St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1878-03-23


1t was in truth the sole means of sSiv~
ing the difficulty. . There are never
theless some precautions to take, said
che colonel. He who shall be con-
demned by lot shall retire backwards.
It will be but feeble chance Of escape
for him, | admit; but, in short, it is a
chance, and especially one in favor of the
winner.
You cling not to life, Them cried
out, terrified at the sanqtroid with which
this proposition was put to me.
~ cling to life more than YOURSELF"
sharply replied the colonel, for l have q
mortal outrage to ayenge. But the
time is slipping away. Are you ready
to proceed to draw the last lottery at
which one of us will ever assist
How were we to proceed to this draw
ing by lots? By means of the wet finger,
like infants, or by head and tail, like the
school boys? Both ways were i'm,
practicable. Our hands imprudently
stretched out over the heads of our
frightened horses might cause them to
give fatal start. Should we toss up a
piece of coin, the night was too dark to
enable US to distinguish which side fell
upwards. The colonel bethought him of
an expedient, of which | never should
| have dreamed.
Listen to me, captain said the col.
onel, to whom had communicated my
perplexities. II have another way.
The terror which our horses feel makes
them draw every moment a burning
breath. The first Of us two whose horse
shall neigh"
"Wins - hastily exclaimed.
Not so-shall be the loser. | knew
that you are countryman, and such as
you can do whatever you please with
your horse. AS to myself, who but last
year wore the gown of a theological stu
dent, | fear your equestrian proves.
You may be able to make your horse
neigh-to hinder him from doing 80 is
very different matter
We waited in deep and anxious silence
until the voice of one of our horses should
break forth. This silence lasted for
minute-for an age! 1t was my horse
who Dejghed the first. The colonel gave
no external manifestation of his Joy, but
no doubt he thanked God to the very
bottom of his soul.
You will allow ME minute to make
my peace with heaven ?" said to the
colonel, with taltering voice.
"Will five minutes be sufficient p
ct WILL I replied. The colonel drew
out his watch. addressed towards the
heavens, brilliant with stars, which: l
thought I was looking up to for the last
time, an intense and burning prayer.
cit is time,' said the colonel.
I answered nothing, and with infrm
hand gathered up the bride of my horse
and drew it within my fingers, which
were agitated by a nervous tremer.
" Yet one moment more" I said to
the colonel, for | have need of all my
coolness to carry into execution the fear
tul man9uvre which l am about to com.
mence."
Granted" replied Garduno.
My education, as have told you, had
been in the country. My childhood and |
part of my earliest youth had almost been
passed on horseback. ] may say, with.
out hattering myself that if there was
any one in the world capable of exc.
cutting this equestrian feat, it was myself. |
I rallied myself with an almost super
natural effort and succeeded in recover
ing my entire selfpossession in the very
face of death. Take it at the worst, I |
had already braved it too often to he
any longer alarmed at it. From that
instant dared to hope afresh.
AS soon rs my horse felt, for the first
time since myrencontre with the colonel, |
the bit COMPRISING his mouth, per-
ceived thai he trembled beneath me. I |
strengthened myself firmly on my stir
rups, to make the terrified animal under
stand that his master no longer trembled.
| held him up with the bride and the
hams, as every good horse1nan does in
dangerous passage, and, with the bride,
the body and the spur together, succeeded
in backing him a few PAGES. His head
was already at a greater distance from
that of the horse of the colonel, who
encouraged me all he could with his
voice. This done, let the poor tremb-
ling brute, who obeyed me in spite Of his
terror, repose himself for a few moments
and then recommended the same
Ali on a sudden I felt his
hind legs give way under me. A hor>
rible shudder ran through my whole
frame. / closed my eyes as if about to
roll to the bottom of the abyss, and
gave to my body a violent impulse on
the side next the hacienda, the surface
of which offered not single projection,
not single tuft of weeds to check my
descent. This sudden movement, Joined
to the desperate struggles of my horse,
was the salvation of my life. He had
sprung up again on his legs, which
ready to fall from under him, so
did feel them tremble,