The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-08-06
The thought drove

torturing process. The thought drove
me mad for the time.
After while / became cool again.
FL must die, I must; and I aroused
myself to meet it manfully. / stood
erect, and found that my head had sunk
to the prairie level, and / could just see
the victims of my heartlessness. NY
heart reproached me at the SIGHT. Was
not this q Just retributi0n for the misery
I had inflicted What right had I to
shoot those poor, innocent creatures
who had never harmed me? Was it
not the final adjustment of justice that
l should be made to feel and suffer the
same pangs that I had inflicted upon
them?
Such. and similar. were the thoughts
that coursed through my seething
brain. I raised my eyes to Heaven.
and almost expected to see frown of
divine anger for the part I had taken.
But no; the sun was shining as bright
and the sky was as cerulean and mild
as ever. No; whatever transgressions
I had committed. I knew there was
nothing but forgiveness and love bend
ing over me, and / prayed as only sim
full man can pray when encompassed by
certain death.
But all this time I was sinking
ing slowly but surely, and the moment
could not be distant when l 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 fond look upon
the green, fair earth. I could only see
the blue, clayey wall which held the
stream, and the water which ran un-
needing 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 pleasures and friends came so
wildly over me that I found myself con-
tinually bursting into struggling spasms
to escape, but all equally fruitless as
were the first feeble attempts to walk.
In the midst of this racking suspense
I was startled by the shrill neighing of
my horse. At first this gave me in
describable distress, as could not avoid
contrasting his free situation with my
own. But suddenly bright thought
flashed over me. Could not my horse
rescue mep
He was tied to frail cactus limb,
which he could easily break, if he
chose. Without losing time-for time
was never so precious uttered call
which I had often used to bring him to
me; then listened with an anxiety
which it is useless for me to attempt to
depi,t. Suddenly heard the sound
of his hoofs, as though he were strug-
Cling to free himself, and the next mo-
ment l recognized his well-known
tramp, and knew that he was ap-
Then he suddenly APP
peared on the bank, and, looking down
at me, uttered joyful neigh of recog-
milton.
Peculiar attachment exists between
the hunter and his horse, and it was q
habit of his, whenever I called him, to
gallop up to me and press his nose
against my cheek. Reaching out my
hands toward him, in my usual caress-
ing manner, I repeated the call. The
next moment he bounded down into
the channel, and caught him by the
bride. Time was becoming fearfully
precious. Twas already down to my
waist in the water. 1 seized the lariat,
and, pressing it under the saddle
girths, secured it in firm knot. I then
made a loop and passed it around my
body.
Heaven bless the noble horse! The
tears well to my eyes when I reflect
upon the grand creature to whom few
years ago I gave an honorable grave in
the broad prairie. All the time I be-
lieve he comprehended my sore strait,
and understood perfectly what was re-
1uireG of him. He knew, too, the
treacherous nature of the ground upon
which he stood, for while waiting he
continued lifting his feet and slightly
changing his position to prevent hiA
sinking. Finally, I had my arrange
ments completed, and gave the word
TO the horse to move. The intelligent
animal stepped off very slowly, pulling
gradually, but with all his tremendous
strength. To my inexpressible joy, I
telt my body raising, and in less than q
minute I was pulled clean out of the
,and, upon the hard, clayey bank.
Thank heaven! and my true, tried, noble
horse!
I threw my arms around his neck and
Kissed him, and shouted for Joy. And
had NOT right to do SOP And did I
10 more than my duty when refused
Ill offers to part with him, and kept
him with all the care and kindness
hat would have nursed feeble pa
.ent?
Marriage Not the Business Of Ex.
istence.