The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-11-11
possuin Story.

"a footQm 6Lofys
a Georgia correspondent writes 70
FOyest and 6tysam; Lewis Robb, orr
barber. six feet In height, l76 pounds.
Is passionstely fond Of hunting sly
keynard. To enjoy this fascinating
pastime Lewis viii mount snything in
the shape of horsenesh.
Not many oon ago Lewis deter
mined 10 try the chase After seeking
In vain to obtain Q horse, he hired . lit
lie active mule from a colored brother.
Mounted. his long legs almost touched
The ground. as the mule cantered along
with him to the merry greenwood.
Lewis was in high spirits The moon.
u her full. shown in resplendent glory.
Ills well-trained dogs at his heels bayed
|oyously over the prospect of . race af-
Ter the cunning old fox The little
mule pricked up his ears. cut = few
playful antics with the long-eared
hounds that now and hen shifted at
his heels. and nimbly hied away over
The long. long wire grass
Soon they are upon the hunting
ground. The old veteran of the pack
lakes a sniff Of the ground. and an
aounces by a deep-mouthed bay that
he cents the prey. Join in his cry the
opening pack. and away they speed.
iuaking the welkin ring with music
lweeter to the hunters ear than that of
his mistress. Lewis. thanks to the ac-
'iiyity of his mule. keeps well up. ex-
pecting every moment TO rouse sly Rey-
nard from his hiding-place.
half mile is left behind. Suddenly
fhe dogs iereely bay something in a
log. Lewis rides up to find Q large OPP
possum seated in the forks of the fallen
tree, growing defiance at his foes. En-
souraged by the presence Of their mas.
YER. the dogs seize and drag the prey
10 the ground. Visions OF "baked
possum and tater'' q ated through
Lewis brain 30 wildly that no dis
mounted and rescued the 'possum from
ihe hounds. Knowing the cunning
creatures art Of feigning death he
determined to break his neck ; SO,
planting y foot on his neck and seizing
The tail. he pulled with might and
main. Satisfied that the brute was
lead. he tied him on behind. and pro-
eeeded ON his hunt
ne had not gone far before his little
mule stopped short, and seemed to re-
nect for . moment Then. a. though
stricken with "St. Vitus'" dance, no
commenced capering wildly. madly.
and vigorously over the wire grass.
"WhoaI whoal mulel whoar' yells
Lewis; Who-o-o-ehr' But he didn't
whoa, but fans the air rapidly with his
hind legs, and Lewis shoots out Of the
saddle. over his head. to mother earth.
splitting the wire grass with his head.
sas boats are sometimes by . wanton
whale" Mule sheds the saddle BY
slipping through the girth. runs . short
distance. stops, turns around, and
shorts vigorously.
Lewis rises. rubbing his bruises.
catches the mule, looks around for his
saddle, and loi the oppossuln is run
ming away with It. The cause Of his
disaster was apparent. Tired Of his
peculiar confinement. and rousing from
his feigned death. the 'possum. In bill
efforts to get away, commenced tick
ling the mules tanks with sharp clsws
which peri ormance resulted In the col
Il sion Between Lewis and our planet
Catching up with the varmint Lswl
turned him loose to wander at his will
And never. hardly sver. Will he We
believe q dead 'possum.