cOnnee
ted with a heavy dry goods estab
lishmeat in New Eork city-Was sen.
in the interests of the hoIse by
which | was pl0yed, on a busine IS
tour through the West, taking in st.
Joseph, and several other points 10
| Missouri.
At that time the Kansas fever was
at its height. Jim Lane was tri-
umphant, and the more serious bor-
der troubles had terminated in rhe
ratification Of sqlatter sovereignty.
On closing up business at ST. JO-
seph, finding myself ahead of my ap-
pointments, and with little leisure,
hanging heavily On my hands, | re-
solved to take o trip into the coun-
try across the border, and satisfy, as
best | might in the short space allot,
ted me, certain lively curiosity,
" hich enhanced nv interest, in the
e citement, the people and every
thing pertaining to the country.
At that time few protective meas
ures had been established, the settlers
in cases Of emergency, relying en-
tirely upon their amateur detective
vigilance committees. As might
have been expected in such state ot
affairs. thieve,y ran riot, and regu.
larly organized bands of despera e
characte-s drove fourishing trade
upon their ''piekings" from the de
lfeuseless frontiersmeD.
Stock raisers were particularly IN
fortunate, and many a fine horse, in
] geniously gotten away by the prac
ticed experts ia rascality. found it:
way without detection into the South
ern markets
! To illustrate the shrewdness Of th'
!, slippery gentry, not an uncommon
practice was to stain the coat of al
uncommonly fine animal, so thai
even his own master meeting him OF
the road, would fail to Recognize hi;
missing property. The thieves, aftel
! getting across the river, had .heil
regular trail through the Missouri
bottom, which is a dense forest o
cottonwood, and honeycombed with
numerous bride paths. They bad q
rendezvous at regular intervals along
the line, their numbers, their bold
ness, and skillful devices, making il
an exception, rather than a rule, il
any unit Of the great whole was over,
taken by the claims Of Justice.
had gained the preceding infor.
nation, when, on going to a stable to
hire a saddle horse, relative to my
intended trip, / found that on account
Of the risks to be encountered, | could
only obtain what | desired, by leav-
| ing a sum in the hands of the owner
sufficient to cover the loss of the ami
NAL, in case | was so unfortunate as
to lose possession of him before nv
return.
In short / was obliged to regular
| ly purchase the beast, and for the FIRST
tire in my life owned bit of horse
flesh.
/ Setting out then upon my own ami
NAL, unincumbered by any luggage
except q tourists satchel, strapped
across enc shoulder, after the manner
of hunting pouch, | left St. Joseph
early in the morning, crossed the riv-
er, struck through the bottom across
a corduroy road, and after twelve
mile ride came into Troy.
Kansas was at that time very
sparsely settled. The squatters gen.
orally sat down near the borders of a
stream, where they had the double
advantage of water and timber, but
for the most part, the towns had been
started out on the broad prairie,
though, save three or four insignif-
cant houses, they were, at the time OF
which | speak paper enterprise, be-
ing principally found--on the mapl
Passing Troy, came out upon
high, rolling prairie. Eight to ten
miles farther, according to by best
recollection of the distance, took me
across stream called Wolf river.
Travelling upon horseback at this
point in nv journey, it began to press
upon me in any light bot that of a
diversion, for, aside from the fatigue
attendant upon my unaccustomed ex-
ercise, and the execrable condition of
the roads, my horse, who, at best had
proved himself hard riding beast,
began to show unmistakable symp-
tons of giving out
My ignorance as to points" had
permitted a worn out hack to be im-
posed upon ne as desirable saddle
horse; though, in justice to myself,
let it be said that the outward appear
ance of the quadruped was better
commendation than his capabilities
as roadster For short squirt he
might answer very well, but for an
all DAYS trip he was decided fail
ure, and my briefly planned absence
was liable TO double, or even treble
in extension, If / were forced to de-
pend upon the wind and speed of my
new acquisition
was just trying to study up some
way cut of my difficulty when a
sound of approaching hoofs struck