Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1880-04-01

me Oy Tue IeeC anu was BrauuaIly urdW-
ing me under.
Almost beside myself with terror,
shouted for help, and then l laughed
wildly at The idea Of my voice
reaching any one. was miles away from
any person. The only living creature
within hearing was my horse, and he an
swered me with neigh, as ifsympath!z-
ing with me in my despair.
And now tried to think coolly upon
my position. Was there really no posi-
BILE way to extricate myself9 Stay! Sup
pose should lay my rife horizontally
across the sand, would it not prevent my
sinking? Perhaps so; at least would
try it.
looked round for my gun, but moth
ing of it could be seen. That too, alas
had sunk beneath tie surface. Could l
dig my way out2 No; sand streamed in
| to the hollow as often as tore It out
with my frenzied fingers.
Could not lie fiat on my back, and
thus stay my downward progress9 The
| thought was dismissed the moment it
came to me. The water was eighteen
| inches deep and / should drown at once.
o heavens! dying by this slow, torturing
process! The thought drove me mad for
| the time.
After while became cool again. If
I must die, must; and I reused myself
to meet 1t manfully. stood erect, and
found my head had sunk to prairie lev
| ell, and could just see the victims Of my
| heartlessness. My heart Teproached me
at the sight Was not this a Just retribu-
ton for the misery had 1nficted9 What
right had l to shoot those two poor limo
cent creatures who had never harmed
me2 Was it not the final adjustment of
justice that should be made to feel and
suffer the same pangs that had inflicted
upon them.
Such and similar, were the thoughts
that coursed through my seething brain.
l raised my eyes to heaven, and almost
expected to see frown of divine anger
fer the part | lad taken. But no; the
} sun was shining as bright and the sky
was as cerulean and mild as ever. No;
!, whatever transgressions had committed
knew there was nothing but forgive
ness and love bending over me, and I
prayed as only sinful man can pray
when encompassed by certain death.
But all this time | was sinklng-sink-
ing slowly but surely, and the moment
could not be far distant when 1 should
be swallowed up and disappear from view
entirely, and those who should come to
search for me could only surmise my
fate.
had taken my last fono look upon
the green, fair earth. could only
see the blue, clayey wall which held the
stream, and the water which ran unheed-
ing by me. Again looked up at the
blue, sweet sky, and then endeavored to
resign myself to my fate. But could
not The memories OF the fair earth and
my past pleasure and friends came so VI
= wildly over me, that found myself con-
2 tinually bursting into struggling spasms
: to escape, but all equally fruitless as
: were the first feeble attempts to walk.
q; In the midst Of this racking suspense
: / was startled by the shrill neighlng of
e my horse. At first this gave me indescrib-
able distress, as l could not avoid con-
: trasting his free situation with my own.
e But suddenly a bright thought flashed
l over me. Gould not my horse rescue
! me?
g He wa tied to a frail cactus limb,
which nnoSould break If he chose With
,, out log time-tor time was never so
a precious-I uttered call which l had
e often used to bring him to me, then lis
e tened with an anxiety which it Is useless
e tor me to attempt to depict. Suddenly
8 heard the sound of his boots, as though
d he were struggling to tree himself, and
d the next moment l recognized his well.
known tramp, and knew that he was APP
e preaching. Then he suddenly appeared
:, on the bank, and looking down at me,
) uttered joyful neigh Of recognition.
e Peculiar attachments exists between
It the hunter and his horse, and it was q
y habit of his, whenever I called TO him.
It to gallop up to me and press bis lose
IS against my cheek. Reaching out my
hadds towardhim, in my usual cares>ing
e manner, repeated my call. The next mo-
l ment he bounded down into the chan
d mel, and l caught him by the bride
q Time was becoming fearfully precious.
II l was already down to my waist in the
If water. Iseized the lariat, and pressing
r it under the saddle girths, secured it in
e, frmknot. I then made a loop and
/ passedit around my body
D Heaven bless the noble horse! The
It tears well up to my eyes when 1 reflect
2, upon the grand creature to whom a few
n years ago gave an honorable grave in
1t the broad prairie. All the time l believe
d he comprehended my sore trait, and under
j, understood perfectly what was required
@ He knew, too, the treacherous nature of
), the ground upon which he stood, for while
e waiting he continued lifting his feet and
sr slightly changing his position to prevent
his sinking. Finally. 1 had my arrange
Ii ments completed, and gave the word
g to the horse to move. The intelligent
e animal stepped off very slowly. pulling
n gradually, but with all his tremendous
it strength. To my inexpressible 10y, felt
&c my body raising, and in less than MIN
lie ute I was pulled clean out of the sand,
e. upon the hard clayey bank. Thank
Heaven! and my true, tried, noble
,f horsei
I'll l threw my arms around his neck and
it kissed him and shouted for joy. And had
At not right to do sol And did l do
7 more than my duty when 1 refused all
r offers to part with him, and kept him
?, with all the care and kindness that
d would have nursed feeble parent9
" Autobiography Of the Atlantic Cable.
r 1854. I first occurred to Mr.. Cyrus